Moscow has deployed its newest Su-35 fighter jets to Syria, where they remain on constant standby at Hmeymim airbase.
Since its Syrian air campaign began last September, Russia has carried out thousands of sorties, crippling Daesh’s infrastructure. Those operations have been carried out by Moscow’s Su-24s, Su-34s, and Tu-22M bombers.
Now Russia has its fleet of new Su-35s on 24/7 standby at Hmeymim airbase.
“The planes will be kept in a state of constant readiness, with a pair of Su-35 ready to take off at a moment’s notice to provide assistance to other aircraft,” a representative of the Russian Aerospace Forces battlegroup in Syria told reporters.
“A pair of Su-35 jets is capable of increasing other planes’ 360-degree detection radius up to 400 kilometers,” he added.
According to the representative, the Su-35 is a multirole combat aircraft which will be used as an escort for the Russian aviation in Syria, as well as for attacks against ground and underground targets.
“At present, we have a task to use these jets as effectively as possible. These jets can carry all kinds of bombs,” the representative pointed out.
According to the representative, the Su-35 is a multirole combat aircraft which will be used as an escort for the Russian aviation in Syria, as well as for attacks against ground and underground targets.
Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry’s spokesman Igor Konashenkov said that the advanced super maneuverable Su-35S multirole fighters began combat missions in Syria.
Meanwhile, a military diplomatic source said Friday that Russia’s Mediterranean Sea ship task force could reach 20 warships depending on set assignments.
“The number may vary between 10 and 20 warships and other vessels depending on the intensity of the situation or an increase in assignments. Missile, anti-ship, and landing ships make up the basis of the permanent forces in the Mediterranean Sea. Provision groups are charged with ships to support the fleets on a rotation principle,” the source told RIA Novosti.
In July 2015, Black Sea Fleet Commander Admiral Alexander Vitko said that the average number of Russian Navy ships in the Mediterranean at that time numbered 10 warships, as well as some support vessels.
