Nagorno-Karabagh: Military Balance Between Armenia & Azerbaijan

[ZORAVAR]

Re: Nagorno-Karabagh: Military Balance Between Armenia & Azerbaijan

Speedy Intruder: Su-24

In the skies over Baku: A su-24 leads a pair of Mig-29s

It is not clear how many of these sleek fighter-bombers exist in the inventory of the Azeri air force. Some sources say one, others four and yet others talk about 10.

Whatever the correct number is. This is the only Azeri aircraft that can deliver a precision attack anywhere in Armenia in any kind of wheater at any time of the day (or night). Yes, it is a weapon system for surgical strikes. The Azeris have the plane, but do they have the precision guided bombs and missiles? We must assume that they do (Yushenko's Ukraine or Turkey or Israel could supply them).

Twin pilots, supersonic speed, an 8000 kg bomb-load, terrain following radar (for low level penetration) etc. etc. this plane excells in its bombing missions.

The other jet planes in Azerbaijans airforce have limitations in their bombing missions (no precision delivery systems, or too slow for deep penetration strikes, or unable to bomb during adverse wheather or by night).

Our counter to this plane (and the other Azeri aircraft): we don't have air defense fighters in our air force. It is too costly to buy, maintain and operate modern fighter jets. However, the Russian air force squadron based in Erebuni airport near Yerevan uses Mig-29s. We have also an adequate early warning radar system integrated with the most potant Surface to Air Missile (SAM) complex in the area (more about this in a future post). Attacking Armenia itself by air will be a very difficult mission for the Azeris.

Unfortunately, the Russsian manned Mig-29s and the S-300 SAM missiles are to defend Armenia only. They may not be extended to defend Karabagh in case of a localized conflict.

Karabagh has its own SAM systems (altough not as capable as the S-300) plus its own Anti-Aircraft Artillery (AAA) and can fight back and repel the Azeri intruders. I promise to discuss in length about airwar and air defense in a future post.

[ZORAVAR]

Re: Nagorno-Karabagh: Military Balance Between Armenia & Azerbaijan

You know Zoravar jan, Crusader makes a lot of sense. My grandfather was an old timer elite Tashnagtsagan and I know through ARF's battles that the enemy the (turk) usually had enormous amount of people and with it arms; but usually we won and we won heroically. Yes they were battles; and nothing like today's sophisticated and killer arms, but still; it takes strategically intelligent brains to win wars. They may have the people and the bla bla sophisticated arms; but make no mistake of it - WE HAVE THE BRAINS!!!!!!

So you see my dear compatriot Zoravar? I am unafraid now. For a little while I was; but not anymore I am not.

Very good Anoush jan.

But, let us not rest on our laurels. The enemy is watching, rearming and waiting.

Indeed, we have the brains. Lets use it. We start by studying the enemy, its strengths and weaknesses. We must stay at least one step ahead of them. That is the whole idea of this thread.

Anoush Jan, you have nothing to fear but fear itself.

[Anoush]

Re: Nagorno-Karabagh: Military Balance Between Armenia & Azerbaijan

Very good Anoush jan.

But, let us not rest on our laurels. The enemy is watching, rearming and waiting.

Indeed, we have the brains. Lets use it. We start by studying the enemy, its strengths and weaknesses. We must stay at least one step ahead of them. That is the whole idea of this thread.

Anoush Jan, you have nothing to fear but fear itself.

I simply can't argue with you pal. Indeed it is imperative to study them and very well too. That's part of a good strategy and also to see during a war how we can find out their positions; but that's the job of our mighty army, right?

You're input is very good indeed and you make me proud Zoravar jan, you're doing a great job! Thanks again!

[ZORAVAR]

Re: Nagorno-Karabagh: Military Balance Between Armenia & Azerbaijan

Demons in the Dark: Night-vision

Azeri special forces wearing nightvision goggles during a military parade

The modern face of military warfare: stealthy attacks.

The enemy is investing in night-fighting capabilities. Holywood movie style: a silent, undetected and unseen attack on the sentries - eliminate the front line defenses so that the main body of troops can penetrate and conquer territory.

