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    AirForces Monthly 10 2023

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    AirForces Monthly 10 2023

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    Vicente Martinez Salvador
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    AirForces_Monthly_10_2023

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    AirForces Monthly 10 2023

    Uploaded by

    Vicente Martinez Salvador

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    re nae ese kone Oo iaaen DOL AULUo} * NATO gifts F-16s to the struggle ff vf ales Cia eoleex- mule ge Mae aici kB (0 |) g ie MDI co aM CLM ABU leon [oy=ler0) 1 SA ik fer 0 M11 1) bi Aahrke IQg ever Death of a hero y deployment eelaRaltlesy Russian jets ONLI i SMO Pye tae a cat) Te a eA TS RT PLAY NOW FOR FREE * WVU Dame eae Corre Hivos Qerean i = aM 5 Besa Benne Bers wxwooxsenesxis Comment NATO support keeps coming ‘War coverage in this month’ issue — there is @ Tot going on, with some maior developments in the ai after months of focus onthe ground war (On August 6, the Ukrainian Air Foree unveiled the airborne weapons provided by the West in recent months ~ SCALP-EG, ‘Storm Shadow ai-launched cruise missiles {ALCMs), Joint Direct Ae Munitions UDAMs) land AGM-B8 High-speed Anti Radiation Missiles (HARMS) during a big coremony at Vasyikv Air Base near Kyiv. There were also ‘some protty effective spacial operations, the defection of a Russian Mi-8 Hip helicopter ‘and more nes from NATO on the supply of F-16s, The bulk ofthese will sgemingly come from The Netherlands (hence our font cover tor ~ Moers Aviation: Seon Lee ‘Group Ear ot ange Aon res Dens stor am Charan ‘stant tary aor: Deve por ‘edt ary Eto: en Sta sk ‘Group Procton Eat bau oor Dest sey Cot oy Oa, Mat Fae Mat Esco, ote ar ‘erertong Are Man Nea ot See ane Maretg Sir aor Copesot Art canbe blared an month [nee oct, contacto Greater Manager subroneypuoisingcom: imuvwncon caine 52-103 ‘amaton Media Sani, wera Key. Aero Image), Denmark and Norway. ‘Sadly, Ukranian Air Force MiG-29 plot ‘ice’ a media dating, was killed in a tying accident. He wil be sorely missed for his ‘comments on how the Ukranian Air Force should modernise. ‘Our award-winning correspondent Vladimir Trendafiovsk, who knew ‘Jule, continues to keep us informed ofall the details of the air war which is now heading towards a ‘second year. In this issue, Vadim, looks at the Ukranian Air Force's Su-24 Fencer feet, which is now able to launch the West's stand fff weapons and is causing so much damage to the Russians. How they woul lke to dostroy Putin's mighty Fencer fleet ‘Our other regional expert, Alexander ‘anor ptgrapte persona oration ‘Aakers Monty S54 055.709) USPS6119, bes ey Roy hig, PO BO 10. ‘Sovkwoesticaw sc codes pie pac ony 138 Pontos ut ater ranges aor Not. Scion sod ae mad ay aig Ae snore ateacing somal spe The Etre hogy ore conrbuons AF. Pete ‘eet Submited mate epecayatsong shoe ar a aaa cory marke an Mladenov, takes a look at Ukraine's long: range eforts that involve suicide drones as well as stand-off weapons. As we moved towards our press day, the Ukrainian military was dispatching increasing numbers of unmanned aerial systems loaded with min- bombs and Tu-t41 and Tu-143 recee drones that had been converted into ALCME, Tho Pussians are certainly not getting it all thei own way anymore, the population of Moscow will vouch for that. With the drones undoubtedly becoming more sophisticated {and easier to produce, particularly via 3D printers, the strikes will Become even more effective, ‘The Russian Aerospace Forces continue to launch ALCMs at Ukraine from Tu-95MS Boar-Hs and Tupolev Tu-22 Backfires, Missle ‘stocks continue dwindle while the success rates of these ALCM missions remain very low, sometimes