Is Russia's Military Hardware Falling Apart?

Popular Mechanics: As Another Bomber Crash Lands, Is Russia's Military Hardware Falling Apart?

The belly-flopping bomber is just the latest in a string of accidents involving Russian military hardware.

* A Russian Backfire bomber performed an emergency belly landing in southern Russia.
* The bomber is nuclear-capable but was not carrying nuclear weapons at the time.
* It’s the second crash landing for Backfire bombers in a year, and the second major incident involving Russian military equipment in one week.

A Russian bomber crew successfully landed their stricken aircraft in a field after the one of the airplane’s engines failed. The Tu-22M3 bomber was put down away from populated areas and Russia’s air force is now trying to figure out how to recover it for repairs. The incident is just the latest in a long line of disasters—big and small—plaguing the Russian military as it tries to wring as much use out of old, outdated equipment.

The incident, according to Russian state media outlet TASS, took place in southern Russia at the Chkalov State Flight Testing Center. The two-man crew, discovering that an engine had failed, guided the airplane away from populated areas and performed a belly landing. Neither of the crew members were injured but the aircraft itself reportedly sustained some damage.

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WNU Editor: For as long as I can remember the Russian military has always had multiple accidents involving its hardware. This is nothing new.