James D.: check any of the many links for "TU-144LL"
This aircraft is being used to obtain data for the HSCT program. It has been re-fitted with the same engines used by the TU-160.
These engines are more powerful than the originals, and are capable of pushing the TU-144LL to nearly Mach 3.0, although the longevity of the engine is measured (literally) in minutes at this speed (which is not planned on in the test series).
As another poster noted, the Russians have, in the past, followed a design philosophy which emphasized ruggedness, simplicity, and speed, at the expense of fuel economy and, with respect to the engines, longevity.
While these qualities may detract from the value of a combat aircraft, they are not a drawback for a cargo hauler, especially one which will make relatively short and infrequent flights. Used only for actual launches (and perhaps some self-ferrying), these aircraft should actually be rather economical to operate. Also, I suspect that the launch flight profile will make only limited use of the full power setting, which will do much to extend the time between engine replacements. |
