Two Ukrainian Gunship helicopters shot down by MANPADS in Eastern Ukraine

On March 9, 2014 we had reported that MANPADS had gone stolen in Ukraine. Are these the sames ones which were used here?

Ukraine - Several 9K38 Igla SA-18 Grouse MANPADS man-portable missile systems stolen from Ukraine's 80th airmobile regiment

http://www.asiandefencenews.com/2014/03/ukraine-several-9k38-igla-sa-18-grouse.html



According to the Ukrainian authorities, two Mil Mi-24 Hind helicopters were shot down by “unknown persons by means of man-portable air defense system (PZRK)” overnight into May 2.As a result two servicemen of the Ukrainian Armed forces died and several were injured.

Furthermore, one Mi-8 Hip helicopter of Army Aviation, Ukrainian Armed Forces, was damaged by small arms fire.Whilst four persons were arrested for the downing, it is clear that MANPADS (Man Portable Air Defense Systems) are going to be a factor against poorly equipped (and trained?) Ukrainian gunships

French Warship Deliveries to Russia Not Affected by Sanctions

Mistral-class amphibious assault ship

The delivery of two French warships to Russia will not be affected by the current EU sanctions imposed in light of the situation in Ukraine, French Permanent Representative to the UN Gerard Araud told ."At the moment they are not affected by the sanctions," he said, adding that the sanctions are only target individuals.

"Of course, if there are new sanctions, they should be respected, but so far sanctions do not affect the deliveries," Araud confirmed.In 2011, Russia and France signed a contract worth 1.2 billion euros for the construction of two Mistral-class helicopter carriers for the Russian Navy. The first ship, the Vladivostok, built at the STX shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, is due to be delivered by the end of the year and the second, the Sevastopol, is scheduled to be handed over next year.

The ships, to be commissioned into Russia's Pacific Fleet, are capable of each carrying 16 helicopters, four landing craft, 70 armored vehicles, and 450 soldiers.


http://en.ria.ru/military_news/20140430/189483772/French-Warship-Deliveries-to-Russia-Not-Affected-by-Sanctions.html

Russia Starts Combat Helicopter Training Flights on Baltic Border

A newly formed Russian army helicopter brigade has begun training flights in the northwest of the country near the borders with the Baltic states of Estonia and Latvia, a spokesman for the Western Military District said Wednesday.“Helicopters of the army aviation brigade of the Western Military District, based in the Pskov region, have begun regular training flights in the skies over northwestern Russia,” Col. Oleg Kochetkov said.

Kochetkov said the flights involve dozens of Mi-28N Night Hunter and Ka-52 Alligator attack helicopters as well as Mi-8MTV-5 and Mi-26T combat transport helicopters.The 15th army aviation brigade, formed in December and stationed at the Ostrov airbase, is fully equipped with new, recently-built helicopters. The brigade currently comprises three helicopter squadrons, with two more to be added in the near future.Media in the former Soviet Baltic states, as well as Germany, Poland and the United Kingdom, have expressed security concerns about Russia’s decision to station the 15th brigade near NATO’s borders.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu earlier announced the beginning of military drills of units from the Southern and Western military districts near the borders with Ukraine and the Baltic states in response to an “unprecedented” increase of NATO military activity near Russia amid the Ukrainian crisis.
The combat drills come as NATO is ramping up its military presence in the region.

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen announced earlier this month that the alliance would intensify air patrols over Eastern Europe and dispatch extra ships to the Baltic and Mediterranean Seas due to the crisis in Ukraine.The Russian Foreign Ministry said that NATO was attempting to use the Ukrainian crisis as an imaginary threat to unite the alliance’s members and to push for Moscow's isolation.


http://en.ria.ru/military_news/20140430/189494181/Russia-Starts-Combat-Helicopter-Training-Flights-on-Baltic.html

Russia starts production of MiG-29K for Russian Naval Aviation after completion of Indian Navy's order

Russian Military Manoeuvres No Threat to UK

No one really believes there is any “serious intent” by Russia to threaten the UK militarily a retired senior British officer has told RIA Novosti.

“It’s a game of cat and mouse. I don’t think there is any serious intent, I don’t think anyone thinks there is any serious intent,” Crawford told RIA Novosti. “What the Russians are doing is basically a quick reconnaissance of the UK’s air defences. The same thing happens with the Danes and Norwegians,” he added.

Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Crawford now works as an independent defence analyst and said the interception by RAF fighter jets of two Russian Tupolev Tu-95s strategic bombers flying in international airspace was “normal and commonplace” and should not be interpreted as a direct threat.“We don’t expect to be attacked by the Russians at all,” Lt Colonel Crawford said.

The Russian Defense Ministry has insisted that the flights are carried out "in strict accordance with international regulations" and do not violate the borders of other countries.


http://en.ria.ru/military_news/20140424/189350597/OPINION-Russian-Military-Manoeuvres-No-Threat-to-UK.html

A Russian combat helicopter performs an impressive low pass in Ukraine

Pentagon Moves to Block Russian Spy Plane in American Skies

Russian surveillance planes already fly over America, thanks to a long-standing treaty. But a new, ultra-sophisticated spy plane has U.S. military and intelligence bosses spooked.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff of the U.S. military and American intelligence agencies have quietly pushed the White House in recent weeks to deny a new Russian surveillance plane the right to fly over U.S. territory. This week, the White House finally began consideration of the decision whether to certify the new Russian aircraft under the so-called “Open Skies Treaty.” And now the question becomes: Will the spies and generals get their way?

As the United States and Russia face off publicly over Ukraine, behind the scenes, Obama’s national security cabinet is having its own quiet feud over a long-standing agreement to allow Russian surveillance flights over U.S. air space.

The spies and the generals want to deny the Russians the overflight rights for its latest surveillance planes. The State Department, which ultimately makes that decision, has favored such certification. On Wednesday an interagency meeting of senior officials failed to reach consensus, delaying the decision until Obama takes it up with the National Security Council, according to U.S. officials involved in the dispute.

At issue is the Open Skies Treaty. First signed in 1992 and finally ratified in 2002, the treaty adopted by 34 nations allows the safe passage of planes equipped with advanced cameras and sensors that give governments the imagery and data they use to assess everything from compliance with arms control treaties to troop movements.



http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/04/18/pentagon-moves-to-block-russian-spy-plane-in-american-skies.html

Russian T-50 Five machine desert camouflage painting unveiled

T-50 aircraft being jointly developed by India and Russia.

Not sure if these are true images, source is Chinese.

Russian fighter flies provocatively close to USS Donald Cook

We had reported about Donald Cook passing thru the straits

http://www.asiandefencenews.com/2014/04/uss-donald-cook-passing-through-turkish.html

US navy photo

As tensions between the West and Russia simmer, a Russian attack plane engaged in “provocative” acts Saturday towards the destroyer USS Donald Cook in international waters, the Pentagon announced Monday.

Over the course of about 90 minutes, a Russian SU-24 fighter jet made 12 “close-range, low-altitude” passes near the Cook while the ship was in international waters in the western Black Sea near Romania, Pentagon spokesman Col. Steve Warren told reporters.

Satellite imagery of Russian troops and military equipment released by NATO

Here is some more satellite imagery of Russian troops and military equipment positioned within striking distance of the Ukraine released today by NATO:

Primorko-Akhtarsk Air Base. Pic: DigitalGlobe

                             

Belgorod. Pic: DigitalGlobe

 An alleged Russian artillery battalion. Pic: DigitalGlobe

The bases are in southern Russia - east of the Ukraine-Russian border - near Kuzminka, Belgorod, Yeysk, and Novocherkassk, east of the Sea of Azov.

Probable airborne or Spetznaz (special forces) brigade. Pic: DigitalGlobe

 However, Russia’s RIA news agency quoted the country’s military general staff as saying the pictures were taken in August last year.

Military tanks and infantry fighting vehicles. Pic: DigitalGlobe

Photos : NATO

Advanced Mig-31BM Interceptors Stationed in Western Russia

Wikipedia

Mig-31

Modernized MiG-31BM interceptor aircraft have started combat alert duty at an airbase in Tver Region in western Russia, with the full modernization of the unit to be completed by the end of the year, a military spokesperson said Tuesday.

“In Tver region two modernized Mig-31BM interceptors have started their combat alert duty in the Western Military District,” said Col. Oleg Kochetkov, the head of the district’s press service, adding that the aircraft were delivered at the end of last year.

