Is Russia’s Tu-22M Bomber Running Out of Time in the Stealth Era?

Key Points and Summary: Russia’s Cold War-era Tu-22M bomber plays a crucial role in the ongoing Ukraine war despite its aging design.

-Originally conceived for nuclear strikes against NATO fleets, the swing-wing Tu-22M is now employed for long-range missile attacks on Ukraine’s infrastructure, operating from beyond contested airspace.

-Although its older airframe proves somewhat effective in delivering standoff munitions, it remains vulnerable to Ukraine’s Western-supplied air defenses. Notably, a Ukrainian drone attack destroyed a Tu-22M deep inside Russian territory in 2023, highlighting the bomber’s vulnerability and symbolic importance.

-While its future is questionable in a stealth-oriented world, Russia continues relying on the Tu-22M for strategic strikes.

Why Russia Still Relies on the Tu-22M Bomber in Ukraine

Russia’s Tupolev Tu-22M, a long-range strategic bomber, has played a crucial role for Russia as part of Moscow’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Although the bomber has been utilized in a very different manner than its original designers likely envisioned, the Cold War-era bomber has enjoyed a new lease on life and as a way through particularly the robust, Western-supplied air defenses Ukraine operates. Its original role was radically different.

The Tu-22M was designed to fulfill a dual role within the Soviet Air Force: a long-range bomber for strategic strikes and as a maritime strike platform against NATO naval forces. Capable of supersonic speed and boasting a large weapon payload capacity, Russian planners envisioned the swing-wing bomber delivering nuclear or conventional weapons against NATO, particularly carrier strike groups or other strategic assets.

The long-range bomber could also conduct strategic reconnaissance and, thanks to an in-flight refueling capability, boasted an even farther flight radius.

Tu-22M Bomber Role in Syria

Russia utilized the Tu-22M during its years-long foray into Syria against Syrian rebel groups arrayed against the Assad regime, where their service was marked by widespread and indiscriminate bombing using dumb, free-fall munitions against targets that often included civilians and civilian infrastructure.

However, now that Russia is poised to permanently lose its toehold on the Mediterranean in Syria following the successful overthrow of the regime by rebel forces, that bomber’s future in the Middle East is very likely over.

A Different Role in Ukraine

In Ukraine, Russia uses the Tu-22M primarily as a long-range platform for launching stand-off munitions, often cruise missiles, against Ukrainian civilian infrastructure. This strategy allows the Tu-22M to hold a variety of targets throughout Ukraine at risk while also staying far away from contested airspace.

Though an effective way to conduct strikes and keep the Tu-22M out of harm’s way, the strategy also reflects Russia’s inability to achieve air superiority virtually anywhere in Ukraine thanks to Ukraine’s robust air defense network, supported by systems like the American-supplied Patriot and Germany’s IRIS-T, which severely restricts the operational freedom of not just the Tu-22M, but all Russian aircraft.

Losses Are Happening 

Despite the Tu-22M’s usefulness to Russia, the bomber has not been immune to losses. Several Tu-22Ms have been downed, a testament not just to the aforementioned air defenses.

One notable incident happened in August 2023, when a Ukrainian drone strike targeted the Soltsy-2 airbase in Russia’s Novgorod region, destroying at least one Tu-22M. This was an unusual and rather significant symbolic blow for Russia, and it underscored Ukraine’s growing ability to strike targets far behind enemy lines using drones. The loss not only reduced Russia’s long-range strike capabilities but — perhaps more importantly — was a propaganda victory for Ukraine, showcasing its capacity to retaliate against strategic Russian assets.

Russia’s use of the Tu-22M’s in Ukraine highlights how Russia has adjusted how they employ their Cold War-era legacy Soviet platforms for use in modern warfare — and how they have had to contend with a concerted effort by Ukraine, using Western-supplied weapons to hold the Russias at bay.

Though the bomber would struggle against a peer rival — say, the United States or other European countries within the auspices of NATO — it has found a useful, if niche, role in the war in Ukraine.

The future of that bomber in a world trending toward aircraft with stealth capabilities remains uncertain. But for the time being, it has a role to play within the Russian armed forces.

About the Author: Caleb Larson 

Caleb Larson is an American multiformat journalist based in Berlin, Germany. His work covers the intersection of conflict and society, focusing on American foreign policy and European security. He has reported from Germany, Russia, and the United States. Most recently, he covered the war in Ukraine, reporting extensively on the war’s shifting battle lines from Donbas and writing on the war’s civilian and humanitarian toll. Previously, he worked as a Defense Reporter for POLITICO Europe. You can follow his latest work on X.

Note: This piece has been updated since publication.