Tu-22M3: News

PapaDragon wrote:

d_taddei2 wrote:China could still buy Tu-22m3 they are still useful and better than the H-6. China could then retire some of its older H-6 and with the H-20 in development they would run all three bombers. The H-6 isn't useless but the Tu-22m is much better. And there's only some much upgrading u can do.

There are only 60 Tu-22s left in existence

Nonsense, based on what Franco posted there are 102 M3s

Extra speed is more important than stealth when it comes to launching standoff munitions. Its not guaranteed that a CBG will be tracked all the time, so its good if the bomber can go supersonic if the CBGs position is different by a lot. Also Tu-22M3s wont only be used for anti-ship strike, but also tactical land strikes, and extra speed in case iads and radar net has been reduced through attrition is good, in order to escape ambushes. With extra speed the Tu-22M3 can scramble faster than a supersonic bomber and  from an airfield further away from enemy cruise missiles, because It can fly fartjer for a shorter period of time.  The other important factor is that the Tu-22M3 and Tu-160 can fly between both sides of russia faster, and bring standoff firepower faster from further away. If lets say a massed cruise missile strike destroys an airfield in the west(not likely but still possible), Tu-22s can be brought in  like 4 hours from the far east.

Also, the fact that the Tu-22M3 can fly faster means that the booster stage of the hypersonic missiles can be smaller due to increased launch speed of the carrier.

Both the PAK Da and Tu-22M3 have their uses, and can complement rather than replace each ther.

https://www.rt.com/russia/524759-tu22m3-bomber-land-syria/

TU-22s land in Syria...are they being based there permenantly? Hopefully the Russians can use this to test the M3Ms while obliterating some terrorists.

mnztr wrote:https://www.rt.com/russia/524759-tu22m3-bomber-land-syria/

TU-22s land in Syria...are they being based there permenantly? Hopefully the Russians can use this to test the M3Ms while obliterating some terrorists.

No it's reported via Tass that they'll "return to Russian bases once they've mastered operating in the Mediterranean theatre."

Sure but these are 3 bombers, will they rotate through on a regular schedule or is this a one off?

mnztr wrote:Sure but these are 3 bombers, will they rotate through on a regular schedule or is this a one off?

Good question.

If it were me I'd keep 3 there at all times and rotate them regularly to train pilots.

https://twitter.com/GuyPlopsky/status/1397121343854759938

The 3 #Tu22M3|s seen arriving at Khmeimim are red "15"(RF-94149), "28"(RF-94157) &"50"(RF-34091). "15"
&"28" are based out of Shaykovka AB, Kaluga Oblast (52nd TBAP). "50" is based out of Belaya AB, Irkutsk Oblast (200th TBAP) unless it was transferred to Shaykovka (I doubt it).

The Brits are sailing their latest job creation scheme in the Med so I guess the Russians put there there so they can do some carrier sinking training.

New deployment to Syria.

This time they are accompanied by a few friends.

LMFS wrote:First deployment by the MiG-31 isn't it? I was missing them already

And they are missing Kinzhals (unless they are already there )

LMFS wrote: Kinzhal you say?

Oh yeah, baby

The program for the creation of the Tu-22M3M is entering a new stage. According to BUSINESS Online, it was decided to complete the airframes of rocket-carrying bombers standing at the Kazan Aircraft Factory since the early 90s. 
Unlike the two prototypes flying today, created from combat vehicles, these will be really new aircraft — not only with "zero" airframes, but also with modern electronic equipment. However, the engines will have to be put old.
We are talking about fully finished airframes, that is, fuselages with wings, tail, landing gear, but without the "stuffing" - engines, avionics, etc. Airframes were made in the early 90s, but they did not go into business, because in 1993 the construction of the Tu-22M3 was stopped. 
There are 6 reserves left on the factory. One was completed in 1997, another was installed as a monument opposite the plant management, and four first stood for a long time near the flight test station, and then they were dragged to the old runway.

Nice

So are they doing just these 4 on the image or are they adding other 2 as well?

Russian_Patriot_ wrote:The program for the creation of the Tu-22M3M is entering a new stage. According to BUSINESS Online, it was decided to complete the airframes of rocket-carrying bombers standing at the Kazan Aircraft Factory since the early 90s. 
Unlike the two prototypes flying today, created from combat vehicles, these will be really new aircraft — not only with "zero" airframes, but also with modern electronic equipment. However, the engines will have to be put old.
We are talking about fully finished airframes, that is, fuselages with wings, tail, landing gear, but without the "stuffing" - engines, avionics, etc. Airframes were made in the early 90s, but they did not go into business, because in 1993 the construction of the Tu-22M3 was stopped. 
There are 6 reserves left on the factory. One was completed in 1997, another was installed as a monument opposite the plant management, and four first stood for a long time near the flight test station, and then they were dragged to the old runway.

