Russia sends four SU27s to Syria
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Haart,
I have doubts that the footage shown was taken over Syria yesterday, or a day before. Russian TV have tonns of such footage to select the one with a good quality and put on air.
Concerning the clouds... Yes, EO/IR sensors do not work through them, but a conventional radar is enough for target acquisition. I assume that a stand-alone vehicle is a too hard target for it, but for bombing "dimensioned" targets like long columns of trucks or an oil plant it should work.
I have doubts that the footage shown was taken over Syria yesterday, or a day before. Russian TV have tonns of such footage to select the one with a good quality and put on air.
Concerning the clouds... Yes, EO/IR sensors do not work through them, but a conventional radar is enough for target acquisition. I assume that a stand-alone vehicle is a too hard target for it, but for bombing "dimensioned" targets like long columns of trucks or an oil plant it should work.
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It was interesting to see an oil installation being attacked by bombs, as if it was a target of opportunity.
I would have thought that a fixed location such as that was far more suited to being attacked by one of the cruise missiles that have recently been shown to have been fired, or was this just a photo opportunity?
I would have thought that a fixed location such as that was far more suited to being attacked by one of the cruise missiles that have recently been shown to have been fired, or was this just a photo opportunity?
The US are also targeting the tanker trucks using AC-130 and A-10s.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/17/wo...-oil.html?_r=0
US strikes against oil tankers.
More Coalition strikes against ISIS oil infrastructure at following.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgv...nYifRYw/videos
ISTANBUL — Intensifying pressure on the Islamic State, United States warplanes for the first time attacked hundreds of trucks on Monday that the extremist group has been using to smuggle the crude oil it has been producing in Syria, American officials said.
Until Monday, the United States refrained from striking the fleet used to transport oil, believed to include more than 1,000 tanker trucks, because of concerns about causing civilian casualties. As a result, the Islamic State’s distribution system for exporting oil had remained largely intact.
The new campaign is called Tidal Wave II. It is named after the World War II effort to counter Nazi Germany by striking Romania’s oil industry. Lt. Gen. Sean B. MacFarland, who in September assumed command of the international coalition’s campaign in Iraq and Syria, suggested the name.
To reduce the risk of harming civilians, two F-15 warplanes dropped leaflets about an hour before the attack warning drivers to abandon their vehicles, and strafing runs were conducted to reinforce the message.
The area where the trucks assemble in Syria has been closely monitored by reconnaissance drones. As many as 1,000 trucks have been observed there, waiting to receive their cargo of illicit oil.
On Monday, 295 trucks were in the area, and more than a third of them were destroyed, United States officials said. The A-10s dropped two dozen 500-pound bombs and conducted strafing runs with 30-millimeter Gatling guns. The AC-130s attacked with 30-millimeter Gatling guns and 105-millimeter cannons.
The pilots saw several drivers running to a nearby tent and did not attack them, an American official said, and there were no immediate reports of civilian casualties.
Col. Steven H. Warren, the American-led coalition’s spokesman in Baghdad, confirmed that A-10s and AC-130s had been used in the attack and that 116 tanker trucks had been destroyed.
According to an initial assessment, 116 trucks were destroyed in the attack, which took place near Deir al-Zour, an area in eastern Syria that is controlled by the Islamic State.
The airstrikes were carried out by four A-10 attack planes and two AC-130 gunships based in Turkey.
Until Monday, the United States refrained from striking the fleet used to transport oil, believed to include more than 1,000 tanker trucks, because of concerns about causing civilian casualties. As a result, the Islamic State’s distribution system for exporting oil had remained largely intact.
The new campaign is called Tidal Wave II. It is named after the World War II effort to counter Nazi Germany by striking Romania’s oil industry. Lt. Gen. Sean B. MacFarland, who in September assumed command of the international coalition’s campaign in Iraq and Syria, suggested the name.
To reduce the risk of harming civilians, two F-15 warplanes dropped leaflets about an hour before the attack warning drivers to abandon their vehicles, and strafing runs were conducted to reinforce the message.
The area where the trucks assemble in Syria has been closely monitored by reconnaissance drones. As many as 1,000 trucks have been observed there, waiting to receive their cargo of illicit oil.
On Monday, 295 trucks were in the area, and more than a third of them were destroyed, United States officials said. The A-10s dropped two dozen 500-pound bombs and conducted strafing runs with 30-millimeter Gatling guns. The AC-130s attacked with 30-millimeter Gatling guns and 105-millimeter cannons.
The pilots saw several drivers running to a nearby tent and did not attack them, an American official said, and there were no immediate reports of civilian casualties.
