Russian defense authorities have completed designs to upgrade one of its most powerful aircraft, giving it brand-new hardware and the ability to carry advanced, precision cruise missiles, Newsweek writes.
Russia’s defense ministry said Friday that military designers had finalized plans to fit the warplane with “modern long-range precision weapons,” among other modifications. The remodeling is the latest in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s rejuvenation of the country’s armed forces, Newsweek informs.
“The development of the documentation for the Tu-22M3M has been completed and work is currently underway at the Kazan Aircraft Enterprise to prepare the production facilities for the repair and modernization of the bombers that are in service in the operational units of Russia’s Aerospace Force,” a defense ministry source told the state-run Tass News Agency.
According to the source, “the first heavy upgrade of these planes since the time of their development will begin from next year.” The original Tupolev TU-22, called “Blinder” by Western military alliance NATO, was introduced in 1962 as the Soviet Union’s first bomber. While the initial model saw limited production and a lot of defects, it was subject to a complete makeover and released in the 1970s as the Tupolev Tu-22M, nicknamed “Backfire” by NATO, Newsweek notes.
The newly completed Tu-22M3M design would reportedly include new electronics, including navigation and sighting systems, as well as the same powerful Kuznetsov NK-32-02 motor being fitted to the new Tupolev Tu-160M2 heavy strategic bomber, which was unveiled Thursday.
The Tu-22M3M would be also able to carry two Kh-32 cruise missiles, a nuclear-capable weapon that can soar 130,000 feet in the air before striking targets over 620 miles away, United Press International reported. About 30 planes were expected to be converted out of the Russian Air Force’s 68-plane fleet of Tu-22M3s. The Tu-22M3, along with various other Russian bombers, fighters and multi-purpose aircraft, played a crucial role in assisting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his armed forces in defeating ISIS and rebel groups attempting to overthrow him since 2011, Newsweek adds.
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