22nd Guards Heavy Bomber Division
Division Overview and Order of Battle
The 22nd Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Division is a formation of Russia’s Long-Range Aviation (Dalnaya Aviatsiya, DA) within the Aerospace Forces (VKS). Its headquarters is at Engels (Engels-2 Air Base) in Saratov Oblast. The division’s principal flying units are: (1) the 121st Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment (military unit 85927) at Engels, operating Tu-160/Tu-160M strategic bombers; (2) the 184th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment at Engels, operating Tu-95MS/Tu-95MSM strategic bombers; and (3) the 52nd Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment (military unit 33310) at Shaykovka Air Base (Kaluga Oblast), operating Tu-22M3 long-range bombers. Open-source reporting has frequently placed these regiments under this division with these aircraft types. Reported holdings provided for analysis—18 Tu-22M3, 16 Tu-160/Tu-160M, and 18 Tu-95MS/Tu-95MSM—fall within commonly cited ranges, noting that exact counts fluctuate due to maintenance, modernization, and attrition.
Basing and Location Analysis
Engels-2 Air Base is located near the city of Engels, across the Volga River from Saratov, and serves as a primary hub for Russia’s strategic bomber force. The airfield features a runway approximately 3,500 meters long and about 60 meters wide, suitable for heavy bomber operations, with extensive apron and revetment areas supporting Tu-160 and Tu-95 operations. Shaykovka Air Base in Kaluga Oblast, home to the 52nd Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment, has a runway approximately 3,000 meters in length and supports Tu-22M3 operations. From Engels, launch points for long-range cruise missile strikes can be established over Russian territory (including holding patterns over Saratov Oblast or the Caspian region), enabling employment of standoff munitions without overflying defended airspace.
Aircraft Inventory and Roles
Tu-160 (NATO: Blackjack) is a variable-geometry, supersonic strategic bomber designed for long-range nuclear and conventional strike with standoff cruise missiles; it carries two internal rotary launchers for up to 12 long-range ALCMs. The Tu-160M modernization introduces NK-32-02 engines and updated avionics/mission systems. Tu-95MS/MSM (NATO: Bear-H) is a turboprop strategic bomber primarily configured for long-range ALCM employment; the MSM upgrade integrates improved avionics and compatibility with newer weapons (e.g., Kh-101/102). Tu-22M3 (NATO: Backfire-C) is a supersonic long-range bomber used for maritime strike and land-attack missions, typically employing Kh-22 or Kh-32 missiles or free-fall ordnance; in-flight refueling capability was removed from most Tu-22M3 airframes in past arms-control contexts, with restoration pursued only on modernization prototypes (Tu-22M3M).
Weapons and Loadouts
Tu-160 and Tu-95MS/MSM commonly employ Kh-101 (conventional) and Kh-102 (nuclear) long-range air-launched cruise missiles (ALCMs). Open sources attribute a Kh-101 range generally in the 2,500–2,800+ km class, with a conventional warhead around the 400 kg class; the Kh-102 is the nuclear variant. Legacy systems include the Kh-55SM (nuclear, roughly 2,500 km) and its conventional derivative Kh-555. Typical carriage includes up to 12 Kh-101/102 on Tu-160 (two internal rotary launchers), up to 8 Kh-101/102 on Tu-95MSM (external pylons), and 6–16 Kh-55-family missiles on Tu-95MS (internal). Tu-22M3 employs the Kh-22 (supersonic, reported ranges up to roughly 600 km) and the improved Kh-32 (reported ranges up to approximately 1,000 km), as well as unguided bombs; it is used for both anti-ship and land-attack roles.
Command Relationships and Unit Identifiers
The division is subordinate to Russia’s Long-Range Aviation command within the VKS. The 121st Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment is publicly associated with military unit number 85927 at Engels. The 52nd Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment is publicly associated with military unit number 33310 at Shaykovka. The 184th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment is based at Engels alongside the 121st; a specific military unit number for the 184th is not consistently published in open sources. A named commander for the 52nd regiment—Colonel Oleg Timoshin—appears in some reporting; however, official, up-to-date public confirmation of current command appointments is limited, and commander postings can change.
Engels-2 Air Base Infrastructure and Support
Engels-2 provides extensive heavy-bomber infrastructure: a long runway with associated taxiway network; multiple large apron areas and earthen-berm revetments; fuel storage and distribution; munitions handling areas; navigation aids; and maintenance facilities adequate for line and intermediate maintenance. Heavy depot-level maintenance and comprehensive modernization for Tu-160 airframes, however, are conducted primarily at Kazan (KAPO). The base is connected by road and rail for fuel and ordnance logistics. Imagery since 2022 shows increased use of dispersal positions, camouflage, and other protective measures consistent with heightened force protection.
Shaykovka Air Base Infrastructure and Support
Shaykovka supports Tu-22M3 operations with a runway of approximately 3,000 meters, hardstands and revetments, munitions handling areas, POL (petroleum, oils, and lubricants) storage, and unit-level maintenance facilities. The base’s layout facilitates alert posture for Tu-22M3 sorties and supports both maritime strike training and land-attack tasking. Logistics access is provided by regional road and rail networks for fuel and ordnance delivery.
