50 SKY SHADES - World aviation news

Il-20M deployment aids Russian strikes in Syria

Download: Printable PDF Date: 01 Oct 2015 13:07 (UTC) category:
Publisher:
Il-20M deployment aids Russian strikes in Syria - Manufacturer publisher
Tatjana Obrazcova
Country: Syrian
Source: FlightGlobal

The Russian air force has deployed Ilyushin Il-20M intelligence-gathering aircraft inside Syria to help co-ordinate its attacks on rebel personnel, and to also follow the movements of other militaries operating in the area.

Dedicated to electronic intelligence missions, the Il-20M arrived in Syria days after Russia's first Ilyushin Il-76 began to unload military hardware at Latakia air base. The heavily-adapted aircraft's mission equipment includes surveillance radars, an electro-optical/infrared sensor and satellite communications equipment for real-time data sharing.

Asset Image

Russian combat aircraft also deployed to Latakia over the last several weeks – including Sukhoi Su-25s, Su-30s and Su-34s – conducted their first strikes in Syria on 30 September, shortly after Moscow informed the USA and Israel of its intention to launch offensive action.

Yiftah Shapir, the head of Israel's Institute for National Security Studies' Middle East Military Balance project, expects the Russian military to further increase its presence in Syria. "They went in after the US and Europe stood aside, and now Moscow is determined to change the situation and to keep its position in the region," he says. "That will involve more forces – mainly in the air."





Recommended

Emirates SkyCargo transports Orbitworks’ Altair-1, the first commercial AI-enabled satellite developed and manufactured in the UAE

Emirates SkyCargo completed the transport of Altair-1, the UAE’s first commercial AI-enabled  earth observation satellite. Part of Orbitworks’ Altair constellation, the movement...

Lufthansa Group launches free high-speed internet from Starlink

It’s the beginning of a new era: a Lufthansa Group aircraft will take off for the first time equipped with the fastest in-flight internet connection for passengers currently available. A Lufthan...

Bell expands aftermarket offerings in Asia Pacific with new hydraulic capabilities at Australian facility

Bell Textron expanded its component, repair, and overhaul facility in Australia to include hydraulic component maintenance and repair. This marks a major milestone as Bell’s first facility...

Cirrus expands Grand Forks manufacturing facility to support growing demand

Cirrus Aircraft celebrated the opening of its expanded manufacturing facility in Grand Forks, North Dakota, marking a significant milestone in the company's continued investment in manufacturing e...

Android Apps development in Riga, Latvia