United Aircraft Corporation’s Tupolev has delivered the first fully upgraded Tu-22M3M long-range missile carrier bomber to the Russian Aerospace Forces for series of ground and flight tests.
The upgraded Tu-22M3M missile carrier bomber was launched during an official ceremony held at Kazan aviation plant, an affiliate of Tupolev.
Go deeper with GlobalData
As part of the aircraft modernisation, the Tu-22M3M bomber has been fitted with an advanced digital avionics system based on the domestic hardware components, along with an advanced on-board information and control system with digital indication in the cabin and crew intelligent assistant functions.
In addition, the aircraft has been installed with a new navigation, communication, aiming equipment, engines and fuel mechanisation control, as well as an electronic warfare facility.
Tupolev general director Aleksander Konyukhov said: “The first experimental aircraft Tu-22М3М was designed within the ambitious modernisation programme of strategic and long-range aviation complexes, which is being currently performed by ‘Tupolev’ PJSC.
“The following step of the programme, complete modernisation of the first batch of combat aircraft Tu-22M3. After considering the results of the official joint tests the RF Ministry of Defense will decide on the beginning of modernisation of aircraft formation.”
With the completion of the preliminary in-plant tests, the completely modernised aircraft is slated to be delivered to the Russian Ministry of Defense to carry out official joint testing.
Designed as the modified variant of Tupolev’s Tu-22М3, the Tu-22M3M bomber is a multimode aircraft equipped with different armaments such as cruise missiles, free-fall and guided bombs.
In April, the company delivered a Tu-22M3 missile carrier bomber to the Russian Long Range Aerospace Forces after completing testing and repair work on the aircraft.
