Photos and videos of aircrafts engaged in operation Decisive Storm

On the night of Wednesday 25 to Thursday, March 26, Saudi Arabia, in cooperation with Egypt, Jordan, Sudan, Morocco, Qatar, Pakistan, Kuwait, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, launched "Operation Decisive Storm" over Yemeni territory (see Ten Arab countries formed a military coalition in order to strike Shiite militias in Yemen). These two videos and screen capture photos from Al Arabiya channel show most of the aircrafts engaged in those operations and based at King Khalid airbase : RSAF (Royal Saudi Air Force) F-15S carrying GBU-12 bombs and DB-110 reconnaissance pod, Tornado IDS, Typhoon, AS532M Cougar, C-130, Kuwaiti F/A-18C, Qatari Mirage 2000-5, Sudanese Su-24.

 

RSAF F-15S carrying GBU-12

Photos and video of Iraqi Mi-35M over Tikrit

Three Mi-35M from 35th Attack Squadron are involved in Tikrit combats (see previous article IQAF and IAA in the battle of Tikrit). These rare photos and video show Mi-35M using twin-barreled 23 mm cannon GSh-23V and S-8 rockets during the battle of Tikrit. The gun can fire 3,400 to 3,600 rounds per minute with 450 to 470 rounds of ammunition. Mi-35Ms are mainly used for night attacks.

Mi-35M using its twin-barreled 23 mm cannon GSh-23V

Photos and video of Iraqi Su-25 engaged in Tikrit battle

The first series of six photos of Iraqi Air Force Su-25 was taken at Al Rashid airbase near Baghdad by Rod Nordland (Foreign Correspondent for NYT). Three different "Frogfoot" can be seen. The first one is a former-Iranian Su-25UBKM delivered on July 2014 and coded "2500", the two others are former-Russian Su-25SM coded "2520" (c/n 03124 delivered on June 28) and "2522".On the video, Su-25SM "2520" is preparing to take off for a bombing mission over Tikrit. It carries two external fuel tanks and four FAB-250 bombs.

Former Iranian Su-25UBKM "2500"

IQAF and IAA in the battle of Tikrit

For more than ten days, combat for the recovery of the city of Tikrit in the hands of the Islamic State since June 2014 are intense. Iraqi forces managed to enter the Qadisiyah district on Wednesday 11. The Iraqi Air Force and the Iraqi Army Aviation were engaged from the beginning of the battle. Despite the heavy presence of IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) on the ground in the recent operations in Iraq, nor IRIAF (Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force), IRGC-ASF ( Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp's Aerospace Force) and IRIAA (Islamic Republic of Iran Army Aviation) hadn't any presence in the air. IQAF (Iraqi Air Force) have played very effective role with its own Su-25s and its own pilots whom a second group, ended its gunnery training sessions in Russia just three months ago. Also, Iraqi Army Aviation had a very important role during these operations. Actually, three Mi-35M (35th Attack Squadron), five Eurocopter EC-635 (55th Attack Squadron), five Bell IA-407 (21st Armed Reco Squadron), three UH-1H (2nd Utillity Squadron) and six Mi-17v5/Mi-171 (15th Special Operations Squadron) are used for attacks and reco missions. Mi-35 are intensively involved for night attacks. According to Iraqi sources, Iraqi Army Aviation airstrikes destroyed a six vehicle convoy on al-'Alam-Albu Ajeel road (East of Tikrit) on March, 4. The day after, three armoured vehicles and two explosives-laden oil tankers were hit in al-'Alam town. On March, 10, Iraqi Army Aviation struck two car bombs and two oil tanker bombs in central Tikrit.

Iraqi Eurocopter EC 635 in action near Tikrit

The video below, taken by an Iraqi pilot, shows one Iraqi Army Aviation Eurocopter EC 635 from 55th Attack Squadron in action near Tikrit. It is armed of FN Herstal HMP-400 with 12.7 mm machine gun and with Hydra rocket launchers. On 25 March 2009, Iraqi Ministry of Defense ordered 24 Eurocopter helicopters EC 635 T2 + to France. The first two were delivered to Iraq, on Al Taji AB on June 18, 2010.

My publication in March

This month, I published in issue 11 of Air Combat magazine about French Operation Limousin that followed independence of Chad. Ground troops were supported by robust helicopters and powerful aircrafts, AD-4N Skyraider and Sikorsky H-34. Ce mois-ci, je publie dans le numéro 11 du magazine AIR Combat des éditions Caraktère avec un article consacré à l'Opération Limousin qui suivi l'indépendance du Tchad. Les troupes au sol furent appuyées par de robustes hélicoptères et de puissants appareils, dont le AD-4N Skyraider et le Sikorsky H-34.