Russian Air Force operating over Syria

[hammarö]

Produced Su-35S
Serial 901-904+2 proto and tests
Serial 01-01 to 20 (20 planes)
Serial 02-01 to 20 (20 planes)
Serial 03-01 to 08 (8 planes) produced last part of 2015
Serial 03-09 to 20 (12 planes) plan procure 2016
Serial 04-01 to 20 (20 planes) plan procure 2016 and 2017
Total 48 Su-35S deliveries today
Dzemgi (24) Uglovaya (12) Lipetsk (5) several at Akhtubinsk and other bases (7 planes)
Software problems of Su-35S needed lot of improvment of software, most at Zhukovsky and Akhtubinsk.
Weapons and tactics development at Akhtubinsk.

The now seen Su-35S have new serials.

Old serials RF-95813 to RF-95816 for Mi-8 changed from RF-94947 to RF-94950.

Give place for Su-35S on seven serials RF-95813 to RF-95819

Some of this Su-35S new seen at Privolchskij before flight to Syria.

New planes seen at Hmejmim, Latakia air base in Syria from 1 February of 2016.

RF-95813 red 03 Su-35S Hmejmin,
RF-95814 red 04 Su-35S Hmejmin, serial not confirmed
RF-95815 red 05 Su-35S Hmejmin,
RF-95816 red 06 Su-35S Hmejmin,
RF-95818 red 08 Su-35S Hmejmin, serial not confirmed

two serials left give place for 2 more Su-35S not yet seen
RF-95817
RF-95819

The flight from Russia participated by
RA-95042 Tu-154

[hammarö]

A-50
Operating from Mozdok air base, North Caucasus

Tu-160
Operating from Engels AFB (and 2 from Olenogorsk AFB, Kola. Starting 20 November.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

Tu-95.
Operating from Engels air base.
1
2

Tu-22M3.
Operating from Mozdok air base, North Caucasus.
Total 48 Tu-22M3 based at Belaya and Shajkovka air bases.
Two squadrons detached at Mozdok air base, near half of Russia bombar Tu-22M3 strenght.
16 red RF-94144
19 red RF-94233 x
20 red RF-94233 x
24 red RF-94154
26 red RF-94216 x
28 red RF-94157 x
30 red
37 red
38 redRF-94265 x
39 red
42 red RF-94142 i
46 red
48 red RF-94140 ?
50 red RF-34091
54 red
57 red

Il-78 Midas
1
2

Su-27UB
From Krymsk air base as lead aircraft.
58 red

[hammarö]

New taken sat picture over Hmejmim air base shows following combat aircraft (taken after 1 February 2016):
Aircraft could be in air or based on other bases:

4 Su-35S
6 Su-34
12 Su-25
12 Su-24M
1 Il-20
1 An-30

Helicopter places not shown.

Place for more aircraft on new built tarmac.

[hammarö]

New taken sat picture over Hmejmim air base shows following combat aircraft (taken after 1 February 2016):
Aircraft could be in air or based on other bases:

4 Su-35S
6 Su-34
4 Su-30SM
12 Su-25SM/UB
12 Su-24M
1 Il-20M
1 An-30

Helicopter places not shown.

Place for more aircraft on new built tarmac.

[mainsail2011]

Just depart from Shayrat AFB, Syria

Russian AF IL-62M RA-86496

[hammarö]

Combat aircraft at Shayrat?

[hammarö]

Aleppo is very heavy bombed.

Now thousands of civilian deaths and wounded reported in every newspapers and TV, not only in special news with own agenda.

Thousands of people flee from area to Turkey.

Certain stand alone politicians and others connected to UN demand stopp of bombing because of the civilian deaths.

This is not aviation news, but following heavy bombing.

[hammarö]

Russian air force have used 6 An-124 during transport flights between Krymsk, Mozdok, Novosibirisk and Pskov in Russia and Hmeimim in Syria.

The following aircraft have been used by 566 VTAP at Seshcha in Russia:
RA-82035
RA-82037
RA-82038
RA-82039
RA-82040
RA-82041

They have flew following sorties during 2015

Sep 45
Oct 33
Nov 24
Dec 11

The An-124 have logged 113 sorties from 280 transport sorties performed by Russian Air Force transport airplanes to Syria in 2015.

