ORIGINAL: Triode
fully modernized Tu-22M3M , returned refueling equipment? and no rear gun
hmm, is refueling ban from SALT-2 no longer in effect?
The improvements are a lot more. The main thing is the completely new avionics that are from the new Tu-160M2. As such it can also use weapons from the Tu-160 like the Kh-101 cruise missile for example. Also new engines that are for Tu-160M2 - more fuel efficent and of course maximum possible unification to reduce logistics cost. New defensive systems instead of the gun that was quite heavy they say allowing to place quite some jamming equipment instead.
The other big thing is the refueling equipment ofc - with few refuels it can fly up to 20 000km (combat radius of 10 000km).
As for the refueling ban from SALT-2 - well they say that SALT-2 is no longer active and was one of many signed treaties. After the SALT (Strategic Arms Limitation Talks) ones there were START ones (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty). The latest one is "New START" (also START III) signed in 2011 and it's the 7th such treatie (the mentioned SALT-2 was the 3rd) and they succeed each other. Article XIV Section 4 says that this new treatie replaces the older one making it the only active one. And this latest treatie (New START) says nothing about Tu-22, it just sets limit strategic nuclear missile launchers which is 700 (missiles + bombers). Yes Tu-22M3M can and will be counted as strategic bomber along with Tu-95 and Tu-160 now, but they won't go above the limit of 700 so no violation.