There seems to be some genuine surprise at how well the latest-gen Russian equipment is working in Syria.
They didn’t send the Monkey guns, but top-line stuff.
The SU-34 seems to be the most surprising of all.
They are flying sorties 3-4 times a day, DAILY, over long periods, without major maintenance breaks. Try that in most of the NATO fleet.
Is that what RT has been tweeting?
Then there is the TOS-1A Soltsepek (”Blazing Sun”). Though the new launcher carried only 24 rockets, six fewer than before, each 90kg rocket packed more punch using its 73kg predecessors and could be fired out to 6km - roughly double the Buratino’s range - thanks to an updated ballistic computer. If needed, the Soltsepek can unload all 24 of its rounds onto a target in under 12 seconds. In addition to the thermobaric rockets, the Soltsepek was outfitted with a four-barrel smoke grenade launcher that could provide 400 meter-long cover up to 100 meters away. The 3-man crew is also armed with an AKS-74, a full-auto RPKS-74, ten hand grenades and three RPGs. The Soltsepek is powered by a 840 HP V-84MS diesel and can cover up to 550 km at a speed of 60 kmh.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-7ZtZSyAfk
Interesting to see their capabilities. Bombing accuracy appears iffy from what I have seen although the campaign is clearly effective. Large munitions only have to be close - not perfect - to work on ground troops and the unhardened targets.
The peanut gallery comments all seem to focus on the poor Russian economy and how this endeavor may bankrupt them. No way of knowing how much cash Assad has in reserve, but you can bet your bottom dollar that Russia will be paid, or paid back, and get the expanded base they want as well as oil rights out of this deal. Assad is desperate and he will give Putin everything he asks for. We go in and bleed ourselves on our own dime - Vlad won’t make that mistake. Also wondering how much Iran is kicking in to finance this since we have stupidly lifted sanctions.