Tupolev Tu-22M


The Tupolev Tu-22M is a supersonic, variable-sweep wing, long-range strategic and maritime strike bomber developed by the Tupolev Design Bureau in the 1960s. The bomber was reported as being designated Tu-26 by Western intelligence at one time. During the Cold War, the Tu-22M was operated by the Soviet Air Forces in a missile carrier strategic bombing role, and by the Soviet Naval Aviation in a long-range maritime anti-shipping role.
The Tu-22M was first used for conventional bombing by the Soviet Union in the Soviet–Afghan War. Russia has flown the Tu-22M on bombing missions in the First Chechen War, Russo-Georgian War, intervention in the Syrian civil war, and Russo-Ukrainian war. On 1 June 2025, Ukraine's Operation Spiderweb drone attack destroyed four Tu-22Ms at Belaya air base.
The aircraft has been forward-deployed to the Turkmen SSR, Syria, and Iran. Soviet and Russian Tu-22Ms have typically patrolled, carried out simulated attacks in, and been intercepted over the Baltic Sea, and occasionally the North Pacific.
Under the Nunn–Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction program, the 60 Tu-22Ms inherited by the Ukrainian Air Force were dismantled by 2006.
In 2024, the Russian Air Force had 57 aircraft in service, according to the 2024 Military Balance report by International Institute for Strategic Studies. However, Ukraine's Main [Directorate of Intelligence |Main Directorate of Intelligence] estimated that Russia had only 27 aircraft in operable condition in 2023.

Development

In 1962, after the introduction of the Tupolev Tu-22, it became increasingly clear that the aircraft was inadequate in its role as a bomber. In addition to widespread unserviceability and maintenance problems, the Tu-22's handling characteristics proved to be dangerous. Its landing speed was greater than previous bombers and it had a tendency to pitch up and strike its tail upon landing. It was difficult to fly, and had poor all-round visibility. In 1962, Tupolev commenced work on a major update of the Tu-22. Initially, the bureau planned to add a variable-sweep wing and uprated engines into the updated design. The design was tested at TsAGI's wind tunnels at Zhukovsky.
During this time Sukhoi developed the T-4, a four-engine titanium aircraft with canards. A response to the XB-70, it was to have a cruise speed of, requiring a major research effort in order to develop the requisite technologies. Tupolev, whose expertise was with bombers, offered the Soviet Air Force a massively updated version of the Tu-22.
Compared to the T-4, it was an evolutionary design, and thus its appeal lay in its simplicity and low cost. The Soviet government was skeptical about the need to approve the development of a replacement aircraft so soon after the Tu-22 had entered service. The Air Force and Tupolev, in order to save face regarding the Tu-22's operational deficiencies and to stave off criticisms from the ICBM lobby, agreed to pass off the design as an update of the Tu-22 in their discussions with the government. The aircraft was designated Tu-22M, given the OKB code "Aircraft 45", and an internal designation of "AM". Their effort was successful as the government approved the design on 28 November 1967, and decreed the development of the aircraft's main weapon, the Kh-22 missile. The T-4 itself made its first flight in 1972, but was later cancelled.
US intelligence had been aware of the existence of the aircraft since 1969, and the first satellite photograph of the bomber was taken in 1970. The existence of the aircraft was a shock to US intelligence as Nikita Khrushchev, who had been the Soviet premier up to 1964, was adamant that ICBMs would render the bomber obsolete.
As in the case of its contemporaries, the MiG-23 and Su-17 projects, the advantages of variable-sweep wing seemed attractive, allowing a combination of short take-off performance, efficient cruising, and good high-speed, low-level flight. The result was a new swing-wing aircraft named Samolyot 145, derived from the Tupolev Tu-22, with some features borrowed from the abandoned Tu-98 project. The Tu-22M was based on the Tu-22's weapon system and used its Kh-22 missile. The Tu-22M designation was used to help get approval for the bomber within the Soviet military and government system.
The Tu-22M designation was used by the Soviet Union during the SALT II arms control negotiations, creating the impression that it was a modification of the Tu-22. Some suggested that the designation was deliberately deceptive, and intended to hide the Tu-22M's performance. Other sources suggest the "deception" was internal to make it easier to get budgets approved. According to some sources, the Backfire-B/C production variants were believed to be designated Tu-26 by Russia, although this is disputed by many others. The US State and Defense Departments have used the Tu-22M designation for the Backfire.
Production of all Tu-22M variants totalled 497, including pre-production aircraft.

