Tu-22M3: News

GarryB wrote:Actually the 23mm cannon has decoy rounds it can fire and its very high rate of fire would make it rather useful even against incoming missiles given the right circumstances.

The 23 x 115mm rounds have a chaff/Flare round that could be fired offset to where the bomber is to quickly set up an IR and radar reflective cluster of decoys in a short burst.

Equally the same gun can fire at a comparable rate to the Phalanx with a much heavier projectile though with lower velocity...

They didn't bother with the Blackjack and I doubt the PAK DA would have a gun but the latter likely will have air to air missiles for a defensive role of potentially shooting down missiles aimed at the aircraft.

miketheterrible wrote:https://iz.ru/663570/aleksei-ramm/ubiitcam-avianostcev-popolniat-arsenal

Tu-22M3's undergoing modernization.

Key aspects:
- New Engines based on the same ones used on Tu-160M2
- New cruise missiles for the Tu-22M3 - Kh-32 is the missiles.

miketheterrible wrote:
- New cruise missiles for the Tu-22M3 - Kh-32 is the missiles.

GarryB wrote:Shame they don't list the upgrades...

The creation of a deeply modernized bomber-missile carrier Tu-22M3M is nearing completion, the head of the Tupolev company Alexander Konyukhov said.

- On the prototype of a deeply modernized missile carrier, assembly work and preparations for the first take-off are being completed . It is planned for the third quarter of 2018. In the same year, modernization of combat aircraft will begin, "Interfax quotes Konyukhov .

The updated Tu-22 will receive new, more economical and durable engines, as well as on-board electronics, unified with the "older brother", the strategic missile carrier Tu-160. In particular, the aircraft will have a system of space communications and the ability to receive in-flight target designation - including from mobile sea and land terminals. Given that the main task of the Tu-22 is still hunting for aircraft carriers, the ability to take on-the-fly operational information about their whereabouts will not be superfluous. Another innovation will be the bar for refueling the aircraft in the air - this option will increase the already considerable combat radius of the missile carrier - with new engines the flight range of the Tu-22M3M will be almost 10 thousand kilometers.

In parallel with the modernization of the aircraft, a new weapon is being developed for him. The upgraded electronics will allow the aircraft to use the Kh-32, Kh-55, Kh-555, Kh-101/102 missiles, and prospective Kh-50, GZUR and Dagger .

"Modernization will significantly prolong the service life of Tu-22M family aircraft," Konyukhov stressed. According to open sources, Russia has more than 100 aircraft of this type.

Collecting new cars and modernizing the drill will be in Kazan, where at the Gorbunov Aircraft Plant there are at least four Tu-22 gliders preserved from the Soviet reserve. In addition, the company has accumulated experience in restoring production of Tu-160. The first "White Swan" from the new series  climbed into the sky in early 2018.

The first flight of the upgraded long-range missile carrier Tu-22M3M is scheduled for August 2018, RIA Novosti reported at the Kazan aircraft plant.

https://rg.ru/2018/04/25/reg-pfo/rossiia-podnimet-v-nebo-novyj-raketonosec.html

"We intend to lift the Tu-22M3M in the air in August," the company representative said.

Photo: Grigory Sysoev / RIA Novosti
Preparation of the Su-57 for the Victory Parade was shot on video
Deep modernization and the resumption of the mass production of the most massive long-range aircraft was laid in the State Program of Armaments for 2018-2027. The aircraft is updated according to the scheme used for the "older brother" Tu-160: from the old Tu-22M, there is only a glider (and the one is modified).

Instead of the regular NK-25 engines, the missile carrier will receive the upgraded Tu-160 power units: with a similar thrust, they are more durable and much more economical - the range of the upgraded Tu-22 will grow by one and a half times. The aircraft will receive a retractable bar for refueling in the air and an on-board electronics similar to the Tu-160M2. The crew will be reduced from four to two people.

In the arsenal of the missile carrier will enter as available weapons of destruction: cruise missiles X-55, X-555, X-32, X-101/102, and prospective: Kindzhal , X-50 and GZUR. The weapons compartment is likely to be enlarged. The aircraft will be equipped with a space link to obtain target coordinates in real time - including from portable land and sea terminals.

Collect the updated missile carriers and modernize the combat vehicles will be at the Kazan Aircraft Plant named after Gorbunov, where from the Soviet times at least four unfinished gliders have been preserved. The GPV provides for the modernization of 36 combat aircraft, mass production of the Tu-22M3M is planned to be deployed in the mid-1920s at a rate of three or four aircraft per year.

GunshipDemocracy wrote:

GarryB wrote:Shame they don't list the upgrades...

