Hmeimim (Syria). May 25. INTERFAX-Three long-range Tu-22m3 bombers have flown to the Russian Hmeimim air base in the Syrian Arab Republic, and this type of aircraft is being based at the Hmeimim airfield for the first time, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.
"The crews of long-range bombers will acquire practical skills to practice training tasks in new geographical areas during flights in the airspace over the Mediterranean Sea. The reconstruction of the second runway at the Khmeimim air base has been completed, with a complete replacement of the pavement and the installation of new lighting and radio equipment," the military department said. According to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, currently flights from the Khmeimim air base can be made by all types of aircraft in service with the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, including heavy-class aircraft. "After completing training tasks on the development of airspace in the maritime zone of the Mediterranean Sea, long-range bombers will return to the airfields of the permanent base on the territory of the Russian Federation," the military said.
The Tu-22M3 is a long-range supersonic missile-bomber (NATO codification: Backfire) designed to destroy sea and ground targets with guided missiles and aerial bombs.
Currently, the range of the combat Tu-22M3 is up to 6 thousand km, while the "strategists" Tu-160 and Tu-95MS - from 12 to 15 thousand km.