Modernization

An initial attempt at modernizing the Tu-22M, Adaptation-45.03M, based on modernizing the aircraft's radar, began in 1990, but was abandoned before reaching production. In 2007, work began on a new radar for the Tu-22M, the NV-45, which was first flown on a Tu-22M in 2008, with four more repaired Tu-22Ms refitted with NV-45 radars in 2014–2015.
A contract for a full mid-life upgrade, the Tu-22M3M, was signed in September 2014. The aircraft was then planned to receive a further modified NV-45M radar, together with new navigation equipment and a modified flight control system. A new self-defense electronic radar suite was to be fitted, replacing the tail gun of the existing Tu-22M3. Much of the new avionics were planned to be shared with the upgraded Tu-160M2., armament was planned to be enhanced by adding the new Kh-32 missile, a heavily modified version of the current Kh-22, the subsonic Kh-SD, the hypersonic Kh-MT, or the Kh-47M2 Kinzhal missiles. In 2018, deliveries of the Tu-22M3M were expected to begin in 2021.
On 11 May 2020, it was reported by TASS, citing anonymous sources in the military-industrial complex, that a test launch of a new hypersonic missile, not belonging to the Kh-32 family, was conducted from a Tu-22M3M. Reportedly, work on the missile had been initiated several years earlier, and its tests were expected to be completed "simultaneously with the work on the upgraded Tu-22M3M bomber".
A separate, simpler, upgrade program [SVP-24|] was being carried out in 2008 by the company Gefest & T, based on avionics developed for the Sukhoi Su-24 attack aircraft, including a new computer, a new navigation system and digital processing for the aircraft's radar. The upgrade is claimed to greatly increase navigation accuracy and bomb delivery. A SVP-24-22-equipped Tu-22M underwent trials in 2009, and the program was moved into production, with deliveries after 2012.
In September 2023, it was reported that the Tu-22M3 have been modified to carry a missile with a payload capacity of.

Operational history

Soviet Union

The two prototypes Tu-22M were delivered to Long Range Aviation's 42nd Combat Training Centre at Dyagilevo air base, near Ryazan, in February 1973. The aircraft began practice sorties in March. Within 20 days of the aircraft's delivery, the air and ground crew at the air base had received their type ratings; this was helped by their earlier training at Tupolev, the Gromov Flight Research Institute and the Kazan plant. In June that year, the aircraft were demonstrated to Soviet government officials, destroying tanks and armoured personnel carriers.
The Tu-22M was first unveiled in 1980 during the aircraft's participation in a major Warsaw Pact exercise. During the exercise, naval Tu-22M2s conducted anti-ship operations by mining parts of the Baltic Sea to simulate an amphibious landing. The exercise was extensively covered by the press and TV media. In June 1981, four Tu-22Ms were intercepted and photographed by Norwegian aircraft flying over the Norwegian Sea.
The first simulated attack by the Tu-22M against a NATO carrier group occurred between 30 September and 1 October 1982. Eight aircraft locked onto the U.S. task forces of USS Enterprise and USS Midway which were operating in the North Pacific. They came within of the task forces. The reaction of the U.S. Navy was thought to have been restrained during this event so as to allow the observation of the Tu-22M's tactics. The bomber also made attempts to test Japan's air defense boundary on several occasions.
The Tu-22M was first used in combat in Afghanistan. It was deployed December 1987 to January 1988, during which the aircraft flew strike missions in support of the Soviet Army's attempt to relieve the Mujahideens' Siege of Khost. Two squadrons of aircraft from the 185th GvBAP based at Poltava were deployed to Maryy-2 air base in Turkmenistan. Capable of dropping large tonnages of conventional ordnance, the aircraft bombed enemy forts, bases and material supplies. In October 1988, the aircraft was again deployed against the Mujahideen. Sixteen Tu-22M3s were used to provide cover to Soviet forces that were pulling out of the country. The Tu-22Ms were tasked with destroying paths of access to Soviet forces, attacking enemy forces at night to prevent regrouping, and to attack incoming supplies from Iran and Pakistan. Working alongside 30 newly arrived MiG-27s, the aircraft also flew missions aimed at relieving the besieged city of Kandahar. The aircraft had its last Afghan operation in January 1989 at Salang pass.
The Tu-22M suffered from widespread maintenance problems due to poor manufacturing quality during its service with the Soviet forces. The engines and airframes in particular had short service lives. The Air Force at one point sought to prosecute Tupolev for allegedly rushing the inadequate designs of the Tu-22M and the Tu-160 into service. This was compounded by the government bureaucracy, which hampered the provision of spare parts to allow the servicing of the Tu-22M. With some aircraft grounded for up to six months, the mission-capable rate of the aircraft in August 1991 was around 30–40%.

