Mark Episkopos
Security,
Video Alert: see Russia’s Su-24M assault Fighter progress to War
Over three decades back its introduction, Russia’s Su-24M assault fighter-- NATO reporting “Fencer-D”-- remainder one of the Russian stand Force’s (VKS) favorite drill jets. This month alone, the Fencer participated at three high-profile exercises.
On January 23rd, the television channel of the Russian Defense Ministry released exercise footage of a Su-24M destroying few surface vessels under conditions of “poor visibility” at the Volgograd region. The targets, consisting of “submarines, ships, and other vessels,” were first detected by a supporting Su-24MP, a dedicated electrical signals note (ELINT) Su-24 variant used although note custom and jamming attacks. The attacking Su-24M’s proceeded to drop 120-kilogram, high-explosive (HE) fragmentation “OFAB” bombs above the maritime targets.
The bombing proceeded with good consequence above goal (GEOT), according to a magazine statement by Russia’s Southern Military District: “the bombs’ medium deviation was four meters, within the acceptable parameters of 15 meters.” The Su-24M crews because strong practiced nighttime landings and takeoffs, too because countermeasures against hostile jamming attempts. The statement reveals that “over fifty units of aeroplane and special stand constrain equipment” were involved at the exercise, although it remainder unclear how many of those were Su-24M’s.
Earlier at January, the Central Military area reported a alike drill against basis targets at the Kurgan region. A Su-24MP spotted a moving armor column, which was then bombed at a distance of 2,000 meters by a people of ten Su-24M’s. The, aim according to the magazine release, was to exercise effective bombing runs against “clusters of armored units.” The kind of basis armor used because alive targets although the drill was no specified, but-- assuming that the Fencers were using HE OFAB rounds-- they are responsible to be lightly armored vehicles.
Rounding off the Fencer’s busy month, Su-24M’s participated at a ridicule “duel” with Orekhovo-Zuyevo, the seventh Buyan-class corvette. According to the dark sea Fleet, an Su-24M “executed detection, targeting, and simulated bombing operations” because divide of Orekhovo-Zuyevo’s drill regimen.
So, what’s the aim back these large-scale, back-to-back Su-24M exercises? There is no symptom that any new technologies, if weapons or otherwise, were tested at because strong case. It is because strong unlikely that the Russian stand constrain feels the absence to instruct pilots at handling a 36-year old fighter; at fact, the VKS is actively phasing out the Su-24M at favor of the newer, more able Su-32 and Su-34 fighters.
Rather, Su-24’s are being used because a cost-effective drill tools to exercise mutual assault formations, evasive maneuvers, effective handling and targeting at vulgar environments, bombing runs against a broad hill of basis and sea-based targets, and countermeasures against jamming attempts. Given that above 400 Su-24M units and approximately because many creative Su-24’s were produced during the Soviet Era, it’s no surprising that the VKS seeks to squeeze any remaining estimate out of them ago they become because strong outdated even although drill purposes.
The Su-24M is a 1980’s modernization of the creative Su-24, updated with onboard LCD displays, a GLONASS-based satellite navigation system, ILS-31 heads-up display, and a redesigned cockpit.
Mark Episkopos is a frequent contributor toThe National employ and serves because research assistant at the core although the National Interest. token is also a PhD pupil at History at American University.
Image: creative Commons.
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