The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

[Armenian]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

Skhara/karoaper can you please translate this interesting documentary?

MiG-29 "Fulcrum" Erebuni Air Force Base in Armenia: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjdlRvYWpHI

[KarotheGreat]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

I really need to learn russian so I can understand what they are saying

[skhara]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

Skhara/karoaper can you please translate this interesting documentary?

MiG-29 "Fulcrum" Erebuni Air Force Base in Armenia: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjdlRvYWpHI

What an assignment. Just like school -- watch a documentary -- then recap.

I'll do it after my workout .

[skhara]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

Introduction in the studio explains to the audience that Erebuni is an airforce base just outside Yerevan and is also an ancient name of Yerevan. He explains that there is a Russian airforce contingent based in Erebuni who work with their Armenian colleagues; and that its not very simple flying over Armenian airspace because of the mountainous terrain and as such only experienced pilots are allowed into the Russian contingent.


Then a voice over does a quick introduction that explains that the Russian airforce established itself there in 1994 and in 1995 Russian pilots received permanent residency.

Then the guy in the hat being interviewed says that they've been at Erebuni for about 10 years and work with Armenians to patrol the skies over Armenia as part of the CIS security structure.

Then the voice over says:
At first there were just 6 Mig-23Ps who's only goal was aerial cover for Russia's 102nd military base. Then the Armenian defense ministry proposed to Russia to increase the battle readiness of the unit. So in 1998 the personnel were increased and the airforce based received 18 additional fighters.

Then another guy in the hat says (about the Mig-29) that its a 4th generation piece of equipment, nothing like it exists anywhere. He adds that they are ready for all combat missions.

Then the reporter says the Mig-29 at Erebuni is in a constant state of combat readiness -- in case of an emergency, they'll be airborne in minutes (that's the part of the video that shows the red light come up the pilots rushing).

The pilots are composed first and second class (I am assuming this just means they are only experienced ones -- it goes on to list all the places these pilots served). It says that in the 10 years, only one young pilot was admitted.

Then the guy in the hat says that since the airbase is in the mountainous terrain, its difficult for a young pilot when it comes to executing every kind of maneuver. And that basically the don't take young pilots.

Then the narrator goes on to describe the elevation that Erebuni is at, and that it is surrounded by a ring of mountains. Then the narrator describes that the building and the airfield is shared with Armenia's airforce who's pilots fly the Su-25.

Then the guy in the hat says that they support each in the air and on land alike.

Then the narrator says that these Russians pilots clock the most hours airborne.

Then the guy without the hat complains about their pay and says that there is a better system in place in Ukraine.

The rest of the contingent is in Gyumri.

[skhara]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

Sorry for the mistakes above, don't feel like making corrections though.

[Armenian]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

I thank you Tavarish Skhara for your commendable service to this thread and to the Motherland. As always you have proven yourself to be combat ready, valiant and always willing to lead by example. Sbasiba!

{applause}

I thereby award you this 'Alexander Suvorov' medal

{pins the medal upon Skhara's chest}

Wear it proudly, Tavarish.

Hurah!!!, Hurah!!! Hurah!!!

[Armenian]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

MiGs Will Defend Syria and Iran



Russia has begun to implement the contract signed by Rosoboronexport with Syria this year for the delivery of five MiG-31E fighter-interceptors. That means that Russia is renewing arms deliveries to the Middle East after a hiatus due to the war in Lebanon. Iran may be the big winner from the deal, since there exists an Iranian-Syrian mutual defense agreement, and Iran is financing Damascus's purchase. Several sources in the military-industrial complex told Kommersant that OAO Nizhny Novgorod Sokol Plant has begun working on the five MiG-31E aircraft. At the beginning of the year, Rosoboronexport signed a contract with Damascus for them. Since production of the MiG-31 was halted in 1994, Syria is receiving planes from the reserve of the Russian Air Force that are being modified to the purchaser's specifications.

Vladimir Vypryazhkin, deputy general director of the state MiG Russian Aviation Construction Corp. told Kommersant yesterday that “export orders are starting to come in for the MiG-31.” He declined to identify the source of the orders, but noted that “We are offering the MiG-31E on a trade-in basis for countries that have the MiG-25 interceptor.” Only Libya and Syria have MiG-25 fighter-interceptor and recognizance plane at present. India recently retired its MiG-25s. Boris Aleshin, chairman of the Federal Industry Agency, confirmed that there is a contract for the MiG-31E. He also declined to identify the purchaser. Kommersant has learned that a lot of MiG-29M/M2 jets was sold to Syria as well. They are being sold abroad for the first time and are similar in their technical specifications to the MiG-35 model Russia is now offering India. The total value of the contract for the MiG-31 and MiG-29M/M2 aircraft is estimated at $1 billion.