How to counter this clear and present danger: night-vision equipment is readily available (even for civilians). The real fancy stuff (thermal imagers etc.) is very expensive but worthwile. I don't have details about our own acquisitions in that field.

The old fashioned way of fighting in the dark is to shoot flares into the sky. These will illuminate the battlefield and nightvision equipment becomes meaningless. But you have to keep firing these flares all the time...

[aray]

Re: Nagorno-Karabagh: Military Balance Between Armenia & Azerbaijan

Demons in the Dark: Night-vision

Azeri special forces wearing nightvision goggles during a military parade

The modern face of military warfare: stealthy attacks.

The enemy is investing in night-fighting capabilities. Holywood movie style: a silent, undetected and unseen attack on the sentries - eliminate the front line defenses so that the main body of troops can penetrate and conquer territory.

How to counter this clear and present danger: night-vision equipment is readily available (even for civilians). The real fancy stuff (thermal imagers etc.) is very expensive but worthwile. I don't have details about our own acquisitions in that field.

The old fashioned way of fighting in the dark is to shoot flares into the sky. These will illuminate the battlefield and nightvision equipment becomes meaningless. But you have to keep firing these flares all the time...

This may have been already posted here. According to many azeri military experts, below is the most powerfull force on the ground in the position of azeri army.

[D3ADSY]

Re: Nagorno-Karabagh: Military Balance Between Armenia & Azerbaijan

Interesting. The video presentation was from the Armenian side half way into the second part and on. But you know that Crusader is going to use this as further evidence that you are a Turk

Yeah, yeah. I'm hoping his military background let's him see the real reason why I posted it though.
It's very interesting to compare the frontline defences of each side, the journalist even comments on it.

[aray]

Re: Nagorno-Karabagh: Military Balance Between Armenia & Azerbaijan

On the serious note… We have in our arsenal long range artillery 2A36 Giacint guns. There are at least 25 of them in minimum of 3 different bases. These are very powerful weapons that can shoot every 10 seconds in the range of 25-30 kilometers. I have very strong reasons to believe that we have nuclear shells for these guns. They are not exactly what one would consider atomic bomb, since they have very limited nuclear capabilities. However, they have enough power to level any strategic object. As far as I know, baboons possess some of this guns too.

[Armanen]

Re: Nagorno-Karabagh: Military Balance Between Armenia & Azerbaijan

But do the baboons have nuclear shells as well?

[crusader1492]

Re: Nagorno-Karabagh: Military Balance Between Armenia & Azerbaijan

Demons in the Dark: Night-vision

Azeri special forces wearing nightvision goggles during a military parade

The guys remind me of when I was on active duty in Iraq...

There were a lot of wannabe Special Forces guys, such as cooks or truck drivers, who bought every "gee wiz" gadget from the soilder of fortune store. They did not realize how stupid they looked as they were all dressed up, with nowhere to go (just like the Azeri SF).

[Armenian]

Re: Nagorno-Karabagh: Military Balance Between Armenia & Azerbaijan

Zoravar, sorry a little off topic but what do you think about this report by Moscow news?

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Russian Army’s weaknesses exposed

On September 10, Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov was scheduled to address the State Duma, the lower house of parliament, to inform the deputies about current military development and various problems. Serdyukov had to explain why the Russian Army lacked modern weapons during the recent peace enforcement operation in Georgia. The main elements of the North Caucasian Military District's 58th Army have already been re-deployed to Russia. The bravest officers and men have received government decorations. Those killed in action have been buried. And now it is high time to assess the operation's lessons.

