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Russian Mig-29 SMT LOADOUTS being used in syria


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9 hours ago, Modelkeenfan said:

I think I have just seen the same photos as you have seen released by the russsian MOD by the sounds of it.  The only problem with photos released by the russian MOD is are they authentic?  Or just staged photos for the media?

 

I don't think there is any question about whether the MiG-29SMT's really did fly in Syria or whether the video is real. I guess what you are asking is whether the loadout shown in the video was typical for an operational sortie, or if it was a once-off on the day of the media visit. I wish I could answer you, but it seems until we find comments from someone who was involved or who regularly saw the aircraft fly from Khmeimim, or until some more photographs from that deployment surface, we would have to guess. As someone stated earlier, it is known that the Russians used a lot of unguided weapons in Syria, but we know they also use Syria as a type of testing ground for some of their systems, and it appears the main purpose of the short MiG-29SMT deployment was exactly that. So, one would assume that they tested a variety of different weapons during the deployment.

 

Both official claims and what I have read on Russian forums (where some of the participants appeared pretty well informed) was that the MiG-29SMT's performed both air-to-ground and escort missions in Syria. In fact, it was specifically claimed that they escorted Tu-22M3 bombers during their deployment, but I have not seen pictures of them in what would probably have been a pure air-to-air configuration for that mission.

 

I have also found this picture, which claims to be from Syria. If true, it is certainly an interesting configuration to depict on a model:

DoCj4gmXkAENGXQ.jpg

 

It shows the centerline tank and what appears to be a single KAB-500KR:

https://roe.ru/eng/catalog/aerospace-systems/air-bombs/kab-500kr/

You can also see the countermeasure dispensers discussed earlier.

Edited by Mfezi
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Thanks for the photo and the info.  Yes I was asking if the photo or the videos were staged for the media and as you say we're just photographed on that day carrying whatever weapon they happen to have that day.  I was not questioning whether they were deployed to Syria or not.  As you say they were definitely deployed to the Syrian theatre.  I agree with you, they were probably testing a range of weapons and guidance systems.

 

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