Tu-22M3 with "Daggers" will become a problem for NATO in the Mediterranean.
The publication Military Watch reacted to the transfer of Tu-22M3 bombers and MiG-31K fighters with "Daggers" to Syria.
The author recalls that after arriving at the Khmeimim Airbase, the planes began patrolling over the neutral waters of the Mediterranean Sea. All this is happening against the backdrop of high tension in relations between Russia and NATO member countries.
In January, the commander of the Russian long-range aviation, Sergei Kobylash, announced that the exercises "confirmed the ability of the Tu-22M3 to hit targets throughout the Mediterranean Sea."
The deployment of the Tu-22M3 and MiG-31K is particularly noteworthy due to their armament. The X-47M2 missile is one of the most powerful tactical ballistic missiles in the world with unsurpassed flight characteristics, including a speed of Mach 10 and very high maneuverability. It is believed that this missile is almost impossible to intercept, it can hit ground targets and warships with high accuracy and has a range of 2,000 kilometers. This figure has been increased to 3,000 kilometers for larger variants armed with the Tu-22M3.
NATO member countries do not have equivalent X-47M2 facilities. These missiles are an asymmetric asset and can be used to close the Mediterranean Sea to Western warships and strike key hubs across Europe.
Oleg Koryakin
