https://cast.pudmed.ir/videos/watch/de36e4c0-581c-479d-876f-db197179cfac The 1960s. The Soviet Navy is losing the carrier race. America builds supercarriers – floating airfields that can project power anywhere. The Soviet Union has no answer. Until they weaponize speed. The Tu-22M Backfire is a bomber like no other – swing wings, Mach 2 dash capability, and a payload designed for one mission: sink the carrier, kill the fleet. NATO panics. Arms control negotiators obsess. And the Backfire becomes the most feared Soviet bomber of the Cold War. In this episode: 🔥 The Backfire Problem – Why the US believed the Tu-22M could strike American soil (it couldn't – not without refueling). The intelligence miscalculation that shaped SALT II arms talks. We reveal the real range figures and why NATO spent billions countering a "phantom threat." 🦅 Variable Sweep – Again, Better – The Tu-22M perfected the swing wing for low‑level penetration. We break down its 20° to 65° sweep range, its terrain‑following radar, and why it could fly under Western air defenses at 200 feet, Mach 0.85. 🚢 The Carrier Killer – The Backfire's primary weapon: the Kh-22 (AS-4 Kitchen) supersonic anti‑ship missile. Mach 4.5. 1,000 kg warhead. Designed to break a carrier's back. We simulate a Soviet strike package: 12 Backfires, 24 missiles, one task force. ⚔ Afghanistan and Chechnya – The Backfire wasn't just for oceans. We examine its conventional bombing role – dropping dumb bombs on mountain strongholds, a crude but effective use of a supersonic strategic bomber. 🌍 Still Flying – Ukraine 2025 – The Tu-22M3 is still in Russian service, launching Kh-32 cruise missiles at ground targets. We analyze its combat performance over Syria and Ukraine, and why Ukraine claims to have shot down several Backfires with S-200 missiles. Plus: Cockpit footage of a Tu-22M wings sweeping back, 3D animation of the Kh-22 missile separation, and a former Soviet naval aviator explaining how they trained to attack a carrier battle group. Sat, 13 Jun 2026 14:40:22 GMT https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html PeerTube - https://cast.pudmed.ir https://cast.pudmed.ir/lazy-static/avatars/eed1cb33-d04c-4158-b000-2f2fb9545c13.png https://cast.pudmed.ir/videos/watch/de36e4c0-581c-479d-876f-db197179cfac All rights reserved, unless otherwise specified in the terms specified at https://cast.pudmed.ir/about and potential licenses granted by each content's rightholder.