New Sovietskiy Tu-22M-5 Backfire-E Bomber:

The Tu-22M-5 is a development of the Tupolev Tu-22M-2 bomber, the design for which dates from 1960's when development was first started. The design had a lot of teething problems and went though many different test models before the design was considered successful and entered service in 1975. During the 1970's and 1980's, this bomber was among the most feared of Soviet aircraft - especially by the U.S. Navy. There were plans for bombers to replace the Tu-22M but none ever entered service.

When the New Soviet Union was being formed, there was a need for a deep penetration tactical bomber along the same lines as the American F-111 and the European Tornado. To fill this requirement, it was decided to simply modernize an already existing design rather than come up with an entirely new one. The design chosen for the basis of the bomber was the Tu-22M Backfire. This saved a huge amount of development time and allowed the introduction of the new bomber far earlier that would have otherwise been possible.

The design of the Tu-22M-5 was vastly changed when compared to the older Backfire bomber. The engines were replaced by "Super Cruise" engines that appear to be similar (and many at the time said copied) to those developed by the United States. The new engines allowed the bomber to cruise at supersonic speeds, gave it a much higher top speed, and were far more fuel efficient than the engines that they replaced. At the time that the new bomber was developed, none of the new fusion engines were ready for service. The body was rebuild using advanced M.D.C. composites which also gave the bomber a far reduced radar cross signature. The electronics were improved including terrain following features. Anti-ship cruise missiles were far smaller than the AS-4 Kitchen missiles (Each missile massed about 6,000 kg) that were carried on the older versions of the Backfire bomber and the upgraded version can carry eight cruise missiles in the bombers bay and four more cruise missiles on the wing roots of the bomber.

With the upgrades, the Backfire bomber again became the scourge of Soviet enemies. The design was later successfully exported to China (who undertook license production), India, and in small numbers to several Latin American states.

Model Type: Tu-22M-5
Vehicle Type: Twin Engine Deep-Penetration Bomber
Crew: Four (Pilot, Copilot, EWO/gunner, Navigator)

M.D.C. by Location:

	[1] Wings (2):	240 each
	Ordnance Bay	200
	[2] Elevators (2):	90 each
	[2] Rudders (1):	150 each
	[3] Canards (2):	20 each
	Cockpit:	150
	[2] Engine (2):	100 each
	[3] Main Body:	480

Notes:
[1] Destroying a Wing will cause the plane to crash
[2] Destruction of rudder or one elevator will still allow the fighter to be controlled by the varying of power levels and changing the direction of the engines but fighter has a penalty of -10 to dodge, and a -30% penalty to all piloting rolls. Destruction of both of the elevators will leave the plane uncontrollable and pilot must eject to survive.
[3] Destroying one or both Canards will result in reducing bonuses to dodge by 2
[4] The destruction of one engine will reduce the fighters top speed by half and give the pilot a -2 penalty to dodge as well as giving a 10% penalty to piloting. Destruction of both engines will cause the aircraft to crash. Pilot may attempt a emergency landing or pilot can choose to eject.
[5] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will shut the Aircraft down completely, rendering it useless and causing it to crash if in flight.

Speed:
Driving on Ground (Taxiing): Only possible for take offs and landings as well as for parking and storage. Speed is 40 mph (64 kph) when traveling and not on take off or landing.
Flying: The Tu-22M-5 can reach a top speed of Mach 3.1 (2,298.5 mph/3,699.1 kph because of the bomber's super cruise engines, and it can run at this level for extended periods (assume up to 30 minutes in game terms). The bomber's normal cruise is about Mach 1.1 (815.6 mph/1,312.6 kph) but this varies with situation. Maximum altitude is 61,679.7 feet (18,800 m).
Range: 5,669.5 nautical miles (6,524.4 statute miles/10,500 km) with ordnance load. Bomber has approximately 25% better range when carrying no ordnance. The Backfire can be refueled in the air.

