Tu-95RTs Bear D Reconnaissance and Targeting Ту-95РЦ Разведчик-Целеуказатель The Tu-95RTs Bear D Reconnaissance and Targeting platform was a specialised variant of the Tu-95 Bear A which emerged during the mid 1960s. It was developed to provide the airborne reconnaissance and targeting component of the МЦРС-1 «Успех» (MTsRS-1 Uspekh or Success) system, built around a massive ventral X-band acquisition and guidance radar, which was used to target ASCMs launched by Soviet warships and submarines.  These were initially the P-5/P-6/P-35 Shaddock/Sepal, and later the P-500/P-1000 Sandbox series. The Bear D remained in service until the early 1990s, when it was replaced with satellite technology. The Bear D was progressively upgraded through its service life, and as newer ASCMs were deployed, its role shifted increasing to target acquisition and cueing SSG/SSGN and CG missile delivery systems rather than direct missile guidance.

Tu-95K/KD/KM Bear B/C Maritime Strike Ту-95КД/КМ Бомбардировщик-ракетоносец The Tu-95K/KD/KM Bear C strike aircraft was the first cruise missile carrier variant of the Bear, developed during the late 1950s to attack strategic targets and opposing naval forces. Its primary weapon was the large Mach 1.8-2.0 11 tonne Al-7F turbojet powered Raduga Kh-20 / AS-3 Kangaroo, armed with a 2 tonne weight 800 kilotonne (Kh-20 baseline) or 3 Megatonne (Kh-20M) yield nuclear warhead. The inertial / command link guided Kh-20 was cumbersome and disappeared from service use by the 1970s, progressively replaced with the liquid rocket powered Raduga Kh-22 Burya / AS-4 Kitchen. The most visible design change is the distinctive nose radome for the large A-336Z YaD / Crown Drum attack radar used for targeting the Kh-20 missile. Above: loading the 10 tonne launch weight Kh-20 / AS-3 Kangaroo into the Bear C semi-conformal weapon bay; below: Bear C launching the Kh-20 / AS-3 Kangaroo cruise missile.

Tu-95K-22 Bear G Maritime Strike  Ту-95К-22 Бомбардировщик-ракетоносец The Tu-95K-22 Bear G was a progressive block upgrade of the Bear B/C fleet, in which the Kh-20 weapon system was replaced by the Raduga Kh-22 / AS-4 Kitchen weapon system. The YaD attack radar was replaced with the Backfire's Leninetz PNA-B Down Beat, and three BD-45K/F adaptors were installed to carry the Kh-22. The Kh-20 semiconformal weapon bay was altered to fit the BD-45F, and wing root pylons were introduced to mount a pair of BD-45K, for a total warload of up three rounds. The distinctive recognition features of the Bear G are the unique tailcone fairing, mid fuselage and thimble nose radomes, which house emitters for the SPS-151/152/153 Lyutik self protection jammers, common to the MiG-25RBV and MiG-25BM Foxbat, and some Tu-16P Badger subtypes; and the aft fuselage blister radomes for the Kurs N/NM RHAW used to target anti-radiation variants of the Kh-22.

Tu-95MR Bear E Maritime Reconnaissance Ту-95МР Разведчик The Tu-95MR Bear E was a reconnaissance and intelligence gathering variant introduced during the early 1960s. They were progressively converted to trainers by the 1980s, as the newer Tu-142 and Tu-95RTs subsumed their role.