Thomas Schoene wrote:
Just to clarify this bit, early Backfires had a very visible refuelling
probe. It was removed under SALT II, but there is some debate about
whther
it could be reinstalled quickly or not.

I'm not sure this is a valid a concern; if you heven't flown a proble and
drogue refuelling, the last place you want to learn is in the middle
of an
operational strategic bombing mission.

One of the defectors in the early 80s claimed that each of the Backfire
bases had probes and they trained with them at night. However this could
be like most of the Iraqi defectors, claiming more than they actually
knew and trying to inflate their own importance.

Does the Backfire even carry AS-15/Kh-55? I believe that missile is
limited
to the Tu-169 and Tu-95. Most sources credit the Tu-22M3 with
AS-16/Kh-15P,
a SRAM-equivalent short-range nuclear missile, but not the longer-range
cruise missile.

You're probably right. Soviet Military Power (DoD 1983) said that the
then new ALCM would be "carried by the Backfire, the Blackjack, and
possibly the Bear". But then DIA also estimated the Backfire had an
unrefuelled range of 2700nm.

Cheers
David