Statistical Data:
Height: 36.25 feet (11.05 meters)
Wingspan: 112.5 ft (34.28 m) with wings at minimum sweep and 76.5 ft (23.30 m) with wings at maximum sweep.
Length: 139.30 feet (42.46 meters)
Weight: 280,000 pounds (127,000 kg) fully loaded
Power System: Conventional, Two Kuznetsov NK-2089 high efficiency super cruise turbofans, uses aviation fuel
Cargo: Minimal (Storage for small equipment), does not include hard points.
Market Price: 100 million credits

Weapon Systems:

1. 10 millimeter Rail Gun (2): Mounted in a radar-controlled tail turret and is for protection against aircraft attacking from behind. Replaces 23 mm cannon. Has +3 to hit missiles or aircraft but has a limited arc of fire.
   Maximum Effective Range: 4,920 feet (1,500 meters)
   Mega Damage: Single shot does 2D4 and 20 round burst does 1D6x10+10
   Rate of Fire: Equal to combined hand to hand attacks of EWO/gunner.
   Payload: 1200 rounds (60 bursts).
2. Ordinance Bay: The Backfire has a large bay in the main body that can carry a wide variety of different ordinance types, such as missiles, torpedoes, naval mines, and bombs. Missile and bomb sizes may be mixed but an ordinance drop or launch must include the same size and type of ordinance. Ordinance may be carried at a ratio of 1 Cruise for 2 long-range or 4 medium-range or 8 short-range missiles (or corresponding bombs). When the bomb bay doors are opened, the bomber is detected far more easily by radar from underneath.
   Maximum Effective Range: Varies by missile type for missile and varies by altitude bomb is dropped at (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
   Mega Damage: Varies by missile or bomb type (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
   Rate of Fire: Missiles can be fired and bombs can be dropped one at a time or in volleys of two, four, or eight but volley must be the same size (light, medium, or heavy) and style of ordnance (all missiles or bombs).
   Payload: 8 Cruise missiles or equivalent load.
3. External Hard Points (4): The Tu-22M-5 has a total of four external hard points. Hard points are mounted under wing roots. Each of these hard points can carry one cruise missile or an equivalent load of other ordinance. Ordinance may be carried at a ratio of 1 Cruise for 2 long-range or 4 medium-range or 8 short-range missiles (or corresponding bombs).
   Effective Range: Varies by missile type for missile and varies by altitude from which bombs are dropped (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
   Mega Damage: Varies by missile or bomb type (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
   Rate of Fire: Missiles can be fired and bombs can be dropped one at a time per hard point. Multiple hard points can be linked as one attack but must be the same size (light, medium, or heavy) and style of ordnance (all missiles or bombs in a volley)
   Payload: One Cruise Missile or equivalent per hard point.
4. Anti-Missile Chaff/Flare Dispenser (1): Use the same effects as the TRIAX model. However, each time the system is engaged, the system fires off one chaff and 1D4 flares. Rifts Earth decoys systems are assumed to not operate against Phase World missiles due to technological difference. Reduce effects by 20% against smart missiles (Add +20% to rolls for smart missiles.)
   Effect:
   01-50 Enemy missile or missile volley detonates in chaff cloud - Missile are all destroyed
   51-75 Enemy missile or missile volley loses track of real target and veers away in wrong direction (May lock onto another target
   76-00 No effect, missile is still on target
   Also note that the chaff cloud will also blind flying monsters that fly through cloud. They will suffer the following penalties: reduce melee attacks/actions, combat bonuses, and speed by half. Duration: 1D4 melee rounds.
   Payload: 20 chaff, 40 flares. Each time the system is engaged, the system fires off one chaff and 1D4 flares.

Special Equipment:

• N-0124M Radar: Medium range radar capable of tracking both air targets and ground targets. The radar system also has terrain following capacity. Range: 300 miles (260 nautical miles/480 km)
• E.S.M.: Radar Detector, Passively detects other radars being operated.
• FLIR: Forward Looking Infrared. Allows pilot and weapons officer to get visuals on targets at night.
• Stealth: The Backfire had stealth features that give it a -30% chance of being detected. When bomb-bay doors are opened there are no penalties for detection and when an external load is carried there are also no penalties for detection (unless the ordnance is designed from radar absorbing materials as well.) Go to General Detection Penalties for more information on penalties and bonuses to use with stealth.
• Internal Active Jamming Gear: Causes -25% to detection but when active can be detected and some missiles home in on jamming signals. Also causes -4 penalty to all radar guided weapons.

+1 to Strike with unguided ordinance.
+1 to dodge
+2 to dodge while traveling over 250 Mph

[New Navy, New Sovietskiy, and TRIAX are trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]
[ Rifts® is a registered trademark owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc.]

Initial Writeup by Kenneth Mossman (g.-d.mossman@worldnet.att.net).

Reformatting and revisions by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

Copyright © 2000, Kenneth Mossman & Kitsune. All rights reserved.