News / Russia

Russia's Tupolev Tu-22M3M long-range bomber performs debut flight: Video

Monday, 31 December 2018 10:39 AM [ Last Update: Monday, 31 December 2018 10:43 AM ]

A Russian Tupolev Tu-22M3M bomber

An upgraded version of Russia’s Tupolev Tu-22M, a strategic long-range missile-carrying bomber, has performed its debut flight.

The Tupolev Aircraft Company, which has manufactured the aircraft, announced last week that the modernized bomber -- called Tu-22M3M – conducted its first flight “on the aerodrome of the Kazan Aircraft Association Production, Tupolev branch.”

“The flight was at an altitude of 1,500 meters and lasted 37 minutes. All tests concerning the verification of new onboard systems and equipment, installed in the context of extensive modernization, were completed during the flight. The flight team’s data shows that the flight proceeded as planned, systems and equipment were used without issue,” it added.

The Tass news agency cited a source in the Russian domestic defense industry as saying that there “no weapons aboard the aircraft” during the flight.

Russian Air Force Tupolev Tu-22M3M upgraded long-range bomber.

The bomber is capable of carry cutting edge Russian missile weaponry, including the Kh-47M2 Kinzhal (Dagger) ballistic missile, which can reach the hypersonic speed of Mach 10.

Speeds greater than five times the speed of sound (Mach 5) are often referred to as hypersonic.

According to data released by the Tupolev Aircraft Company shows, Tu-22M3M bombers feature considerably greater combat potential than the Tu-22M3 models, including a long-range operational scope.

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