Airforces

http://www.airforcesmonthly.com #367 OCTOBER 2018 // 77

The revamping of the Syrian Air Defence Force and arrival

of Russian SAMs in Syria has prompted many air forces to

take a close interest in what’s happening in the country.

Open source tracking of ADS-B/Mode-S transponder

signals from the eastern Mediterranean has revealed

a signifi cant ‘circus of spyplanes’ on patrol off Syria’s

coast since the start of the year. These include electronic

eavesdropping aircraft to monitor Syrian and Russian

communications (signals intelligence, SIGINT) and radar

emissions (electronic intelligence, ELINT). Such types

range from the USAF’s RC-135 Rivet Joint to the Swedish

Air Force S 102B Korpen SIGINT jet and the Israeli Air

Force’s Gulfstream G550 Nachshon Shavit. High-fl ying

reconnaissance aircraft, such as the U-2S and RQ-4

Global Hawk drones, are also on patrol to collect electro-

optical and radar imagery of SAM and radar sites, among

other potential targets. ELINT coverage is boosted by the

presence of E-3 Sentry airborne early warning and P-8A

Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, which also have the

capability to detect and classify radar emissions.

The revamping of the Syrian Air Defence Force and arrival

of Russian SAMs in Syria has prompted many air forces to

take a close interest in what’s happening in the country.

Open source tracking of ADS-B/Mode-S transponder

range from the USAF’s RC-135 Rivet Joint to the Swedish

Air Force S 102B Korpen SIGINT jet and the Israeli Air

Force’s Gulfstream G550 Nachshon Shavit. High-fl ying

reconnaissance aircraft, such as the U-2S and RQ-4

A rare view of a French Air Force C-160G Gabriel SIGINT aircraft at its base in Jordan. Among its

capabilities, the Gabriel is equipped to detect and locate radio and phone communications. CJTFOIR

Watching Syria

Into battle

The Russian and SyADF deployment in early

2018 has to be viewed in context of the

ongoing battles. The Syrian government was

in the final stages of mopping up the last areas

of rebel resistance around Damascus, including

the large rebel-held East Ghouta pocket – it

and Moscow were determined to head off

Western interference in this battle. In Western

jargon, this was an ‘anti-access/area denial’

operation. As well as positioning more Pantsirs

in Damascus and bringing a second Russian

S-400 system into Latakia, the Russians had a

P-400 Bastion anti-ship missile system based

near the Syrian port of Tartus to try to force

allied ships further out to sea, extending their

missile firing ranges so the land-based air

defences had more time to detect and intercept

them. Additional Russian warships were sent

to the Mediterranean and two Russian Naval

Aviation Il-38 maritime patrol aircraft arrived

in Syria to further make life difficult for allied

warships and submarines attempting to get

into position to fire cruise missiles at Syria.

The revamped SyADF was put to the test in

February when the Israeli Air Force (IAF) launched

a major strike in reaction to an incursion over the

Golan Heights by an Iranian Saegheh ‘stealth’

drone. Eight IAF F-16I Sufa jets were launched

against 12 targets, including four air defence

batteries and the control site for the Iranian drone

at T-4 air base in Homs province. The Israeli jets

reportedly flew by the most direct route over the

Golan Heights before launching standoff guided

weapons. The SyADF responded with a salvo

Left: The 9K317E Buk-M2E (SA-17 ‘Grizzly’) is arguably the most capable asset in the SyADF inventory.

Seen at Dumayr air base, this 9A317 transporter-erector-launcher and radar (TELAR) is capable of

independent operations thanks to its onboard radar. Syrian MoD Below: An A-50 at Khmeimim. The

aircraft deployed to Syria include examples of the upgraded A-50U variant. The Russian General Staff

Operations Directorate describes the A-50 as a ‘multi-level control system’ capable of detecting threats in

Syrian airspace.

74-78 Syrian AFM Oct2018.indd 77 9/10/2018 11:04:02 AM