Tu-22M3 aircraft are participating in the non-strategic nuclear weapons exercise being held in the South Russia, along with MiG-31 fighter jets and operational-tactical missile systems “Iskander”, Russian military expert Alexei Leonkov told RIA Novosti.
The Ministry of Defense announced on Tuesday the start of the first stage of the exercise on the use of non-strategic nuclear weapons in the Southern Military District. It is reported that the missile formations of the Southern Military District are training for the launch of "Iskander" missiles equipped with special ammunition, and also that the Russian Air Force is training the equipment of the hypersonic "Dagger" missiles. with a special warhead. The Ministry of Defense also showed a video of the exercise.
„In the video, the “Iskander-M“ complexes are moving, these are operational-tactical weapon carriers, and what the MiG-31 and Tu-22M3 show are carriers of the “Dagger” hypersonic complex. “Dagger“ there will also be a special combat unit," Leonkov said.
„It is clear that the MiG-31 is equipped with a “Dagger” and pay attention to the red color of the cone of the missile head: this is the marking of a special warhead, I think”, the expert added.
He recalled that, as previously reported, Tu-22M3 bombers are seen as carriers of up to four “Dagger” missiles. The expert emphasized that this aircraft does not belong to strategic, but to long-range aviation, that is, it is capable of operating precisely in the operational-tactical zone.
"In general, the Tu-22M3 was seen as a means of combat work in the sea stage of hostilities, but it can also work on land,", Leonkov specified.
In addition, the Tu-22M3 participated in combat operations in Ukraine, firing X-32 and X-22 missiles, he noted.