They actually did


in short:
Crew: 2 pilots
Engines same as Tu-160M2 - NK-32
avionics - based on 160M2 (I presume netcentric with new navigation to chase CVBGs)

Weaposn: Kh-32, Kindzhal, X-50 (scaled down X-101) and Gzur ( Ma-8 missile) both x6 and with range   ~1500 km (this form BMPD)

Attention: air-frame also will be modified (didn't say to what degree though)
Build in refueling bar too      


refurbished: 36 units. Not bad to fend off NTO fleet. + 50 Tu-160M2.






Updated missile carrier Tu-22M3M will receive a rigging Tu-160

https://rg.ru/2018/04/28/reg-pfo/obnovlennyj-raketonosec-tu-22m3m-poluchit-osnastku-tu-160.html

The creation of a deeply modernized bomber-missile carrier Tu-22M3M is nearing completion, the head of the Tupolev company Alexander Konyukhov said.

- On the prototype of a deeply modernized missile carrier, assembly work and preparations for the first take-off are being completed . It is planned for the third quarter of 2018. In the same year, modernization of combat aircraft will begin, "Interfax quotes Konyukhov .

The updated Tu-22 will receive new, more economical and durable engines, as well as on-board electronics, unified with the "older brother", the strategic missile carrier Tu-160. In particular, the aircraft will have a system of space communications and the ability to receive in-flight target designation - including from mobile sea and land terminals. Given that the main task of the Tu-22 is still hunting for aircraft carriers, the ability to take on-the-fly operational information about their whereabouts will not be superfluous. Another innovation will be the bar for refueling the aircraft in the air - this option will increase the already considerable combat radius of the missile carrier - with new engines the flight range of the Tu-22M3M will be almost 10 thousand kilometers.

In parallel with the modernization of the aircraft, a new weapon is being developed for him. The upgraded electronics will allow the aircraft to use the Kh-32, Kh-55, Kh-555, Kh-101/102 missiles, and prospective Kh-50, GZUR and Dagger .

"Modernization will significantly prolong the service life of Tu-22M family aircraft," Konyukhov stressed. According to open sources, Russia has more than 100 aircraft of this type.

Collecting new cars and modernizing the drill will be in Kazan, where at the Gorbunov Aircraft Plant there are at least four Tu-22 gliders preserved from the Soviet reserve. In addition, the company has accumulated experience in restoring production of Tu-160. The first "White Swan" from the new series  climbed into the sky in early 2018.

Russia will raise into the sky  a new missile carrier

The first flight of the upgraded long-range missile carrier Tu-22M3M is scheduled for August 2018, RIA Novosti reported at the Kazan aircraft plant.

https://rg.ru/2018/04/25/reg-pfo/rossiia-podnimet-v-nebo-novyj-raketonosec.html

"We intend to lift the Tu-22M3M in the air in August," the company representative said.

Photo: Grigory Sysoev / RIA Novosti
Preparation of the Su-57 for the Victory Parade was shot on video
Deep modernization and the resumption of the mass production of the most massive long-range aircraft was laid in the State Program of Armaments for 2018-2027. The aircraft is updated according to the scheme used for the "older brother" Tu-160: from the old Tu-22M, there is only a glider (and the one is modified).

Instead of the regular NK-25 engines, the missile carrier will receive the upgraded Tu-160 power units: with a similar thrust, they are more durable and much more economical - the range of the upgraded Tu-22 will grow by one and a half times. The aircraft will receive a retractable bar for refueling in the air and an on-board electronics similar to the Tu-160M2. The crew will be reduced from four to two people.

In the arsenal of the missile carrier will enter as available weapons of destruction: cruise missiles X-55, X-555, X-32, X-101/102, and prospective: Kindzhal , X-50 and GZUR. The weapons compartment is likely to be enlarged. The aircraft will be equipped with a space link to obtain target coordinates in real time - including from portable land and sea terminals.

Collect the updated missile carriers and modernize the combat vehicles will be at the Kazan Aircraft Plant named after Gorbunov, where from the Soviet times at least four unfinished gliders have been preserved. The GPV provides for the modernization of 36 combat aircraft, mass production of the Tu-22M3M is planned to be deployed in the mid-1920s at a rate of three or four aircraft per year.

magnumcromagnon wrote:
The new upgrades for Tu-22M3 (from M3 to M3M) almost puts its to the level of Tu-160M. I would even say to nigh-strategic level even (the refueling probe though ) .

Svyatoslavich wrote:There are some unfinished Tu-22M3 in Kazan, I imagine they could complete these airframes in M3M version, also these would be new airplanes as they have no cycles or flight hours and could operate longer than existing M3.

dino00 wrote:The weapons are realy impressive.
Maybe kh-mt?
Great post GunshipDemocracy!

PapaDragon wrote:
Wow, 2 pilots down from 4, Tu-160 engines and avionics and every single fancy missile available, Kinzhal included?

This monster will be something epic. Hopefully they cranck up the whole fleet to this level not just 30, go nuts.

Any guesses on how many Kinzhals it will be able to carry? And what will they do with 2 extra seats now?