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AWOL: Where Is the Russian Air Force?

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Posted By: Dreadnought, 3/7/2022 10:41:23 PM

The Russian Air Force (VKS) has procured 350 modern combat aircraft in the last ten years and the question that must be on every Russian’s mind in the second week of the Ukraine War is: What did we get for our money? Because by all accounts, the Russian Air Force is nearly AWOL from Russia’s biggest battles since 1945. Military researcher Justin Bronk noted on Friday that “the Russian Air Force has yet to commence large-scale operations.” “The continued absence of major air operations,” he says, “now raises serious capability questions.” It’s also a safe bet that it isn’t the Ukraine Air Force preventing the VKS from establishing air superiority over Ukraine.

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Reply 1 - Posted by: Amanoftwistsandturns 3/7/2022 10:50:48 PM (No. 1093181)
It’s an economy of force measure. Their fighters aren’t really needed and if they get into WW3 they will be needed then. And it certainly looks like FJB is going to provoke a further escalation. Expect to see Russian fighters over Poland by summer.
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Reply 2 - Posted by: SALady 3/7/2022 10:56:27 PM (No. 1093183)
Putin is pretty evil -- as in Hitler-level evil. But he is not stupid. He didn't get where he is by not staying several steps ahead of his enemies at all times. Early on, I read one reputable military strategist say that he thought Putin would send in some of his 3rd rate troops for the initial invasion. Ukraine would then use most of the best weapons stopping that initial invasion, which would give them a false sense of confidence. Then he would send in massive 1st rate troops, backed by massive air support and the best weapons to just overwhelm the Ukrainians with his own blitzkrieg. The thing to not forget is that this invasion hasn't even been going on for 2 weeks yet. Operation Desert Storm was considered a huge success, and nobody could believe how fast we defeated the Iraqis. But Operation Desert Storm took 43 days to complete. Russia has too many troops and too many advanced weapons for anyone to thing this war is anywhere close to being done, or that the Russians are "panicking".
8 people like this.

Reply 3 - Posted by: DVC 3/7/2022 10:59:08 PM (No. 1093186)
They know that if they throw these new aircraft into the fight, they will die just as easily as any others if they run into SAMs, either the central air defense types (S-300 system) or the US or EU man fired air defense missiles. And they have been able to afford so few that they can't afford to lose even 15 of them....that would be almost 1/3rd of their new aircraft.
0 people like this.

Reply 4 - Posted by: WV.Hillbilly 3/7/2022 11:00:08 PM (No. 1093187)
I read where their pilots get about 100 hours of flying time annually.
2 people like this.

Reply 5 - Posted by: stablemoney 3/7/2022 11:29:17 PM (No. 1093212)
Putin does not intend to destroy Ukraine. Had he wanted to do that, he would have deployed his air force.
2 people like this.

Reply 6 - Posted by: Trigger2 3/8/2022 2:07:45 AM (No. 1093264)
Those shiny new planes are for Putin's show and tell. Why send them to Ukraine to be blasted out of the sky?
0 people like this.

Reply 7 - Posted by: Michaelus 3/8/2022 6:41:24 AM (No. 1093333)
Well - are there any Ukrainian tanks left functioning in eastern Ukraine? Or are all Ukrainian units dispersed infantry fighting in cities that the Russians are still not obliterating? I'd rather be on foot with a Javelin than in a tank....
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Reply 8 - Posted by: DVC 3/8/2022 12:49:17 PM (No. 1093833)
Re #4, I doubt if our pilots get a whole lot more than that, maybe 200 hrs a year.
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Reply 9 - Posted by: NorthernDog 3/8/2022 1:18:27 PM (No. 1093890)
Lots of unexpected developments. Russia may be holding back on air power for reasons unknown. They may decide to blitz the roadway to Poland without warning. I heard Ukraine still has most of its planes - so why not bomb the Russian convoy that's been sitting in the open for a full week? As others have mentioned, 2 weeks is not long in warfare. When Hitler defeated Poland in 4 weeks the world was astounded. And the Germans actually only fought in the western half which is a much smaller area that Ukraine. I'm hoping something miraculous happens and Russia runs back home like a yapping dog, but that's probably wishful thinking.
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