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Tupolev Tu-22M

Tupolev · Bomber · Russia · Cold War (1970–1991)

Tupolev Tu-22M — Bomber
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The Tupolev Tu-22M (NATO reporting name Backfire) is a Soviet/Russian twin-engine, supersonic, variable-geometry-wing long-range bomber developed by the Tupolev Design Bureau and produced from 1972 to the late 1990s. Soviet Long-Range Aviation accepted the Tu-22M2 variant into service in 1972, and the type remains one of Russia's principal medium-range theatre-strike platforms. Tupolev designed the aircraft for maritime strike and nuclear delivery — above all, for anti-ship missions against U.S. Navy carrier strike groups using the Kh-22 (AS-4 Kitchen) anti-ship cruise missile. Production reached 268 airframes across the Tu-22M, Tu-22M2, and Tu-22M3 variants; about 60 Tu-22M3 remain in active Russian Aerospace Forces service as of 2026, upgraded under the Tu-22M3M programme launched in 2018.

The Tu-22M3 measures 139 ft (42.5 m) long, with a wingspan that varies from 112 ft (34.3 m) fully extended to 76 ft (23.4 m) fully swept. Empty weight is around 130,000 lb and maximum take-off weight 273,000 lb. Power comes from two Kuznetsov NK-25 afterburning turbofans rated at roughly 30,800 lbf dry and 55,100 lbf in afterburner — the same engine class as the Tu-160. Top speed reaches Mach 1.88 (about 1,240 mph at altitude), service ceiling is 43,600 ft, and combat radius on internal fuel is roughly 1,400 nmi. Distinguishing features include the variable-geometry wing (sharing layout with the Tu-160 and B-1B), an internal weapons-bay load of up to 53,000 lb, the Tu-22M3M avionics and mission-systems upgrades from 2018, and a planform visibly similar to but smaller than the Tu-160 Blackjack.

Mission emphasis has shifted across the type's service life. Original anti-ship role (1970s–1990s): launching the Kh-22 (AS-4 Kitchen) anti-ship cruise missile at U.S. Navy carrier strike groups, giving the Soviet Pacific and Northern Fleets a counter-carrier punch. Modern theatre-strike role (post-2000): delivering the Kh-32 anti-ship missile, Kh-101 and Kh-555 air-launched cruise missiles, and conventional bombs against a wide target set. Russia has used the Tu-22M3 in combat throughout the Russia–Ukraine war (2022–present), launching Kh-22, Kh-32, and Kh-555 missiles against Ukrainian infrastructure and military targets. About 60 Tu-22M3 plus a planned 30 Tu-22M3M aircraft are projected to remain in Russian service through 2030 and beyond.

Soviet and Russian use has been extensive since 1972. Cold War tasking centred on continuous anti-ship patrols and theatre-strike alerts. The Tu-22M3 flew long-range bombing missions against Mujahideen positions during the Soviet–Afghan War (1979–1989), supported Russian operations in Chechnya (1994–2009), and bombed ISIS and opposition forces during Russian operations in Syria (2015–present). Combat use in the Russia–Ukraine war (2022–present) has been intense, with Kh-22, Kh-32, and Kh-555 launches against Ukrainian targets and several reported Tu-22M3 combat losses. Peacetime accidents have raised questions over the platform's reliability, including the 22 April 2024 crash of a Tu-22M3 in the Stavropol region (cause investigation ongoing). Of the 268 Tu-22M family aircraft built, around 60 Tu-22M3 plus 30 Tu-22M3M upgrades are programmed to serve through 2030+. Production at the Kazan Aircraft Production Association ended in the late 1990s; the upgrade line continues.

For Kids — a shorter, friendlier version

The Tupolev Tu-22M (NATO code Backfire) is a Russian long-range bomber with swing wings. The Tu-22M first flew in 1969 and entered service in 1972. It was built to hunt American aircraft carriers across the seas with big anti-ship missiles. About 268 Tu-22Ms were made between 1972 and the late 1990s.

