Subject: Re: (Silly Week 2008) Submission #7
From: "Submissions for ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: "S. Robert Sliger II" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 30 Dec 2007 14:21:41 -0800

Hi,
I just wanted to let you know your article went on ARC today.  Thanks again for sending it in.

Steve Bamford
Aircraft Resource Center
http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com

Live like there is no tomorrow;
Love like you've never been hurt.
Work like you don't need the money.
Dance like nobody's watching.
Sing like nobody's listening.
Live like it's Heaven on Earth.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: S. Robert Sliger II 
  To: [email-masked] 
  Sent: Thursday, December 27, 2007 9:02 PM
  Subject: (Silly Week 2008) Submission #7

  Tu-22M2I Backfire

  by Bud Sliger
  --------------------

        Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 01.jpg here  

  Tu-22M2I “Backfire-B”

  Assigned to No. 26sqn. “Persian Tigers”

  IRIAF Bandras e Abbas  

  1998

   

    After the Persian Gulf war ended in 1991 Iran sought to upgrade it’s tactical & regional strike capability. Among the various items on the list were a regional bomber for anti-ship and long-range strike. The Revolutionary government inquired to the Russians about acquiring among otherthings a number of Tu-22M ‘Backfire’ long range bombers. As a part of a multi-million weapons deal, 8 ex-Soviet naval aviation Tu-22M2 were refurbished & handed over to the IRIAF in 1994.

    The main difference between the Tu-22M2 and the M2I is that the Russians deleted all wiring for the Kh-22 ‘Kitchen’ missile, eliminating all nuclear capability, and downgraded the targeting software. After delivery the IRIAF had the rear defensive guns removed & replaced with a pair of countermeasures dispensers.

  In 1997 the IRIAF secretly integrated the Chinese C-801 Silkworm cruise missile, which 2 can be carried under the wings. In 2003, a Tu-22M2I was seen sporting 2 of the missiles during the Revolution day festivities. The first Tu-22M2I was delivered to Iran in October of 1995, with the last one handed over a year later. All aircraft were initially delivered in the standard Russian gray over white, which was quickly repainted in the standard IRIAF tan/dark tan/med. green over light gray similar to the US ‘Asia minor’ scheme. This was changed in 2000 to a blue-gray & sand camo sported by the IRIAFs MiG-29’s and F-14’s.

     No. 26sqn was formed at IRIAF Bandar e Abbas airbase to fly the Tu-22M2I. Primarily tasked with long range anti-ship strike, the squadron (along with the IRIAF’s P-3 Orion patrol aircraft), keeps the Straits of Hormuz open. In the event of another war with Iraq, the “Persian Tigers” would deploy to IRIAF’s Dezful & Hamedan bases near Iran's western border. 

  Click on images below to see larger images

         Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 02.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 02.jpg   Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 03.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 03.jpg  

  Photos and text © by Bud Sliger

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