History's Largest and Most Expensive Military Aircraft Ever Built

1. The Tupolev Tu-160

Joined the Service in 1981 Not retired: N/A Price: *$70 million "Blackjack" is the NATO reporting name for the Tupolev Tu-160. In Russia, this sleek, all-white aircraft is affectionately called "White Swan" or "Belyj Lebed." The Tu-160 is a strategic heavy bomber with variable-sweep wings, designed by the Soviet Union in the 1970s to rival advanced American bombers from manufacturers like Boeing.

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Tupolev Tu-160 / Twitter.com / @EmbassyofRussia The Tu-160 holds the title of the largest and heaviest Mach 2+ aircraft ever built, second in length only to the XB-70 Valkyrie. It’s not just the largest and heaviest bomber globally but also one of the fastest, with a maximum speed of 1,379 mph.