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| Tu-22M3 (Wiki Info - Image: Wiki Commons) |
China is to purchase Tupolev Tu-22M3 bombers through a contract with the Russian Federation for 36 aircraft.
The agreement calls for 12 bombers to be delivered first and the other 24 coming in a second tranche.
The Tupolev Tu-22M3 is a supersonic, swing-wing, long-range strategic and maritime strike bomber developed by the Soviet Union. A number the bombers remain in service with the Russian military — as of 2010, the Russian air force fielded 93 Tupolev Tu-22s and the Russian navy 58 — and represent a significant upgrading of the operational abilities of the Chinese air forces.
Since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, the Tupolev company has sought export customers for Tu-22M bombers.
Read the full story at China Defense MashUp