[SampleMan]

Indeed, the Tu-22M essencially moved the engines from pods to an internal configuration. Really very different aircraft from the Tu-22. The Tu-22 remains a medium range bomber. Any supersonic platform with that range and performance is a threat.

The Tu-160 Blackjack was the Soviet/Russian B-1A equivalent. But I’m not sure those are still in service.

[cunning_fish]

There are about 15 or 16 Blackjacks and about 400 Backfires left in service in Russia. Both types considered strategic assets and not allowed for export by Russian government despite numerous Chinese calls.

Hundreds of Backfires were chopped under Reagan-Gorbachev arms treaties and there are still abandoned airbases in South Siberia full or ground equipment and dozens of intact surplus Backfires left for 15+ years to rot and easy for Chicom spies to harvest for technology.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nObAqf2J-As

That is a video of one of these bases. The whole facility is guarded by one security and a couple dogs. You can see planes lost a lot of parts mostly due to recyclers collecting scrap metal. Who know if there were some Chinese among visitors.

[cunning_fish]

There are about 15 or 16 Blackjacks and about 400 Backfires left in service in Russia. Both types considered strategic assets and not allowed for export by Russian government despite numerous Chinese calls.

Hundreds of Backfires were chopped under Reagan-Gorbachev arms treaties and there are still abandoned airbases in South Siberia full or ground equipment and dozens of intact surplus Backfires left for 15+ years to rot and easy for Chicom spies to harvest for technology.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nObAqf2J-As

That is a video of one of these bases. The whole facility is guarded by one security and a couple dogs. You can see planes lost a lot of parts mostly due to recyclers collecting scrap metal. Who know if there were some Chinese among visitors.