Today, 13th June 2015, around 00:25 morning, a SyAAF Mi-8/17 (serial is still unknown) and piloted by Lieutenant Col. Ahmad Saleh and Lieutenant Col. Muhammad Khaddour, was shot down by ISIS shortly after it took off from Kweres AFB (Aviation Academy).
The crew including a third First Lieutenant Humam Ali are KIA.
Seeing Kweres has to be re-supplied on a somewhat regular basis, and other bases around the country that are isolated have to be re-supplied in a similiar fashion, why is the SyAAF losing so many of its Mi-8/17 fleet all of the sudden? It would seem that they would have suppressed enemy positions around the base before taking off or would take off when the enemy was unable to strike out at the landing or departing helicopters. Are they getting reckless or is it just luck for the insurgents?
ReplyDeleteThank you!
The answer is simple. The regime is overstretched. It is fighting on so many fronts with so many isolated positions (Kweires, Deir Ez-Zor, Abu Adh-Dhuhur) that it can't lay down sufficient suppression fire. The aircraft loss rate will only accelerate. As more aircraft are lost, the less suppression they can effect. Only by withdrawing from isolated positions can the regime buy time. Ultimately, it may find itself reduced to Latakia, where the population is not hostile and the airbases are safe. The Assad clan will have been executed or have fled to Iran by that point.
DeleteVlad, remember that SyAAF in the Assad era, deeply proved that 90% of their operations are a matter of 'reaction' ! Not too far from now, if you closely observe the sorties over Idleb, you will notice that air raids have increased three times after the fall of Wadi Al Deif checkpoint and some other areas nearby. Before that, the Syrian Army kept warning of the advanced rebels towards them but SyAAF didn't take serious actions.
DeleteMoreover, I agree with Chuck in the very important point he raised: If the regime wants to stop bleeding his aircraft, he should withdraw from those 'isolated positions' distributed here and there far away from the operational airbases. In my opinion, the 'handover' of Abu DhHour AB is a matter of time, it's isolated, not operational for a year at last, and nothing worthy there. Everyday, SyAAF is conducting no less than 10 sorties around this airbase, they can reserve their power to utilize it elsewhere.
Thank you for the response sirs!
DeleteFrom 1.11.2014. SyAAF lost(according to this blog and other sources):
Delete1 Mi 14 helicopter( March 2015)
3 Mi 8 helicopters(February/May/June 2015)
2 Mig 21(November 2014/January 2015)
1 AN 24 (January 2015)
1 MIG 23ML (April 2015)
1L 39 (April 2015)
1 SU 24(three days ago), but according to Oryx, 3 of them are lost since October 2014-
https://twitter.com/oryxspioenkop/status/609001926122962944
Maybe 2 of them were lost in exsplosion on T4 airbase, last month-
http://www.syriahr.com/en/2015/05/2-explosions-in-an-airbase-killed-and-wounded-14-members-of-the-regime-forces/
+ 1 transport plane lost in accident in Balli airbase on 7.5.2015.
Actually, they lost much more than that:
Delete6 Mi-8/17
1 Mi-14
2 MiG-23MF
2 MiG-23MLD
1 MiG-23ML
1 MiG-23BN
5 MiG-21bis
1 Su-22M-4
3 Su-24M2
2 L-39
1 An-26
Regarding the 2 Su-24M2 detonated at T4 AB, I would await some more info about this incident to add it to my entries.
I never heard about the transporter lost in Blai AB...is there any link for this incident?
Here is original link, but not work now- http://www.syriahr.com/en/2015/05/and-4-officers-of-the-regime-forces-killed-while-9-corpses-od-civilians-found-in-the-town-of-mida/ , but you have on this link up - "In May 7, an aircraft also exploded in Balli airbase located between Rif Dimashq and al- Suwaydaa. The explosion killed the general and leader of the airbase, a colonel and 12 members of the regime forces. "
DeleteWhen/where they lost 3 Mi 8 and this 3/4 MIG21/23s ? Also there is rumors that 1 SU 24 was lost back in March(near Raqqah), but Im not sure...
Found some very good footage of an Mi-14 dropping 'barrel bombs'. Appears to be in Latakia. (ocean is seen in footage aswell as terrain unique to the area.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XYq_e16Wyo
Very interesting! Thanks a lot, I saw another video for the same pilot, I believe this is Ahmad Malek or something, the pilot which was KIA when his Mi-14 crashed in Idleb.
DeleteOn 2:28 the helicopter approaches the south of Tartous city, it exactly passes over the air defense site, you can see it in GE.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete