I wonder, what happened to all those
Tu-22 Blinders? If any still
intact, theoretically, aside from the economics, could they be improved & modified for interceptor role? They
don't have VGW & IMO could well be. I found this old airshow video clip of it:
So tÃ*i bay thấp - Tu-22 Blinder khiến Su-30LL phải kÃ*nh nể
Nice
picture for comparison
As GF mentioned, pause and consider an idea before posting it. Doing so can help prevent attempts to resurrect a dismissed or dead end concept.
Consider for a moment the suggestions to convert high speed bomber/strike aircraft into fighter/interceptors. The platform characteristics which made a particular design fit for one role, often do not fit for a completely different type of role. Especially when the base design is from a generation+ ago.
For example, an interceptor needs more than just high speed and the ability to carry ordnance to be effective as an interceptor. The ability to detect and target whatever is being intercepted is also required. Now with some expensive redesign and development work, a fighter radome could be mounted in the nose or some other area of a bomber, but IMO it would not be worthwhile. The enormous signature of such a large aircraft would likely be detected by hostile forces prior to the converted bomber getting into range to detect whatever it was supposed to intercept. This situation gets even worse if the goal is to have an interceptor for use vs. modern forces. Offboard sensoring systems like AEW and possibly even ground- or space-based radar systems could cue hostile fighters either away from the converted bombers, or provide approach vectors which are outside of the interceptor's detection range/view. If the interceptor is supposed to be positioned to stop inbound strike packages, a similar situation exists. The converted bomber needs to be able to detect the strike package. Given the increasing numbers of small (vs. aircraft size) LO standoff munitions entering service, one of these converted bombers could be physically present to perform an intercept, but be unable to do so because it cannot detect the strike package, and/or it is in the wrong position to respond. With modern air forces fielding aircraft which have had some RCS reduction done, as well as LO fighters soon to enter service, this problem just get worse.
IMO Russia would be much better off devoting more resources into detection capabilities, AND comms/datalinks to share and relay information. In modern air warfare, situational awareness is crucial, and the kinematic performance of a platform is less important than how the platform fits into the overall battlespace. The fastest, most maneuverable, most heavily armed fighter is useless if the pilot is blind and deaf to what is around them.
