The Diplomat:
The maiden flight of Russia’s upgraded Tupolev Tu-22M3M long-range strategic and maritime strike bomber has been postponed to the end of October or early November, according to a Russian defense industry source.
“There is a delay in the first flight of Tu-22M3M, the aircraft is not ready for it yet. In the best-case scenario, the aircraft will first fly at the end of October or beginning of November,” the source told TASS news agency on October 9 adding that ground trials of the aircraft are continuing meanwhile.
The first upgraded Tu-22M3M bomber — a derivative of the supersonic variable-sweep wing bomber first introduced into service with the Soviet Air Force and Soviet Naval Aviation in the 1970s — was expected to be delivered to the Russian Air Force this month. The first Tu-22M3M prototype was rolled out at a United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) plant in Kazan this August.
