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.

The story of an Iranian F-4E that defected during Iran-Iraq war

On August 30, 1984, an Iranian F-4E from 61st TFS defected to Iraq. The pilot was Rahman Ghena'at Pisheh who brother was executed by the IRI due to political reasons. He flew in low altitude and fast speed to not permit his co-pilot, Davood Sehati Dehkharghani, to eject. The backseat crew was taken as military prisoner. The Phantom II serial 3-6552, was one of the best F-4Es of the 61st TFS at the time, which had fully operational fire control system (As you see on the video, it had missiles on board).

IAF F-16 with most air-to-air kills retired from service

With 6,5 air-to-air kills, F-16A No. 107 of the Israeli air force is the dogfight champion of all Fighting Falcon in the world. It has been retired from service late 2014 and will be exposed in the IAF Museum in Hatzerim air base in the Negev. Since 1995, it was used as a training aircraft. In addition to his aerial victories in 1982, he participated in the raid of 7 June 1981 on the Iraqi nuclear reactor at Osirak with pilot Major General Amos Yadlin.

Operation Sand : 1972 - 1978

In 1972, Rhodesians pilots and technicians were secretly seconded to the South African Air Force (SAAF) to fly Mirage III. The "operation Sand" was starting . They were initially assigned to the Flying Training School based in Louis Botha, Durban and flying on Impala, the South African version of Aermachi MB-326M. A first pilot detachment then joined the Squadron 2 to Waterkloof to operate on Mirage IIICZ. The first two pilots were Rob Dayton Ed Potterton. An air base was also built secretly Flyde Rhodesia to rapidly deploy Mirage if necessary. It was rarely used. In mid 1978, a whole squadron of Mirage was flown by the Rhodesians. The pilots and the planes seem to have sometimes been involved in ground strikes in Mozambique to assist Rhodesian ground forces and also scrambled when Zambians Mig crossing the border Rhodesia / Zambia.

Libyan Air Wars Part 1 : 1973-1985

In January 2015 will be published the first volume of the series "Libyan Air Wars" which I am the co-author with Tom Cooper and Albert Grandolini. This publication has been postponed several times, but this time, it's good! This series of three books of 80 pages mention all the conflicts which the Libyan air force was involved: the Libyan-Egyptian War in 1977, the Chadian civil war against Chad and France from 1968 to 1987 and of course, the dogfights of the F-14 Tomcat in the Gulf of Sidra in 1981, 1986 and 1989. on this occasion, I created the Facebook page Libyan Air Wars which I will regularly post information including photos, videos, documents.

Iraqi Mi-28 operating in Baghdad area

Update on 16^th October 2014

In a previous post (Iraqi Mi-28 engaged in combat against IS ?), I mentioned the issue of engagement of Iraqi Mi-28 in combat against the Islamic State. On a video released today by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense and available here, we can see, furtively a Mi-28 in flight (1:44) during an operation in the city of Banat Al-Hassan located 40 km northwest of Baghdad. This city was freed on October 3 by the Iraqi army.

Mise à jour le 16 octobre 2014

Dans un précédent billet (Les Mi-28 irakiens ont-ils déjà été engagés au combat contre l’IS ?), j'évoquais la question de l'engagement des Mi-28 irakiens dans les combats contre l'Etat Islamique. Sur une vidéo publié aujourd'hui par le Ministère de la Défense Irakien et disponible ici, nous pouvons apercevoir furtivement un Mi-28 en vol (01:44) au cours d'une opération dans la ville de Banat Al-Hassan situé à 40 km au nord-ouest de Bagdad. Cette ville a été libéré le 3 octobre par l'armée Irakienne.

La première victoire aérienne de l'histoire

Dimanche 5 octobre 2014, nous célébrerons le centenaire de la première victoire aérienne de l'histoire de l'aviation.

Iraqi Mi-28 engaged in combat against IS ?

Les Mi-28 dans l’armée Irakienne

Au moment même où les premiers Rafale français frappent des cibles des combattants de l'IS, un petit retour sur les Mi-28 irakiens. Cet appareil était très attendu par les pilotes. En effet, il dispose d'un fuselage entièrement blindé pouvant encaissé directement des coups de 12.7 mm et est équipé de deux turbines TV3-117VMA autonome développant 2200 ch chacune, placées de chaque coté du fuselage, permettant ainsi à l'hélicoptère de voler même si l'une d'entre elles venait à tomber en panne ou était touchée par des tirs.

Il y a 11 ans, l'Opération Tarpan

Ce matin ont débuté les premières missions de reconnaissance des Rafale de l'EC 3/30 "Lorraine" au-dessus de l'Iraq onze années après les dernières missions de guerre des Mirage IVP. En effet, dans le cadre de la Résolution du Conseil de sécurité de l'ONU n° 1441 du 8 novembre 2002 sur le désarmement de l'Irak, et pour soutenir l’action de la CCVINU (Commission de Contrôle, de Vérification et d’Inspection des Nations Unies), la France déploie, depuis Istres, à Al-Kharj, en Arabie Saoudite, deux Mirage IVP et deux C-135FR, avec 70 personnes, du 21 février au 9 avril 2003.

Mes publications du mois de septembre

Ce mois-ci, je publie dans le numéro 430 du magazine AIR FAN. Un dossier sur les 40 années de service du Super Etendard ravira les fans de ce vieux loup de mer. Quant à moi, je consacre un article sur L’escadrille de la Garde Présidentielle gabonaise qui a vu un grand nombre d'ex-pilotes et mécaniciens de l'Armée de l'Air dans ses rangs à la recherche d'aventure et d'exotisme.