Russian President Dmitry Medvexdev has senior Defense Ministry officials to do this, also telling Serdyukov to submit proposals on amending the state rearmament program. The Rusxsian Army primarily requires combat-support systems, rather than new weaponry, in order to become a genuinely modern and effective fighting force. Those, who fought in Georgia this August, know that Russian peace-keepers sustained the greatest casualties during the first hours of the Georgian aggression because Moscow and Vladikavkaz, where the 58th Army's headquarters is located, failed to promptly order troops to repel the attack and to send elements of the 58th Army to South Ossetia. Moreover, Russian forces did not know the firing positions of Georgia's Grad multiple-launch rocket systems, Gvozdika self-propelled guns and T-72 tank units. Nor did the Russian Army have any dependable reconnaissance systems, including unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs). Although Russian and foreign UCAVs are regularly displayed at the annual MAKS international aerospace show in Zhukovsky near Moscow, including at the MAKS-2007 show, the Russian Army still lacks them because the national Defense Ministry decided to stop buying them in 2006.

Consequently, the Russians had no choice but to send a Tupolev Tu-22M3 Backfire strategic bomber on a reconnaissance mission and to use Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot ground-attack jets to hit Georgian MLRS batteries. The Georgians downed four Rusxsian aircraft, which could have been saved if the Russians had the required UCAVs. The destruction of three Su-25 attack planes, which had won a reputation for themselves during the 1979-1989 Afghan war, shows that they have not been overhauled since. The Su-25s still lack radar sights, computers for calculating ground-target coordinates and long-range surface-to-air missiles that could be launched outside enemy air-defense areas. Nor did they have any "smart" weapons for destroying Georgian artillery pieces and surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems. This is quite surprising, because such weapons have been repeatedly displayed at various exhibitions. Although some companies are ready to install interchangeable state-of-the-art radio and electronic equipment on the Su-35, the Defense Ministry prefers to deal with (and handsomely pay) its favorite contractors. These companies were not up to the task, and are responsible for the loss of four aircraft and the capture of two pilots. Several more pilots were killed as a result of their incompetence.

A similar situation holds in the sphere of radio-electronic warfare. It turns out that Russian electronic counter-measures (ECM) systems are unable to jam and suppress enemy SAMs and reconnaissance systems, radars and UHV communications and troop-control networks. This is rather disturbing, especially as the Georgian Army lacked modern systems. As a result the 58th Army sustained unnecessary casualties, and also lost more combat equipment than it should have. The Russian tank force has been suffering from major problems for a long time. The North Caucasian Milixtary District, for instance, still operates T-72 main battle tanks without night sights. But not even the more sophisticated T-80-U and T-90 have such sights, either. Moreover, their explosive-reactive armor was not filled with explosives and could not therefore deflect high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) weapons.

The Dzerzhinsky Ural Railroad Car Works (Uralvagonzavod), which has developed all post-Soviet and Russian main battle tanks except the T-80, unveiled its Tank Support Combat Vehicle (TSCV) over 20 years ago. The TSCV featured nine weapons systems, including guided anti-tank missiles, large-caliber machine-guns, SAMs and 30-mm and 40-mm automatic rocket launchers, and was intended to be used against Mujaxhedin forces in Afghanistan. Most importantly, the TSCV had effective target-acquisition systems for detecting and killing enemy soldiers long before they could fire the first shot. Although the TSCV has passed all state tests with flying colors and has also been displayed at numerous exhibitions, it has not served with the Russian Army to date. Unlike most advanced foreign armies, including the Israeli Army, Russian tanks are not supported by attack helicopters. There is no regular radio communication between Rusxsian tank, motorized-rifle, helicopter, attack-plane and tactical-bomber units either.

Although experts have been discussing the creation of an integrated combat-control system for many years, such a system remains on the drawing board. The Russian Army and its commanders have not yet realized that all units and weapons accomplishing a joint objective must become part of an integrated combat-control system. Russian officers and soldiers have to compensate for the current lag in combat-support systems with their selfless heroism and bravery. But this costs the country and its armed forces dearly. It is high time we learned modern fighting skills. The system for awarding state defense contracts must also be modified accordingly. Unfortunately, the Russian Army is unlikely to receive new weapons and combat-support systems after the South Ossetian conflict. Although Russia has once again paid a high price for victory, its generals and politicians often prefer empty talk to candid and sober-minded assessments.

Source: http://www.mnweekly.ru/comment/20080911/55345897.html