Ukraine's military reported a significant achievement on Friday: their anti-missile units successfully intercepted and downed a Russian Tu-22M3 bomber aircraft, marking the first such instance. Russia, however, contends that the plane crashed on its return to base due to a technical issue.
Let's delve into what we know about the Tu-22M3:
- Designed by Tupolev, the Tu-22M3 is classified as a long-range supersonic missile carrier bomber, intended for targeting both sea and ground-based objectives using guided missiles and aerial bombs. Its NATO designation is "Backfire."
- Ukraine and its Western allies allege that Russia has frequently deployed Tu-22M3s for bombing missions in Ukraine. The specific aircraft Ukraine claims to have shot down was reportedly equipped to carry Kh-22 cruise missiles for strikes on Ukrainian urban centers, as per the statements of the country's air force commander. The Kh-22 is capable of carrying either nuclear or conventional warheads, although Russia has not deployed nuclear weapons in Ukraine.
- Ukrainian drones have targeted Russian airfields hosting these planes. British military intelligence suggests that one Tu-22M3 was "highly likely destroyed" in such an attack on a base in the Novgorod region last August.
- The Tu-22M3's first prototype took flight in 1977. However, a fully modernized variant, the Tu-22M3M, boasting increased tactical efficacy and an expanded operational range, conducted its maiden flight in December 2018.
- Constructed from aluminum alloys, high-strength heat-resistant steel, and titanium and magnesium alloys, the Tu-22M3 features variable-sweep wings comprising fixed and movable panels capable of adjusting from 20 to 65 degrees.
- As of the 2024 Military Balance report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, Russia's air force possesses 57 Tu-22M3 aircraft.
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