just 25%! But f you have large mass, as the Russians do, then that stil ‘counts for alot of destruction ‘Meanwhile we continue to Keep an eye on wat Iran is upto, and what is going on in ‘Alrica, where the Russians are edging out the French in Mal, Niger and probably Gabon. Plus, we look at the return ofthe stealthy F-1TTA Nighthawk which should probably be renamed Phoenix, which, in Greek mythology, ‘yctically regenerates or put simply, is constantly being reborn. Alan Warnes Group Editor at Large Contact tho team at fsfiotarersmenhycom {fe sunt outs ard condo, neh regu ‘ened iho nota eet rn Ky Ieher Same 0 Sem) nse ines pea na Uk Tee 7002s" ‘as 44 47005720 Wana wm ay Ae ‘Sopmararton i, 2 Paya anon ETA SPR “rset contents ot roves Wor © copra. an ro par tay be produces ey torso on {ny tomet eer ester wou he pemisn Ker october 2009.) 8 October 2023 #427 Regulars 03 Comment /AFM's monthly opinion about the most recent {and noteworthy miltary aviation topics 06 News ‘+ Headlines (p6) + Ukraine Reveals SCALP (p68) * Death ofa Ukrainian Hero (p10) » NATO to supply Ukraine with F-16s (6) « UK news (913) + Europe (p14) * North America (17) Latin America (p20) + Fussia/Cis (p22) + Middle East (p23) + Asia-Pacific (p24) Compiled by Jon Lake 26 Passing Through Ben Staniey Hal introduces the hie instamertof our new monthy feature looking at una vistors to UK shore, often in Unexpected paces SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE eto Peete eet 4 cctewer 2029 30 Ukraine-Russia War: A thorn in Russia’s side Ukraine's heavyweight Su-24 Fencer ‘continues to be a burden to Russia's war effort, writes Vladimir Tendatiovski 40 Ukraine-Russia War: Biting back ‘Alexander Mladenov looks at Ukraine's Geep aise operations, ighighting the factlevements and weaknesses 54 From Paris With Love Jean-Marc Tanguy spent ten days with the French Airand Space Force as the air arm {deployed to the Indo-Pacific region as part (of Operation Pégase, involving 19 airoratt of the different types 68 Retirement Report: Adios Argo As the Spanish Navy undergoes a tranatormation, Maric Sap look athe final days ofthe helcopte that Nas been @ dedlested workhorse for more than 80 years 90 Showbiz: Oshkosh & Radom AFu's monthly review of miltary airshows, plus a calendar of significant upcoming events 94 Attrition Report Dave Allort provides deta of significant cent riltary aviation mishaps from around the world 98 Next Issue Apeeview of what's on the modern miitary aviation agenda in next month's issue of AFM Features 48 Avoiding more betrayal? Babak Taghvaee explains why iran has backed out of ts acquisition of 25 Su-25SES from Russia and Row the flame Republic of ran Air Force has struggled to effectively operate Is exiting Fulorum and Fencer fleets die to Moscow's potical strategies 60 Back in black Operating in complete secrecy for the first years ofits if, the F-117A has been doing much the same since its announced reticement’ in 2008, The vel of secrecy surrounding its operations since then has Started to slip a litle, as Jon Lake recounts 72 Iran's new drone threat As the Gods Mohajer-10 armed drone 88 Battling the unknown ‘ter giving testimony to the US Congress, former US Navy FAT plot Ryan ‘FOES: Graves talks with Rob Coppinger about his squadron's strange encounters with UAPS is unveiled in Tehran, Babak Taghvaee ‘iscusses its capabilities and the danger it poses 74 Africa unplugged Inthe wake ofa mitary takeover Niger, Al 4 Venter ponders the utue given the current instabity nthe region at atime when air powerhas éwindled sigtcanty 80 From Ghibli to Typhoon ‘The 12nd Squadron ‘Carlo Emanuele Buscagla' isthe only italian Air Force unit to use two alfferent airraft atthe same time: the ‘ANX Ghibli ana Eurofighter Typhoon, Daniele Faccial, Giovanni Colla and