Russian Tupolev Tu-22M3s, NATO reporting name “Backfire”, twin-engine supersonic bombers
seem to be operating from Syria.
Photos and videos apparently taken in Syria’s coastal Latakia province have appeared on
Twitter as well as other social media platforms suggesting that the bombers are operating
from Khmeimim airbase.
Viewers may note that there has been a lot of work has been done on the base in recent
times in the base, with runways being extended to accommodate large aircraft.
The base is currently used by Russia.
Tu-22M3 is a deadly adversary and its presence in Syria is has major implications.
In this video, Defense Updates analyzes how Russia is consolidating power in the region
with the deployment of Tupolev Tu-22M3 Backfire bomber in Syria?
Let's get started.
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In 2015 Syria was at the risk of being overrun by ISIS. President Putin had sent troops into
Syria in 2015 to defend Bashar al Assad -- a long-time ally. The mission was to defend
the strategic military base, which has later turned into a full-blown attack on ISIS.
Moscow has put its military might behind Syrian dictator Bashar Al Assad to prevent the collapse
of the regime.
Tu-22M3s have been utilized in Syria in the past and have played a significant role.
On 17 November 2015, as part of the Russian military intervention in the Syrian Civil
War, Russia used 12 Tu-22M3 bombers to hit targets in Syria.
As per Russian Ministry of Defense, between November 2015 and August 2018, Tu-22M3s completed
369 combat sorties over Syria.
Tu-22M is a Cold War-era designed aircraft.
The aircraft was first flown on 30 August 1969 and was introduced in service in 1972.
During the Cold War, Soviet Air Force used the aircraft as a missile carrier for the
strategic bombing role and the Soviet Naval Aviation for a long-range maritime anti-shipping
role.
It is a supersonic and long range bomber with a variable-sweep wing design.
The bomber can reach speeds of Mach 1.88 and has a range of around 6800 km or around 4225
miles. Russia built about 497 Tu-22M bombers but
currently, around 60 are in use.
Tu-22M3 is a variant of Tu-22M
Tu-22M3 is able to carry many different types of weapons including free-fall bombs, smart
bombs as well as cruise missiles. The 2 particularly significant weapons are the Kh-32 anti-ship
missile and Kinzhal hypersonic missile.
Kh-32 is intended to target U.S Carrier Battle Groups from long ranges.
It weighs close to 5,800 kg or around 12,785 lbs, is 12 meters long with a one-meter diameter
and a 3 m wingspan. It can be armed with a 500 kg conventional warhead or a nuclear
warhead. The Tu-22M3M will be able to carry 3 of these missiles.
It has a speed of Mach 4.5 and a range of around 1000 km around 620 miles. The excellent
range means that Tu-22M3M will be able to launch the missile from a standoff distance.
Kinzhal is designed to take out high-value land targets as well as has an anti-ship capability.
The defining features of the missile are its Mach 10 speed and in-flight maneuverability,
a combination of which makes it almost immune to current anti-missile defense systems.
It has a range of around 3,000 km or around 1,900 mi and hence will allow Tu-22M3M to
strike land and maritime targets across Europe, the Middle East, the Asia Pacific and the
North Atlantic regions.
The bomber is now going through a major upgrade program and is designated as Tu-22M3M.
According to Tupolev, the aircraft has been extensively modernized, “In the process
of profound upgrade, the Tupolev-22M3M was equipped with the newest onboard digital radio-electronic
equipment made of domestically manufactured components. In particular, the plane boasts
new navigation, communication and targeting equipment, new engine and fuel consumption
control systems and radio-electronic warfare means. The upgraded plane was also equipped
with a new information and control system with digital indicators in the cockpit and
the function of intellectual support for the crew.”
Tu-22M3M has more efficient engines that may increase its range further. Also, Tu-22M3M
has an aerial refueling boom which will increase its range significantly.
On 16 August 2018, the first modernized aircraft was unveiled during a roll-out ceremony at
the Kazan Aviation Plant.[82] It performed its maiden flight on 28 December 2018.
On 20 March 2020, the second modernized Tu-22M3M aircraft had its maiden flight
Moscow wants the Assad regime to be in control. This will help it secure its military influence
in the region as the strategically important Khmeimim airbase and naval base in the Syrian
port city of Tartus will be available to it
At the end of September 2015, NATO's supreme allied commander for Europe, General Philip
Breedlove, said that the kind of military infrastructure that Russia had installed in
Syria, which included anti-aircraft defense systems, was a de facto no-fly zone: "As we
see the very capable air defense [systems] beginning to show up in Syria, we're a little
worried about another A2/AD [anti-access/area denial] bubble being created in the eastern
Mediterranean."
A permanent presence of Tu-22M3 will further strengthen Russian power and act as a deterrence
possible intervention by the U.S and NATO.
It is to be noted that the Russian Ministry of Defense intends to upgrade up to 30 aircraft
out of approximately 60 Tu-22M3s currently in service to the advanced Tu-22M3M variant.
This variant operating from Khmeimim airbase will be a major threat.