4 planes is really not much, in fact they have started moving planes from the reserve.
An image of a Tu-22M3 without inscriptions or registration, with the insignia of the Navy, that is, of those that have been stored at the Olenya base since at least 2009-2010, including  the 27 of a complete regiment. (567 MRAP based in Latkha, near Arkhangelsk,  until 2003)
In flight in 2021 again, probably heading to the factory



In fact it is seen in the most recent satellite images, as in the base of Olenya Tu-22M3 have been moved since the last time there were 27 in the same storage area on the left
Then, more of 30 machines with very few use, are available for modernization

owais.usmani wrote:https://twitter.com/GuyPlopsky/status/1397121343854759938

The 3 #Tu22M3|s seen arriving at Khmeimim are red "15"(RF-94149), "28"(RF-94157) &"50"(RF-34091). "15"
&"28" are based out of Shaykovka AB, Kaluga Oblast (52nd TBAP). "50" is based out of Belaya AB, Irkutsk Oblast (200th TBAP) unless it was transferred to Shaykovka (I doubt it).

Hole wrote:

New deployment to Syria.

This is no Nº50  RF-34091 from, Belaya, it is Nº50  RF-34035 just repaired, probably from Sfaikovka

mnztr wrote:https://theaviationgeekclub.com/tu-22m3-resurrected-from-storage-to-rejoin-russias-bomber-fleet

Anyone have any idea how many TU-22Ms are in storage? Above is link a pic of one being transferred from storage for M3M upgrading.

franco wrote:

mnztr wrote:https://theaviationgeekclub.com/tu-22m3-resurrected-from-storage-to-rejoin-russias-bomber-fleet

Anyone have any idea how many TU-22Ms are in storage? Above is link a pic of one being transferred from storage for M3M upgrading.

Had a few minutes so checked out the google map images. Most last photos are from mid 2020 on with only Soltsy being a 2019. The M2 and M3 difference in size when they are together is obvious. Operational are 4 squadrons and the training unit at Ryazan plus the single Tu-22M3R left at Srednyy. Counted 124 total air frames at the 8 locations that I'm aware of and believe at least 22 to be M2. There appears to be aircraft dismantling in progress at two airfields and there are 11 total aircraft at the two plants of which 4 probably are for parts only. In total there would be 55 operational, 11 at aircraft plants and 58 in storage of which 22 appear to be M2's.

That is not possible, there has been no Tu-22M2 anywhere for years. The last site that had Tu-22M2 without scrap was in Ussurik-Vozdvizhenka, but they were dismantled 7 or 8 years ago
It is possible that some remain as a monument or stored in an airport such as Irkutsk or Shemeretevo, but it is possible that they have already been scrapped

The question is that it seems that at some point the structure of the squadrons changed, there were still regiments of 18 aircraft, and when the "airbase" was reformed, 4 squadrons were maintained in Engels and Ukrainka, and 3 squadrons in Shaikonka and Belaya, that is to say 27 (3x9)
It seems that the low availability of airplanes went to 24 (2x12) at some point in the last 3 or 4 years.. after the restore of division-regiment structure

Therefore the number of operational aircraft should be:
24 in Shaikovka, 24 in Belaya 4 in Ryazan, about 5-6 in Olenya (40 SAP), plus a couple of GLITs, operating in Akhtunisnk and Olenya
This is 59--60 machines
There are also a couple in repair and two in modernization M3M
There are 64 machines Tu-22M3 (including the airplanes lost and in repairs) identified with their registration number. (since 2013) in addition to the 2 M3M.

For example, it is difficult to know which are the aircraft of the 43rd TsBP of Ryazan since there is also the 360º Repair Plant and many Tu-22M3 aircraft that are not of this unit pass through that aerodrome.
In general it can be assumed that in the training centers there is one aircraft for each combat squadron, therefore the safest number is 4 Tu-22M3 and 4 Tu-95MS in service at the 43rd TsBP of Ryazan, the rest are passing or stored aircraft

Also the planes change of air units, for example from Belaya to Shaikovka many planes have passed, by contrast Belaya received at least 10 planes from "ex-navy" units in storage with registration RF-340xx. Shaikovka also received three of those "ex-navy" aircraft, and Ryazan one
These have come from Monghokto (reduced from 12 to 5 in recent years) or Olenya (reduced from 40 to 33)

Nor can you count the planes that appear in Soltsy, which are deployments in maneuvers, there was only one parked probably damaged, but in the images of the 2021 "day of the Navy" of this aerodrome, that plane was no longer there



Looking at the latest update from Google Maps:

Shaikovka: 24 (there are other airframe, the Nº10 RF-94146, that had accident in 2016)
Belaya: 35 , then there are probably 11 in reserve, as only 25 with registration have been identified, one of then could be airframe tay had accident in 2017 as 36 appears in the satellite image
Olenya: 33 , of them 5 in service with 40 SAP and 1 with GLITS, other 27 in reserve
Mongokhto: 5 in reserve
Ryazan: 4, other are older airframes for scrap
Kazan; 8 at least (4 in storage, other 2 at least in repairs taken from the reserve bases and 2 in M3M modernization)
Kaliningrad: 150º aviation repair plant, the stored airframes are old, probably for spares and scrap
Akhtubinsk. 1 stored
total 110 airplanes

available in the reserve: 11+27+5+8-1 = 51

With these numbers, the entire Olenya regiment could be reopened, and another regiment could also be opened in the far East, in order to have two Tu-22M3 regiments in each of the two bomber divisions.

It would take a total of 24x4s plus 8 in Ryazan (one plane for each fighter squadron) and a couple of planes in the GLITs.
There would be a total of 106 aircraft, although there is little margin to cover losses and maintain some permanently in the repair plants.

Kh-22 launch from Tu-22M3