Remo Guidi ‘explain how the squadron is successfully ‘tansitioning from one tothe other Headlines jere clearly aimed ‘the Ukrainian drone. at marking the 32n¢ sttack on August Ukrainian drone attacks The HUR organised a series of special operations, which apparently ineluded == Fighting on : aviation (LRA) arm coc 10) esl a(eeo tsa gals h-22 (AS-4 Kitchen) PRM According to HUR ee ae ee eee eT) PEREIRA offcizis, both attacks were destroyed and a furter no proof to support re PCIERMGCAMEE concucied by people two Backfre-Cs were these claims and Russia__to the HUR's claim that causing enormous civian [Eamie oes damaged in the Soltsy-2 has denied any losses. _the strikes were an ‘inside PETMAN Fussia”(le,using drones attack, whilejust one Nonetheless, reports that job! inacoura Cohn ec eee me fen eee ee cc RECENTER terion). They claimthat theattack on Shaykovka. at Solisy:2 were confirmed local time on August local time on August 19, a Seer eee reg drone strike was executed ead ee ees against the Sotsy-2 Air Pees meee Base (AB) in Russia's Care ress Novgorod Oblast. When Ee et ee eet Cec the attack occurred, this eee tm we tt) reserve base was home to ee naa some ten Tu-22M35, which Soe ee oe et had temporarily detached a eae amen ct ‘hore from an unidentified ee en LRA unit Tx tee nt Cece me ey Coy Kaluga Oblast, eet eee rr) to the LRA’ Backfire a ee equipped 52nd Keay cc ir eT ec UEC Sc Aviation Ri ori hymnabarar wenger ear eee eI mc tee Titec) perenne eerie eee RT a ett fee er eee Tete) ‘attack that continued into ‘August 30 and appears to have also inciudes ‘other military targets in the Pskov area, which is practcaly the same distance trom Ukraine as, Soltsy-2. Sabotage in Crimea’ ‘Another auccesstl ‘series of Uranian special operations took place againet RUAF AD assets deployed near the vilage of Oleniva, ‘which fs ocated onthe "hore ofthe Black Sea, neat Cape Tarkan in the westermost part of the Grmean Peninsula, some 176km southeast of Ukraine's Odesa Oblast. At approximately 1000hrs local time on August 23, 1 Russian 6-400 (SA-21 Growl surface-to-air missle system located Some aim to the north of Olenvka was struck by an unknown weapon, which destroyed or st Teast seously damaged ‘substantial number fits components Two days later, a high ranking Ukrainian official stated that a new type of Ucanian missile had been used but oid not go ino further deta “the operation continued the folowing night. Early fon August 24, HUR ‘operatives supported by the Ukrainian Navy landed near the vilage of Mayak located on the very tp of Cape Tarkankut, and subsequently destroyed the two BUAF early wwaring radar statlons {hat were postiones 2k south of Olena. Tis operation effectively crested a conslerable {pn he PUAF's AD network in Crimea, which {Sno dovot aimed at facitatng arstrikes trom the Ukrainian Al Force {UWAF) against highralve targets on the Russian ‘ceupied peninsua, ely Using Storm Shadow and SCALP-EG airlaunched cise misels fred fom ‘5u-24Fencer bombers (0° p30-39) at omni Grime, whore rym) Defecting to kraine “Te most remarkable HUR operation isthe tne dubbed “Synytoya Fo, whic rested in the ft known BUA Plt fo defect to Usain, Song wth a aN ip tactical transport helicopter. It was later revealed thatthe operation had lasted six months, With the RUAF pilot agresing to defect to Ukcaine witha helicopter ‘once an opportunity presented itselt rie nam st eatorearforzesmanthiy com ‘This occurred on August 9, when the helicopter was transporting various spare parts (including for the Su-30SM Fianker-H) between two RUAF air bases. ts plot, Capt Maksim Kuzminov from the ‘319th Separate Helicopter Regiment (OVP}, deviated ‘rom the orginal ight plan and entered Ukeainian airspace, landing the hip near Vowchansk in the Kharkiv Oblast. The ‘other two