Russia

At the time of the dissolution of the Soviet Union, 370 remained in Commonwealth of Independent States service. Production ended in 1993.
The Russian Federation used the Tu-22M3 in combat in Chechnya during 1995, performing strikes near Grozny.
In February 2001, Japan claimed two Tu-22Ms had violated its airspace near Rebun Island, Hokkaido.
In August 2007, the Tu-22M and the Tu-95 began conducting long-range patrolling, for the first time since 1992.
On 9 August 2008, a Russian Tu-22MR reconnaissance aircraft was shot down in South Ossetia by a Georgian air defence Buk-M1 surface-to-air-missile system during the 5–day Russo-Georgian War. One of its crew members was captured, two others were killed and the crew commander, Lt. Col. Aleksandr Koventsov, was missing in action.
In February 2013, Tu-22Ms simulated a strike on a US Aegis [Ballistic Missile Defense System] cruiser and ground-based radar in Japan. This was speculated as the AN/TPY-2 transportable radar of the US 38th [Air Defense Artillery Brigade |10th Missile Defence Battery] in Shariki, Aomori.
On 29 March 2013, two Tu-22M3 bombers flying in international airspace made a simulated attack on Sweden. The Swedish air defense failed to respond. Two Tu-22Ms flew supersonic over the Baltic Sea on 24 March 2015. Two Tu-22Ms approached Öland in international airspace on 21 May 2015. The Swedish Air Force sent two Saab JAS 39 Gripen fighters to mark their presence. On 4 July 2015, two Tu-22Ms approached the Swedish island of Gotland without violating its airspace, followed by Swedish and other fighter aircraft.
In 2014, Russian aerospace expert Piotr Butowski estimated there were seven squadrons of Tu-22Ms in service, each with approximately 10 aircraft, stationed at three airbases; 40 at Belaya airbase in southeastern Siberia, 28 at Shaykovka airbase southwest of Moscow, and 10 at Dyagilevo airbase in Ryazan southeast of Moscow which serves as the training unit for the bomber.

Syrian Civil War

Since late January 2017, six Tu-22M3s resumed airstrikes in the area of Deir ez-Zor to prevent capture of the city by jihadists and again in late 2017 to support a government offensive. 22–31 January 2016, Tu-22M3s reportedly conducted 42 sorties performing airstrikes in the vicinity of Deir ez-Zor. On the morning of 12 July 2016, six Tu-22M3 bombers carried out a concentrated attack around Palmyra, Al-Sukhnah and Arak. On 14 July, six Tu-22M3 bombers operating from airfields in Russia delivered another massive strike on the newly detected IS facilities in the areas east of Palmyra, as well as in Al-Sukhnah, Arak, and the T-3 oil pumping station in the province of Homs. New raids were conducted on 21 July, 8 August, 11 August, and 14 August 2016.
On 16 August 2016, the bombers began to fly missions in Syria using Iran's Hamedan Airbase.
In November 2017, six Tu-22M3s resumed airstrikes in the area of Deir ez-Zor to support a government offensive. On December 12, 2017, a fleet of Tu-22M3 bombers arrived back from Syria at Shaykovka air base near Kirov, Kaluga Oblast, where lieutenant general and long-range-aviation commander Sergey Kobylash awarded crews with the medal "Participant of the military operation in Syria".
In May 2021, three Tu-22Ms were temporarily deployed to the Khmeymim airbase in Syria. Tu-22Ms were again deployed in eastern Mediterranean in June of the same year for large RF Navy and Air Force drills.

