Two Russian Tu-22M3 bombers perform scheduled flight over Black Sea.

Two Russian Tupolev Tu-22M3 long-range bombers performed a scheduled flight over the Black Sea, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on October 26.

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Tupolev Tu-22M3 (Picture source: Dmitriy Pichugin)

"Two Tu-22M3 long-range bombers of Russia’s Aerospace Force performed a scheduled flight in the airspace over the neutral waters of the Black Sea. They were escorted by the crews of Su-27 fighters of the Southern Military District’s Air Force and Air Defense Army," the statement says.

The flight lasted about five hours, the ministry specified.

The crews of Russia’s long-range aircraft regularly perform flights over the neutral waters of the Arctic, the Northern Atlantic, the Black and Baltic Seas and the Pacific Ocean. The aircraft of Russia’s Aerospace Force perform all the flights in strict compliance with the international rules of using the airspace, the Defense Ministry stressed.

About Tu-22M3:

The Tupolev Tu-22M, NATO reporting name Backfire, is a long-range strategic and maritime strike bomber developed by Tupolev for the Soviet Air Force. The aircraft is currently in service with the Russian Air Force and Russian Naval Aviation. The aircraft is primarily used to conduct nuclear strike and conventional attack operations. It can also be deployed in anti-ship and maritime reconnaissance missions.

The Tu-22M3 was introduced with upgraded features to overcome the shortfalls of its predecessor. The aircraft completed its first flight in June 1977 and was inducted into the inventory in 1983. Some of the Tu-22Ms were also modified to Tu-22MR and Tu-22ME standards.

Tu-22M3 has a length of 42.4m, a maximum wingspan of 34.2m, and a height of 11.05m. The empty weight and maximum takeoff weights of the aircraft are 53,500kg and 126,400kg respectively. The aircraft is provided with hardpoints to carry Kh-22stand-off missiles, Kh-15 nuclear or Kh-15P anti-radar missiles and FAB-250 or FAB-1500 free-fall bombs. The wing and fuselage pylons and internal weapons bay are provided with a capacity to carry 24,000kg of weapons payload. The aircraft is also armed with a double-barrelled GSH-23 (23mm) gun in remotely controlled tail turret.

Tupolev Tu-22M3 (Picture source: Tupolev)

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