Editing Tupolev Tu-144 (section)

==Background==
{{Broader|Supersonic transport#History}}
Given the vast size of the Soviet Union, supersonic travel was seen as economically feasible, especially for government employees travelling between Moscow and Siberian cities. Flying was the only practical alternative to week-long rail journeys, and supersonic transport could significantly cut travel times. While the idea of SSTs was controversial in the West due to noise and environmental pollution concerns, the Soviet Union planned to continue with their development, largely for its long Siberian and Central Asian routes. With ample airspace, flight corridors were likely to avoid built-up areas. Even if international landing rights were not granted, the Tu-144 could still be used for domestic and regional flights.<ref name="nyt73">{{cite news |last=Louis |first=Victor |title=Their Very Own SST |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1973/06/02/archives/their-very-own-sst.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=2 June 1973 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230531003833/https://www.nytimes.com/1973/06/02/archives/their-very-own-sst.html |archive-date=31 May 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Aeroflot, the flag carrier of the Soviet Union, had an extensive network of interconnected airfields and increasing international reach, with hopes of extending flights to Sydney, Australia. Initial estimates suggested that 20 Tu-144s would suffice for Aeroflot's domestic and international needs.<ref name="nyt73" />

Given the geopolitical climate during the Cold War period, the Soviet Union was intent on not just matching, but surpassing Western advancements, particularly in aerospace technology. The idea of the West getting ahead and leaving the Soviet Union behind was unthinkable. The directive from [[Nikita Khrushchev]], the leader of the Soviet Union at that time, was clear: not only prevent the West from getting ahead, but also compete fiercely, even to the extent of leapfrogging their technological advancements, if necessary.<ref name="nova98">{{cite web |title=NOVA "Supersonic Spies" Transcript |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/transcripts/2503supersonic.html |website=[[PBS]] |date=27 January 1998 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231105053428/https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/transcripts/2503supersonic.html |archive-date=5 November 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref>
The aircraft was seen as a formidable challenge to the United States' dominance in the field of civil aviation.<ref name="nyt73"/>