Tu-22 Operations Against US 6th Fleet
v.1.0 September 23, 2001
Translated by Constantine Pehlivan from www.airforce.ru
This article is translated from a Russian website, with permission. Unfortunately, the source was lost in the transmission of the email message containing the article. We will provide the source as soon as possible.
46 Air Army of Soviet Strategic Aviation (Russ. Long-Ranged Aviation, Dalnaya Aviatzia) had two main missions: attack on important NATO targets in European territory and attacks on carrier battle groups of 6th Fleet in Mediterranean. Initial reconnaissance was due to be hold by two recce regiments with Tu-22R: 199th and 290th. 199th was based in Nezhina, Ukraine, and its zone of responsibility included Central Europe, including Germany and Austria, and southern regions, including Turkey, Greece, Black Sea and Eastern Mediterranean. Zone of 290th Regiment, based in Zubrovka, Russia, included Baltic, Denmark and Scandinavia, around Kola Peninsula and coastal waters of Norwegian Sea. In peacetime, those regiments were training over Volga and Caspian Sea. Caspian Sea was also used for training of missile strikes on target ships. Those regiments also were due to scout the routes before missile strikes, especially for 15th Bomber Division, aimed at carrier battle groups. 15th Bomber Division incorporated 121st and 203rd Long-Ranged Heavy Bomber Regiments in Machulishti and Baranovichi respectively, Belarus, and 341st in Ozerno, Ukraine
The strikes should be aided and guided by different recce equipment, including land-based HF targeting radars, recce "trawlers", like a shadow following US ships, and other seabed, including submarines. Those aids could give approximate targeting only, but precise targeting with acquisition of carriers among the rest ships was needed. This was the complex mission of Tu-22Rs. A basic task against 6th Fleet should be fulfilled by 4 Tu-22Rs, coming from friendly Balkan states. If necessary, for some section of the route fighter cover should be provided. To avoid early warning, planes should approached carrier battle group at low altitude. Near the target a pair had to climb up sharply, the other pair had to enter the center of the group. First pair had to jam the radars and provide retranslation of data, provided by second pair. The second one had the most dangerous mission – to locate precisely the carrier among the group. That often needed visual contact, because the radar in surface scanning mode had difficulties. Immediately after acquisition data should be translated via the first pair to attacking Tu-22Ks. Tu-22Ks of 15 Bomber Division had to attack in regiments – groups of 24 – 30 planes plus 4 – 8 Tu-22Rs ECM.
The attack should be launched outside air defense range, theoretically from 550 km., if bomber flew at 14-km. altitude and 1720 km/h, or 400 km. at 10-km. altitude and 950 km/h respectively. Practically, missiles were due to be launched from 250 – 270 km. because radar guidance was necessary. For long-ranged attacks missile’s autopilot was programmed for flight at 22.5-km altitude and sudden turn to the target at speed of 1400 – 1720 km/h. and active radar seeker turned on at the terminal stage. If nuke was used, radar seeker was not necessary. X-22/AS-4 Kitchen air-to-surface missile had liquid-fueled engine with hydrazine fuel and nitrogen acid oxidizer. After launch pre-programmed autopilot, radio altimeter and Doppler gauge guided missile to the target. In intermediate stage gyro-stabilized autopilot took control.
There were two basic models of attack up to the target. For low altitude attack AS-4 climbed up to 12 km but in terminal stage dived to altitude below 500 m with M=1,2. Against sea targets AS-4 climbed up to 27 km and dived with M=2,5. Impact fuse was used for conventional warhead, for nuclear different fuses were available. Even conventional warhead caused hole of 20-m2 area and 12 m depth.
While Tu-22Ks were getting ready for attack, Tu-22Rs had to disguise the attack by different ECM systems. That should prevent launch of Standard SAMs to bombers and missiles.
In early 1970s this tactic was questioned because E-2C/F-14 duo entered service. F-14 was specially designed to face Soviet air launched anti-shipping missiles threat. The long ranged patrols of Tomcat, the powerful radar and inventory forced Soviet bombers to attack within the coverage of AIM-54 Phoenix.