Col. Steven H. Warren, the American-led coalition’s spokesman in Baghdad, confirmed that A-10s and AC-130s had been used in the attack and that 116 tanker trucks had been destroyed.
According to an initial assessment, 116 trucks were destroyed in the attack, which took place near Deir al-Zour, an area in eastern Syria that is controlled by the Islamic State.
The airstrikes were carried out by four A-10 attack planes and two AC-130 gunships based in Turkey.
US strikes against oil tankers.
More Coalition strikes against ISIS oil infrastructure at following.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgv...nYifRYw/videos
Last edited by TEEEJ; 19th Nov 2015 at 11:39. Reason: Additional info added
ISTANBUL — Intensifying pressure on the Islamic State, United States warplanes for the first time attacked hundreds of trucks on Monday that the extremist group has been using to smuggle the crude oil it has been
producing in Syria, American officials said.
Until Monday, the United States refrained from striking the fleet used to transport oil, believed to include more than 1,000 tanker trucks, because of concerns about causing civilian casualties. As a result, the Islamic State’s distribution system for exporting oil had remained largely intact
producing in Syria, American officials said.
Until Monday, the United States refrained from striking the fleet used to transport oil, believed to include more than 1,000 tanker trucks, because of concerns about causing civilian casualties. As a result, the Islamic State’s distribution system for exporting oil had remained largely intact
There is so much wrong with that ... we've been dealing with these 
's for how long? And on second thought, just how hard was it to (using surveillance) sort out just who the customers are and where the trucks were going ... are we having trouble with our allies in Turkey on taking care of the border/smuggling routes? I ask that recalling how much trouble we had with the Iraqi Syrian border and infiltration, and the Iraqi Saudi border, and infiltration, and to a different extent the Iraq Iran border and infiltration back about ten years ago.
X infinity"Lessons learned" my tired backside.
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This retro AC-130 seems to be quite effective for the op's like crashing lines of trucks! I wonder if any other aircraft has/had a 105-mm cannon?
If the US and Russian AF altogether crashed several hundred tankers in a couple of days, this looks like a really good start. They (ISIS) can't have 100K of them and perspective of destroying the terrorist-controlled oil infrastructure is realistic.
BTW, an interesting map about the oil routes: https://moneyjihad.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/isis-income-map.jpg
Anyway, I agree with Lonewolf : too many questions to neighboring countries. The monies and weapons do not come from nowhere. Each trouble has a name/surname, location and bank account....
Iranian F-14 Tomcats escorting Russian Air Force Tu-95MS Bear H.
See 1:20 for F-14s. Also looks like F-4 Phantom at 1:13.
See 1:20 for F-14s. Also looks like F-4 Phantom at 1:13.
Last edited by TEEEJ; 20th Nov 2015 at 17:53. Reason: additional info added
Interesting with the claim of Tu-160 Blackjacks over the Mediterranean. Did the French allow them the short cut through their airspace or did they go the long way round through the Gibraltar Strait? Either that or out through Syrian airspace?
Su-30SM fighters met and escorted Tu-160s, which launched cruise missiles over the Mediterranean
None but a blockhead
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Russia's just told Lebanon to close Beirut airport for three days from midnight tonight because of 'naval exercises' - National News Agency - Russian naval training paralyzes Lebanon's airspace in upcoming three days. Which seems a bit impolite.
The two Tu-160 Blackjacks were intercepted by RAF QRA Typhoons from RAF Lossiemouth on their way south to the Gibraltar Strait.
http://theaviationist.com/2015/11/20...terranean-sea/
http://theaviationist.com/2015/11/20...terranean-sea/
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White Swan and Bear
I seem to recall in a MIL thread not that long ago, sceptics declaring that the Ty-160 White Swan fleet was more or less grounded due to spares and the Tu-95 Bear fleet were more or less confined to museums now.
They seem to be coping quite well with their long range deployments around Europe through the Med then north again to the Moscow region
They seem to be coping quite well with their long range deployments around Europe through the Med then north again to the Moscow region
Those in denial may also have missed the Bear escort - airworthy Tomcat's
I seem to recall in a MIL thread not that long ago, sceptics declaring that the Ty-160 White Swan fleet was more or less grounded due to spares and the Tu-95 Bear fleet were more or less confined to museums now.
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Alexander Yakovenko is Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the United Kingdom.
He has tweeted: Russia has doubled the armed forces group in Syria for “Retaliation” operation– now it’s 69 planes and 10 Navy ships
But obviously every official Russian outlet and all Russian media lie like crazy. They say what they want the world to think, which tends to be a lot different to the truth.
