AirForces Monthly – June 2018

days, each of which involved
two day waves and one at
night. A single wave numbered
between ten and 15 aircraft.
Aircrews participating in Ladoga
2018 were tasked to search for the
targets independently with their
radars before visually acquiring
the M-6 via the illuminating flare.
The target was then engaged with
the cannon and missiles. Each
participating Flanker was armed
with a full complement of 30mm
rounds for its GSh-301 cannon
and two R-73 missiles (one fired at
the target and the other a spare)

• see also View to a kill, p110.
  The M-6 typically represented
  small-size, survivable targets
  which are able to sustain several
  hits by R-73 AAMs before they
  fully disintegrate. The targets were
  deployed by Su-30SM fighters,
  each loaded with six rounds.

Flanker multiplicity
This year, Besovets airfield
hosted six Su-30SM heavyweight
fighters from the 14th Guards
Istrebitelniy Aviatisonniy Polk
(IAP, Fighter Aviation Regiment),
from Kursk-Khalino in addition to
aircraft from the resident 159th
IAP. The latter was also heavily
involved in the firing practice
with an eclectic mixture of old-

and new-generation Flankers,

including unmodified Su-27

single-seaters and Su-27UB two-

seaters, as well as upgraded

Su-27SMs and brand-new

Su-35S and Su-30M2 jets.

The 14th Guards IAP sent the

entire aircrew complement from

its sole Su-30SM-equipped

squadron, which converted to

this two-seat advanced Flanker

derivative last year. The missile

firings were considered an

important milestone on the

squadron’s path to attaining

full combat-ready status. The

same applied to the aircrews of

the two squadrons of the 159th

IAP, which began to receive

the new Su-35S last year.

Non-upgraded Su-27s and

Su-27UBs represented the vast

majority of fighters involved in all

previous Ladoga exercises, but

were a relative rarity this year.

The missile firing involved only

single examples of the Su-27

and Su-27UB in addition to

two upgraded Su-27SMs. The

MiG-29SMTs equipping one

squadron of the 14th Guards

IAP were regular participants

in previous exercises but

were a ‘no-show’ this year

due to QRA commitments

at their home base of Kursk-

Khalino, south of Moscow.

The 790th IAP, home-based

at Khotilovo north of Moscow,

was also heavily involved in the

missile firings, mainly despatching

aircrews from its two MiG-

31BM-equipped squadrons.

A total of 50 pilots took part

in Ladoga 2018, each of them

launching at least one missile and

firing at the M-6 with cannon.

Ammunition expended during

the manoeuvres comprised

around 100 R-73s and 1,500

30mm cannon rounds. Perhaps

most significantly, a large group

of young pilots undertook their

first missile firings at night.

Above: Su-35S ‘21 Red’ from the 159th IAP returns after a missile fi ring sortie having expended one of its R-73

weapons. Left: The sole non-upgraded Su-27UB two-seater from the 159th IAP used during this year’s live fi ring

exercise. It’s highly likely that the unit will retire this sub-variant before next year’s Ladoga exercise. Below: The

Su-27SM1 was added to the 159th IAP inventory in 2016 and now serves alongside the regiment’s newly delivered

Su-35S jets. ‘74 Red’ (RF-95255) is armed with a pair of live R-73s. All photos Andrey Zinchuk

Ladoga 2018’s solitary non-upgraded

Su-27 blasts off for a night mission

to practise-fi re an R-73 missile.

AFM

http://www.airforcesmonthly.com #363 JUNE 2018 // 37