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THIS is the moment Vladimir Putin's $40 million nuclear-capable Tu-22 bomber jet crashed in Siberia today in a humiliating blow to the despot. The valuable Russian aircraft came down in a fiery blaze after takeoff, marking another embarrassment for Vlad as Ukraine continues its successful invasion of Russia. Witnesses said the Tu-22M3 nuclear bomber - planes used by Putin as a key part of his nuclear arsenal - broke apart in the sky before crashing amid fierce explosions. Dramatic footage showed the moment an enormous fireball filled the sky as the aircraft came down. The crew of four ejected safely...

The Soviet-era Tu-22M3 bomber entered service in 1989 but has been modernised since then Russian defence ministry sources say a squadron of Tupolev Tu-22M3 long-range bombers will be based in Crimea - but experts question the strategic value of such a move for Russia. Russia's Interfax news agency reported the plan, quoting an unnamed ministry source, though it has not been officially confirmed. Other Russian media also reported it. Russia has previously pledged to beef up its military forces in Crimea, which has been internationally isolated since Russia annexed it from Ukraine in March 2014. Western nations imposed sanctions on...

Tupolev is upgrading Tu-22Ms for ops in Russia’s expanding sphere of influence There’s no bomber quite like a Backfire. In many ways, Russia’s Tu-22M3 is a Cold War throwback. An intermediate-range, variable-geometry machine, the Tupolev design really gave NATO planners headaches in the 1970s and ’80s. If the Cold War had turned hot, Tu-22Ms would have attacked high-profile targets including American aircraft carrier battle groups in the Mediterranean and Atlantic. The bombers also would have struck European ports and key airfields, with the aim of severing supply routes to the U.S. Today, the Backfire is the only supersonic bomber in...

Not many images showing the KH-22, a large, long-range cruise missile developed by the Soviet Union to target U.S. Navy aircraft carriers with a conventional or nuclear warhead, can be found on the Internet. Those that you can find if you Google “KH-22″ are mainly old ones, hence a recent clear air-to-air image showing a Tu-22M Backfire flying with a couple of missiles that are dubbed AS-4 “Kitchen” by NATO, deserve a mention. The photograph in this post was uploaded on the Russianplanes.net portal by a user using the nickname “White” and shows the Tu-22 flying with two KH-22s (most...

Why China’s Tu-22 bombers would represent a serious threat to U.S. Navy aircraft carriers As already happened in the past for other posts published on this blog, one the most interesting comment to The Aviationist’s recent article on China’s alleged purchase of the entire Tu-22 production line from Russia, has come from Aviationintel.com‘s Tyler Rogoway. Tyler has analyzed the controversial news for his excellent site and given his permission to share his perspective here for The Aviationist’s readers. Why China’s Tu-22 bombers would represent a serious threat to U.S. Navy aircraft carriers If, and I stress the if, this report...

Russia is upgrading 30 of its Tu-22M3 bombers to the Tu-22M3M standard. The first of the M3M models recently entered service. This new version has improved electronics, is able to deliver smart bombs, and has in-flight refueling capabilities restored. Other components of upgraded aircraft were refurbished as needed. This is expected to keep these 30 Tu-22M3Ms in service for another decade or more. All 30 upgrades will not be completed until the end of the decade. A decade ago Russia had over a hundred Tu-22M3 "Backfire" bombers in service. Or so it was claimed, as these aircraft didn't fly much....

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)...

The number of strategic bombers performing routine patrols could be doubled if the Russian General Staff makes such a decision, the commander of Russia's strategic aviation said Tuesday. Russia resumed strategic bomber patrol flights over the Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic oceans, the Black Sea and along the borders of the Commonwealth of Independent States in August 2007, following an order from then-president Vladimir Putin. "As a rule, up to four strategic bombers perform patrol flights simultaneously. However, under specific circumstances and on orders from the General Staff, their number could be increased to up to eight aircraft," Maj. Gen. Anatoly...

Friday, January 14, 2005. Page 3. Air Force to Offer Strategic Bombers to China By Lyuba Pronina Staff Writer Itar-Tass The Air Force intends to show its Tu-22M3, above, and Tu-95 to the Chinese military. Russia could sell China strategic bombers and plans to tout them during a joint exercise later this year, Air Force commander General Vladimir Mikhailov said Thursday. "We could sell some Tu-22M3 and Tu-95 bombers [to China]. We will show them to our neighbor. ... If they have the money, let them buy," Mikhailov told reporters at a briefing, referring to the first-ever joint Russian-Chinese military...