Tupolev Tu-22M / Russian Medium-Range Bomber

Tupolev Tu-22M Medium Range Bomber, Russia The Tu-22M, western reporting name Backfire, was a successor for the earlier Tu-22 design, incorporating variable-geometry outer wing panels. Even though it is designated as improved version of the Tu-22, the Tu-22M is a completely different aircraft and has little common with the original Tu-22. At the time Soviet government refused to fund development of new long-range bombers and instead focused on development on intercontinental missiles to deliver nuclear loads. So Tupolev created a legend about development of a modernized version of the Tu-22 and managed to acquire funding. The first Tu-22M Zero prototype flew in 1969. It was powered by a military derivative of the engine, originally designed for the Tu-144 supersonic airliner, Soviet copy of the Concorde. The Tu-22M is extremely fast, even at low level. It was mainly intended to engage US carrier battle groups. However this bomber lacks sufficient range for truly strategic missions and was classified as a medium-range bomber. The Tu-22M Zero prototypes in pre-production aircraft followed by the early Tu-22M1 version. It was known in the West as Backfire A. Only nine of these bombers were ever built in 1971 and 1972, until production switched to the improved Tu-22M2 model. The first mass-produced model of the Tu-22M was the Tu-22M2. Its western reporting name was Backfire B. It had longer wings and redesigned fuselage. This bomber was powered by two NK-22 afterburning engines with 215 knots of thrust each. Production commenced in 1972. This bomber made its first flight in 1973 and was officially adopted in 1976. During the same year, the Tu-22M2 demonstrated a range of around 7,000 kilometers with a single in-flight refueling. So even though this bomber also lacked range for strategic missions and could not reach the United States, its in-flight refueling capability extended its range significantly. The Tu-22M2 became operational in 1978. This bomber was produced until 1983. A total of 211 of these bombers were built for the Soviet Air Forces and the Naval Aviation. It served during the Soviet War in Afghanistan. This bomber was normally armed with a single Kh-22 nuclear-tip standoff missile and was intended to engage U.S. carrier battle groups. The Tu-22M2 was plagued with various problems. Some of the problems were caused by the design of the aircraft. Tupolev tried to create a bomber that would have a broadly similar appearance to that of the Tu-22. Hence a design with a low wing was selected. However high wing design is more optimal for aircraft with variable wing geometry. One of the versions is that the Tu-22M deliberately had a non-optimal design for political reasons just to resemble the Tu-22 and to acquire funding for the development. Wings were relatively small and were overloaded. The fuselage also had some design problems. The aircraft had short service life. Still though Soviets actively used these bombers despite various problems. The ultimate bomber-slash-missile-carrying variant was the Tu-22M3, Western reporting name Backfire C. It made its first flight in 1977 and its production commenced in 1978. The M3 model featured strengthened wings, raked rectangular intakes serving more powerful NK-25 engines. It also had a greatly increased weapons load. This bomber could carry up to three Kh-22 missiles. Initial production aircraft or interim aircraft used a of readily available components of the Tu-22M2, such as wigs and avionics. The Tu-22M3 in its real form was adopted only in 1989. It was produced until 1993. A total 268 of these aircraft were built. The Tu-22M3 remains numerically the most important bomber in the Russian Air Force's long-range air army inventory and serves with seven regiments. One of these regiments also operates Tu-22M2s. The Naval Aviation Forces had about 80 Tu-22Ms, mostly M3 models, split equally between divisions subordinated to the Northern and Pacific Fleets. The Naval Aviation Forces also had 12 minutes and 3 seconds converted as Tu-22Mr reconnaissance aircraft and reportedly also operates limited numbers of reconfigured Tu-22M2Rs. In 2011 all Naval Aviation's Tu-22M3 were transferred to the Russian Air Force. In 1983 development of an improved version began, which eventually resulted into the Tu-22M4. This aircraft used NK-32 engines of the Tu-160 strategic bomber. It had modernized avionics, radar of the Tu-160, modernized electronic warfare systems. This aircraft had different engine air intakes. Also it had upgraded weapon systems and or up to 10 Kh-15 cruise missiles. At the time the Kh-32 missile was still under development. In 1990 a prototype of the Tu-22M4 was built. However in 1991 development of this aircraft was stopped due to collapse of the Soviet Union and funding problems. Eventually some of the Tu-22M4 improvements and technologies were incorporated into the recent Russian Tu-22M3M modernization. In 1991 Soviets signed a Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty START-1, which forced them to delete in-flight refueling probes on all Tu-22M series bombers. Currently Russian Air Force is the only operator of the Tu-22M series aircraft. It operates just over 60 of improved Tu-22M3 bombers, though their serviceability rate is around 50% or even lower. It is planned that 30 of these warplanes will be upgraded to a new Tu-22M3M standard until 2020. Still though the Tu-22M remains a formidable bomber. In 2008 it and saw action in Georgia and since 2015 it was occasionally used in Syria. In 2022 it was used to strike targets in Ukraine. Because of delays in the development of the Sukhoi T-60, the intended replacement of the Tu-22M3, it has been decided to embark on a major upgrade of the Tu-22M3 fleet. It was planned that most operational Tu-22M3 bombers of both the Air Force and Naval Aviation will be upgraded to new Tu-22M3M standard. These will be equipped with a new radar, new missile systems. 80% of avionics will be upgraded. This will give an automatic terrain following capability. This upgraded version is capable of carrying new precision strike missiles, such as new Kh-32 long-range cruise missile. Also in-flight refueling probes will be retrofitted. The first Tu-22M3M was rolled out and made its first flight in 2018. Russian MoD ordered upgrade of 30 airframes. The second upgraded Tu-22M3M bomber made its first flight in 2020. Upgrade of the dwindling Tu-22M3 fleet is also a good indication that the future Sukhoi T-60 bomber or other replacement for this medium-range bomber will not be available within the next 10 years. Russia was also trialing small numbers of redundant Tu-22M3 airframes converted as Tu-22MP prototypes of a planned electronic warfare-slash-escort jammer variant. The sole non-Russian operator of the backfire was Ukraine. This country gained former Soviet Black Sea Fleet Naval Aviation regiments of Tu-22M2-slash-M3s. Around 50 to 60 Ukrainian bombers equipped three Air Force heavy bomber regiments. However these bombers were gradually retired from the Ukrainian service. All surviving Ukrainian Tu-22M3 bombers were retired by 2003 and were scrapped in 2006.