Britannica AI Icon

Tupolev Tu-22M

Soviet aircraft
Also known as: Backfire, Tu-22M, Tu-26, Tu-26 Backfire

Quick Summary

The Tupolev Tu-22M, also known by its NATO designation "Backfire Bomber," is a supersonic, variable-wing strategic bomber developed by the Soviet Union. It is part of a generation of supersonic jet bombers designed by the Tupolev aerospace bureau, which also produced aircraft like the Tu-22 and Tu-160. The Tu-22M was developed from the late 1950s through the early 1980s.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
2 Britannica Sources
  1. Tu-16
  2. Tupolev

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.