Tu-22M3. Photo: flickr / ajw1970
A strategic bomber Tu-22M3 is reported to have crashed in the Cheremkhovsky district of the Irkutsk region, Russian Federation, according to information released by the 112 channel on Telegram.
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According to reports from other local media, the aircraft caught fire while still in the air before it began to rapidly descend. The plane crashed near the village of Mikhailovka, just 100 meters from the federal highway R-255.
Eyewitnesses reported that the pilots managed to eject before impact, but their health status is still unknown.
Initial information suggests that the crash of the bomber may have been caused by a technical failure.
About the Tu-22M3
The Tu-22M3 made its first flight in 1977 and reached its modern configuration in 1989, when it was officially put into service. The last unit of this model rolled off the assembly line in 1993.
With a crew of four, the Tu-22M3 is capable of carrying three Kh-22 missiles. The aircraft is 42.45 meters long, 11.05 meters high, and has a variable wingspan between 34.28 and 23.8 meters, depending on the sweep mode.
The bomber is equipped with two NK-25 engines, each capable of generating 14.5 tons of thrust in normal operation and up to 25 tons in afterburner. The flight range without refueling is up to 7,000 kilometers, and with a full load, it is 2,400 kilometers.
According to the site mil.in.ua, as of 2024, the Russian arsenal includes 57 units of the Tu-22M3.
Source: mil.in.ua. Images: Telegram @ENews112. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
