MOSCOW, March 22 (RIA Novosti) - Russian strategic bombers practiced cruise-missile launches during combined-force tactical exercises that ended Wednesday, an Air Force spokesman said.
Colonel Alexander Drobyshevsky said the four-day exercises, involving 15 Tu-95MC [NATO codename Bear] strategic bombers, 12 Il-78 tanker planes, and Su-27 fighters, had been supervised by Lieutenant General Igor Khvorov, Commander of the Strategic Air Command's 37th Army.
A total of eight cruise missiles were launched during the exercises, which also included day- and night-time midair refueling and flights in the Far North, Drobyshevsky said, adding that 60% of the crews were novice pilots.
A Tu-95 bomber can carry up to six X-55 cruise missiles capable of hitting stationary targets with high precision.
