The beginning of the Cold War and the need perceived by the Soviet political and military leaders to deal nuclear strikes against the continental USA led the Soviet Union to develop new...

In 1964 the Tupolev Design Bureau began development of a twin-engined medium bomber intended as a replacement for the Tu-22 supersonic bomber which had entered service in the early 1960s. For political...

As the need arose to replace the Yakovlev Yak-28 Brewer making up the backbone of the Soviet Air Force's tactical bomber fleet since 1960, the Sukhoi Design Bureau began development of a twinjet...

The Vietnam War showed that the need for dedicated strike aircraft performing World War II-style close air support missions was still there. Hence in 1968 the Sukhoi Design Bureau started work on an aircraft initially known as the...