Jeff Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Deal all, I just wonder if the rear turret in the Tu-22M Backfire series is remote controlled by operator, or it's rear-radar guided turret to attack fighters in the rear perimeter? In addition, is it feasible to add a powerful rear-radar to guide the guns to defeat incoming air-to-air missles or aircraft just like what was installed in surface vessels? Would this be a better option than a powerful ECM? Regards, Jeffrey Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sunliner Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 I don't know if any of this is verified but...courtesy of google: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tupolev_Tu-22 Interesting anti- missle idea...don't know if it was ever considered. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 (edited) Deal all,I just wonder if the rear turret in the Tu-22M Backfire series is remote controlled by operator, or it's rear-radar guided turret to attack fighters in the rear perimeter? In addition, is it feasible to add a powerful rear-radar to guide the guns to defeat incoming air-to-air missles or aircraft just like what was installed in surface vessels? Would this be a better option than a powerful ECM? Regards, Jeffrey "Defensive armament consists of a UKU-9A-502 remote-controlled tail gun barbette with two 23mm (0.90 calibre) GSh-23 twin-barrelled guns (600rpg, rate of fire 2,600rpm). The guns are aimed by a TP-1 TV-sighting system and a PRS-4 'Krypton' gun-ranging radar." The tail turrets and guns were diferent between the M2 & M3 - The M2 had a more barrel-shaped (fatter) turret with twin horizontally mounted guns, the M3 UKU-9A-802 turret was more oil-drum shaped with a single vertically-mounted GSh-23 cannon equipped to fire IR decoys and chaff-dispensing projectiles. The shape of the gun-ranging radar domes are also different - the M2 has a dome-shaped radome, that on the M3 is flatter... M2 Turret...... M3 Turret.... Ken Edited December 3, 2009 by Flankerman Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jeff Posted December 4, 2009 Author Share Posted December 4, 2009 (edited) To me, it's pretty obvious the rear gun of the Tu-22M3 is an out of date design for defense arnament. I think it's more feasible to put a more powerful jammer instead of a gun for self defense, just like the TU-160. Originally, I thought the rear gun has some sort of radar "guided" capability to shoot down fighter planes in rear quarter without the operator "chasing the target". In the rare case of a gun fight with a fighter, the remote control turret is almost useless. Consider the limited field of view provided by the camera to the operator and a fast maneuvering target, the chance of chasing down the target to get a gun hit is very slim. I wonder if operation units of Tu-22M3 even have their rear gun loaded, and wonder if the modernized tu-22(M5??) will remove the rear gun with something more effective like a better ECM. Edited December 4, 2009 by Jeff Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Saguanay Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 The little holes in the fuselage, air vents for the engine bay? The guns are nice and look good. I could see a fighter maybe getting tapped if it was an intercept and escort role prior to hostilities. Other than that the fighters stay in missile parameters and shoot. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BAM'n'IVM Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 In the rare case of a gun fight with a fighter, the remote control turret is almost useless. Consider the limited field of view provided by the camera to the operator and a fast maneuvering target, the chance of chasing down the target to get a gun hit is very slim. Tell that to SSgt Sameul O. Turner and A1C Albert E. Moore, both of the USAF. They were B-52 tail turret gunners in VietNam, and both scored MiG kills - both on MiG-21s. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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