Expert estimate of operations of Russian Aerospace Forces in Syria

Four years ago, on September 30, 2015, the whole world knew that Russian Aerospace Forces had commenced antiterrorist operations in Syria. This happened out of the blue for most people all around the world. Hardly anyone had expected it. What has this Syrian operation given to us? This was the topic of the talk with Ruslan Pukhov, the Head of the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies.

– Do you think it is the right time to sum up results of the Syrian war campaign or it is too early?

The war campaign has not finished yet. Combat operations keep on, though their intensity is much lower now. At the same time political and diplomatic efforts to settle the Syrian problem are growing active.

In this respect, it’s certainly too early to sum up the final results. But the intermediate result of Russian military presence in the Syrian Arab Republic is obvious.

When in September of 2015 Russia came to help the legitimate government of this country, the secular republican regime was on the brink of military frustration and political destruction. Almost the entire territory was under the rebels’ control. The lawful authorities were holding only a part of the capital and the coastal area inhabited by Alawis practicing one of Islamic branches.

The west represented by the USA and their European satellites, as well as the major regional players such as Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, condemned the Assad’s government and were sure about their success. The only exception was Iran.

Intervening of Russia changed the situation drastically. Within less than three years, ISIL (prohibited in Russia) forces and other terrorist groups were defeated.

Medieval barbarians were expelled from the largest part of the country’s territory. This was when only a relatively small Russian group consisting 50-60 aircrafts and about 6-7 thousands troopers maximum was operating in Syria.

– Has the Syrian campaign impacted the Russia’s status?

No doubt. As a result of the successful military campaign, Russia’s prestige and influence in the Middle East have grown considerably. In fact, this is a region where strong winners are respected, and loosers are despised and do not mean a thing.

Let me remind you that before the war some regimes in the region had afforded incredible insolence towards Russia. What can we seen now? The King of the Saudi Arabia and Emir of Qatar come to Russia to reach agreement. Relations with Turkey are complicated though these are partnership relations. All the three countries, hostile to Russia not long ago, purchase Russian weapons.

Russia, Iran and Turkey have become the actual key stakehoders in Syrian matter.

What has the Syrian operation given to our military forces?

Perhaps the most important thing is the experience of conducting warfare on a quite distant scene. Syria has become the highest academy for the officers. Almost all the highest officers and the whole flying personnel of Aerospace Forces have got through it. Tremendous experience in managing the logistics of operations on a scene abroad has been gained.

Dozens of weapons and equipment have been tested here, including high-precision munition, drones, and means to combat them, control, reconnaissance and communication systems.

– What have the Aerospace Forces gained?

The most extensive and valuable experience. Aerospace Forces have become a central figure of the campaign. They made about 45 sorties within four years.

Technical specialists and teams provided the unprecedented level of combat and operational readiness and high rate of combat operations. At the most tense times over 100 mission sorties a day were done, with the average standard being 70-80 sorties, that is 3-4 sorties per a serviceable aircraft.

Bombers, attack aircrafts and multi-mission fighters of all new types, including  Su-57 the fifth generation fighter, were tested. Perhaps, the only type of machines that hasn’t approved itself in the course of the campaign was Mig-29SMT. The military transport aviation assumed the colossal load. The experience gained in operation of combat helicopters, at night time as well, is exceptional.

– What about land forces and navy?

Special-Operations Forces became the principal characters on land. They were widely involved in accomplishment of numerous missions. This campaign has contributed much to their development. Virtually the entire personnel of Special-Operations Forces and Task Forces are likely to have got through Syria.

As for seamen, their main contribution was to the logistics support. Within just the first three years, by August of 2018, 424 voyages of marine transport had been made, almost 1.6 mln tonnes of cargo had been transported. It’s about 96% of the total cargoes delivered to Syria four our forces.

Ships transported more than 3250 people and more than 4500 pieces of weapons and military equipment.

By the way, the Syrian operation answered the question that had been desperately disputed during the saga of purchasing French Mistral helicopter carriers: whether Russia needed multimission ships of this type. Now it’s obvious that it does. So it’s no wonder that a decision has been taken to build two ships of this class on Zaliv ship-builder in Kerch.

It’s worth mentioning about extensive use of Calibr cruise missiles by the Navy. I can remember the impression the first launches of these missiles from the Caspian Sea made on foreign specialists. No one had expected it from the Russian. These launches proved to be not only spectacular but effective as well.

– How did the Russian weapons show themselves in Syria overall?

Any modern weapon system is an extremely sophisticated technical item that doesn’t perform ideally all the time. The Syrian experience is valuable because it allowed detecting and getting rid of all deficiencies in the new weapons.

A specific feature of Syria as a scene of operations is in the fact that striking diversity of landscapes and climates are concentrated within a relatively small area.

Conclusions have been made upon consideration of weapons use. Basing on the experience gained, almost all types of aircraft equipment are being updated. This is true about Mi-28N and Ka-52combat helicopters, Su-35S, Su-30SM multi-mission fighters and Su-34 bombers. New lots of these machines will be ordered in new technical versions.

Su-34, photographer Marina Lisceva

Development of new aircraft weapons has been given heavy impetus. Some of the new developments could be seen on MAKS 2019. For example, 1500, 1000 and 500 kg guided bombs were exhibited there. This ammunition can be used with high precision from a distance of 40-50 km, that is a carrier aircraft may keep off the enemy’s air defense area.

Generally speaking, now the Russian exporters of weapons are rightly to say that they offer the weapons and equipment well-proven in real combat operations to the world market.

Author: Olga Bozhyeva

Source: mk.ru

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