The DSB-LK project was proposed by the Leningrad Red Banner Air Force Engineering Institute in 1957. At that time, the General Staff of the Soviet Air Force put forward the idea of developing supersonic long-range seaplanes. The Engineering Institute correspondingly proposed three plans: strategic bomber, seaplane and amphibious aircraft. DSB-LK is a strategic bomber, which was selected after a series of aerodynamic shape exploration.
In addition to the specific design of the aircraft, Moskaliov also made an in-depth study of the materials used to make supersonic bombers, and believed that if titanium alloy was needed instead of conventional D-23 aluminum alloy, it could withstand supersonic aerodynamic heating.
DSB-LK was completed in 1960, which was highly praised by the Ministry of Aviation Industry of the Soviet Union, and submitted the design to other design bureaus as the theoretical basis for the development of its bombers. Although DSB-LK is only a theoretical research project, and there are still many unknown problems in the specific implementation, many designs of the aircraft inspired Tupolev Design Bureau, and were finally applied to the development of Tu-22M "backfire" medium range bomber.