World War II was the most tragic conflict in human history, bringing more than 70 million deaths to the world. But it is undeniable that war is also a catalyst for scientific and technological progress, and it has also given birth to a series of disruptive military innovations. Among them, the United States and the USSR excelled. The two countries rose rapidly after the war, and the United States and the Soviet Union launched fierce military competition in order to compete for global hegemony, and the Tu-119 nuclear bomber was a product of the Cold War.
The birth of the Tu-119 originated from the Soviet Union's prediction of the future shape of warfare. In the 50s of the 20th century, intercontinental missile technology was not yet mature, and long-range bombers became an important force for nuclear deterrence.
The Soviet Air Force believed that having a bomber with an ultra-long endurance would be able to implement an effective nuclear deterrent on a global scale and fundamentally overwhelm the United States. So, in 1955, on the basis of the Tu-95 bomber, Soviet engineers began to explore nuclear-powered bombers.
After several years of hard work, in 1961, the Tu-119 nuclear bomber finally came out and achieved its first flight, which could carry 9 pilots, with a length of 46.17 meters and a height of 12.5 meters. The bomber is equipped with a nuclear reactor as a power source, which can theoretically achieve unlimited endurance, fly around the earth 80 times, and travel at a speed of 800 kilometers per hour.
This was undoubtedly a staggering figure at the time, and it meant that the Tu-119 was able to fly for months without in-flight refueling. Such endurance makes the United States jealous.
However, the development of the Tu-119 was not without smooth sailing. Due to radiation problems in nuclear reactors, the safety of crew members cannot be guaranteed. At the same time, the sheer size of the nuclear reactor also occupies most of the bomber's space, making it impossible for it to carry enough ammunition to attack when fighting. These factors make the Tu-119 have many limitations in practical use.
Nevertheless, the deterrent power of the Tu-119 should not be underestimated. Its appearance made countries aware of the great potential of nuclear-powered bombers in the military sphere. Once the Tu-119 takes off, it means that the Soviet Union has a weapon capable of nuclear deterrence on a global scale.
This powerful deterrent is mainly due to the potential threat posed by the nuclear reactors it carries. Any attack on the Tu-119 could lead to a nuclear leak or explosion, which could cause enormous damage to the local area and long-term effects of nuclear radiation. It can be said that the Tu-119 is a walking nuclear bomb.
In the context of the Cold War, the deterrent power of the Tu-119 has doubled the pressure on the United States and other Western countries. They realized that once the Soviet nuclear bombers were put into real combat, it could change the entire pattern of the war. If it takes off and is shot down, it will be a nuclear war. So the United States would never dare to shoot it down. And the United States can only accelerate the pace of its own nuclear weapons research and development in order to deal with the Soviet Union's nuclear deterrence.
Not long after, with the development of American intercontinental missile technology, the position of long-range bombers in nuclear deterrence was gradually replaced and no longer had an advantage. This, coupled with the limitations of the Tu-119 itself, especially the threat of radiation, as well as its large size and complex power system, also affected its maneuverability and reliability. Therefore, the Soviet Union finally decided to stop the further development and production of the Tu-119 and turned its focus on intercontinental missiles.