They have flew helicopters and military material (including armoured carriers and tanks) to Hmeimim. I also believe they have used other air bases.

Following have been transported

S-400 SAM unit (with at least 4 launchers and other equipment for the SAM unit as radars).
5 Mi-8AMTSh
16 Mi-24P
4 Mi-35M

Means that were are at least 24 Russian helicopters in area (and one lost Mi-8AMTSh).

[hammarö]

Russian air force have used 6 An-124 during transport flights between Krymsk, Mozdok, Novosibirisk and Pskov in Russia and Hmeimim in Syria.

The following aircraft have been used by 566 VTAP at Seshcha in Russia:
RA-82035
RA-82037
RA-82038
RA-82039
RA-82040
RA-82041

They have flew following sorties during 2015

Sep 45
Oct 33
Nov 24
Dec 11

The An-124 have logged 113 sorties from 280 transport sorties performed by Russian Air Force transport airplanes to Syria in 2015.

They have flew helicopters and military material (including armoured carriers and tanks) to Hmeimim. I also believe they have used other air bases.

Following have been transported

S-400 SAM unit (with at least 4 launchers and other equipment for the SAM unit as radars).
5 Mi-8AMTSh
16 Mi-24P
4 Mi-35M

Means that were are at least 24 Russian helicopters in area (and one lost Mi-8AMTSh).

[hammarö]

Several hospitals now bombed in Syria.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-35579767

Most respectable sources claim Russia for the air bombings of the hospitals.

I have seen lot of tanks battles in several cities in Syria.
The landscape of battles of every city is like to be on the moon.
The only things who are seen is concrete pillars.
This is not the result of artillery bombing, it must be the result of air bombing.
The only who have bombed outside IS areas is Russia. In whole Syria.

This is not air spotting, it is the result of use of the spotted aircraft.

[hammarö]

And this

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/02/15/middl ... index.html

[FredL]

And this

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/02/15/middl ... index.html

One must be very clever to tell the difference between a Russian AF and a Syrian (russian built) jet from the ground, ... unless it was a Su-30 or Su-34, but those usually don't fly at low level when carrying air strikes.

One must be very clever, in a total war zone, to tell, from the cockpitt, the difference between a hospital from another building, in a an area where everything is destroyed. Like here for example http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/o ... ital-again

[ehusmann]

That's why, most of the time, hospitals are clearly marked with big flags and other markings. Even if not visible by the pilot himself, it should have been noted by the planners of the attack. Assuming, of course, Russians plan their attacks with the help of photgraphs and other imagery. Otherwise it would be even worse....

Yet, the Russians seem to be taking out hospitals in a rather organized fashion: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news ... ng-6678346

By the way, glad you mention that Kunduz attack. That one at least seems to be a mistake and has been investigated and admitted by the US. The Russians still claim their attacks do not kill civilians.... yeah right...

Erwin

[FredL]

That's why, most of the time, hospitals are clearly marked with big flags and other markings. Even if not visible by the pilot himself, it should have been noted by the planners of the attack. Assuming, of course, Russians plan their attacks with the help of photgraphs and other imagery. Otherwise it would be even worse....

Yet, the Russians seem to be taking out hospitals in a rather organized fashion: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news ... ng-6678346

By the way, glad you mention that Kunduz attack. That one at least seems to be a mistake and has been investigated and admitted by the US. The Russians still claim their attacks do not kill civilians.... yeah right...

Erwin

Hospitals marked with flags and other markings ? In a place which looks like Berlin in may 1945 ?
In Kunduz too, this place was identified as an hospital with its location given to the US planners sooner.
It doesn't prevent the risk of mistake or colateral damage.
Same cause (war in urban zone), same effect. In Kunduz, in Alep and, unfortunately, in other places since aviation exists.

and by the way, yesterday people from towns freed by Kurds fighters in Irak complained on the French news that coalition planes - not Russian, not Syrian - stroke their places eliminating both ISIS fighters and local people altogether.

So let's just talk here about aviation please. None of us was in the cockpitt over Syria today, nobody identified the plane (or gun) responsible until now, and none of us is a wise intelligence specialist.

[hammarö]

One source mentioned today that at least 20 hospitals are lately been bombed.
It can not be a mistake.
They can not longer use hospitals in Syría as planned.

Not so good in a war zone.