ORAC
25th May 2021, 21:20
Not a role I’d expected….
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/40777/russian-tu-22m3-backfire-bombers-based-in-syria-are-going-to-patrol-the-mediterranean
Russian Tu-22M3 Backfire Bombers Based In Syria Are Going To Patrol The Mediterranean
Russia has officially confirmed that Tu-22M3 Backfire-C (https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/39903/three-killed-in-abnormal-ejection-from-tu-22m3-bomber-at-russian-airbase) bombers are now at Khmeimim airbase (https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/33666/mig-29-fighters-were-at-russias-air-base-in-syria-just-before-showing-up-in-libya) in Syria, as we reported yesterday (https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/40760/russian-tu-22m3-backfire-bombers-appear-over-syria-and-they-could-be-there-to-stay).
The Russian Ministry of Defense has also now stated that they will operate in a maritime role over the Mediterranean Sea, reflecting Russia’s expanding reach in the region and suggesting a return to the kinds of missions that Soviet bombers flew in the Cold War, when they kept track of NATO warships operating in the area.
We now know that three Tu-22M3s touched down at Khmeimim yesterday, making use of the extended second runway at the base, which has been resurfaced and outfitted with new lighting and communications equipment.
The base, as The War Zone predicted earlier this year (https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/39113/what-does-russia-have-planned-for-its-lengthened-runway-at-its-air-base-in-syria), is now better able to support operations by all three of Russia’s bombers — the others being the Tu-95MS (https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/39104/listen-to-the-terrifying-mechanical-growl-of-a-tu-95-bear-passing-overhead) and Tu-160 (https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/16175/russia-rolls-out-new-tu-160m2-but-are-moscows-bomber-ambitions-realistic) — as well as heavy transport and maritime patrol aircraft.
“Crews of the long-range bombers will acquire practical skills in practicing training tasks in new geographic areas during flights in the airspace over the Mediterranean Sea,” a statement from the Russian Ministry of Defense declared, although there were no details about the duration of the deployment or whether the Tu-22M3 will become a more regular visitor to the Syrian base.
“After completing training tasks for the development of airspace in the maritime zone of the Mediterranean Sea, the long-range bombers will return to permanent airfields on the territory of the Russian Federation,” the statement adds.
According to independent defense analyst Guy Plopsky, the individual bombers have been drawn from Russian Aerospace Forces, or VKS, bases at Shaykovka (https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/39903/three-killed-in-abnormal-ejection-from-tu-22m3-bomber-at-russian-airbase), in western Russia, and Belaya, in the Russian Far East.
Clearly, positioning even a handful of long-range bombers at Khmeimim provides Russia with a significant force-projection capability around the Mediterranean and not just in Syria, where these bombers have been used in combat in the past (https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/4849/russian-tu-22m3-backfire-bombers-deploy-to-western-iran-report).
Based on the unrefueled range of a typical, armed Tu-22M3, targets within the Black Sea are also within reach, as is Libya, where Russia is also involved in an ongoing civil war (https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/33698/russia-now-has-at-least-14-combat-jets-in-libya-as-satellite-images-reveal-new-details), and the basing provides added reach across northeastern Africa and the Middle East, as well.
https://twitter.com/GuyPlopsky/status/1397121343854759938?s=20
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/40777/russian-tu-22m3-backfire-bombers-based-in-syria-are-going-to-patrol-the-mediterranean
Russian Tu-22M3 Backfire Bombers Based In Syria Are Going To Patrol The Mediterranean
Russia has officially confirmed that Tu-22M3 Backfire-C (https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/39903/three-killed-in-abnormal-ejection-from-tu-22m3-bomber-at-russian-airbase) bombers are now at Khmeimim airbase (https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/33666/mig-29-fighters-were-at-russias-air-base-in-syria-just-before-showing-up-in-libya) in Syria, as we reported yesterday (https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/40760/russian-tu-22m3-backfire-bombers-appear-over-syria-and-they-could-be-there-to-stay).
The Russian Ministry of Defense has also now stated that they will operate in a maritime role over the Mediterranean Sea, reflecting Russia’s expanding reach in the region and suggesting a return to the kinds of missions that Soviet bombers flew in the Cold War, when they kept track of NATO warships operating in the area.
We now know that three Tu-22M3s touched down at Khmeimim yesterday, making use of the extended second runway at the base, which has been resurfaced and outfitted with new lighting and communications equipment.
The base, as The War Zone predicted earlier this year (https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/39113/what-does-russia-have-planned-for-its-lengthened-runway-at-its-air-base-in-syria), is now better able to support operations by all three of Russia’s bombers — the others being the Tu-95MS (https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/39104/listen-to-the-terrifying-mechanical-growl-of-a-tu-95-bear-passing-overhead) and Tu-160 (https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/16175/russia-rolls-out-new-tu-160m2-but-are-moscows-bomber-ambitions-realistic) — as well as heavy transport and maritime patrol aircraft.
“Crews of the long-range bombers will acquire practical skills in practicing training tasks in new geographic areas during flights in the airspace over the Mediterranean Sea,” a statement from the Russian Ministry of Defense declared, although there were no details about the duration of the deployment or whether the Tu-22M3 will become a more regular visitor to the Syrian base.
“After completing training tasks for the development of airspace in the maritime zone of the Mediterranean Sea, the long-range bombers will return to permanent airfields on the territory of the Russian Federation,” the statement adds.
According to independent defense analyst Guy Plopsky, the individual bombers have been drawn from Russian Aerospace Forces, or VKS, bases at Shaykovka (https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/39903/three-killed-in-abnormal-ejection-from-tu-22m3-bomber-at-russian-airbase), in western Russia, and Belaya, in the Russian Far East.
Clearly, positioning even a handful of long-range bombers at Khmeimim provides Russia with a significant force-projection capability around the Mediterranean and not just in Syria, where these bombers have been used in combat in the past (https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/4849/russian-tu-22m3-backfire-bombers-deploy-to-western-iran-report).
Based on the unrefueled range of a typical, armed Tu-22M3, targets within the Black Sea are also within reach, as is Libya, where Russia is also involved in an ongoing civil war (https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/33698/russia-now-has-at-least-14-combat-jets-in-libya-as-satellite-images-reveal-new-details), and the basing provides added reach across northeastern Africa and the Middle East, as well.
https://twitter.com/GuyPlopsky/status/1397121343854759938?s=20