Fly without complexes
The Syrian opposition will receive man-portable air defense systems, and the Russian videoconferencing system will begin to suffer significant losses. Talk about this for a long time in foreign media. The most odious Western experts openly called for the transfer of MANPADS to the militants to fight Russia.
The expectations of foreign media have been met. Militants used man-portable air defense missiles against the Russian combat helicopter Mi-8AMTSH, which, according to the official version, carried out a flight with humanitarian aid. But the sensation did not happen. As stated by the official representatives of the Russian military, skillful actions allowed the crew to steer the car out of the fire and continue the task.
Details of the incident in the Syrian sky are not reported, but certain conclusions can be drawn from what happened. Let's try to figure out whether MANPADS are so dangerous for Russian planes and helicopters aviation Special Purpose Brigades based in Hmeimim. And at the same time where are the deadly complexes from the Islamists.
Portable anti-aircraft myths
The legend of the unique effectiveness of MANPADS was born during the war of the Soviet Union in Afghanistan. A classic statement that even got into general education textbooks on stories for schoolchildren: the CIA handed over to the Mujahideen Stinger MANPADS caused such losses to the Soviet Air Force and Ground Forces aviation that this greatly reduced their effectiveness. Having been left without air support, units and subunits of the 40 Army were forced to significantly reduce operations and military exits, the initiative was lost.
Meanwhile, MANPADS were used long before the war in Afghanistan and their first victims were American planes and helicopters at the end of the Vietnam War. It was the first time when the Soviet Strela-2 anti-aircraft missile systems distinguished themselves. At the same time with the fighters of the North Vietnamese army and the Vietcongs, Strela - already against the Israeli Air Force - Syrians and Egyptians, who shot down quite a lot of not only Skyhawk light attack aircraft, but also heavy multifunctional fighters, effectively used the Doomsday War. F-4 Phantom-4.
But already in the 80-ies in the operation in Lebanon, the Israeli air force suffered only episodic losses from MANPADS fire. The aircraft operated at an altitude of over five thousand meters, that is, outside the zone of MANPADS, and when attacking targets, infrared traps were used. Similarly, after the first deliveries of MANPADS (the Chinese version of the Strela-2 and the English Bloupep) to the Mujahideen, the Soviet air forces also began to operate in Afghanistan. Losses were insignificant. The situation has changed somewhat only after the delivery of the Stingers. Although the American missiles did not reach the Soviet aircraft at an altitude of over three thousand meters, they could distinguish a working engine from an infrared trap.
The most effective American MANPADS proved themselves in the first months after their appearance in Afghanistan. Their victims were mainly low-altitude attack aircraft Su-25 and helicopters Mi-24, Mi-8. The faster MiG-23 and Su-17, rarely dropping below three thousand meters, suffered minimal losses. And after the Soviet specialists, having conducted tests of the captured Stinger, developed an effective tactic and technical means of counteraction, the losses were sharply reduced.
In 1991, the US Air Force and Allied Coalition lost in the “Storm in the Desert” operation only a few aircraft and not a single helicopter from MANPADS fire, although the Iraqi armed forces had more modern Igla complexes, in their capabilities seriously superior to the Stingers.
The tactics of protection against MANPADS is very simple. For airplanes - work at an altitude of at least five thousand meters. In 80 – 90-ies, when aiming devices and aircraft weapons did not provide high accuracy, reduction was a necessary condition for the attack. Now with the development of optical-electronic systems and the WTO, such a need has disappeared. Even Su-25 carried out flights in Syria at an altitude of over five thousand meters and hit targets immaculately.
Helicopters, on the contrary, need to be as close as possible to the ground and keep high speed. In this case, the rotary-wing machines must necessarily be equipped not only with systems for ejecting infrared traps, but also with optical interference stations which knock down the work of the homing missiles.
The most effective complex of jamming against MANPADS at the present time is the Russian Vitebsk, which detects a target and, depending on its characteristics, either firing infrared traps, or placing powerful interferences, or blinding a GOS portable anti-aircraft missile with a powerful laser beam.
Stocks of Colonel Gaddafi
Since the beginning of the civil war in Syria, the opposition forces looted the warehouses of the government army, which had a serious arsenal of MANPADS - both the Arrows-2 and its Chinese clones, and the more modern Russian Needles-2. True, in the first stages of the fighting, rockets were used quite rarely, the militants simply did not have enough specialists. In addition, most of the complexes due to improper storage quickly out of order.