The Tu-22M has two Kuznetsov NK-25 jet engines, each making 55,100 pounds of thrust with afterburner. These are the same engines as the bigger Tu-160. Top speed is Mach 2, faster than a rifle bullet. The plane is 139 feet long, longer than a Boeing 737 airliner.

The wings of the Tu-22M can swing forward or back. Spread open, the wingspan is 112 feet for slow flight and takeoff. Folded back, it shrinks to 76 feet for high-speed flight. Internal bays carry up to 53,000 pounds of missiles and bombs, including the big Kh-22 anti-ship missile.

About 60 Tu-22Ms still fly with the Russian Air Force. The Tu-22M has fought in Afghanistan, Chechnya, Syria, and Ukraine. Russia is upgrading 30 of them to a new Tu-22M3M version with better radar, computers, and engines. The Tu-22M will keep flying into the 2030s.

Fun Facts

  • The Tu-22M has swing wings, like the bigger Tu-160 and American B-1.
  • Top speed is Mach 2, faster than a rifle bullet.
  • The Tu-22M is 139 feet long, longer than a Boeing 737.
  • The Tu-22M was built to hunt American aircraft carriers across the seas.
  • About 268 Tu-22Ms were built between 1972 and the late 1990s.
  • The Tu-22M carries the big Kh-22 anti-ship missile.
  • Russia uses the Tu-22M in Ukraine today.

Kids’ Questions

Why hunt aircraft carriers?

An American aircraft carrier carries 60 to 90 jets and can hit targets far inland. Soviet planners worried that carriers near Russia could attack Russian cities. The Tu-22M was built to fly out, fire big Kh-22 missiles at carriers, and turn back before American fighters could catch it. This was a key part of Soviet sea-defense plans in the 1970s and 1980s.

How is it different from a Tu-160?

The Tu-22M is smaller and lighter than the Tu-160. Both have swing wings, but the Tu-22M has two engines and the Tu-160 has four. The Tu-22M was made for medium-range missions like hitting ships at sea. The Tu-160 was made for very long-range bombing missions. The Tu-22M is older, with first flight in 1969 versus the Tu-160 in 1981.

How long will it fly?

The Tu-22M has been in service for over 50 years. Russia plans to keep about 60 of them flying through the 2030s, upgraded to the new Tu-22M3M version with better radar and computers. No replacement is ready yet. The Tu-22M will likely outlast many newer planes.

Variants

Tu-22M (initial 'Backfire-A', 1972)
Initial 1972 production batch limited to roughly 10 airframes, used mainly for early service trials.
Tu-22M2 'Backfire-B' (mid-life, 1976)
Main mid-life production run from 1976, with 211 aircraft built. Backbone of Soviet Long-Range Aviation's long-range bomber fleet through the 1980s. Most were retired by the 2000s as the Tu-22M3 reached frontline maturity.
Tu-22M3 'Backfire-C' (current, 1989+)
Improved variant fielded from 1989 with updated mission systems, broader weapons compatibility, and a new radar. Around 57 are in active Russian service and form the principal in-service variant.
Tu-22M3M (current upgrade, 2018+)
Major upgrade launched in 2018: glass cockpit, expanded weapons compatibility (Kh-32 anti-ship missile, Kh-101 cruise missile), and updated electronic-warfare protection. Around 30 aircraft had been upgraded by 2024, with the programme continuing.
Tu-22 (predecessor, separate aircraft)
The earlier Tu-22 'Blinder' bomber (1959–1991) is an entirely different airframe despite the similar designation. The Tu-22M was a redesigned successor sharing only the basic mission profile and designation lineage.