cxew members =the navigator and ‘onboard mechanic ~ nat aware ofthe plot's Intentions and, a8 soon 2s they realised what was happening, tried to ‘escape and resist capture. Unfortunately, they were ‘bath killed in the process, despite attempts by HUR, ‘operatives to capture them alive eee Le ate teat Pract ee ere ee er Se arr titel ing news stores The event was made public on August 23, without revealing the pilot's name or where ‘and when the defection took place. The RuAF helicopters identity was Confirmed as Mi-BAMTSh (@F-04428"'62 Red’ from Chernigovka AB, which is located in the Primorsky Krai Oblast in the far east of Russia, The helicopter was. recovered intact by Ukrainian crews, With allo its RUAF markings painted over, it was flown oan undisclosed UkrAF base, presumably Pottava in Ukraine's Poltava (Oblast, where a Ukrainian Army Aviation unit with IMi-B Hip and Mi-24 Hing helicopters is also based. Itis presumed that the helicopter was taken over by the HUR for use ints ‘ongoing operations. ‘According to Maj Gen Kyrylo Budanov, chet of the HUR, ths helicopter snow in Kyi and its pilot wants to stay in Usraine. As part ofthis operation, the immediate ‘members of his famiy were clandestinely relocates to Ukraine before the defection took pace. An Imterviw withthe lot was sired on September 3, in hich he clearly indicated that the HUR had offered him a financial incentive, caling for all AF pilots to follow hs example, specific sum was not tieclosed, but since March 2022 Ukraine has offered all RUAF pilots $500,000, to dofect to Ukraine with a helicopter or $tm fora fixed-wing arrat ‘This was not the fst attempt by Ukraine's security services to entice UAF plots to detect with their arcratt Similar but unsuccessful attempt was disclosed by the SBU earlier this year and resulted in two UirAF Su-278 being destroyed by Russian missiles at Kanatove AB, a reserve base in Ukraine's Kirovohrad Oblast, on July 28, 2022. Viadimir Trendafilovski ‘THE DAY ofthe Ukrainian Ar Force (UKIAF) is ‘celebrated on the frst Sunday of August, which fell on August 6 his year Despite the ongoing war the ceremony took place at Vasyikv Air Base (AB) ~ attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the highest-ranking ‘government and military officals, including the Minister of Defence lak Reznikoy, the ‘Commander-in-Chiet of the Armed Forces (of Ukraine Gen Valeriy Zaluzhry\ and UkrAP'S ‘Commander, Lt Gen Mykola Oleshchuk This base, located 17 miles southwest trom Kyl, is the home of the famous 440th Tactical Aviation Brigade (Or7A), operating MiG-29 Fulerum fighters = the UkrAF unit that has successfully defended the Ukrainian capital sins the beginning of Russias ful scale invasion on February 24, 2022, The ceremony was held ‘on the auxilary apron near the north-western Ukraine-Russia War Ukraine reveals French S fend ofthe runway, which is appropriately ‘adorned with a large white inscription thats well visible from the ai The inscription, "Russian rity aicratt go Yyourset, isa variation Of the famous “Russian warship go" yoursel™ phrase thatthe defenders fof Snake island used in their reply to the Russian Navy quided-missile cruiser, Moskva (121) on February 24, 2022. ‘The UkrAF displayed Its main types of combat alcratt: MIG-29 Fuferum land Su-27 Flanker fighters, ‘a Su-24 Fencer bomber, and a $u-25 Frogfoot (ground attack aierat, all armed with Western weapons. The MiG-23 carried the US-supplied GPS. guided Joint Direct Attack Munition-Extended Range UDAM-ER) gle ‘bombs the Su-24 was. armed with the French- supplied SCALP-EG and the Uk-supplied Storm Shadow airlaunched ‘ruise missies; the '$u-25 with US-supplieg unguided 27mm (Sn) Zuni Folding-Fin Aivratt Frockst (FFAR) in four- shot LAU-10 pod: and, finaly te $u-27 carrie the US-supplied AGM-B8 