Again!! Syrian MiG-25 in Action!!

Again, the Syrian MiG-25 made its second appearance yesterday 27th March over the same area 60km to the west of T4 AFB the main home base of this aircraft.

 

 

From the footage of the video, it looks that this MiG-25 had attacked a target by dropping bombs which leads to a conclusion that this is an RB variant!! But, surprisingly, I was informed later on that an aircraft had launched two missiles/rockets from a considerably long distance then climbed again with intensive black smoke behind generated from two engines...I doubt the MiG-29 is carrying out ground attack sorties over this area as well which witnessed the use of Su-24MK and Su-22M since 2012.
 

Before the Syrian uprising, the RB variant used to fly mainly from T4 AFB (with regular detachment to Seen AFB), while the R was based in Dmair AFB.

BTW, I published this post here to draw the attention that the first appearance of the Syrian MiG-25 was not such a normal event, seeing this aircraft again would confirm that it is air worthy and an area(s) is assigned for this aircraft to take care of.

THE 'SEEN' AS NEVER SEEN BEFORE!!

Yes, true, as never seen before!! Again the SyAAF SEEN AFB is updated on the electronic maps, but this time BING did it, and did it perfectly!!
You can refer to the previous POST in order to get more info about this base and for better comparison about the novelties of aircraft and layout and the most important this is the SyAADF newly deployed in this base.
As always, I would start this post with a key map for the air field which indicated the enlarged crops I list below:

View 1: Three MiG-29's on main tarmac. Note that the camo of the unit at the bottom looks almost plain, which confirms that there is not unified camo for all SyAAF MiG-29's.

View 2: Another MiG-29 can be seen on the pad where maintenance team test engines after being overhauled.

View 3: A new MiG-23 is added -first from the bottom- to the phased out units of this type.

View 4: Six phased out MiG-21's. Note the scrapped wingless fuselage of a Su-7.

View 5: The MiG-25RB continues its rest in the same place after its accident some time in early 2000's.

View 6: As mentioned above, these are the major novelties seen in this air base: the new SyAADF systems deployed here and there all around the airfield.
I'm not an expert with types of SAM's, I may tell that these trucks are supposed to be carrying SA-2 or even the S-200 missiles. I would prefer to leave it for experts to indicate the type of SAM system deployed in this spot. 

View 7: The trucks at the bottom which carries two missiles, look SA-3.

View 8: These are for sure launchers of SA-3.

View 9: Another batch of trucks carrying SA-2.

View 10: Launchers of SA-2.

View 11: Launchers of SA-3.
As I said, these systems are newly deployed around the base, as you can see clearly they were just laid in place even without ground preparations.

Profiles of SyAAF Units - Part I (Fixed-Wing Aircraft)

Very special thanks for the very special gift for this blog prepared by our friend "Erased24" !!!
Awesome profiles of some SyAAF units those accurately rendered after referring to their real photos to be recorded as good reference for modellers. 

  
Starting with an L-39ZA with serial 2119, this UNIT which last seen fitted with unguided rocket pods, used to be operated from Kweres (Rasm Al Abboud) AFB.
On 19 November 2012, Free Syrian Army succeeded to shot down this aircraft which was assaulting towns and villages in the suburbs of Aleppo.

Another L-39ZA with serial 2136 (written here 2126)
This UNIT was spotted twice at least last year releasing two free fall bombs (FAB-250) and firing unguided rockets over the city of Aleppo, also used to be operated from Kweres (Rasm Al Abboud) AFB.

MiG-21MF with serial 1549 fitted with four AA-2 Atol air-to-air missiles, this UNIT was photographed in Dhmair AFB with the SyAAF legendary hero Magid Al Zughbi

MiG-23ML with serial 2755, first published in Combat Aircraft Monthly magazine in the episode of September 2010.

MiG-23BN attack/bomber with serial 1677, this type of aircraft is being used almost daily to assault suburbs of Damascus, Deir EzZour and recently Dar'a.

