Russia to create new 'elite' attack aviation group?

[moonstone_laura]

From UK MoD:

https://twitter.com/DefenceHQ/status/16 ... 17/photo/1

"Russia is highly likely creating a new ‘elite’ attack aviation group code-named ‘Shtorm’ to operate over Ukraine. The unit is likely to consist of at least one squadron of Su-24 FENCER and Su-34 FULLBACK fighter-bombers, and a squadron of attack helicopters.

The mix of aircraft types suggests the group will have a primary role of ground attack missions.

Credible Russian media reports suggest that the Russian MoD aims to attract highly skilled and motivated pilots by offering large pay incentives and opening recruitment to retired aviators.

The creation of the group highlights how Russian assesses its regular air force squadrons have severely underperformed in their core function of conducting airstrikes on Ukrainian lines."

[steamy]

Everyone's elite when the bar is low... they should call it....

[65thAgressor]

Not a very good reflection on the Russian air force.reminds me of the first gulf war. Anyone remember the elite Iraq Republican guard ?

[KevinJ]

All the money meant to train their pilots and buy modern equipment has been syphoned away by corrupt officials so calling anything elite won't change the fact most of them will be shot down!

[C24]

Everyone's elite when the bar is low... they should call it....

Not the best choice of word in my opinion x. Can’t you try to be a little more erudite?

[Sw]

3 squadrons say 75 aircraft with 2 pilots for each aircraft not a lot if you have to cover the whole of Ukraine. Then you have service them and weapons with the problems with the Russian supply system how many sorties per day would it generate? And with the Western supplied air defence and poor maintenance what would they loss rate be.

[CHINOOKER]

Watching Sky News last night….ex RAF Air Vice Martial, Sean Bell, who is an analyst on there, mentioned that the Russian Airforce are actively recruiting “retired airforce pilots” to man these squadrons! Makes you wonder about the current state of the Russian Airforce and if it will be able to actually compete with the highly motivated Ukrainian pilots that they will face!!

[steamy]

Everyone's elite when the bar is low... they should call it....

Not the best choice of word in my opinion x. Can’t you try to be a little more erudite?

If we all start being verbose, the Russian bots have trouble translating... they need to know how crap everyone thinks they are

[Sw]

Watching Sky News last night….ex RAF Air Vice Martial, Sean Bell, who is an analyst on there, mentioned that the Russian Airforce are actively recruiting “retired airforce pilots” to man these squadrons! Makes you wonder about the current state of the Russian Airforce and if it will be able to actually compete with the highly motivated Ukrainian pilots that they will face!!

The problem over the years is that the Russian airforce still trains the way of the old Soviet Union everything controlled from the HQ and they only flew half the flying hours of NATO pilots .So retired pilots will only have a much low skill and they will need a lot of flying to catch up with there Ukrainian adversely I wonder with the losses so far both in the air how many top class aircraft they will be able to put in the air each day?

[Sparts99]

Sounds like they're clutching at straws to me. Retired pilots? They must have a huge aircrew problem and are trying to spin it into something positive.

[steamy]

they just need to give their front lines crews a rest because they have been working so hard

[Col Nago]

This is a very insightful and informative article on the shabby state of the Russian Air Force - and it was published pre invasion of Ukraine:

https://international-review.org/dwarfi ... y-part-ii/

[Crusty]

Everyone's elite when the bar is low... they should call it....

Not the best choice of word in my opinion x. Can’t you try to be a little more erudite?

If we all start being verbose, the Russian bots have trouble translating... they need to know how crap everyone thinks they are

The Invasion of Ukraine seems to have heralded an era of warfare through memes, and trolling of the enemy, adding to existent propaganda/disinformation tactics, its all a bit teenage for me

[steamy]

Not the best choice of word in my opinion x. Can’t you try to be a little more erudite?

If we all start being verbose, the Russian bots have trouble translating... they need to know how crap everyone thinks they are

The Invasion of Ukraine seems to have heralded an era of warfare through memes, and trolling of the enemy, adding to existent propaganda/disinformation tactics, its all a bit teenage for me

we'll hopefully find a more high brow war you can feel a part of in the future.

[Bilvo]

From UK MoD:

https://twitter.com/DefenceHQ/status/16 ... 17/photo/1

"Russia is highly likely creating a new ‘elite’ attack aviation group code-named ‘Shtorm’ to operate over Ukraine. The unit is likely to consist of at least one squadron of Su-24 FENCER and Su-34 FULLBACK fighter-bombers, and a squadron of attack helicopters.

The mix of aircraft types suggests the group will have a primary role of ground attack missions.

Credible Russian media reports suggest that the Russian MoD aims to attract highly skilled and motivated pilots by offering large pay incentives and opening recruitment to retired aviators.

The creation of the group highlights how Russian assesses its regular air force squadrons have severely underperformed in their core function of conducting airstrikes on Ukrainian lines."

Maybe the war has just proven how useless Russian made equipement is...

[Vulture 01]

There's an old saying that quantity has a quality all it's own. So, if the opposition sends over five jets, and you've only got four missiles to fire, you have a problem.
Never underestimate a credible enemy. Despite all the recent comments, the Russian Air Force has a lot of high end kit, and, by the law of averages, some of the drivers will be pretty good.
Although the Us has finally decided to allow the F16 transfer, it's going to be a while before they come on line, and will probably be in limited numbers.

On the other hand, the announcement may just be repeating more Putin waffle. Time will tell.

[Crusty]

If we all start being verbose, the Russian bots have trouble translating... they need to know how crap everyone thinks they are

The Invasion of Ukraine seems to have heralded an era of warfare through memes, and trolling of the enemy, adding to existent propaganda/disinformation tactics, its all a bit teenage for me

we'll hopefully find a more high brow war you can feel a part of in the future.

Do you feel part of this one?

[steamy]

The Invasion of Ukraine seems to have heralded an era of warfare through memes, and trolling of the enemy, adding to existent propaganda/disinformation tactics, its all a bit teenage for me

we'll hopefully find a more high brow war you can feel a part of in the future.

Do you feel part of this one?

Bar the obvious knock on consequences, no.