Flight Over Baltic Sea Was Performed by a “New” Tu-22M3 Bomber Armed with an Kh-22 Missile

One of the three Tu-22M3s that took part in recent flights over the Baltic Sea had a previously unknown tail number and was armed with an Kh-22 anti-ship missile.

The photo of the JAS 39 Gripen intercepted by the fighter jets was released by the Swedish Air Force.

As noted by AviVector, a military observer on the X social network specializing in aviation, the Tu-22M3 bomber, the photo of which was released by the Swedish Air Force, has a red tail number 63.

The Tu-22M3 with this tail number has not been seen publicly before, which indicates that it is a “new” modernized or overhauled aircraft.

On November 27, three Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bombers took off from the Olenya airbase for a five-hour exercise over the Baltic Sea.

One of the aircraft acted as a repeater, providing communication between the other two Tu-22M3s and command posts. The bombers were accompanied by Su-27 and Su-35S fighters, which provided cover and air control during the flight.

In response to the Russian aircraft in the region, the Swedish Air Force deployed JAS 39 Gripen fighters and the Italian Air Force deployed Eurofighter Typhoons. The aircraft were lifted from bases in Sweden and Estonia.

Modernization of the Tu-22M3

In June 1990, the project of “minor” modernization of the Tu-22M3 into the Tu-22M3M was launched. The program focuses on updating the onboard electronic equipment, including the installation of a new radar.

In January 2012, it was planned to upgrade 20 aircraft to the Tu-22M3M level by 2020. However, in 2016, the Russian Ministry of Defense ordered the modernization of only four Tu-22M3M aircraft to the Tu-22M3M level.

They received the Novela-45M radar, the SURO U001M weapons control system, the modernized NO-43.03M navigation system, the GLONASS satellite positioning system receiver, the S-505-45 communication system, and the L501 Redut-45M electronic warfare system (instead of the old L229 Ural-M).

The first modernized Tu-22M3M began flight tests in December 2018, and the second in March 2020. By the end of 2022, the modernization of two more aircraft was completed.

It is known that as of May 2025, two Tu-22M3Ms were undergoing modernization, one of which was at the stage of flight tests.