Russia’s long range aviation marks it's 101st birthday on December 23. It is the branch of Russian Air Force tasked with bombardment of strategic targets with nuclear weapons. On November 17, Russia involved strategic aircraft in strikes against the Islamic State terrorist organization in Syria. Tu-22 bombers hit IS targets in Raqqah and Tu-160 and Tu-95MS strategic bombers fired air-launched cruise missiles at terrorist targets in the provinces of Aleppo and Idlib. Russian long range aviation from pre-World War I heavy military bomber to world's largest combat aircraft in photo gallery by TASS.