page_title: Tupolev Tu-22M
section_title: Former operators
hierarchical_section_title: Tupolev Tu-22M / Operators / Former operators
caption_attribution_description: English: A left underside view of a Soviet Tu-22M Backfire-B bomber aircraft in flight.
context_page_description: The Tupolev Tu-22M is a supersonic, variable-sweep wing, long-range strategic and maritime strike bomber developed by the Tupolev Design Bureau in the 1960s. According to some sources, the bomber was believed to be designated Tu-26 at one time. During the Cold War, the Tu-22M was operated by the Soviet Air Forces in a missile carrier strategic bombing role, and by the Soviet Naval Aviation in a long-range maritime anti-shipping role. Significant numbers remain in service with the Russian Air Force, and as of 2014 more than 100 Tu-22Ms are in use.
context_section_description:  Russia
  Russian Naval Aviation – Tu-22M3s of the Northern Fleet and Pacific Fleet were transferred to the Russian Air Force in 2011.
  Northern Fleet
  924th Independent Maritime Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment – Olenya (air base), Murmansk Oblast
  Pacific Fleet
  568th Independent Composite Aviation Regiment – Kamenny Ruchey, Khabarovsk Krai
   Soviet Union
  Soviet Air Forces – aircraft were transferred to Russian and Ukrainian Air Forces after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
  22nd Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Division
  200th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment – Babruysk, Mogilev Region, Byelorussian SSR
  260th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment – Stryi Air Base, Lviv Oblast, Ukrainian SSR
  326th Heavy Bomber Aviation Division
  132nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment – Raadi Airfield, Estonian SSR
  402nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment – Balbasovo Air Base, Vitebsk Region, Byelorussian SSR
  840th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment – Soltsy-2 (air base), Novgorod Oblast, Russian SFSR
  13th Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Division
  184th Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment – Pryluky Air Base, Chernihiv Oblast, Ukrainian SSR
  185th Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment – Poltava Air Base, Poltava Oblast, Ukrainian SSR
  52nd Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment – Shaykovka (air base), Kaluga Oblast, Russian SFSR
  Soviet Naval Aviation
  5th Maritime Missile Aviation Division
  574th Maritime Missile Aviation Regiment – Lakhta air base, Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russian SFSR
  924th Guards Maritime Missile Aviation Regiment – Olenya (air base), Murmansk Oblast, Russian SFSR
  2nd Guards Maritime Missile Aviation Division
  5th Guards Maritime Missile Aviation Regiment – Veseloye, Crimean Oblast, Ukrainian SSR
  943rd Maritime Missile Aviation Regiment – Oktiabrske, Crimean Oblast, Ukrainian SSR
  33rd Center for Combat Employment and Retraining of Personnel Aviation VMF – Kulbakino Air Base, Mykolaiv, Ukrainian SSR
  540th Instructor-Research Maritime Missile Aviation Regiment
   Ukraine
  Ukrainian Air Force and Navy inherited a large number of Tu-22M2/M3 bombers. 60 Tu-22Ms (17 Tu-22M2 and 43 Tu-22M3) and 423 Kh-22 cruise missiles were scrapped under the Nunn–Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction agreement led by the US. The last bombers were scrapped in January 2006.
  13th Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Division – Poltava Air Base, Poltava Oblast
  185th Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment
  22nd Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Division – Stryi Air Base, Lviv Oblast
  260th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment
  Ukrainian Naval Aviation
  2nd Guards Maritime Missile Aviation Division
  5th Guards Maritime Missile Aviation Regiment – Veseloye, Crimea
  943rd Maritime Missile Aviation Regiment – Oktiabrske, Crimea
  33rd Center for Combat Employment and Retraining of Personnel Aviation VMF – Kulbakino Air Base, Mykolaiv
  540th Instructor-Research Maritime Missile Aviation Regiment
  1 Tu-22M3 in the Poltava Museum of Long-Range and Strategic Aviation.
  1 Tu-22M0, 1 Tu-22M2 and 1 Tu-22M3 in the Ukraine State Aviation Museum.
caption: Soviet Tu-22M1 Backfire-B bomber aircraft in flight
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