 20th August 2008, 04:21 | #1 (permalink) |
Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Tullahoma TN Posts: 158 | Roosky air force underwhelms newspaper
International Herald Tribune Russian blitz melded old-school onslaught with modern military tactics By Thom Shanker Published: August 17, 2008 ... To the surprise of American military officers, an impaired Georgian air-defense system was able to down at least six Russian jets. The Sukhoi-25, an aging ground attack plane, appeared to be the most vulnerable. Georgia never has fielded an integrated, nationwide air defense system, and those ground-to-air weapons that survived early Russian shelling operated without any central control — and some without battle-command radars, as they were destroyed by Russian strikes. That they bloodied the Russian air wing was taken as a clear sign of poor Russian aircraft maintenance, poor Russian piloting skills — or, most likely, years of insufficient funds for adequate flight training. Russian-language media and unofficial national security Web sites in Moscow, which since the days of the disastrous Soviet foray into Afghanistan have developed a skeptical independent streak, also noted other shortcomings. A Russian general in command of the 58th Army was wounded in the leg when he led a column of 30 armored vehicles toward the capital of South Ossetia, apparently without sufficient intelligence from scouts on the ground or surveillance aircraft overhead to know a Georgian ambush was awaiting. The Russians also suffered losses as they came through the Roki Tunnel, which connects South Ossetia to the neighboring region of North Ossetia in Russia proper. Russian national security analysts said there was no air cover to protect Moscow's forces in their first minutes on Georgian soil outside the safety of the mountain tunnel. ... Russian blitz melded old-school onslaught with modern military tactics - International Herald Tribune And don't forget poor old Col. or maybe Lt. Col. Zinov, shot down over GA. with his 51st birthday on the horizon. Wonder if his hair is gray, assuming the old boy has enough fur left on top to notice? |
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