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The '''Tupolev Tu-22''' ([[NATO]] designation:  “Blinder”) was a supersonic medium bomber built by the [[Soviet Union]].

The '''Tupolev Tu-22''' ([[NATO]] designation:  “Blinder”) was a supersonic medium bomber built by the [[Soviet Union]].

The Blinder was conceived as a supersonic replacement for the [[Tupolev Tu-16]] “Badger”, the mainstay of the Soviet bomber force in the late 50s.  The prototype’s first flight was in June of 1958, and the Tu-22 first became operational in 1961.

The Blinder was conceived as a supersonic replacement for the [[Tupolev Tu-16]] “Badger”, the mainstay of the Soviet bomber force in the late 50s.  The prototype’s first flight was in June 1958, and the Tu-22 first became operational in 1961.

The original NATO designation of the Tu-22 was “Beauty,” but this was changed to “Blinder” when the original name was deemed too flattering.<ref>''The World’s Great Bombers: From 1914 to the Present Day'', by Chris Chant, Amber Books, 2000</ref>

The original NATO designation of the Tu-22 was “Beauty,” but this was changed to “Blinder” when the original name was deemed too flattering.<ref>''The World’s Great Bombers: From 1914 to the Present Day'', by Chris Chant, Amber Books, 2000</ref>

==Design and Performance==

==Design and Performance==

The Blinder had an unusual design, with twin turbojet engines on top of the rear fuselage.  The configuration made maintenance difficult, and the plane was never popular with ground crews.  Handling was difficult, making it unpopular with pilots as well.  The Blinder’s top speed was over 900 mph (Mach 1.4), but range was not much improved over the Tu-16.  Defensive armament consisted of a radar-directed 23 mm cannon in the tail, and the Tu-22 could carry 20,000 lb of bombs or an AS-4 “Kitchen” missile.<ref>''The Vital Guide to Military Aircraft'', ed. by Sophearth Moeng, Aerospace Publishing, 1994</ref>  In spite of Soviet intentions to replace the entire Badger fleet, only about 300 Blinders were produced.

The Blinder had an unusual design, with twin turbojet engines on top of the rear fuselage.  The configuration made maintenance difficult, and the plane was never popular with ground crews.  Handling was difficult, making it unpopular with pilots as well.  The Blinder’s top speed was over 900&nbsp;mph (Mach 1.4), but range was not much improved over the Tu-16.  Defensive armament consisted of a radar-directed 23&nbsp;mm cannon in the tail, and the Tu-22 could carry 20,000&nbsp;lb of bombs or an AS-4 “Kitchen” missile.<ref>''The Vital Guide to Military Aircraft'', ed. by Sophearth Moeng, Aerospace Publishing, 1994</ref>  In spite of Soviet intentions to replace the entire Badger fleet, only about 300 Blinders were produced.

==Foreign Users==

==Foreign Users==

===Libya===

===Libya===

The Blinder’s combat debut was in Libyan service, and less than memorable.  During the [[Uganda-Tanzania War]] in 1979, Libyan dictator [[Muammar al-Gaddafi]] sent two Tu-22s to aid [[Uganda]]n dictator Idi Amin against the advancing [[Tanzania]]n forces.  On April 1, 1979, in an apparent attempt to intimidate the Tanzanian government, one Blinder attempted to bomb the Tanzanian city of [[Mwanda]] with 10,000 lb of explosives, but all of the bombs missed.  In response, Tanzania stepped up its own aerial attacks on Ugandan positions.  Tanzanian forces entered the Ugandan capital ten days later.<ref>[http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_187.shtml Uganda and Tanzania, 1972-1979]</ref>

The Blinder’s combat debut was in Libyan service, and less than memorable.  During the [[Uganda-Tanzania War]] in 1979, Libyan dictator [[Muammar al-Gaddafi]] sent two Tu-22s to aid [[Uganda]]n dictator Idi Amin against the advancing [[Tanzania]]n forces.  On April 1, 1979, in an apparent attempt to intimidate the Tanzanian government, one Blinder attempted to bomb the Tanzanian city of [[Mwanda]] with 10,000&nbsp;lb of explosives, but all of the bombs missed.  In response, Tanzania stepped up its own aerial attacks on Ugandan positions.  Tanzanian forces entered the Ugandan capital ten days later.<ref>[http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_187.shtml Uganda and Tanzania, 1972-1979]</ref>

Libyan Blinders next saw action in the war with [[Chad]].  In retaliation for a [[France|French]] attack on a Libyan air base, a single Tu-22 attacked the airport in [[N’Djamena]], the capital of Chad, on February 17, 1986.  The bomber made its approach using the commercial routes, then accelerated to Mach one and climbed to 20,000 feet.  The attack was impressively precise, considering the speed and height; three heavy bombs were dropped, two of which hit the runaway, the third destroying the taxiway.  The raid put the airport out of service for three days.

Libyan Blinders next saw action in the war with [[Chad]].  In retaliation for a [[France|French]] attack on a Libyan air base, a single Tu-22 attacked the airport in [[N’Djamena]], the capital of Chad, on February 17, 1986.  The bomber made its approach using the commercial routes, then accelerated to Mach one and climbed to 20,000 feet.  The attack was impressively precise, considering the speed and height; three heavy bombs were dropped, two of which hit the runaway, the third destroying the taxiway.  The raid put the airport out of service for three days.