Aviapedia

Tu-22M Backfire long-range bomber and missile carrier

Two engines, thrust each: 20000 kg
Crew: 4
Speed: 2300 kmph
Ceiling: 15000 meters
Range: 7000 km
Take-off weight: 124000 kg
Variable-sweep wing, gradus: 20-65
Bomb load: 24000 kg

Tupolev’s Tu-22M is a first Soviet swept wing bomber. When NATO officals learned of it’s existence in 1969, they gave it a codename - Backfire.

At that time it appeared to be the illusive long-range supersonic bomber, the Soviets had been trying to build for nearly 15 years. In a late 60’s western observers revised the Backfire as an updated version of the Blinder, modified with swept wings. This assumption was based on an often confusing system of Soviet aircraft designations. The Blinder was Tu-22 and the new swept-wing bomber was the Tu-22M. Naturally, the West assumed the M is a modified version. But this wasn’t the case. In fact, the Tu-22M was a completely new aircraft.

Andrey Tupolev had began development on his own, back in 1964. Because the government hadn’t ask for the bomber, it was easier for him to use an existing designation. Tupolev later said that “The skies as M-modification was political.”

The first-generation Backfire was not a major improvement over the Blinder. It wasn’t untill the aircraft was redesigned and it posed the significant threat to the West. The new bomber was designated Tu-22M-3. Westerners called it Backfire-B.

For a bomber, the Backfire’s engine placement is strange. In many ways it looks more like a fighter then an a bomber. Most bombers reserve the fuselage for fuel and payload. The Backfire’s engine intakes occupy fuselage space. So when it carries a heavy-weapons load, it needs to reduce fuel, thereby reducing range.

When the Backfire entered service with the Red AirForce in early 70th, it had a refueling probe on the nose. This made the Pentagon extremely nervous. American military officials were certained that the Soviets now had a supersonic bomber which could reach North America. The Soviets maintained that the Backfire was not an intercontinental bomber, rather a tactical bomber for use in Europe and Asia with a range of under 1500 miles. During the strategic arms limitation talks in 1975 the Backfire became the subject of headed discussion. America was sceptical at Soviet claims that its swept-wing aircraft was not an intercontinental bomber. In the end Soviets agreed to remove refueling probes.

By the 80th it was a term that a Backfire had a radius of action of only about 2000 miles with a nominal bomb-load. Nevertheless the Backfire remained a potent weapon in the Soviet arsenal.
It could carry over 26000 pounds of bombs, both nuclear or conventional. It could also carry two Kitchen air-to-surface missiles.

For many years the Backfire’s range was debated by defense intelligence in the West. So is a question of was it or not a strategic bomber. Either way, it was certainly the shape of things to come.