The Tupolev Tu-26 (Backfire) is a Soviet four-seater variable-geometry operational/strategic bomber derived from the Tu-22 in an effort to overcome the Tu-22's poor range and indifferent supersonic performance, the process being analogous to that which saw the evolution of the variable-geometry SukhoiSu-17 series from the fixed-geometry Su-7. The Tu-22 first flew in the late 1960s before entering limited Soviet service in about 1974. It is armed with two 23 mm NR-23 cannons in a remotely-controlled tail barbette and up to 12000 kg of disposable stores carried in a lower-fuselage weapons bay, on two hard points, one under each wing glove, and on two triple tandem racks, one under each inlet duct. The Tu-26 generally carries one AS-4 Kitchen anti-ship missile or two AS-6 Kingfish anti-ship missiles. Research Tu-26