Posted on 09/23/2015 1:45:32 PM PDT by robowombat
Here’s how the Russian Air Force moved 28 aircraft to Syria (almost) undetected
By David Cenciotti It’s not easy to move 28 aircraft and keep the deployment confidential. Satellite imagery released in the last couple of days has exposed the presence of 28 Russian aircraft at al-Assad airfield, near Latakia, in western Syria.
The photographs taken from space gave us the possibility to identify the combat planes as 4x Su-30SMs, 12x Su-25s (based on their color scheme, these are Su-25SMs belonging to the 368th Assault Aviation Regiment from Budyonnovsk) and 12 Su-24M2s along with about a dozen helicopters, including 10 Mi-24PN, Mi-35M and a couple of Mi-8AMTSh choppers, from the 387th Army Aviation Air Base Budyonnovsk.
One of our sources with IMINT Imagery Intel experience, who has had access to the imagery in the public domain, noticed something interesting on one of the Su-30SM: the first on the left (the one closer to the runway threshold) should be equipped with a KNIRTI SPS-171 / L005S Sorbtsiya-S mid/high band defensive jammer (ECM) at the wing tips. To be honest this is almost impossible to verify unless more high-resolution images become available.
Whilst satellite shots provided much details about the deployed assets, they obviously didn’t help answer the basic question: how did they manage to reach Syria undetected?
According to one source close who wishes to remain anonymous, the Russian combat planes have probably deployed to Latakia trailing the cargo planes that were tracked flying to Syria and back on Flightradar24.com, something that other analysts have also suggested.
There is someone who believes that during their ferry flight, some if not all the formation (each made of a cargo plane and four accompanying fast jets) may have made a stopover in Iran before flying the last leg to Latakia. This would also explain why some Il-76s (with an endurance that would allow a non-stop fly from Russia to Latakia) were observed stopping at Hamadan on Sept. 18-19, just before the Sukhois started appearing on the tarmac at Latakia.
Also interesting is the activity of several Israeli aircraft, including a G550 “Nachshon Aitam,” a sort of mini-AWACS equipped with 2 L-band antennas, on both sides of the fuselage, and 2 S-band antennas, on the nose and tail of the aircraft.
The G550, a so-called CAEW (Conformal Airborne Early Warning) asset, flew a mission over the eastern Mediterranean Sea off Lebanon on Sept. 20 (and could be tracked online on Flightradar24.com…). Just a coincidence?
Step 1: Install a commie manchurian candidate in the white hut ....
It’s hard for President Obama to see what the Russians are doing because of all the trees on the golf course.
I doubt the Russians really want to keep their work in Syria too confidential
A couple of cluster bombs or A-10’s could make mince meat of that line-up.
I think Russia has bigger plans beyond Syria. Helping Iran defend against an Israeli attack is on the menu.
Heck, some low end mortars would do a number on that lineup
Good thing the muzzi terrorists don’t have A-10s.
Not so mysterious how they got there...
There is a video floating around on Twitter, supposedly taken in Syria on Sunday, of a LARGE Russian cargo jet being escorted by 4 fighters in-trail, at high altitude.
Why would we do that? Russia is taking the fight to ISIS. We're dropping bombs on construction equipment.
Anyhow, Russia isn't stupid. Their air defense systems were firmly in place long before their aircraft arrived.
I thought step one was “get a box”
But this is all a smokescreen for bigger plans which I'm sure you would NOT be a fan of. They are positioning themselves to protect Iran from Israel and advance Iran's conquest of Iraq, etc.
“Anyhow, Russia isn’t stupid. Their air defense systems were firmly in place long before their aircraft arrived.”
Watch this buildup.
Beyond attacking ISIS, it has LOTS of strategic implications. Turkey is now flanked by significant Russia or Russian sympathetic Iran) forces all along it’s borders, as well as the Kurds.
The Saudi-Qatar Pipeline won’t be going through Iran, it won’t be going through Syria, it won’t be going through Israel, and thanks to Obama pushing Egypt firmly into the “Russian-leaning” camp, it won’t be going via Sinai, either.
As long as the Russians remain firmly implanted in the green part of Syria, west of the mountains, the gas pipeline to Europe that bypasses Russia is done.
Obama already has Iran’s defenses in place. Has had for several years. No, Russia has some additional objectives but short range they’ve got their Mediterranean anchor firmly in place ( and expanded ). And they’re encircling turkey and thus quieting it down a bit and assuring that turkey doesn’t mess with Russian sea travel from Crimea to Mediterranean. And Russia Can now directly assure there’s no Saudi energy pipes through Syria to Europe. I think maybe a cooperation deal including basing rights may be next - with Greece
“I think Russia has bigger plans beyond Syria. Helping Iran defend against an Israeli attack is on the menu.”
Netanyahu and the head of Israeli Intelligence were in Moscow on Monday, meeting with Putin and Defense Minister Shoigu.
I don’t think Israel “feels threatened”, but rather gave them their ISIS info, BY HAND, personally, so the Obamunists can’t see it.
Remember, the prevailing meme in Russia is that ISIS are “Obama’s Terrorists”.
MI Ping
Yep, now the ISIS Air Force is finally going to face some good opposition.
Seriously, I’m guessing they over flew Turkey. If so, so much for NATO allegiance of the Turks. And it will be interesting on what we get from observing the Frogfoots doing ground support.
Those Russian planes are probably going to help take out ISIS.
So why would you want to take out the Russian planes?
As Netanyahu went to Moscow the other day, I don’t think and Iran-Israel bust-up is on the cards in this.
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