Invasion of Ukraine

On 15 April 2022, the Ukrainian Defence Ministry stated Russia had used Tu-22M3 bombers for the first time since the start of its invasion of Ukraine, to strike targets in Mariupol. It had earlier been reported that FAB-3000M-46 dumb bombs had been reactivated in Russia for use with Tu-22M3 bombers to strike targets at the Azovstal [iron and steel works] plant that became the last bastion for Ukrainian troops in the besieged city of Mariupol.
On 11 May 2022, a video emerged on social media showing a Russian Aerospace Forces Tu-22M3 bomber launching two Kh-22 missiles at targets somewhere in Ukraine.
On 5 December 2022, a Russian Aerospace Forces Tu-22M3 bomber, identified as RF-34110, was shown damaged as a result of a long-range drone attack by the Armed Forces of Ukraine against the Dyagilevo air base. Images on social media showed at least the engine outputs and the trailing edge of the stabilizers damaged.
On 20 August 2023, the Russian government confirmed a drone attack on an airbase in Novgorod and BBC News subsequently published verified images of a Tu-22M3 engulfed in flames at Soltsy air base, Russia, which had been attacked by drones on the day before.
According to Ukraine, one Tu-22M3 was destroyed, and two were disabled, in an operation of a Ukrainian intelligence unit led by Oleh Babiy in August 2023.
During the 29 December 2023 Russian strikes on Ukraine and other attacks, some 300 Kh-22 missiles have been launched at Ukraine by Russian forces, all by Tu-22M bombers. None have been shot down by Ukrainian forces, although it is suggested that Russia has been targeting areas where there are no MIM-104 Patriot or SAMP/T missile batteries.
On 19 April 2024, a Russian Tu-22M3 crashed near Stavropol, over 450 km of distance from the nearest Ukrainian controlled territory as of the time of the event. Ukraine claimed to have shot down the long-range strategic bomber about 300 km from Ukraine as it was reportedly trying to return to base after a combat sortie. Russian authorities claimed the aircraft crashed in Krasnogvardeysky District, [Stavropol Krai|Krasnogvardeysky District] due to a technical malfunction, killing one crew member, with another missing. A source claimed that Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence had planned and executed the downing with a S-200 missile, the same type of missile Ukraine claimed to have shot down a Beriev A-50 in February 2024. If confirmed, it would be Ukraine's first downing of a Tu-22M in the air. Ukraine "likely destroyed" one Tu-22M at an airbase in Novgorod Oblast in August 2023, using drones.
HUR drones struck the Olenya air base in Murmansk Oblast, some 1,800 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, damaging two Tu-22M3s. A Ukrainian spokesman said, "We can confirm the damage to two Tu-22M3 aircraft. We are talking about aircraft No. 33 and No. 31. No. 33 has holes in the upper part of the fuselage, and aircraft No. 31 also has some body damage."
On 31 March 2025, Ukrainian drones destroyed Kh-22 missiles at Shaykovka air base according to satellite imagery. Ukrainian military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi said that a drone managed to destroy a Tu-22M3 after it landed. General Syrskyi said it was valued at $100 million.
On 1 June 2025, at least four Tu-22M3 bombers were destroyed in the Operation Spider's Web attack at Belaya Air Base near Irkutsk.