Several questions are raised by the deal. First, where Syria got the money for such expensive weapons. In the winter of 2005, Russia wrote off 70 percent of Syria's foreign debt, which was $13.4 billion at the time. Under that agreement, Syria's debt to Russia was reduced to $3.6 billion. Russia renewed military-technical cooperation with Syrian at the same time. Information has arisen regularly since the beginning of 2005 that Syria is in negotiations with Russia for the purchase of new weapons. First Iskander-E missiles were mentioned. Russian President Vladimir Putin even confirmed that Damascus was interested in them, but he supposedly personally blocked the deal. At the beginning of this year, unofficial information emerged that negotiations had been renewed. This time, the items of interest to Syria were Pantsir, Strelets and Igla missiles. Strelets ballistic missiles were delivered to Syria in 2005. Sergey Chemezov, general director of Rosoboronexport, stated in January of this year that “the Syrians want our Igla complex, but we won't give it to them.”

Syrian President Bashar Assad was in Moscow in December of last year for negotiations with Putin, at which Syria's desire to replace its aging MiG-25 planes with new MiG-29 or MiG-31 models. Western experts think that one of the reasons for Syria's spending spree may be that it is buying weapons for not only for itself, or not for itself at all. Moscow and Damascus concluded a contract last year for the delivery of 36 Pantsir-S1E artillery missile systems. In May of this year, the authoritative British Jane's Defence Weekly reported that at least ten of those Pantsirs would be handed over to Iran by the end of 2008. According to that publication, Iran is the main sponsor of the deal and is paying Syria for its services as intermediary.

There is still no official conformation of the deal described, but the cooperation scheme between Syria and Iran is perfectly believable. Tehran and Damascus are linked by a number of agreements on mutual defense. A Syrian-Iranian strategic alliance was wrought in the 1980s during the Iran-Iraq war. In recent years, Syria and Iran have signed a whole series of agreements on closely coordinated defense activities. In February 2005, for example, almost simultaneously with Russia's forgiveness of much of Syria's debt to it, Syrian Prime Minister Naji Otari and Iranian Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref signed a mutual defense pact and, in July 2006, the defense ministers of the two countries, Hasan Turkmani and Mostafa Mohammad Najar, signed an agreement creating a high defense commission and one on military cooperation that envisaged Iranian financing of Syrian arms deals with Russia, Ukraine and China.

Iran's interest in Russian arms is explained by the conflict developing between it and the United States and the likelihood of armed conflict in the region. In the USSR, the MiG-31 was considered a key element in the defense against a potential attack from the U.S. It was to knock out American cruise missiles flying over the North Pole. The usefulness of that Soviet technology in a potential conflict between the U.S. and Iran is debatable. In the event of a war, Iran's chances of an air victory are negligible, no matter what weapons they buy.

The MiG-31 would do more good for Syria. Head of the Technology and National Security Program at the Holon Institute of Technology and Israeli Air Force Col. (Res.) Shmuel Gordon told Kommersant that “This is the first serious modernization of the Syrian antiaircraft and antimissile system in ten years. It will most likely seriously limit the Israeli Air Force's freedom of action. The appearance of those planes means that the Syrians can take down Israeli planes over the Golan Heights or Lebanon. That is to say this is a quantitative leap in Syria's ability to wage an air war.” Gordon also thought that five planes was but the tip of the iceberg. “It makes little sense to limit oneself to five planes. Where there's five, there will soon be 20, and maybe 24, planes. Maintenance of the planes is very expensive, but it makes no difference whether you maintain five or 20 of them.” Former head of the Israeli Air Force Maj. Gen. Eitan Ben-Eliahu agrees with him. “That can influence the actions of the Israeli Air Force somewhat, but the influence will not be significant. It does not at all change the fact of Israel's absolute air superiority. However, if the number of Syria's planes is increased, that could change the situation. The most dangerous thing for Israel's security is not the delivery of five planes but the renewal of deliveries.”

According to Knesset member and former chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Yuval Steinitz, “It cannot be said that a specific deal is a threat to Israel's security, but the main danger is that it is a matter of a whole package of deals that gradually adds up.” Last year, Israel alleged to Moscow in confidential negotiations that some of the arms it sold to Syria fell into the hands of the Hezbollah and being used in the war in Lebanon last summer. The sale of Russian jets to Syria will undoubtedly have repercussions in the West. Moscow is not likely to be concerned with American criticism at the moment, since the main problem in U.S.-Russian relations is the U.S. missile defense system in Eastern Europe. Now the two issues may be discussed together. Iran's position on the missile defense system can be considered indirect confirmation that it is deriving some sort of benefit from the present deal. When Putin suggested to U.S. President George W. Bush that they counter the Iranian threat by using the Gabala radar station in Azerbaijan together, Tehran unexpectedly announced that it does not consider Russia's proposal hostile and that it will not affect Russia's good relations with Iran.