High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM). In adton to these, the US-suppiied Patriot and German: ‘suppliag IRIS-T SLM aie defence (AD) systems, plus a Czech-suppied F-16 fight simulator, were also on display. The donation ofthe latter was ‘announced by the Czech ‘government in ly to support Ukraine's efforts to acquire the F-16. Heroes honoured President Zelenskyy also awarded UKIAF units land servicemen for their individual and collctive ‘acts of heroism Inthe ‘defence of the country's A SCALPLEG was cared on th starboard side ofthis 71h BrTA Su-24l ‘09 White’ ceplayed curing the ceremony at Vasyl on August & On August 2 rraine’s Ambassador fo France confimed that ‘te fst Batch of missles has already arived in Ukraine and was put f0 use es ofthe Present of Urare CALP-EG cruise missiles ed Hiro por mapper ren ied Laine ener nena eeeneray iy ay Ra independence ana temitorial integrity. To name just a fev: Lt Col ostysiav Lazarenko, a famous $u-25 pitt of the 298th bsTA, receive the "Hero of Ukraine’ te. This came tle was awarded posthumously to Col Mykhaylo Matyushenko and Maj Yury Krasylnikoy, the cco of Su-24M (84 White) from the 7th brTA, which was shot dawn on | ‘June 26, 2022, over the Black Saa following a mission against AD assets (on the Russian-occupied ‘Shake Island. Finally the 208th BTA =a MiG-29 Uni rom Lutsk ~ received the honorary award ‘For ‘Courage and Bravery’ Undoubtedly, the highiight of te event was the appearance of a 'SCALP-EG cruise missile =the French variant of the Storm Shadow, Its donation was announced ‘on May 15 by French President Emmanuel em en e) MiG-20MU (22 Wnt of he AOI BTA = th JORM-ER ‘5-240 (09 Wha of he 7th BTA — wth SCALP-EG end Storm Shacow u-254K (42 Bh} ofthe 205th BTA wh Zur FFARR in LAU0 pods $275 (52 White named Valeriy Kalyonov) ofthe 8st TA with AGN-88 HARM Macron and by mig-July August 6-6, just before the Crimea with mainlang ‘quantity of 50 missiles ceremony at Vasyikiv. Ukraine, they wore vital for ‘was quoted by French Despite the damage supplying Russian troops iplomatic sources, inflicted to their home on the frontine With arange of over base, UKrAF Su-248 Missile remains found at 250m (155 miles) the continued thelr missions. the Chonhar bridge had ‘Storm Shadow/SCALP- Immediately ater the —_~French inscriptions and a EG cruise missile ie ‘ceremony at Vasylkv on similar paint scheme to the currently the weapon August 6, they struck one shown at the Vasykiv with the longest range two important bridges at ceremony, suggesting it in UkrAF's inventory CChonhar and Henichesk might be the same missile ‘and causes Russia the withthe missiles. Linking Vladimir Trendatilovski sreatest concern cue to {heivery high precision and etfotvenes (ceo, page 44-48) reomes teno eurproe fuscia has been attempting to dostoy the UkcAPs Suzi fet, which s tasked with launching these missles, The test, ‘uve mise attack on Starokostyantyiv B= home tothe 7h DTA, wich operates the Su:248 660.4 Tho aco Remain ofthe mis that sek the Chontar in Russia's Side, p30 bridge on August 6 sported French inscriptions, suggesting @ 39)—was on the night of Franch-suppiod SCALP-EO cruse mist was used va Ter ‘Above post-strike image of the bridge over the Henichesk Strat (lse known a8 Tonky Strat, shows the damage inficted by the Storm Shadow! ‘SCALP-EG air launched crise missles on August 6 Uira nO ‘ove Captain Any lacyw with an eri oe of Ky cher oh 5 BTA in Celebrated Ukrainian Air Force MiG-29 pilot, Major ‘Andhiy Pishchykov, better known as ‘uice’, was. kiled ina fying accident, ‘ag0d 30, on August 25. Having a great interest in the Ukrainian Air Force (UkrAP), [had the pleasure ‘of being acquainted with Andy, via the internet, some 13 years ago writes VlacimirTrendatlovsk. In those days he was a teenager who