Payback: Some of Russia's most lethal weapons of war just struck ISIS
Date
11/17/2015 11:04:13 PM
(MENAFN- Asia Times) Tupolev Tu-22M3 Backfire bomber
'In accordance to the task assigned by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Armed Forces concerning enhancing combat air operations in the Syrian Arab Republic crews of Tu-160 Tu-95MS and Tu-22M3 long-range aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces carried out strikes with air-based cruise missiles at the ISIS terrorist objects within the air operation' reads a statement from the Russian defense ministry.
During the first wave of the Russian raids a dozen Tu-22M3 bombers struck Daesh targets in Syria's Raqqah and Deir-ez-Zor provinces. Later a force of massive Mach 2.0-capable Tu-160 supersonic bombers and quad-turboprop Tu-95MS Bears launched a salvo of thirty-four air-launched cruise missiles against the terrorists in Aleppo and Idlib. 'Today as a result of the first massive airstrike 14 terrorist facilities of special importance were destroyed with 34 cruise missiles' reads the Russian government statement. It's the first time Russian strategic bombersparticular the Blackjackhas conducted combat operations in recent memory.
There are no details available about the Russian naval cruise missile strikes against Syrian targets. But presumably the Russians followed a similar game plan as their last series of sea-based cruise missile strikes that were launched from the Caspian Sea. Russia could have once again launched missiles from the Caspian Sea but it could also have launched those weapons from the Mediterranean.
The Russian air attack consisted of twenty-five bombers backed by eight Su-34 Fullback strike aircraft and four Su-30SM multirole fighters. The Fullback strike aircraft hit a number of targetsincluding Daesh's fuel supply. 'Su-34 aircraft destroyed two columns of fuel bowsers and about 50 vehicles. As a result taking into consideration previous airstrikes aimed at oil supply transports (410 fuellers in total) and several infrastructure elements the illegal fuel export capabilities of the terrorists have been significantly cut' the Russian defense ministry states.
In total the Russian expeditionary force in Latakia flew a total of sixty-five combat sorties according to the Russian defense ministry. The Russians planned to fly 127 combat sorties against 206 Daesh targetsincluding the strategic bomber raids. The Russians also apparently provided advanced notice to the United States of their impending operation. 'The Russian Defence Ministry had informed the US Air Force Command and other coalition countries' Commands about the airstrikes in advance' the Russian statement reads. Read more
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