{"id":129,"date":"2015-07-23T09:00:26","date_gmt":"2015-07-23T09:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.plymouth.ac.uk\/dcss\/?p=129"},"modified":"2015-09-22T11:45:29","modified_gmt":"2015-09-22T11:45:29","slug":"russia-to-deploy-tu-22m3-bombers-in-crimea-to-counter-natos-new-antiballistic-missile-base-in-romania","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.plymouth.ac.uk\/dcss\/2015\/07\/23\/russia-to-deploy-tu-22m3-bombers-in-crimea-to-counter-natos-new-antiballistic-missile-base-in-romania\/","title":{"rendered":"RUSSIA TO DEPLOY TU-22M3 BOMBERS IN CRIMEA TO COUNTER NATO\u2019S NEW ANTIBALLISTIC MISSILE BASE IN ROMANIA"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"xlarge_Tupolev_Tu-22M-3\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Russia is going to deploy a squadron of Tu-22M3, enhanced, long-range bombers in Crimea to counter NATO\u2019s new antiballistic missile base in Romania.<\/p>\n

The new NATO facility is located at the Deveselu, a Romanian Air Force base, southwest of Bucharest, close to the river Danube.<\/p>\n

The new base is equipped with Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense 5.0 CU Systems and will become operational in 2015, using SM-3 Block 1B interceptor missiles.<\/p>\n

The Romanian base is part of the Anti-Ballistic Umbrella that NATO is creating in Europe in order to protect its members from a surprise missile attack.<\/p>\n

The Russian strategic bombers will be able cover a huge area, thanks to their long-range capabilities for patrolling in the Black Sea and Black Sea region.<\/p>\n

According to the Russian media, the Tu-22M3 presence in Crimea could be increased further, with a regiment of these aircraft being moved to the peninsula.<\/p>\n

The Tu-22M3 long-range bomber has a four-member crew and is a supersonic aircraft, capable of carrying up to 24 tons of armaments over a range of 2,410km. The Russian strategic bomber can carry various combinations of armaments, such as:<\/p>\n