The Tu-22 'Blinder' had not proved particularly successful, in some respects being inferior to the earlier Tu-16 'Badger'. Its range and take-off performance, in particular, were definite weak points. Even as the 'Blinder' was entering service, OKB Tupolev began work on an improved successor.
As with the contemporary Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 'Flogger' and Sukhoi Su-17 'Fitter' projects, the advantages of variable-geometry wings seemed attractive, allowing a combination of short take-off performance, efficient cruising, and good high-speed, low-level ride. The result was a new swing-wing aircraft called Samolët 145, derived from the Tu-22, with some features borrowed from the abortive Tu-98 'Backfin'.
The first prototype, Tu-22M0, first flew 30 August 1969. The resultant aircraft was first seen by NATO around that time. For several years it was believed in the West that its service designation was Tu-26. During the SALT negotiations of the 1980s the Soviets insisted it was the Tu-22M. At the time, Western authorities suspected that the misleading designation was intended to suggest that it was simply a derivative of the Tu-22 rather than the far more advanced and capable weapon it actually was. It now appears that Tu-22M was indeed the correct designation, and the linkage to the earlier Tu-22 was intended by Tupolev to convince the Soviet government that it was an economical follow-on to the earlier aircraft. Actually, the fore gear leg and the bomb bay cover were inherited from the original Tu-22. (Much the same happened in the U.S. in the 1950s with aircraft like the Lockheed F-94C Starfire, originally F-97, and the North American F-86D Sabre, originally the F-95.)
Only nine of the earliest Tu-22M0 preproduction aircraft were produced, followed by nine more Tu-22M1 pilot-production craft in 1971 and 1972. They were known as Backfire-A' by NATO.

Production
The first major production version, entering production 1972, was the Tu-22M2 ('Backfire-B'), with longer wings and an extensively redesigned, area ruled fuselage (raising the crew complement to four), twin NK-22 engines with F-4 Phantom II-style intakes, and new undercarriage carrying the landing gear in the wing glove rather than in large pods. These were most commonly armed with long-range cruise missiles/anti-ship missiles, typically one or two AS-4 'Kitchen' anti-shipping missiles. Some Tu-22M2s were later requipped with more powerful NK-23 engines and redesignated Tu-22M2Ye. In service, the Tu-22M2 was known to its crews as Dvoika ('Deuce'). It was more popular than the Tu-22, thanks to its superior performance and improved cockpit, but its comfort and reliability still left much to be desired.
The later Tu-22M3 (NATO 'Backfire C'), which first flew in 1976 and entered service in 1983, had new NK-25 engines with substantially more power, wedge-shaped intakes similar to the MiG-25, wings with greater maximum sweep, and a recontoured nose housing a new Leninets PN-AD radar and NK-45 nav/attack system, which provides much-improved low-altitude flight (although not true nap-of-the-earth flying). It had a revised tail turret with a single cannon, and provision for an internal rotary launcher for the AS-16 'Kickback' missile, similar to the American AGM-69 SRAM. The new aircraft had much better performance than the -M2. It was nicknamed Troika ('Trio'), although apparently it is sometimes referred to as 'Backfire' in Russian service.
Closeup of the refuelling probe of a Tu-22M1 (Backfire-A).



One area of controversy surrounding the Tu-22M is its capacity for aerial refueling. As built, the Tu-22M has provision for a retractable in-flight refueling probe in the upper part of the nose. This was allegedly removed as a result of the SALT negotiations, although it can be easily reinstated if needed, and in fact a pre-production Tu-22M1 (Backfire-A) with refuelling probe can be seen at Riga Airport today.
A Raduga Kh-22 anti-ship missile under a Tupolew Tu-22M3



A small number, perhaps 12, of Tu-22M3s were converted to Tu-22M3(R) or Tu-22MR standard, with Shompol side-looking radar and other ELINT equipment. A dedicated electronic warfare variant, designated Tu-22MP, was built in 1986, but to date only two or three prototypes have apparently been built. Some surviving 'Backfires' have had equipment and avionic upgrades to Tu-22ME standard (which does not have a separate NATO reporting name at this time).
Total production of all variants was 497 including pre-production aircraft.

