Page 44 - Military Technology 12/2018
P. 44

42 · MT 12/2018                                                                             Features

                                                        Dr Nikolai Novichkov

             Russia Details Counter-Terror Operation


                                                       in Syria





            A   detailed  overview  Combat sorties of                                               Altogether, some 215
            of  Russian  Aerospace   the VKS in Syria                                              items of Russian military
            Forces conducting com-                                                                 hardware  were  tested
            bat sorties over Syria.  in September 2015 -                                           during the counter-terror
                                   September 2017                                                  operation in Syria; 702
                                                                                                   drawbacks were revealed,
              The Russian MoD re-                                                                  99% of which have now
            cently published  informa-                                                             been fixed. The MoD ex-
            tion, according to which                                                               pressed its gratitude to in-
            the  Aerospace  Forces                                                                 dustry for this work.
            (VKS) made 39,000 com-                                                                  “The operation has re-
            bat  sorties  (including                                                               sulted in the destruction of
            20,000 at night) during   M  September-December 2015                                   8,000 armoured vehicles
            counter-terror operations   M  January-December 2016                                   and technicians armed
            in Syria by the end of   M  January-September 2017                                     with heavy machineguns
            August. VKS employed                                                                   and 718 plants and work-
            87% of frontline aviation                                                              shops that produced am-
            crews, 91% of army avi-                                                                munition and explosives. It
            ation crews and 60% of   Number of targets engaged                                     is noteworthy that 60,318
            strategic/long-range avia-                                                             terrorists, including 819
            tion  crews  in  these  oper-  by the VKS in Syria                                     heads of gang formations
            ations and also conducted   in September 2015 -                                        and 2,840 immigrants from
            some 66 tactical air strikes                                                           the Russian Federation,
            against insurgents, using   September 2017                                             have  been  eliminated.
            the Kh-555 and Kh-101 air-                                                             Aviation has solved the
            launched cruise missiles. It                                                           pivotal task to cut the ter-
            also noted that the Tupolev                                                            rorists` incomes from oil
            Tu-22M3   BACKFIRE-C                                                                   sales, which amounted to
            long-range bomber fleet                                                                no less than U$3 million
            conducted  369  combat                                                                 per day; 396 facilities of
            missions and launched 47   M  September-December 2015                                  illegal oil extraction have
            group air strikes, hitting   M  January-December 2016                                  been destroyed, as well as
            215 targets.                                                                           4,100 fuel tankers. Syrian
              In late October, Defence   M  January-September 2017                                 governmental troops and
            Minister  Gen.  Sergei                                                                 militias supported by the
            Shoigu updated the sta-                                                                Russian VKS have liberat-
            tistics. According to him,   Types of targets engaged                                  ed 1,024 populated local-
            the VKS conducted more                                                                 ities,”  Gen.  Shoigu  told  a
            than  40,000  combat   by the VKS in Syria                                             governmental meeting in
            sorties (including some   in September 2015 -                                          early 2018.
            21,000 sorties by night)
            and  destroyed more than   September 2017
            122,000 terrorist assets.                                                              High Intensity
            Approximately, 87,500 in-                                                              Air Operations
            surgents were killed, while
            Syrian governmental  forc-                                                             with Approx. 35
            es liberated 1,411 popu-                                                               Aircraft
            lated locations and estab-
            lished control over 95% of   M  Command and control posts                               At the beginning of
            the country`s territory.  M  Strongholds                                               the operation, the VKS
              The  S-400   SA-21                                                                   contingent consisted of
            GROWLER and S-300V     M  Training camps                                                 several dozen platforms,
            SA-12 GLADIATOR air    M  Manpower concentration areas                                 including the Sukhoi Su-
            defence systems (ADS)   M  Other targets                                               24M FENCER-D upgrad-
            and the PANTSIR-S SA-22                                                                ed  frontline  bombers,
            GREYHOUND    self-pro-                                                                 Su-34 FULLBACK front-
            pelled anti-aircraft gun-missile (SPAAGM) systems, in conjunction with   line bombers, Su-25SM FROGFOOT close air support aircraft, Su-30SM
            fighter jets, ensured VKS superiority in Syrian airspace. Any violations of   FLANKER-H  multirole  combat  aircraft,  Mil  Mi-24P  HIND  and  Mi-35M
            security areas around the Russian bases in Tartus and Humaymim, includ-  HIND-E helicopter gunships, Mi-8AMTSh HIP-H transport-assault helicop-
            ing those made by unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs), were pre-  ters, Mi-17 HIP transport helicopters, and reconnaissance aircraft. These
            vented. The capabilities of the PANTSIR SPAAGM were enhanced in order   aircraft were stationed at the Humaymim airbase near Bassel Al-Assad
            to intercept rockets and other small-sized targets, resulting in the destruc-  International Airport in Latakia Province. The airbase was protected by a
            tion of 16 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and 53 rockets launched by   special forces reinforced battalion tactical group and the Black Sea Fleet`s
            multiple rocket launch systems (MRLS).                naval infantry. The Mi-24 gunships patrolled close approaches at low and
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