But with the advent of foreign military experts, including from Saudi Arabia and the United States, the situation has changed. MANPADS operators were trained, deliveries of serviceable complexes from stocks previously looted in the arsenals of the Libyan army after the overthrow of Gaddafi began. Although the latter is officially denied.
It was the use of portable complexes that caused serious losses to Syrian aviation and limited their combat use. And the last aircraft of the Assad Air Force were shot down from MANPADS this fall.
But there was a downside. MANPADS began to spread across the region. In particular, they appeared among Kurdish militias (who shot down several Turkish helicopters), Yemeni Housits, and even reached Afghanistan. The US military has repeatedly noted attempts to attack ISAF aircraft and helicopters using man-portable air defense missiles.
So when Western experts and journalists talk about the transfer of moderate opposition to MANPADS to fight Russian videoconferencing, they forget that the region is already stuffed with man-portable air defense missile systems of various manufacturers, series and generations, ranging from outdated Strela 2 to the latest Russian "Needle" and Chinese FN-6.
Are they dangerous for VKS of Russia? Undoubtedly, a certain threat exists. But Russian airplanes operate at high altitudes, and modern navigation and aiming systems, optical-electronic stations provide high accuracy of targeting and application of TSA. Therefore, Su-24M, Su-34 and even Su-25 do not need to be substituted for the fire of the portable militant complexes. The effectiveness of MANPADS against Russian aircraft is indicated by the fact that during the year of the operation not a single launch was recorded on the sides of the Russian Aerospace Forces.
With helicopters is not so easy. Yes, Mi-8AMTSH, Ka-52 and Mi-28 are protected by “Vitebsk”, which, most likely, saved our “eight” from MANPADS. But the newest self-defense complex does not protect against the usual rifle weapons and with a certain combination, using machine guns and machine guns, as well as MANPADS, the rotary-wing machine can be knocked down.
A good example is the death of the Mi-8AMTSH in the summer of this year, which, according to reports, was ambushed. The car went at a low altitude to make it as difficult as possible for the operator to operate the MANPADS, but was substituted for small arms.
The expectations of foreign media have been met. Militants used man-portable air defense missiles against the Russian combat helicopter Mi-8AMTSH, which, according to the official version, carried out a flight with humanitarian aid. But the sensation did not happen. As stated by the official representatives of the Russian military, skillful actions allowed the crew to steer the car out of the fire and continue the task.
Details of the incident in the Syrian sky are not reported, but certain conclusions can be drawn from what happened. Let's try to figure out whether MANPADS are so dangerous for Russian planes and helicopters aviation Special Purpose Brigades based in Hmeimim. And at the same time where are the deadly complexes from the Islamists.
Portable anti-aircraft myths
The legend of the unique effectiveness of MANPADS was born during the war of the Soviet Union in Afghanistan. A classic statement that even got into general education textbooks on stories for schoolchildren: the CIA handed over to the Mujahideen Stinger MANPADS caused such losses to the Soviet Air Force and Ground Forces aviation that this greatly reduced their effectiveness. Having been left without air support, units and subunits of the 40 Army were forced to significantly reduce operations and military exits, the initiative was lost.
Meanwhile, MANPADS were used long before the war in Afghanistan and their first victims were American planes and helicopters at the end of the Vietnam War. It was the first time when the Soviet Strela-2 anti-aircraft missile systems distinguished themselves. At the same time with the fighters of the North Vietnamese army and the Vietcongs, Strela - already against the Israeli Air Force - Syrians and Egyptians, who shot down quite a lot of not only Skyhawk light attack aircraft, but also heavy multifunctional fighters, effectively used the Doomsday War. F-4 Phantom-4.But already in the 80-ies in the operation in Lebanon, the Israeli air force suffered only episodic losses from MANPADS fire. The aircraft operated at an altitude of over five thousand meters, that is, outside the zone of MANPADS, and when attacking targets, infrared traps were used. Similarly, after the first deliveries of MANPADS (the Chinese version of the Strela-2 and the English Bloupep) to the Mujahideen, the Soviet air forces also began to operate in Afghanistan. Losses were insignificant. The situation has changed somewhat only after the delivery of the Stingers. Although the American missiles did not reach the Soviet aircraft at an altitude of over three thousand meters, they could distinguish a working engine from an infrared trap.
