Tupolev Tu-22
| Tupolev Tu-22
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| Description
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| Role | Bomber
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| Crew | 3 - pilot, navigator, radio operator
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| First Flight | June 21 1958
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| Entered Service | 1962
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| Manufacturers | Tupolev
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| Dimensions
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| Length | 41.60 m | ft in
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| Wingspan | 23.17 m | ft in
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| Height | 10.13 m | ft in
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| Wing area | 162.25m² | ft²
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| Weights
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| Empty | kg | lb
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| Loaded | 69,000 kg | lb
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| Maximum takeoff | 92,000 kg | lb
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| Powerplant
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| Engines | 2x VD-7M or RD-7M2
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| Thrust | 103 kN(normal) | lb
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| Performance
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| Maximum speed | 1,600 km/h | mph
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| Combat Range | 5,800 km | miles
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| Ferry Range | km | miles
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| Service ceiling | 13,300 m | ft
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| Rate of climb | m/min | ft/min
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| Wing loading | 425.27 kg/m² | lb/ft²
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| Thrust/Weight |
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| Avionics
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| Avionics |
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| Armament
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| Guns | 1x R-23 cannon in tail
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| Bombs | 9,000kg
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| Missiles | Kh-22, Kh-22P (AS-4 Kitchen)
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The Tupolev Tu-22 is a Soviet jet supersonic bomber and reconnaissance aircraft. The NATO reporting name for the type is Blinder. The NATO reporting name for the Tu-22M, which is in reality a completely different aircraft, is "Backfire".
The first prototype, known as the "105" (or Tu-105) was flown on June 21 1958. The second changed prototype, the "105A", was flown on September 7, 1959. Despite a prototype crash on December 21, the "105A" was accepted for production as the Tu-22. The first serial plane was flown on June 21, 1960. They were produced at factory No. 22 in Kazan. On the July 9, 1961, they were first presented on a parade in Tushino. Upon seeing the slim silhouette of the plane, it was initially nicknamed "Beauty" in NATO, which later was changed to "Blinder". The first series caused several problems, but most were improved until the mid-1960s. The plane was built in a several variants:
- Tu-22 - basic bomber variant. Only 20 made, used for training or test purposes
- Tu-22R, RD, RK, RDK - reconnaissance plane with bomber capabilities, about 130 made, including RDM
- Tu-22RDM - reconnaissance plane modification from the early 1980s, with instruments in a detachable container
- Tu-22P, PD - electronic warfare aircraft, about 50 made
- Tu-22K, KD - bomber variant, carrying missile Kh-22 (missile complex K-22). Produced since 1965. About 100 made, including KP / KDP
- Tu-22KP, KDP - electronic warfare bomber plane, carrying anti-radiation missile Kh-22P. Produced since 1968
- Tu-22U, UD - trainer version, 46 made
- Tu-22B - export bomber modification of Tu-22R
The variants with a letter "D" were fitted for air refuelling, and produced since mid-1960s. Total production was above 300 aircrafts (a number of 311 is sometimes given). The succesor of Tu-22 was the Tu-22M (Tu-26), which constituted a completely different design.
The aircraft is conventional in layout, with medium wings, swept at 55°. An unusual feature, not copied in any other aircraft, are large engine nacelles above the fuselage, on both sides of a tail fin. The three crewmen had ejector seats that ejected downwards. For armament, the Tu-22K carried the radar guided Kh-22 (AS-4 Kitchen) missile, partially covered in a bomb bay. The Kh-22 was outfitted with either conventional or nuclear warheads. The Tu-22 was able to carry 3000 - 9000 kg of bombs in lieu of the Kh-22 missile. Reconnaissance variants could carry bombs after removing the reconnaissance equipment.
The first planes entered service in the Soviet Air Force in 1962, starting with the regiments of the 15th Air Division in the western part of the USSR. The Soviet pilots nicknamed it shilo - "the Pricker". The primary role of the Tu-22K force, supported by jamming Tu-22P, was fighting against naval groups, especially aircraft carriers. Their cruise speed was subsonic (about 900 km/h), although they reached supersonic speed before an attack. During development and in the field, about 50 aircraft crashed for various reasons (approximately half of the crews saved).
The only combat use of the Soviet planes took place in 1988, during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Radar jamming Tu-22PD aircraft covered Tu-22M bombers operating in Afghanistan near Pakistan border, in case of Pakistani air defence activity. Tu-22's were withdrawn from service in the early to the mid-1990s.
Some Tu-22B and Tu-22U were exported in the 1970s to Libya and Iraq. On March 29-30, 1978, Libyan Tu-22 aircraft bombed a Tanzanian city, in support of Ugandan forces who were fighting a war with Tanzania. In the 1980s Libyan bombers intervened in the civil war in Chad, and also hit targets in Sudan. Iraqi Tu-22's took part in Iran-Iraq War between 1980 and 1988.
