Russian Air Power Trades Efficacy for Survival Over Ukraine, USAFE Boss Says

The Russian Air Power has considerably revised its ways in Ukraine and is holding down its losses by finishing up much less efficient bombing runs, Gen. James B. Hecker, the commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa mentioned Sept. 13.

At first of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian warplanes flew into the thick of the Ukrainian air defenses and took severe losses, based on Western officers and navy analysts. Greater than 75 Russian planes have been shot down, Hecker mentioned at AFA’s Air, Area & Cyber convention.
 
“When it first began out, they have been flying proper into the surface-to-air missile engagement zones of the Ukrainians,” Hecker mentioned in an interview with Air & Area Forces Journal. “In order that they now don’t fly in these rings, or in the event that they do, it’s for low altitude for very fast moments after which they return out.” 

The change in ways, nevertheless, has required a tradeoff.

“That’s adapting for saving plane, however clearly it doesn’t bode effectively for dropping bombs and making an attempt to realize air superiority,” Hecker mentioned.

Russian forces suffered main losses following their February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. In response to a Western protection official, Russian forces have suffered over 270,000 troops killed and wounded and misplaced greater than 2,000 tanks and 4,000 armored combating automobiles. Restocking and bettering Ukraine’s air protection has been a prime focus of Western assist to Kyiv, a choice Hecker strongly helps.

Although Russian air operations have additionally come at a value, the Russian Air Power is basically intact, Hecker added. 

By way of precision munitions, Hecker famous, Russia has sought to protect its stock. But Moscow nonetheless seems to have sufficient provides of AS-23 and AS-4 cruise missiles in addition to one-way assault drones equipped by Iran.

“We’re nonetheless seeing these frequently, and people are pretty exact,” Hecker mentioned. “With regards to doing [things] like shut air help for a few of their military of us which can be on the bottom, there it’s primarily non-precision weapons.”

Whereas Ukrainian drone assaults in opposition to air bases inside Russia had prompted the Russians to disperse a few of their plane, they’ve executed little to cut back Moscow’s long-range strike functionality, Hecker mentioned.

The Russians have additionally put tires on the wings of a few of their bombers to guard the planes in opposition to drone strikes and maybe cut back their thermal signature. Business satellite tv for pc photos and social media photos point out that the Russians have positioned rows of tires on the wings of Tu-95 bombers at their Engels base and other aircraft.

“There’s been some profitable assaults within Russia from Ukraine which have taken out a few of their long-range aviation property,” Hecker instructed a media roundtable on the convention. “However within the massive scheme of issues, their air power continues to be pretty intact. Not the case as a lot with their military.”