New avionics in Tu-22 Backfire bomber make it a nightmare for U.S. aircraft carriers

Russia’s long-awaited upgrade to the Tupolev Tu-22M Backfire jet bomber, the Tu-22M3M, rolled out last month and bring with it an anti-ship missile that’s a nightmare for the U.S. Navy to defend against. A contemporary of the U.S. B-1B Lancer bomber, the Tu-22 M3M is a variable-sweep-wing supersonic bomber first introduced into service with the Soviet Air Force and Soviet Naval Aviation in the 1970s. Aircraft upgrades will include modern avionics, digital radio-navigation equipment, a new communications suite, and a new updated weapon-control system to enable the aircraft to launch precision-guided air-to-surface weapons including air-launched ballistic missiles and long-range anti-ship missiles.