Their videos and press photos are a joke. Usually proven to be a completely different time and place to what the Russians say.
He has tweeted: Russia has doubled the armed forces group in Syria for “Retaliation” operation– now it’s 69 planes and 10 Navy ships
But obviously every official Russian outlet and all Russian media lie like crazy. They say what they want the world to think, which tends to be a lot different to the truth.
Their videos and press photos are a joke. Usually proven to be a completely different time and place to what the Russians say.
Last edited by Eclectic; 21st Nov 2015 at 11:49.
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Eclectic,
You may tell your RAF pilots that Tu-160s they were escorted recently over the Atlantic were just miracle, Russian propaganda and actually there was nothing in the air. Please share with us what they say back (if you ever knew one).
Things like number of ships or planes at a given region or location is somewhat easily verifiable.
69 planes and 6+4 ships are the numbers officially announced at e.g.
http://syria.mil.ru/news/more.htm?id=12066437@egNews
You may tell your RAF pilots that Tu-160s they were escorted recently over the Atlantic were just miracle, Russian propaganda and actually there was nothing in the air. Please share with us what they say back (if you ever knew one).
Things like number of ships or planes at a given region or location is somewhat easily verifiable.
69 planes and 6+4 ships are the numbers officially announced at e.g.
http://syria.mil.ru/news/more.htm?id=12066437@egNews
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I'm wondering how many people are surprised at seeing the F14s. I have no idea what effective weapons they have but it was good to see them flying from a spotter perspective.
The same goes for the white swans as they are majestic in their white paint schemes.
That said, they are beasts of war and I wish God speed and safe return to ALL flyers in the region.
The same goes for the white swans as they are majestic in their white paint schemes.
That said, they are beasts of war and I wish God speed and safe return to ALL flyers in the region.
Russian air launched cruise missile wreckage (Kh-101 or Kh-555) near Shoush, South West Iran. Quite funny to see the Iranian military and press go into full denial mode after the initial reports.
They are now reporting it as a homegrown aircraft shot down by the local forces as part of an exercise.
Same "577" stencil as previous cruise missile wreckage in Syria.
Iran
Iran
Syria
Initial reporting from Iran.
Unknown drone crashes in Shoush, Khuzestan - Mehr News Agency
Tasnim News Agency - Homegrown Drone Shot Down as Part of Drills: Iranian Commander
They are now reporting it as a homegrown aircraft shot down by the local forces as part of an exercise.
Same "577" stencil as previous cruise missile wreckage in Syria.
Iran
Iran
Syria
Initial reporting from Iran.
AHVAZ, Nov. 21 (MNA) – Khuzestan’s deputy-governor for political and security affairs has confirmed reports of a drone crash in Shoush, in
northern part of the province, southwest of Iran.
Qodratollah Dehqan told Mehr News local correspondent that a military drone had crashed in Shoush; “the remains of the drone were collected and
delivered to the IRGC Aerospace Force local office,” he added.
“Further examinations will determine the identity of the drone and probable causes of the crash; no casualties have been reported in the crash site,
fortunately,” Dehqan asserted, providing no further detail as to the identity of the drone.
northern part of the province, southwest of Iran.
Qodratollah Dehqan told Mehr News local correspondent that a military drone had crashed in Shoush; “the remains of the drone were collected and
delivered to the IRGC Aerospace Force local office,” he added.
“Further examinations will determine the identity of the drone and probable causes of the crash; no casualties have been reported in the crash site,
fortunately,” Dehqan asserted, providing no further detail as to the identity of the drone.
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Commander of Iran’s Air Defense said an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) that crashed recently near the country’s southwestern city of Shoush was a homegrown aircraft shot down by the local forces as part of an exercise.
Brigadier General Farzad Esmaeili told reporters on Sunday that the drone was shot down for exercise and to test the preparation status.
His comments came following reports on Saturday that a military drone has crashed near the city of Shoush, the province of Khuzestan.
“The remains of the drone were collected and delivered to the IRGC Aerospace Force local office,” Qodratollah Dehqan, deputy governor of the province, told the Mehr News Agency Saturday.
Brigadier General Farzad Esmaeili told reporters on Sunday that the drone was shot down for exercise and to test the preparation status.
His comments came following reports on Saturday that a military drone has crashed near the city of Shoush, the province of Khuzestan.
“The remains of the drone were collected and delivered to the IRGC Aerospace Force local office,” Qodratollah Dehqan, deputy governor of the province, told the Mehr News Agency Saturday.
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Some interesting opinion about the reasons for using the cruise missiles against IS Cruise Missiles Make Psychological Impact on Terrorists, Expert Says