“By the end of 2014, the Khotilovo MiG-31 squadron will be fully re-equipped with the newer modification of the interceptors,” the colonel said.The MiG-31BM is a two-seat supersonic long-distance interceptor aircraft developed by the Russian aircraft corporation MiG. It features upgraded avionics, a 320 km detection range and a strike radius of 280 km. The plane’s multimode radar can detect up to 24 targets simultaneously, engaging up to eight at the same time.The air fleet upgrades are part of a series of modernization efforts by the Russian Defense Ministry.

http://en.ria.ru/military_news/20140408/189105133/Advanced-Mig-31BM-Interceptors-Stationed-in-Western-Russia.html

F-15 Alert Scramble - Šiauliai Lithuania

Courtesy Video NATO Channel Produced by Luca Fazzuoli

NATO Channel films US F-15C pilots "scrambling" for action at the Baltic Regional Training Event held at Šiauliai, Lithuania, on 1 April. This exercise tests NATO and partner nations' interoperability in the air. Footage includes US pilots based in Šiauliai, Lithuania.



US pilots based in Šiauliai, Lithuania provide Air Policing in the Baltics region, where Russian Air Force strategic bombers presence often requires NATO jet fighters to perform Alert Scrambles, to intercept Il-20 spyplanes, Tu-22M Backfire bombers and Su-27 fighter jets.

Russian Mickey Mouse inspired Mil M-28N Night Hunter helicopter

Mil M-28N Night Hunter

Strait times

Footage of two Mi-35s flying at low level over the beaches of the northern Black Sea

The opening phase of the recent invasion of Crimea saw Russian gunships cross the Strait of Kerch at very low altitude. After that, during the incursion inside the Ukrainian airspace, the Mi-35s were dispatched at low level over the roofs of Sevastopol in Crimea to perform overwatch patrol (and show of force).

Here is how the Mi-35s fly low over the beaches in the Black Sea.

Russia to display new weapons on Victory Parade in Moscow

Victory Day Parade on May 9 in Moscow

Wikipedia

Chrysanthemum-C

KAMAZ-63969 Typhoon-K

The press-service of the Russian Ministry of Defence said that new models of military equipment would be displayed during the Victory Day parade on Red Square in Moscow.Thus, on May 9, one will be able to take a look at state-of-the-art anti-aircraft missile complexes Tor-M2U and anti-missile systems Chrysanthemum-C.

Tor-M2U has already been put into service in a number of military units. The system can destroy cruise missiles, air reconnaissance and electronic warfare equipment.Chrysanthemum-C is capable of striking modern tanks of any level, as well as low-tonnage ships, hovercraft and low-flying air targets.

About 11,000 troops will take part in the Victory Parade in Moscow on May 9th, including about a hundred pieces of military equipment. Military vehicles, such as Tiger, BTR-82A, T-90A tanks, self-propelled howitzers MSTA-S, anti-aircraft missile systems Buk-M2, anti-aircraft missile and gun complexes Panzer-C1, antiaircraft missile systems S-400, as well as Topol-M will roll on the cobblestones of Red Square on May 9th at 10:00 a.m.

Romania makes daily surveillance and air police missions with the AWACS of NATO

Bulgarian air force, made up of Russian MiG 29 fighters, had in the past several months launched more flights than in the previous 20 years.

Yesterday Bulgaria’s president Rosen Plevneliev has suggested Russia is intentionally provoking extraordinary flights of fighters from Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey by jets by violating the edge of NATO airspace over the Black Sea.

The minister of defence Mircea Dusa stated on Wednesday that Romania makes daily surveillance and air police missions with AWACS of NATO, Mediafax says. Dusa made this statement when asked if the air forces have been alerted for possible recognition flights made by planes of the Russian army in the vicinity of the air space.He refused to answer if there have been such flights of recognition made by the planes of the Russian army.

Bulgaria alerted its air forces for almost 30 times in the last two months as an answer to the increase in the number of recognition flights made by the planes of the Russian army in the vicinity of its air space, stated on Tuesday the Bulgarian minister of defence, quoted by Reuters.Both countries in the West as well as Moscow made a series of military manoeuvres in the context of attaching the Ukrainian peninsula Crimea to Russia.

NATO announced on Tuesday that ‘ they take into consideration all options’ and studies new measures to consolidate its military presence in eastern Europe in the context where Russia did not give any sign regarding the withdrawal of the troops placed along the border with Ukraine.The ministry of defence on 11 March said that a plane E-3A AWACS of NATO made a flight in the air space of Romania on the pre-established routes, according to the approval of the Council North Atlantic, the flight being part of a planned flight executed regularly, with the purpose of training the forces and the means of air police.

