MIGleader
Banned Idiot
Gauntlet said:Actually, the Tu-22 is the Blinder. The Tu-22M is the Backfire. Its important not to mix those two with each other.
Blinder:
Backfire:
You are telling me the the Ruskies are retiring the Backfire-Cs?
May I ask for sources (and not: "everyone should know that")?
AFAIK, the strategic weapons air force is still using the Tu-22M5, and the Naval airforce is still using the Backfire-C.
from sinodefence:
Following the end of the Cold War, China turned to its old enemy Russia for help. In 1993, China approached Russia seeking the sale of a number of Tupolev Tu-22M3 (NATO codename: Backfire-C) intermediate bomber aircraft to replace its ageing H-6 fleet, which ended production in the early 1980s. Developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Tu-22M is a swing-wing, medium range bomber designed to strike targets in Western Europe and Asia using both nuclear and conventional weapons. It has been designed to penetrate enemy air defence at low altitude and supersonic speed making him more survivable than previous strike aircraft. In addition to the strike role, the Tu-22M can carry out reconnaissance and maritime patrol missions. The Tu-22M3 is the latest model of the Backfire family and first entered service with the Soviet air forces in 1984.
Despite various rumours and speculations of a secret deal between the two sides, it later became clear that Moscow rejected China’s request due to concern that the sale may break the power balance in the East Asia region. However, since late 2004 there has been some major shift in the Russian government’s policy towards the sale of bomber aircraft to China. On 13 January 2005, the chief of the Russian Air Force, Vladimir Mikhailov, said that the Russian military could sell a number of Tu-22M3 and Tu-95 bomber aircraft to China. He confirmed that Russia would send Tu-22M3 to take part in the joint China-Russia military exercise in 2005, and Russia’s clear intention to sell the aircraft to China. It is not known if China is still interested in buying this aircraft.
This dramatic change may have been a direct result of the Russian Air Force’s decision in 2004 to retire hundreds of its advanced aircraft, including 40 new TU-22M3 bombers. The move by Moscow was seen as a cost-cutting effort to allow for future development of advanced aircraft. Nevertheless, with a max range of 4000km with refuelling, the bomber would have substantially upgraded the PLAAF’s coverage of the areas around Taiwan or the South China Sea. Though spare parts would become a problem, the mere possession of this system, let alone any production capability, would have constituted a substantial upgrade to the PLAAF.