The most effective American MANPADS proved themselves in the first months after their appearance in Afghanistan. Their victims were mainly low-altitude attack aircraft Su-25 and helicopters Mi-24, Mi-8. The faster MiG-23 and Su-17, rarely dropping below three thousand meters, suffered minimal losses. And after the Soviet specialists, having conducted tests of the captured Stinger, developed an effective tactic and technical means of counteraction, the losses were sharply reduced.
In 1991, the US Air Force and Allied Coalition lost in the “Storm in the Desert” operation only a few aircraft and not a single helicopter from MANPADS fire, although the Iraqi armed forces had more modern Igla complexes, in their capabilities seriously superior to the Stingers.
The tactics of protection against MANPADS is very simple. For airplanes - work at an altitude of at least five thousand meters. In 80 – 90-ies, when aiming devices and aircraft weapons did not provide high accuracy, reduction was a necessary condition for the attack. Now with the development of optical-electronic systems and the WTO, such a need has disappeared. Even Su-25 carried out flights in Syria at an altitude of over five thousand meters and hit targets immaculately.
Helicopters, on the contrary, need to be as close as possible to the ground and keep high speed. In this case, the rotary-wing machines must necessarily be equipped not only with systems for ejecting infrared traps, but also with optical interference stations which knock down the work of the homing missiles.
The most effective complex of jamming against MANPADS at the present time is the Russian Vitebsk, which detects a target and, depending on its characteristics, either firing infrared traps, or placing powerful interferences, or blinding a GOS portable anti-aircraft missile with a powerful laser beam.
Stocks of Colonel Gaddafi
Since the beginning of the civil war in Syria, the opposition forces looted the warehouses of the government army, which had a serious arsenal of MANPADS - both the Arrows-2 and its Chinese clones, and the more modern Russian Needles-2. True, in the first stages of the fighting, rockets were used quite rarely, the militants simply did not have enough specialists. In addition, most of the complexes due to improper storage quickly out of order.
But with the advent of foreign military experts, including from Saudi Arabia and the United States, the situation has changed. MANPADS operators were trained, deliveries of serviceable complexes from stocks previously looted in the arsenals of the Libyan army after the overthrow of Gaddafi began. Although the latter is officially denied.It was the use of portable complexes that caused serious losses to Syrian aviation and limited their combat use. And the last aircraft of the Assad Air Force were shot down from MANPADS this fall.
But there was a downside. MANPADS began to spread across the region. In particular, they appeared among Kurdish militias (who shot down several Turkish helicopters), Yemeni Housits, and even reached Afghanistan. The US military has repeatedly noted attempts to attack ISAF aircraft and helicopters using man-portable air defense missiles.
So when Western experts and journalists talk about the transfer of moderate opposition to MANPADS to fight Russian videoconferencing, they forget that the region is already stuffed with man-portable air defense missile systems of various manufacturers, series and generations, ranging from outdated Strela 2 to the latest Russian "Needle" and Chinese FN-6.
Are they dangerous for VKS of Russia? Undoubtedly, a certain threat exists. But Russian airplanes operate at high altitudes, and modern navigation and aiming systems, optical-electronic stations provide high accuracy of targeting and application of TSA. Therefore, Su-24M, Su-34 and even Su-25 do not need to be substituted for the fire of the portable militant complexes. The effectiveness of MANPADS against Russian aircraft is indicated by the fact that during the year of the operation not a single launch was recorded on the sides of the Russian Aerospace Forces.
With helicopters is not so easy. Yes, Mi-8AMTSH, Ka-52 and Mi-28 are protected by “Vitebsk”, which, most likely, saved our “eight” from MANPADS. But the newest self-defense complex does not protect against the usual rifle weapons and with a certain combination, using machine guns and machine guns, as well as MANPADS, the rotary-wing machine can be knocked down.
A good example is the death of the Mi-8AMTSH in the summer of this year, which, according to reports, was ambushed. The car went at a low altitude to make it as difficult as possible for the operator to operate the MANPADS, but was substituted for small arms.
Information