Despite rumors to the contrary, Russia has not sold 36 Tupolev Tu-22M3 Backfire supersonic bombers to China, Russian news agency ITAR-TASS reports.
"There are no negotiations on this issue with China that have taken place," says Vyacheslav Davidenko, a spokesman for Rosoboronexport. Another Russian source tells TASS, "The supply of Tu-22M3 to foreign countries is, in principle, impossible, because these aircraft are strategic weapons."
The Backfire was the bane of the US Navy's carrier fleet during the Cold War. It was expected that if World War III broke out, the Soviets would try to halt the flow of men and materiel from the US to Europe by attacking allied shipping across the Atlantic using surface ships, submarines and airpower. Carriers were a prime target, as one might expect.
Dave Majumdar-The Dew Line
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