Tupolev rolls out first Tu-22M3M strategic bomber.

Tupolev rolled out the first modernized Tu-22M3M strategic bomber, United Aircraft Corporation said in a statement. The Tu-22M3M is a modernized version of a long-range supersonic missile carrying Tu-22M3 bomber with a variable sweep wing. The aircraft will get new avionics and an opportunity to carry new missiles after modernization.

The first Tu-22M3M strategic bomber being rolled out at Tupolev's Kazan plant
(Credit: UAC/Said Asimov)

The rolling out ceremony took place at the Tupolev's Kazan Aviation Plant. The event was attended by the Russian Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, Oleg Bocharov, the commander of the Russian Air Force, Sergey Kobylash, the President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov, the President of the United Aircraft Corporation, Yury Slyusar, and the General Director of Tupolev, Alexander Konyukhov.The rolling out ceremony took place at the Tupolev's Kazan Aviation Plant. The event was attended by the Russian Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, Oleg Bocharov, the commander of the Russian Air Force, Sergey Kobylash, the President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov, the President of the United Aircraft Corporation, Yury Slyusar, and the General Director of Tupolev, Alexander Konyukhov.

"Today, we are transferring to the flight test station the first modernized Tu-22M3M missile-carrying bomber. This became possible thanks to the intense work of the UAC teams. Work on the integration of UAC continues, a division of strategic and special aviation is being formed, the main enterprise of which will be Tupolev. This will allow us to unite intellectual resources, improve management efficiency in the interests of implementing new long-range and strategic aviation programs, and in the shortest time to solve the most difficult tasks of ensuring the country's defense capability," said Uriy Slyusar, President of UAC.

Tu-22M3M is a modernized version of a long-range supersonic missile carrying Tu-22M3 bomber with a variable sweep wing. The aircraft will get new avionics and an opportunity to carry new missiles after modernization. As it was reported earlier, 30 aircraft will be upgraded to the level of the Tu-22M3M.

Tupolev said that the modernized Tu-22M3M aircraft has got new avionics, a new navigation target acquisition system and other on-board radio-electronic equipment which are harmonized with similar systems of the Tu-160M version of the Tu-160 aircraft. The upgraded aircraft was also equipped with a new information management system (IMS) with digital indication in the cab and functions providing in-flight support to the crew. Tupolev said that the modernized Tu-22M3M aircraft has got new avionics, a new navigation target acquisition system and other on-board radio-electronic equipment which are harmonized with similar systems of the Tu-160M version of the Tu-160 aircraft. The upgraded aircraft was also equipped with a new information management system (IMS) with digital indication in the cab and functions providing in-flight support to the crew.