Export

The Tupolev company 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 been made. Unlike the Tu-22 bomber, Tu-22Ms were not exported to Middle East countries.
During 1999, India reportedly signed a lease-to-buy contract for four Tu-22M aircraft for maritime reconnaissance and strike purposes, which were to enter IAF service in 2001. At the time, the aircraft were to be delivered with Kh-22 cruise missiles. As of 2023 there is no evidence of operation or acquisition by the Indian Air Force.

Variants

;Tu-22M
;Tu-22M1
;Tu-22M2
;Tu-22M3
;Tu-22M4
;Tu-22MR
; Tu-22DP
;Tu-344
;Tu-22M3 with SVP-24-22
;Tu-22M3M

Operators

;
;
;
  • Ukrainian Air Force and Navy inherited a large number of Tu-22M2/M3 bombers. 60 Tu-22Ms and 423 Kh-22 cruise missiles were scrapped under the Nunn–Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction agreement led by the US. The last bombers were scrapped in January 2006.
  • * 13th Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Division – Poltava Air Base, Poltava Oblast
  • ** 185th Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment
  • * 22nd Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Division – Stryi Air Base, Lviv Oblast
  • ** 260th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment
  • Ukrainian Naval Aviation
  • * 2nd Guards Maritime Missile Aviation Division
  • ** 5th Guards Maritime Missile Aviation Regiment – Veseloye, Crimea
  • ** 943rd Maritime Missile Aviation Regiment – Oktiabrske, Crimea
  • * 33rd Center for Combat Employment and Retraining of Personnel Aviation VMF – Kulbakino Air Base, Mykolaiv
  • ** 540th Instructor-Research Maritime Missile Aviation Regiment
  • 1 Tu-22M3 in the Poltava Museum of Long-Range and Strategic Aviation
  • 1 Tu-22M0, 1 Tu-22M2 and 1 Tu-22M3 in the Ukraine State Aviation Museum

    Notable accidents and losses

  • On 16 September 2017, a Tu-22M3 overran the runway at Shaykovka Air Base due to an aborted take off. The aircraft was written off. All four crew members survived without injury.
  • On 22 January 2019, a Tu-22M3 crash-landed after a training flight while attempting to make a landing at the Olenya Air Base near the city of Olenegorsk in Russia's Murmansk region. Three of the four crew members died in the crash. A video shows the aircraft making a hard landing, which instantly ruptured the airframe and detached the forward cockpit area.
  • On 23 March 2021, a Tu-22M3's ejection system malfunctioned, suddenly activating while still on the ground. The incident resulted in the deaths of three crew members and the hospitalization of a fourth. An official from Russia's Defense Ministry said that "due to the insufficient altitude for parachute opening, three crew members received fatal injuries upon landing". The aircraft was at Shaykovka Air Base undergoing engine start procedures.
  • On 19 August 2023, a Tu-22M3 was destroyed by a drone strike from the 2023 Ukrainian counteroffensive while on the ground at Soltsy-2 in Novgorod Oblast. Satellite pictures of the air base showed that the other bombers stationed there had been evacuated, while photographs taken on the ground showed the plane that had been hit by the drone ablaze and was completely destroyed by the resultant fire.
  • On 19 April 2024, a Tu-22M3 crashed in the Stavropol region of Russia. Video shows the aircraft in a flat spin with visible flames on the rear of the aircraft. Ukrainian sources claimed that the bomber was shot down using a surface-to-air missile, with the loss of the Tu-22M3 being the second confirmed kill of a strategic bomber during the conflict.
  • On 15 August 2024, a Tu-22M3 crashed in the Irkutsk Oblast of Russia while performing a "routine flight". The preliminary cause of the crash is said to be a technical malfunction. According to the Ministry of Defense, the crew ejected before their plane crashed. Initially all crew were reported alive by Irkutsk Oblast Governor Igor Kobzev, however he later clarified that a pilot had died. The other crew members were in hospital with "injuries of varying severity."
  • On 2 April 2025, a Tu-22M3 crashed in the Irkutsk region. The pilot was killed.

    Specifications (Tu-22M3)