Friday, September 05, 2008

Tu-22

IOC: 1961
Total Production: 300

Also Known As: Blinder, Tu-22K, Tu-22P, Tu-22PD, Tu-22RD, Tu-22RDM, Tu-22RM, Tu-22U

Origin:Russia

Contractor/s: PSC Tupolev

Description: Tupolev Tu-22 was a twin-engine, supersonic, medium-range bomber intended to perform both nuclear and conventional air strikes replacing Tu-16 bombers. Due to its poor performance the Tu-22 never replaced subsonic Tu-16. The Soviet Union developed this aircraft in the 1950s achieving initial operational capability (IOC) in the early 1960s. Powered by two turbojet engines each rated at 36,000-lb with afterburning Tu-22 can achieve top speeds of Mach 1.5+ at high altitude.

Tu-22 series production started in the late 1950s and lasted for over 10 years with around 250 to 300 aircraft built for the Soviet Union Air Force and several export customers. NATO dubbed this bomber as Blinder. Like the Tu-16 Badger, Tu-22 variants assumed a wide spectrum of missions such as maritime attack, reconnaissance and electronic warfare (EW) jamming aircraft. In the late 1990s the Ukrainian Air Force was the only operator for the aircraft type. Currently, Tu-22 Blinders are no longer serviceable.

Specifications
Accommodation: Crew 3

Guns: Main Gun Caliber 23 mm

Dimensions: Height 10.7 m, Length 42.6 m, Wingspan 23.5 m

Weights: Max Weight 94,000 kg (207,231 lb), Min Weight 48,100 kg (106,041 lb), Payload 12,000 kg (26,455 lb)

Engine/s Performance: Thrust 72,750 lb (32,999 kg)

Performance: Ceiling 15,000 m (49,213 ft), Cruise Speed 232 mps (Mach 0.70), Max Range 7,150 km (3,861 nm), Top Speed 448 mps (Mach 1.35)

Other: Number of Engines 2

Related Equipment
Guided Missiles: Kh-22

Operators

see operators map

Iraq

Libya

Russia

Ukraine

Image Gallery

Notes
(*) lead contractor
IOC: Initial Operating Capability
FOC: Full Operating Capability
CEP: Circular Error Probable
Comm: Commissioning Date
Meters (m) Kilometers (km) Nautic Miles (nm) Inch (in) Yard (yd) Foot (ft) Millimeter (mm)
Pound (lb) Kilogram (kg) kN (KiloNewton) Ton (t)
Meters per Second (mps) Kilometers per Hour (kph) Knot (kt) Miles per Hour (mph)
Liter (l) Galon (gl)
Year (yr) Minutes (min) Second (sec)
Shaft-Horse-Power (shp)

Last Updated: Sunday, August 24, 2008

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