Photos of SyAAF Su-24MKs

Back!! to all fans, sorry for this gap as I was abroad for a couple of weeks. Anyway, I came back with a load of new and rare images will be posted here shortly!
Starting posts of December from the point I stopped, as you all know it will be for the SyAAF Su-24MK.

Very nice shot for a unit in flight, I am not sure when it was taken and where...was it during the live fire maneuvers? or been taken by a ground staff of some airbase (either T4 or Seen) ?!?!
The airframe here carries the serial 2508, also all the pylons are fitted to the wings and fuselage.

The second interesting photo is for another Syrian Su-24MK photographed in the T4 airbase on 16th Oct. 2013. The serial is readable here and it is 2514.
The group here are called the 'Slavonic Corps' operating in Syria, for more info you should not miss reading Oryx's post about them HERE.

Another airframe with serial 2502 was photographed on ground. It is just abnormal to see this aircraft stationed with 45 degrees oriented on tarmac, so this imagery might be taken near/at the back yard of a HAS.

(Photo from: The Aviationist)

The famous Su-24MK videoed by a co-pilot on 15th Oct. 2011 passing over Aleppo city in their way to Rasm Al Abboud airbase (Kweres) in training just one day before the air personnel graduation ceremony held in that base.
The serial of this aircraft could be read 2509.

A shot for a Syrian Su-24MK just after taking off appeared in media in the state channel during the live fire maneuvers took place on July 2012. 

In action: the SyAAF relied a lot on this machine in ground attack sorties over Aleppo, Idelb, Homs and recently Dar'a with very few times seen over Eastern Ghouta in Damascus.
This one was spotted over the northern county of Aleppo (towns of Hayyan and Hreitan) loaded with Eight free fall bombs FAB's.

It turned back after it carried out its attack sortie.
The fleet of Syrian Su-24MK's is based mainly in T4 AFB with some units in Seen AFB.

Over Idelb and specifically over Jabal Azzawiyah area the Su-24MK's are flying almost daily like this one spotted there on 18 Sep. 2013.

I would advise readers to have a look on Oryx's article about the same HERE with much details about the recent upgrade some of the SyAAF Su-24MK's have received.

Photos of SyAAF MiG-29s

After the MiG-15, 17, 21 and 23, you should guess that the next post -this one- should be about the MiG-29, especially in the absence of any new photo for the mighty MiG-25.
Above is a recent great and very clear still of a SyAAF MiG-29 Fulcrum A with its dark and light gray camo, carries the reg. number 3433.

According to some sources, SyAAF received 48 units of MiG-29, others reduced the number to 36, while some, go further to minimize the number to 24 units only including the dual-seat training variant 'UB'.
Above is an early photo for another MiG-29 with serial number 3436 or 3439.

Pair of SyAAF MiG-29's flying as low as their shadow can be seen on the sands of the Syrian desert where they joined the live fire maneuvers took place on July 2012.

SyAAF operates the MiG-29 solely from the secretive Seen AFB. I have read in many reports that during the last 10 years, some units were deployed and operated from Hama AFB and some others from the T4 AFB, which is totally not correct.
This take is also from the live fire maneuvers above mentioned.

Today, the Syrian regime cared to choose this day, the first day of the Adha Eid festival, to start his attack and bombardment sorties over the civilian towns of Eastern Ghouta in Damascus using his MiG-29 units.
Above is a SyAAF MiG-29 spotted over Eastern Ghouta fitted with S-8 unguided rocket pods (again thanks to Oryx for his post about this weapon of today).

Using this type of advanced tactical fighters in such attack sorties, and with such an old fashioned weaponry gives a serious image about the exhausted fleet of SyAAF MiG-23BN's, Su-22's and even the Su-24MK's -those are quite busy with Idleb and Aleppo provinces. The question remains: why didn't SyAAF use their MiG-23ML and MLD instead of wearing these sensitive fighters which over the last six years received a serious maintenance in Neyrab's overhaul facility 'The Factory' to overcome the fuselage and wings cracks, in addition to fit them with advanced avionics which is said to be a partial package of the SMT's.

Photos of SyAAF MiG-23s

After the post of stills of Syrian MiG-21's, I have prepared this post for the mighty Syrian MiG-23's with some very rare stills been published for the first time.

Actually it is one still which is shown above, for a Syrian MiG-23ML in a HAS ready for scramble fitted with two AA-7 Apex missiles under the pylon of the wing gloves. While unfortunately, It is very hard to recognize the missiles those are fitted under the fuselage on both sides of the additional fuel tank...should be AA-8 Aphid's.

Another Syrian MiG-23ML appeared in media during the last SyAAF live fire maneuvers took place on July 2012. It carries the serial 2795.
Such type has received serious overhaul in Krasnodar facility in Russia.

Another Syrian MiG-23's could be spotted in Hama AFB few months ago. 

The very famous take of the pair of SyAAF MiG-23BN's also appeared in the said maneuvers of 2012, firing S-24 unguided air-to-surface rockets.

Great clear shot for a SyAAF MiG-23BN flying over Qaboon district in Damascus in Sep. 2013 after bombardment sortie, showing details of camo could be of interest of modellers and profiles makers.

Another shot from the bottom for a SyAAF MiG-23BN was taken on 21 Aug. 2013 while dispensing flares over Darayya in Damascus.

Syrian Air Force Live Fire Maneuvers July 2012

The forth day of live fire maneuvers conducted this time by the Syrian Air Force on July 10th 2012, it's realy one of the ever amazing videos showing some of the SyAAF units been shoot from very close distance (I'm talking about aircraft while taking off)

Details of this video are as below:

- 0:39 Four Mig-21's

- 0:48 Mig-23ML's dispensing flares

- 0:53 Mig-29's taking off

- 1:26 Two Mig-29's in pursuit with two Mig-23ML's

- 2:10 Su-24MK taking off

- 2:42 Mig-23BN's taking off

- 3:16 and 3:44 Su-24's releasing free-fall bombs

- 3:34 Mig-23BN's launching unguided missiles

- 4:01 Gazelles

- 4:25 Mil Mi-25's firing anti-tank missiles, are they the AT-2 Swatter?

- 5:36 Mil Mi-17's performing landing of special forces units

- 6:16 An-26 airdropping cargo

It's good to see that these great Mig-21's are still operational in SyAAF !!

It's the very first time in Syrian media to show Mig-29 from such close distance !!

Mig-23ML's, the first one's reg. number is not clear but can be read kinda like #397 !?!?

The Su-24MK was also and for the first time shoot from short distance; Unfortunately in these maneuvers they did not fit it with guided missiles or bombs, this tactical bomber wasn't built to pass over the target exposing itself to the ground fire to throw free-fall bombs !!

Gazelles launching AS-12 wire-guided anti-tank missiles, note that the Gazelle looks it must be in still status to be able to launch such missile?

Not like the Gazelle, the Mi-25 can fire its anti-tank missiles while in movement.