Have Ukraine-related Sanctions Derailed Russia’s New PAK DA Stealth Bomber

By Maya Carlin, Warrior Contributor, Weapons

Over the summer, Russian state media outlets suggested that prototypes of Russia’s PAK DA long-range bomber might enter production as soon as this year.

There is no official confirmation yet, but the PAK DA has reportedly been in the works since 2019, when a high-ranking minister approved the bomber’s design plan.

Since the onset of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, sweeping international sanctions have stymied Moscow’s military production capabilities. Considering the dearth of weaponry and other equipment that already hampers Russian forces, prospects for a new stealth bomber seem dim.

However, as China’s own H-20 strategic bomber program progresses, the U.S. must consider the threat a Russian airframe with similar capabilities would pose.

Strategic Bomber

Strategic bombers are medium- to long-range airframes designed to drop large quantities of air-to-ground ordnance onto distant targets. Since these aircraft can carry hypersonic missiles, they do not need hypersonic or supersonic flight.

Strategic bombers are built to remain in the air long enough to release hypersonic missiles as threats emerge. It makes sense that Moscow is seeking to produce its own stealth bomber, considering America’s and China’s progress on their own programs.