The AWACS operates in the Aircraft E-3A – part of the NATO forces of Early Warning, whose major mission is the ensurance of air supervision, command, control and communication during flights in the NATO air space.The planes operte at heights of over 9,000 metres with a surveillance span of the radar of 31,000 square km and can detect targets which fly at low heigths, in the limit of 400 km and at medium heights, in the limit of 520 km, the press release of the Major Staff of the Air Forces says.

Advanced Russian fighters deployed to near Chinese border

More fourth-generation fighters, including the Sukhoi Su-35S, will be deployed to the Russian city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur in Khabarovsk Krai region near the Chinese border in response to the growing strength of Chinese, American and Japanese air power in the Far East, according to the Canadian-based Kanwa Defense Review operated by military analyst Andrei Chang also known as Pinkov.

Through providing S-300 air defense missiles and a Yakovlev Yak-130 trainer to Belarus, Russia had solidified its buffer zone in Eastren Europe against NATO air power. At the same time, Russia is encouraging Belarus to purchase 18 decommissioned Sukhoi Su-30K fighters from the Indian Air Force; however, the magazine said that the situation in the Far East is very different from that in Eastern Europe.

As the People's Liberation Army Air Force and the PLA Navy Air Force become more powerful in the Far East after introducing new aircraft, equipment, doctrine and training systems, the United States and Japan are no longer the only two potential threats to the airspace of Russia in the Far East, and for this reason, Moscow has decided to deploy more advanced fighters to the region, including Su-30SM, Su-30MKK, Su-33 and Su-35S aircraft, the report said.

Komsomolsk-on-Amur is where the assembly lines for Su-30MKK, Su-33 and Su-35 fighters are located. For this reason, this region — only 300 kilometers from northeastern China's Heilongjiang province — is already in possession of many of Russia's most advanced fighters. Back in February, 12 Su-35S fighters were deployed to the 23rd Fighter Aviation Regiment at Dzemgi in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. The magazine said that 12 more Su-35S fighters are likely to be deployed to the region.

Considered the most advanced fourth-generation fighter in Russia, the Su-35S is capable of fighting off three or four Su-27SK aircraft and Shenyang J-11 fighters of the PLA Air Force and Navy Air Force. In 2014, a total of 72 advanced fighters including 48 Su-27SM, 24 Su-35S are likely to be deployed to the area, despite Russia's strengthening of ties with China.

The magazine said that the 6982nd Air Base located at Domna in Chita received the first 10 Su-30SM fighters to replace the older Su-25 attackers back in 2013.

Glonass-M satellite launched from Plesetsk

The Space and Air Defense Forces successfully launched a Soyuz-2.1b launcher. The launch took place at 22:54 on March 23, 2014 UTC (02:54 on March 24, 2014 MSK) from the launch pad No. 4 of the launch complex No. 43 of the Plesetsk test site. The launcher and the Fregat boost stage successfully delivered into orbit a new navigation satellite of the Glonass-M type.

The Glonass-M satellite with internal number 54 was designated Cosmos-2491. It received international designation 2014-012A and NORAD IS 39620.

According to the Reshetnev Design Bureau, the satellite will be deployed in point 18 of the 3rd plane of the Glonass constellation.Previous successful Glonass launch took place in April 2013. An attempt to launch three Glonass satellites in July 2013 was unsuccessful due to a failure of the Proton launcher.

As of March 24, 2014 the Glonass constellation includes 24 functioning satellites with three additional satellites in reserve and one undergoing flight tests.

Russia to complete technical inspection of "confiscated" Ukrainian ships by 2014 year end

The technical inspection of Ukrainian naval units that joined the Russian Black Sea Fleet will be completed by the end of 2014 published by the news agency RIA Novosti (RN).

According to a source within the Black Sea Fleet of the process is going to last a reasonable time, but the Fleet Administration hopes will be completed by the end of 2014.

The source also said that so far the most operationally ready units, of art, are the Corvettes: Ternopil (U209), Lutsk (U205) and K hmelnitsky . Other vessels in a high state of readiness is the ship convoy Slavutich as well as two landing ships the Kostyantyn Olshansky and Kirovograd.

Regarding the operational readiness of Ternopil, the ship had been prepared to develop in April in the sea of ​​Aden where would perform patrols to tackle piracy. The Black Sea Fleet, had his doubts about the operational status of several ships at anchor in the Bay of Sevastopol Streletskaya, including minelayer.

These ships have made several trips to the open sea where we have some doubts about the navigability the source added.

Russian air force ground test facility in naval aviation Eyske

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