The Tu-22M3 boasts a maximum range of 4.200 miles and has a range of 1.500 miles with a typical load of weapons. It is armed with an 23 automated tail gang canned GSh-23, long-range Raduga Kh-22 anti-aircraft missiles and Raduga Kh-15 air-surface. It can carry nuclear munitions.
The Russian army has online about 100 Tu-22M in variants A, B, C and ME. All the bombers will be updated within the 2020, as part of the 400 bill of dollars modernization program of the entire Russian army.
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It is clear that the decision to create an advanced post for long-range bombers in the Crimea was adopted in response to the US Operation Atlantic Resolve, to protect Eastern European countries and the Baltic States from a possible Russian invasion .
Comment from the Sputnik agency - “The Russian invasion is a non-existent threat, a psychosis created ad hoc after the outbreak of the civil war in Ukraine. Although the United States sponsored the coup in Ukraine in February last year, Washington accuses Russia of meddling in its neighbor's affairs. Moscow has always denied any wrongdoing and pushed for peace in a war-torn nation through the full implementation of the Minsk agreements. Russia cannot remain inert in the face of continuous American provocations, such as exercises close to our borders or the entry into service of the land defense missile component, operational by 2015, precisely in Romania ”.
Franco Iacch
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(photo: MoD Russian Federation)