What is the MiG-31?

Development of the MiG-31 supersonic fighter-interceptor (Foxhound in NATO classification) was begun by the Mikoyan Experimental Design Bureau in 1968. The first test flights were performed in 1977 and it went into service in 1981. The airplane was first created to defend the USSR from cruise missile attacks from the Arctic. A number of weapons systems were used for the first time in the USSR in the MiG-31, including the R-33 long-distance (about 120 km.) air-to-air guided missile and the Zaslon radar system, capable of locating its target at a distance of 180 km. and both guide missiles to it and relay the information to other aircraft and ground facilities.

The MiG-31 has a two-man crew. Its combat radius is 720 km. (1400 km. with external fuel tanks), maximum speed 3000 km./hr. and operational ceiling of 20,600 m. It has a flight weight of 41 tons. Besides missiles, the plane is armed with a 23-mm. gun and two or four short- or medium-range missiles. The MiG-31 was produced at the Sokol plant in Nizhny Novgorod until 1994. More than 500 planes were produced. There are about 300 of them in the Russian Air Force at present and about 40 in Kazakhstan. Several modifications of the plane have been developed, including the MiG-31M (with a new 320-km. radar system) and MiG-31F (capable of striking ground targets). The MiG-31 has not been used in combat and has not been exported. There were media reported in the early 1990s of interest from Syria, Libya and China in acquiring the aircraft, but no contracts for it were signed.

Source: http://www.kommersant.com/p775460/arms_trade_/

[karoaper]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

That's cute.



During the time of the Cold War, Soviet weaponry was primarily made for mass production and mass export, their strategic approach was quantity rather than quality. As a result, Soviet weaponry were made low cost, simple to use and very rugged. This does not mean, however, that the Soviet Union did not have the 'technological' capabilities to produce state of the art cutting edge weaponry, they just placed emphasis upon mass production of armaments. As a matter of fact, most of the technology breakthroughs in weaponry were made by the Soviets. The West, on the other hand, emphasized quality over quantity because they knew that they would never be able to compete with the Soviet Union's mass produced weapons.

Then, for a significant period of time between the late 80s and the late 90s, as political upheaval was transforming the Soviet Union, the West assumed a clear advantage in the field of military technology. The same period saw an economic boom as well as the electronic revolution within the West transformed the world. However, today things are clearly changing. The Russian Federation is seeing a massive boom in its domestic output as well as rapid growth in its technology sectors and this boom is being transfered to Russia's military industry. This boom is also being effected positively by Russia's close relations with China and India.

There is no technical sector today that the Russians have a clear disadvantage in, there are a few where they clearly still maintain an advantage, namely missile technology.

The moral of this story is - stop taking gaming sites seriously.

Did you just call the most realistic modern combat flight sim a "game"? It's a sim created by a savvy Russian group of scientists and programmers. The mathematical flight simulation model is out of this world.

The info about the missiles was not just taken from the sim though. Here's a site dedicated to missiles, it's from fas.org, but the info is corroborated in other sources. All the Russian air-to-air missiles require the launch aircraft to update course information at best, and a complete initial radar guidance form the launch aircraft at worst. Usually, the launch airplane then would have to maintain at least a 60 degree angle with the target, until the missile's own radar guidance takes over. Meanwhile, the American AMRAAM is completely launch-and-leave. This means that their pilots can launch and immediately evade or engage another target even if it's on the other side.

Now, the radar of the 4th generation Russian planes might very likely be on par or better than the American planes, but both Mig29 and Su27 of the early 90s had radar inferior to the F15, which by the way didn't match either the Su or Mig in other aspects, including the electro-optical aiming system. The Russian "Shkval" system was top notch.

Anyways, the video about the Erebuni stated that the report on the Russian army in Gyumri was going to be aired in their next episode (the program is called "Smotr"). I've tried to find it, but can't so far. Skhara jan, good job on the translation.

Wanted to add couple of things. Based on the report, the top class pilots with the most airhours among all Russian combat pilots help protect Armenia's airspace. Also, the report stated that Armenia asked about a bigger contingent at the base, after "our neighbors" had crossed into our air space. I'd guess that would be azeroturks, or rather their Ukrainian pilots for hire.

[skhara]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

karo, couldn't the Mig-29s be outfitted with the launch and leave type setup too? I'm not really all that educated on technical aspects of fighter aircraft.

[skhara]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

I thank you Tavarish Skhara for your commendable service to this thread and to the Motherland. As always you have proven yourself to be combat ready, valiant and always willing to lead by example. Sbasiba!

{applause}

I thereby award you this 'Alexander Suvorov' medal

{pins the medal upon Skhara's chest}

Wear it proudly, Tavarish.

Hurah!!!, Hurah!!! Hurah!!!

Soviet paratroopers shout:

Oora! Oora! Oora!