was about totum 18, living in his native Kharkiv. He was an avia Ukranian military aviation enthusiast land spotter, better known in the communty as Pilshchak’. He was also wall respected by nis older colleagues, who always had a good word for hi, describing him as a very inteligent, motivates and honest person. So, it was no surprise Ukraine-Russia War Death of a Ukraine hero that he set out tofu his dream - becoming an UKAAF fighter ptt. In 2011 he enroled atthe kharkiv National Ar Force University (KhNUPS), ‘graduating in 2016, as part Of the frst KHNUPS class whieh pioneered anew training program. Under this program, future UkrAF pilots in the final (ith) year Of study underwent basic training on the intended combat airratt type (in Andriy’s case - the MiG. 29 Fulcrum) as part of thee pre-graduation instruction Later in 2016, Andriy — ‘row a 2nd Lieutenant with the 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade (oA) at Vasykiv air ase near Kyiv ~ successfully completed the MiG-29 taining course, receiving his fst qualification - pilot re twas net long before he partcipated. 2019, JOAN-ER and the AGM- he went tothe US foran 88 HARM, internship withthe Calfomia Unfortunately, he ‘Ar National Guard, Here he perished in a mid-air feamed his calsign ‘Juice’ collision involving two {for being a teetotaler, 39M trainers of the inking ony juice. 40th brTA ~ "102 Blue’ and 2025, along with 107 Blue’ both of which ‘soveral other pilots trom crashed near Sinhury his class, he lett the {Zhytomyr Oblast), Two of UbeAF as a sign of protest is colleagues also died ‘against the numerous in the accent. Al tree outdated Soviet-era pilots were promoted methods and formalities posthumously, Andry that plagued the UkrAF. becoming a Major ~ a Nevertheless, on the fst plot 2nd class with a total {day of the invasion he of S00 fight hours. Ware retumed tohis parent —_tnot for this accident unit and within a few it’s certain that he would ‘weeks was back behind have been shortlisted to the controls of a MIG- undergo F-16 training, 29, defending the skies ‘I must admit, iis abit ‘over Ukraine ~forthishe awkward having to write recaived the Order for an obituary for Andriy Courage Sra class on May as he was more than ten 2, 2022, years younger than me ‘AS a staunch supporter with his whole life ahead {or the complete of him, Nonetheless it \westernisation of the is a great honour. For UKPAF, he was one of the some roason, people like main advocates for the him are always snatcheo transfer of F16 fighters. away by fate before their He gave countless time, But take comfort interviews to western inthe saying that plots media on the subject, never die they simply using his excellent English fly away higher. | know he skils which made him an is up there somewhere, he became a focus instant celebrity inthe eagerly awatting the arrival of the meda - beng west. Despite all that, he of Ukraine's frst F-168 fet in Englsh ne was remained a combat pilot, to pave the way to final immensely helpful during regularly making combat victory ~ marking the the US-Ukrainian "Clear fights with Western fulfiment of his last great ‘Sky 2018' exorcise in which weapons such as the dream, ‘Bohn the controls of MIG-29 9-13 78 Whe’ rom the local 14th BTA, 2nd Lieutenant Pishchykov salutes while departing on a training Might at ano-Fraivk base, This was part of is Mn 29 raining course forthe pot rd case uation in Octaber 2018 Say Sater REGISTER BY 31ST OCTOBER TO SAVE £100 Lead Sponsor -€emenacr cold sponses AIRBUS mae Sponsors and Exhibitors Ceomeltainecl Pee Ocha er ce CECE ee aed Gece eae ie Gere ed ee Beene WB irercmant Sssraraton Cre Ease JETEX Ey me temestcrettrgtee nnn Comarse: —_@ cam negroes epee aie Seep cota a iigxder-

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