Notable Operators

Russian Aerospace Forces (Long-Range Aviation)
Sole operator. Around 60 Tu-22M3 / Tu-22M3M aircraft are in active Russian service with the 200th Bomber Aviation Regiment (Soltsy AB), the 6953rd Bomber Aviation Regiment (Belaya AB), and other units. The fleet has been combat-deployed widely in the Russia–Ukraine war from 2022.
Foreign / export
None — the Tu-22M was exclusively a Soviet-Russian platform. An Indian variant proposal was discussed in the 1990s but never fielded.
Future / planned upgrade
Russian plans cover 30 Tu-22M3M upgrades through 2024 with further work projected through 2030+. The Tu-22M is expected to remain in Russian service until at least 2035 alongside the upgraded Tu-160M2 and the future PAK DA.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was Tu-22M's anti-ship role?

Soviet maritime-strike doctrine drove the design. The Tu-22M was built specifically to launch the Kh-22 (AS-4 Kitchen) anti-ship cruise missile at U.S. Navy carrier strike groups. The concept paired Tu-22Ms in two- or four-ship formations with electronic-warfare and other support aircraft, approaching carrier groups from long range and saturating their air defences with multiple Kh-22 launches. The Kh-22 (around 3,000 lb warhead, 340 nmi range, Mach 4 terminal dash) was designed to overwhelm 1970s–1980s U.S. Navy fleet defences. Combined with the Tu-95RT (maritime reconnaissance) and Tu-142 (ASW), the Tu-22M plus Kh-22 represented a serious Cold War-era threat to U.S. carrier groups. The role carries forward in the Tu-22M3M with the Kh-32 anti-ship missile.

How does Tu-22M compare to Tu-160?

Different scale and role. The Tu-160 'Blackjack' has 606,000 lb MTOW, four engines, 6,800+ nmi range, and around 88,000 lb payload — an intercontinental bomber. The Tu-22M3 has 273,000 lb MTOW, two engines, 1,400 nmi combat radius, and around 53,000 lb payload — a theatre / medium-range bomber. Both share variable-geometry wings and a similar silhouette but differ sharply in scale and mission. The Tu-22M was originally classed as a 'medium bomber' against the Tu-160's larger designation, making the two complementary rather than competing. Russian Aerospace Forces Long-Range Aviation operates both in 2026.

Why has the Tu-22M continued in service?

Mission requirement and the absence of a dedicated replacement. The Tu-22M3 fills a theatre-strike niche no other Russian aircraft fully covers: (1) anti-ship strike with the Kh-32 cruise missile; (2) medium-range theatre attack with Kh-101 and Kh-555 cruise missiles; (3) conventional bombing with gravity weapons. The Tu-22M3M upgrade from 2018 refreshes systems and extends service life. No dedicated Tu-22M successor is planned — the PAK DA programme, intended to replace all current Russian long-range bombers, has slipped repeatedly. The Tu-22M is expected to serve through 2035+.

What is the Kh-22 anti-ship missile?

A Soviet long-range supersonic anti-ship missile. It weighs around 14,000 lb in total, carries either a 3,000 lb conventional warhead or a 350–1,000 kT nuclear warhead, has roughly 340 nmi range, and reaches about Mach 4 in its terminal dash. The original mission was defeating 1970s–1980s U.S. Navy carrier air defences through saturation attacks. Combat use in the Russia–Ukraine war since 2022 has shown mixed results: some Kh-22 strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure caused many civilian casualties, including the 14 January 2023 strike on a Dnipro residential building that killed 46 people, while other launches failed due to age and maintenance issues. The Kh-22 is progressively giving way to the upgraded Kh-32, which retains broadly similar performance with refreshed mission systems.

Where is the Tu-22M currently operating?

Russian Aerospace Forces Long-Range Aviation flies the Tu-22M3 from several bases: Soltsy Air Base (Novgorod region, 200th Bomber Aviation Regiment); Belaya Air Base (Irkutsk region, 6953rd Bomber Aviation Regiment); Olenya Air Base (Murmansk region, supporting Arctic operations); and Engels-2 Air Base (Saratov region, shared with the Tu-160 fleet). The fleet has been forward-deployed to additional fields for Russia–Ukraine war operations, with frequent cruise-missile launch sorties flown from Russian airspace.

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