Posted on 01/31/2012 8:16:15 PM PST by sukhoi-30mki
Russia to Modernize 30 Tu-22M3 Bombers by 2020
Sergey Piatakov
About 30 Tu-22M3 strategic bombers from Russia's Long Range Aviation fleet will be modernized by 2020, Russian Air Force spokesman Col. Vladimir Drik said on Tuesday.
"We plan to upgrade about 30 strategic bombers to the M3M standard,” Drik said.
Tu-22M3 (NATO reporting name Backfire-C) is a supersonic, swing-wing, long-range strategic bomber that Russia uses mainly to patrol the skies over its southern borders, Central Asia and the Black Sea region.
The Tu-22M3 has a flight range of 6,800 km (4,300 miles) and can carry a 24,000 kg (52,910 lb) payload, including nuclear bombs and cruise missiles fitted with nuclear or conventional warheads. Aircraft of the M3M standard can be equipped with a wider range of weapons.
As of 2008, the Russian Air Force had at least 141 Tu-22M3 bombers in service.
Maj. Gen. Anatoly Zhikharev, commander of Long Range Aviation, earlier said that Russia's strategic aviation fleet will undergo extensive modernization while Russia’s next generation strategic bomber, the PAK DA, is being developed by the Tupolev Design Bureau.
He said the modernized aircraft will be equipped with new equipment, communications systems, cockpits and avionics.
We’ve become Communist and downsized our military, don’t the Russians trust us?/sarcasm;)
Pardon me for asking, but why would you use strategic bombers to "patrol the skies?"
Cause you can never tell when a nearby muslim nation may do something to earn a good nuking. So, just in case...
Do not underestimate the Russians. They are spending more than we are to keep their armed forces current. They are smart. We are fools.
Cool looking. Looks like someone grafted the wings from a B1b to an F15’s fuselage and engines.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.