Bombers from World War II were typically outfitted with a gunner seat in the tail to defend against enemy aircraft. Some had even more canons spread throughout the fuselage for better defense. The Bear only contains a single 23mm Autocannon located in the tail of the plane. It’s a Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-23 and fires between 3,400 and 3,600 rounds every minute.
Unfortunately, a single turret in the tail of a plane isn’t sufficient defense, especially when going against modern fighter jets like the F-22 or F-35. It might carry cruise missiles now, but those are long-range weapons not intended to be used against enemy aircraft. Not to mention the Tu-95 isn’t a maneuverable aircraft that can survive a dogfight with a fighter jet. However, those cruise missiles are good for taking out stationary anti-aircraft weapons systems.
It doesn’t help that the Bear isn’t the fastest bomber in the sky. With a max speed of 515 mph, it’s not outrunning any modern-day military jets. Its cousin, the Tu-160, which travels nearly two times faster than sound, is better suited for getting in and out of enemy territory quickly. Even compared to bombers like the B-52, it’s considerably slower as the American bomber flies nearly 600 mph.