MiG-25RB with serial 2705, first published when it was in Dhmair AFB HERE

MiG-29 Fulcrum A with serial 2420.

Su-24MK with serial 2509, this type is also in use widely with SyAAF to conduct bombing missions against FSyA, and sometimes against civilians mostly in the provinces of Idleb, Homs and Aleppo.
One UNIT of this type was spotted releasing eight free fall bombs in the area of Jabal Al Zawiyeh on 21 November last year.

Eye-Catching AFB: T4 (Syria)

I believe it's time to talk about a very attractive Syrian AFB, especially after the great Apple maps revealed its latest and most recent aerial images...it's the T4.
T4 (or as named in GE "Tiyas" which is not known at all with this name in Syria) is located in the Syrian desert 80km to the east of Homs city.

T4, is one of the most important AFB's in Syria since it is STILL the main home base for the Syrian Su-24MK fleet, and WAS for the sadly phased-out most of the MiG-25PD's fleet.
This AFB witnessed the operation of Su-7, Su-22M, Su-24MK, MiG-25PD/PU/RB, MiG-29 in addition to the two Il-28 SyAAF used to have in 1960s.
Above is a key map for the views below:

View 1: This is the first aerial image which clearly confirms the phasing-out of MiG-25PD's, four airframes sadly towed into the desert.

View 2: The north-eastern HAS's shows another MiG-25s still parked outdoor, they look here more stored than phased-out.
Note the two fuselage of scrapped Su-7s to the upper right corner.

View 3: The south-eastern HAS's also shows few MiG-25s stored aside outside.

View 4: another four MiG-25s parked outside.

View 5: To the furthest west of this AFB, two yards received ten MiG-25s, the western HAS's used to be occupied by Su-22 squadrons.

View 6: Another four confirmed phased-out MiG-25s been towed also in the desert.
From these satellite images, T4 became a boneyard for the MiG-25 fleet in which we can count at least 27 airframes (stored/phased-out), but referring to the video of Tadmor airbase in which at least three MiG-25PD/PU appeared then we assume that only few units might be still operational till todate.

The SEEN is finally seen !!!

Finally, after years of the emergence of electronic maps (Google, Bing and Apple), Apple maps did it and revealed the never seen before, the SEEN AIR FORCE BASE !!
This base in known also as "Sayqal" as per the Google Earth, but it's not called like this in Syria at all.
The importance of this AFB comes from being the home base of the SyAAF MiG-29 fleet.

Seen is the only Syrian AFB which didn't have clear aerial view or satellite image in any map before, sadly it was provided in gray scale tones but it's better than nothing !!
Above is a key map for the partial views below (North is always to the top).

View 1: phased-out two MiG-21s.

View 2: another two MiG-21s phased-out.

View 3: the upper aircraft is a MiG-23, the below is MiG-29, since both are exposed in the yard then both should be training variants.

View 4: This look to be the maintenence and testing facility, two MiG-29s appears here.

View 5: again...another two MiG-21s phased-out.

View 6: a MiG-25RB had an accident in early 2000s, withdrawn immediately and been kept in its place.

View 7: the lower aircraft looks like a fin-less MiG-23, while the one to the north of the double HAS is a Su-24MK.

View 8: withdrawn MiG-21s are everywhere in this AFB !!, here are six airframes phased-out; Also note the two scraped wing-less Su-7s or Su-20s.

View 9: OK, here are the last two phased-out MiG-21s been towed into the desert.

Simultaneously, Bing maps revealed this AFB, I'm not sure of the time gap between Apple's and Bing's, but Bing's still blurry and in low definition.
Only two important partial views here, the eastern one shows a MiG-29 been parked behind the HAS, while the western one shows three MiG-23s side by side.

SyAAF Mig-25RB - Another Update...

Another update for the SyAAF Mig-25RB reg. 2705...enjoy !!