Watch Russian Tu-22M bomber perform high-altitude old-fashioned carpet bombing in Syria

January 25, 2016 Russia, Syria, Troubled Areas, War on ISIS
David Cenciotti

Some more Tu-22 Backfire footage.

Here’s the latest footage showing Tu-22M3 long-range bombers conducting air strikes on targets in Syria.

As already shown by several other clips released by the Russian MoD, the Tu-22s mainly employ iron bombs from high-altitude: although dumb bombs can be dropped with a fair accuracy on soft targets, the use of FAB-250 unguided bombs in a WWII fashion seems to be a bit anachronistic considered the (costly) PGMs (Precision Guided Munitions) available today.

 

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David Cenciotti is a freelance journalist based in Rome, Italy. He is the Founder and Editor of “The Aviationist”, one of the world’s most famous and read military aviation blogs. Since 1996, he has written for major worldwide magazines, including Air Forces Monthly, Combat Aircraft, and many others, covering aviation, defense, war, industry, intelligence, crime and cyberwar. He has reported from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Syria, and flown several combat planes with different air forces. He is a former 2nd Lt. of the Italian Air Force, a private pilot and a graduate in Computer Engineering. He has written four books.

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5 Comments

  1. That plane is completely overkill for what they’re using it for. We could just as easily, and perhaps more effectively, send B-17s there for bombing runs. If we had any…

  2. Brainless nato propaganda created the “smart” munitions for dumb
    warriors myth. As can be seen in today’s Yemen, modern overpriced
    “smart” yank junk is still not enough against outdated, soviet era
    weapons. Capable, determined warriors more than outbalance the odds.
    Even highly paid western mercs had to repeatedly bite the hot desert
    dust.
    What you ignore is the balance of costs – for every mission the appropiate weapon. For area targets, “dumb” iron bombs are more than enough, especially when stocks are plentiful. In eastern Syria, where the Tu22M3s are mostly operating, those are the most efficient means to deliver the needed punch. There is no need for overpriced “smart” upgrades, which only fill the greedy corporate pockets, on the taxpayer’s costs.

  3. The Russians are producing slick videos like this of their air war over Syria. They are winning the global propaganda war, putting the U.S. effort to shame. Where are the slick U.S.A.F. videos over the ISIS battlesphere? The Russians are on social media promoting their global geopolitical agenda while the U.S. is still using the archaic VOA and RFE/RL.It’s a joke.

  4. The Russians sure know how to make ugly ducks. Performers for sure but 90% of their aircraft are just plain ugly.

  5. However when B52s and B1Bs do it it’s aok? Truth is always the 1st casualty of war they say. The location for this is perfect for the Tu22M3 as its not too far away as the Russians dont really have many Tu160s.

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