October 13, 201510 yr Author It's obvious that the deployment of the Flankers was performed to remind NATO, that it cannot interfere with Russian operations in the region. Why else would Russia deploy Flankers, when its only interested in attacking the revolutionary militants and IS? Both of them do not have any air force at all. It was a "necessary measure" to deploy the Flankers now before NATO considered imposing some kind of no-fly-zone over Syria as a reaction the Russian operations. Regardless this development is quite serious and I just hope we don't run into any trouble on the way as for example some eager Turkish F16 pilot "locking on" a Russian Su-24 which passed the Turkish-Syrian bomber by mistake... Although the Su-30SM is multi-role capable, they have apparently thus far only flown CAP missions and are carrying air to air weaponry. I agree, I think their role and purpose is clear. The Turks and Syrians have already exchanged fire, dropping aircraft on both sides, so certainly the risk of a border incursion and further incident is very real.
October 13, 201510 yr Just the weekend I did view some modern fighters videos (YouTube is too "new" for me, usually don't use it, with a lot of info is now on it), and my conclusion was the Su-30SM is the more agile current fighter (perhaps the future MiG-35 with vectorizable nozzles), no comparison even with F-22, Su-35S or Sukhoi T-50 (almost a brick) no mentioning F-35 ... A interesting comparative: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9N2xRevg3SU
October 17, 201510 yr Turkey has shot down a drone. Possibly russian drone. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/16/turkey-shoots-down-drone-near-syrian-border The drone in the picture looks pretty intact. How would the drone have been shot down? MG of a plane?
October 17, 201510 yr The drone in the picture looks pretty intact. How would the drone have been shot down? MG of a plane? That tiny drone, rifle from a helicopter, ram it with a Cessna,...? I doubt a jet fighter would have much of a chance against such a small and slow target.
October 17, 201510 yr Good points. Would it have been low enough for a rifle? Would have made a small target also. Strange.
October 17, 201510 yr I think almost sure is a Orlan-10, probably you can shoot-down it with your own hands from an helicopter!: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orlan-10
October 17, 201510 yr Author Orlan-10 seems to be the early consensus. But a rather diverse group of UAVs are flying in the region. And it wouldn't be the first time that a fighter has shot down a UAV, by any means.
November 18, 201510 yr Author The Russians are certainly bringing out all the toys.25 Russian long-range strategic bombers in action over Syria for the very first time (The Aviationist)Russian MoD video shows Tu-160, Tu-95 and Tu-22 bombers (with Su-27 escort) bomb ISIS in Syria (The Aviationist)
November 18, 201510 yr Author More extensive (and potentially informative) video: If this isn't fabulous scenario fodder, I don't know what is.
November 20, 201510 yr Author Now I believe that is the first use of either a Bear or a Blackjack in anger. Yes. Quite the display of bravado. The Project 636.3 (NATO Improved Kilo) class submarine Rostov-on-Don (B-237) is also rumoured to have participated in the cruise missile strike, from a position in the Med. More Kalibr cruise missiles (18 in all) launched from the Caspian today.
November 21, 201510 yr Yesterday I readed something (in English in Facebook, I think) about a increase of the Russian air elements in Latakia, but now I find not the source. Details probably here, in two Russian Wikipedia entries: https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%90%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B0%D1%86%D0%B8%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%8F_%D0%B3%D1%80%D1%83%D0%BF%D0%BF%D0%B0_%D0%92%D0%92%D0%A1_%D0%A0%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%81%D0%B8%D0%B8_%D0%B2_%D0%A1%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B8 https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%92%D0%BE%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%8F_%D0%BE%D0%BF%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%86%D0%B8%D1%8F_%D0%A0%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%81%D0%B8%D0%B8_%D0%B2_%D0%A1%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B8 But I don't find the original source beyond this, it should be in Novosti/Sputnik (Sputnik keeps his original Cold War I name Novosti Press Agency inside Russia): https://www.facebook.com/guard.info/posts/981185601927070:0
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