Russian air forceThe Russian air force has deployed Backfire bombers to its air base in Syria. The three swing-wing Tu-22Ms landed at Khmeimim air base, on the Mediterranean coast south of Latakia, on or before Tuesday. The Russian air force possesses around 66 Backfires. Backfires flying from Syria pose a threat to NATO forces—ships, in particular—across the Mediterranean. Stansfield Turner and George Thibault—then a U.S. Navy admiral and commander, respectively—warned of the Tu-22M threat as far back as 1977, as one former naval aviator noted.

Source: Forbes May 27, 2021 12:00 UTC