Service
During the Cold War, the Tu-22M was operated by the VVS (Soviet Air Force) in a strategic bombing role, and by the AVMF (Aviatsiya Voyenno-Morskogo Flota, Soviet Naval Aviation) in a long-range maritime anti-shipping role. The United States was highly concerned about the threat that this new bomber posed. By 1982 fewer than 200 had been built. While it was unable to complete a round trip to the continguous United States without aerial refueling, it posed a tremendous threat to the US Navy and to NATO assets everywhere. Backfires that were either refueled, on one-way missions, or forward based had the ability to make low-level penetrations of United States territory almost at will. NORAD relied heavily on early detection and interception of high-altitude bombers and had comparatively few surface-to-air assets to defend against such an attack.

Combat service
The Tu-22M saw its first combat use in Afghanistan from 1987 to 1989. Its usage was similar to the USAF deployment of B-52 Stratofortress bombers in Vietnam, dropping large tonnages of conventional ordnance. Despite the considerable power of these attacks, their strategic usefulness was marginal. The Russian Federation used the 'Backfire' in combat against Chechen forces in 1995, carrying out strikes near Grozny.
Former Tu-22M3 Ukrainian Air Force



Tu-22M3, Monino, 2004



At the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union some 370 remained in CIS service. Due to their complexity and a deteriorating economy, considerable serviceability problems plagued the fleet. Production ended in 1993. Current strength is 162^[1] aircraft, plus 93 in reserve.

[edit] Export


The Soviet Union did not export the Tu-22M, but the break-up of the USSR left some aircraft in the possession of former Soviet republics. Belarus has 52 (the serviceability of which is unclear). Ukraine possessed an additional 29, but since the Ukrainian government's renunciation of nuclear weapons, those aircraft have been destroyed, the last in 2004.
Tupolev has sought export customers for the Tu-22M since 1992, with possible customers including Iran, India and the People's Republic of China, but no sales have apparently materialised. Four were leased to India in 2001 for maritime reconnaissance and strike purposes

Operators

<H3>[edit] Current



Russia

• Russian Air Force : 162 ^[2]
  

[edit] Former



Belarus

• (withdrawn)
  

Ukraine

• Ukrainian Air Force
  

Soviet Union

• All Soviet Union Tu-22Ms were passed to successor states.
  
• Soviet Air Force
  
• Soviet Naval Aviation
  

</H3>

Specifications (Tu-22M3 'Backfire-C')

General characteristics

• Crew: 4 (pilot, co-pilot, bombardier, defensive systems operator)
  
• Length: 42.4 m (139ft)
  
• Wingspan: 112ft 5in
  
• Spread (20° sweep): 34.28 m (112 ft 6 in)
  
• Swept (65° sweep): 23.30 m (76 ft 5 in))
  
• Height: 11.05 m (36 ft 3 in)
  
• Wing area:
  
• Spread: 183.6 m² (1,976 ft²)
  
• Swept: 175.8 m² (1,892 ft²)
  
• Empty weight: 58,000 kg (172,000 lb)
  
• Loaded weight: 112,000 kg (247,000 lb)
  
• Max takeoff weight: 126,000 kg (277,800 lb)
  
• Powerplant: 2× Kuznetsov NK-25 turbofans, 245 kN (50,000 lbf) each
  

Performance

• Maximum speed: Mach 2.3 (2,327 km/h,)
  
• Range: 7000 km (4971 mi)
  
• Combat radius: 2410 km (1500 mi)
  
• Service ceiling 13,300 m (40,635 ft)
  
• Rate of climb: 15m/s (91ft/s)
  
• Wing loading: 688 kg/m² (147 lb/ft²)
  
• Thrust/weight: 0.40
  

Armament

• Guns: 1× GSh-23 cannon in remotely controlled tail turret
  
• Hardpoints: wing and fusalage pylons and internal weapons bay with a capacity of 21,000 kg (46,300 lb) of
  
  
  
  • From 1× up to 3× Raduga Kh-22 or Raduga KSR-5 missiles in weapons bay and on wing pylons or
    
  • 1× internal rotary launcher for six Raduga Kh-15 short-range nuclear missiles plus two more Kh-15 or Kh-27 on each wing pylon
    
  • Various freefall bombs. 69× FAB-250 or 8× FAB-1500 as typical arnament.,
    
  </LI>