Operational Employment Since 2022
Since February 2022, Tu-95MS/MSM and Tu-160 aircraft based at Engels have been repeatedly employed to launch long-range ALCMs (notably Kh-101/Kh-555) against targets in Ukraine from within Russian airspace, often routing via holding areas over Saratov Oblast or the Caspian region for coordinated salvo launches. Tu-22M3 aircraft from Shaykovka have been used to fire Kh-22/Kh-32 missiles in support of strike campaigns, particularly against targets in southern and central Ukraine. These employment patterns are consistent with the standoff strike mission profile of Long-Range Aviation.
Confirmed Attacks on Bases and Aircraft Losses
On 5 December 2022, long-range UAV attacks targeted Engels-2 and Dyagilevo (Ryazan). At Dyagilevo, Russian authorities reported three fatalities following the incident; satellite imagery and open-source analysis indicated at least one Tu-95MS at Engels sustained damage. On 26 December 2022, another UAV attack on Engels resulted in three reported fatalities among Russian servicemen. On 19 August 2023, a Tu-22M3 was destroyed on the ground at Soltsy-2 Air Base (Novgorod Oblast) in an attack acknowledged by Russian authorities; while not part of the Engels basing complex, the event demonstrated bomber-base vulnerability. On 19 April 2024, a Tu-22M3 crashed in Stavropol Krai after a combat sortie; the Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed the loss, attributing it to technical causes, while Ukrainian officials claimed a successful SAM engagement. These incidents are documented in public reporting and imagery.
Air Defense, Security, and Hardening Measures
Engels-2 and Shaykovka are integrated within Russia’s layered air and missile defense network. Publicly available imagery and reporting since late 2022 show expanded counter-UAV measures, increased use of camouflage and decoys, and dispersal of aircraft on the airfields. Regional protection typically includes long-range SAM coverage (S-300/S-400 class systems), medium/short-range air defenses, and point-defense assets; exact unit deployments and readiness levels are not publicly disclosed. The observed adaptations align with efforts to mitigate the demonstrated risk from long-range UAVs and other stand-off threats.
Logistics, Maintenance, and Training
Strategic bomber operations rely on sustained POL supply, munitions throughput, and scheduled maintenance. Tu-160 airframes cycle through Kazan for major overhauls and Tu-160M modernization; Tu-95MS modernization to MSM standard is conducted at Russian aerospace facilities designated for that program. Routine crew training includes long-duration navigation sorties, instrument procedures, and coordinated missile-launch profiles; Long-Range Aviation also conducts periodic strategic exercises (e.g., Grom-series). Aerial refueling training is practiced predominantly with Tu-160 and Tu-95MS using Il-78 tankers; Tu-22M3 refueling was historically removed, with restoration pursued only in modernization prototypes.
Modernization Status and Procurement
The Tu-160M program (new-build and deep modernization) has resumed limited production at Kazan, with public announcements of flight tests and deliveries in 2022–2024; upgrades include NK-32-02 engines, modernized avionics, and weapon-system integration. Tu-95MSM upgrades continue, introducing improved navigation/communication suites and compatibility with newer ALCMs (Kh-101/102). The Tu-22M3M modernization program has produced prototypes and test airframes, but widespread operational fielding of the M3M standard has not been publicly documented. Specific production and upgrade quantities, schedules, and configurations are only partially disclosed in open sources.
Dispersal and Alternate Operating Locations
Since 2022, Tu-95MS and Tu-160 aircraft have been documented operating from or staging through alternate bases to complicate targeting, including Olenya Air Base (Murmansk Oblast). Dyagilevo (Ryazan) serves as a key training and support base for Long-Range Aviation and has hosted bomber activity; Mozdok (North Ossetia–Alania) and Soltsy-2 (Novgorod Oblast) have supported or hosted Tu-22M3 operations. This dispersal posture provides geographic flexibility for strike routing and survivability, as observed in satellite imagery and public reporting.
Treaty Context and Strategic Significance
Heavy bombers (Tu-95MS and Tu-160) are accountable under the New START Treaty framework; Russia announced a suspension of participation in New START inspections and data exchanges in February 2023. Prior to suspension, heavy bombers were counted under the treaty’s deployed launcher and warhead counting rules (with each deployed heavy bomber counted as one warhead for treaty accounting purposes). The 22nd Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Division’s assets form a core component of Russia’s triad-capable Long-Range Aviation, providing conventional standoff strike capability and a nuclear delivery option within the strategic deterrent.
Capabilities and Operational Implications
From Engels and Shaykovka, the division’s aircraft can generate standoff strike packages across a wide radius without leaving Russian airspace, leveraging ALCMs with ranges in the multi-thousand-kilometer class. The mix of Tu-160/Tu-95MS/MSM provides endurance and payload for large-scale salvos, while Tu-22M3 adds a regional strike capability with high-speed, high-altitude missile employment. Integration with national IADS and use of dispersal bases enhances survivability. Observed adaptations since 2022—counter-UAV measures, increased dispersal, and operational staging—reflect practical responses to documented attacks on bomber infrastructure.
Data Confidence and Constraints
Aircraft counts and commander assignments can change and are not always contemporaneously reflected in open sources. Military unit identifiers for the 52nd (33310) and the 121st (85927) are widely cited; a specific, consistently published unit number for the 184th regiment is not evident in open-source references. Nuclear weapons storage and handling, if present, fall under the 12th Main Directorate (12th GUMO); detailed information on storage sites, quantities, and readiness is classified and not publicly available. Where ranges and performance figures are provided, they are taken from widely reported, publicly available data and may be presented as approximate due to variability across sources and configurations.