Friday, February 17, 2023

After One Year Of War The Russian Air Force ‘Has Lot of Capability Left’

A Russian Su-35 takes off from Brest, Belarus, Feb. 11, 2022. Russian Ministry of Defense photo  

Air Force Magazine: Russian Air Force ‘Has Lot of Capability Left’ One Year On From Ukraine Invasion 

While the red stars on the aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces, or VKS, have not been very visible in recent months, Russia’s air force remains largely intact despite its grinding war in Ukraine, according to independent analysis and official comments.

The fighting in Ukraine has been dominated by artillery exchanges, and neither side has been able to establish air superiority. But as Russian forces begin a new offensive, there are mounting concerns among Ukrainian allies that Moscow may be preparing to make greater use of its fixed-wing and rotary aircraft. 

Though U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III sought to dispel fears that Ukraine will face a qualitatively different Russian air threat, he did acknowledge that Russia still has lots of aircraft, which could put additional stress on Ukraine’s air defenses.  

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WNU Editor: Ukraine (and Russia) are saturated with air defenses. I do not envy the pilots who must fly in this conflict zone. What I am relieved about is Russia holding back in using its bomber fleet to conduct saturated bombing. Like the US B-52s, when these Russian air assets are used they can cause massive destruction like they did in the last Chechen war, and in Syria..

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hasn't really been an air war at all. Most active airframe are the KA-52's.

Anonymous said...

Ukraine are just shooting them using javelins

Tasman Gleeson said...

At the beginning phase of the war there was a bit of an air battle, but due to heavy Russian losses it didn't work out to well for Russia.

Anonymous said...

The new capability - to ground