Putin Sends Russia’s Deadly New Fighter Jet to Syria

[Purveyor]

Source: The Fiscal Times

By Martin Matishak
February 2, 2016

Russia has added a major weapon system to the already impressive arsenal it has deployed to Syria.

Moscow’s supermaneuverable Su-35S fighter jets started “to carry out military tasks last week” in the war-torn country, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov told reporters on Monday.

Russian media said the aircraft will provide another layer of protection to warplanes conducting raids in Syria. The four “Super Flanker” jets will support other elements of the Russian and Syrian air forces, which are also protected by an S-400 Triumf air defense system that’s been installed at Moscow’s airbase near the Syrian city of Latakia.

The deployment gives Russian President Vladimir Putin another opportunity to showcase Moscow’s war machine and boost the Su-35 program. The twin-engine jet, which many analysts compare to the F/A-18 Super Hornet made by Boeing, flew in exercises in the Pacific last year. Now the plane, which has unusual maneuvering capabilities thanks to its thrust vectoring engines (see the video above), can be tested in a real war environment.

Read more: http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/2016/02/02/Putin-Sends-Russia-s-Deadly-New-Fighter-Jet-Syria

[forest444]

1. Good. We need them in the fight against ISIS.

Russian airstrikes have already done wonders against the ISIS/Turkish oil smuggling trade (the source of most of their operating income, of course).

The Hitler-admiring Turkish PM can go pound sand if he - or his offshore bank accounts - doesn't like it.

[840high]

2. Good.

[Little Tich]

3. Bad move. Russia should stop bombing civilians instead of bringing more jets that will only kill

more.

[Purveyor]

5. Good move. The US is not going to be allowed to 'break' another ME country without considering the

consequences.

[Little Tich]

6. Amnesty: Syria: Russia’s shameful failure to acknowledge civilian killings

Source: Amnesty International, 23 December 2015

Russian air strikes in Syria have killed hundreds of civilians and caused massive destruction in residential areas, striking homes, a mosque and a busy market, as well as medical facilities, in a pattern of attacks that show evidence of violations of international humanitarian law, said Amnesty International in a new briefing published today.

‘Civilian objects were not damaged’: Russia’s statements on its attacks in Syria unmasked highlights the high price civilians have paid for suspected Russian attacks across the country. The report focuses on six attacks in Homs, Idleb and Aleppo between September and November 2015 which killed at least 200 civilians and around a dozen fighters. The briefing includes evidence suggesting that Russian authorities may have lied to cover up civilian damage to a mosque from one air strike and a field hospital in another. It also documents evidence suggesting Russia’s use of internationally banned cluster munitions and of unguided bombs in populated residential areas.

“Some Russian air strikes appear to have directly attacked civilians or civilian objects by striking residential areas with no evident military target and even medical facilities, resulting in deaths and injuries to civilians. Such attacks may amount to war crimes,” said Philip Luther, Director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Amnesty International.

“It is crucial that suspected violations are independently and impartially investigated.”

Read more: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2015/12/syria-russias-shameful-failure-to-acknowledge-civilian-killings/


For me, killing civilians always lead to more problems. It's not a Russia thing, anyone who does it will only make things worse.

[NickB79]

17. Yeah, why let the US have all the fun?

Now it's Russia's turn to get to test out their latest military hardware on brown people too!

Er, um, I mean, "fight terrorism"

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

4. Fine...

... I see it as a snub to Lockheed and all of those behind our piece of junk F-35.

[psychopomp]

8. F-35 Lightning II: Busting Myths - Episode 3

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

10. LOL...

... "The F-35 fighter jet will find itself outmaneuvered, outgunned, out of range, and visible to enemy sensors, says a new report by think tank National Security Network."

http://fortune.com/2015/08/14/f-35-joint-strike-fighter/

[psychopomp]

13. I was under the assumption that DU's demo was older

and therefore, more mature. Okay, 'Myth busted.' Anybody who uses "LOL" as a reply generally isn't ready to talk with the grown-ups, but I'll have a go.

The criticisms in this article are addressed in the short video that was linked to in the message you have replied to; I wonder if you've watched the video and given it some thought?

I just finished reading the article from last March that you linked to; I have to say, it was unpersuasive. Every major new rollout of combat aircraft encounters these kinds of delays, added expenses, etc. When all is said and done, the F-35 will change the game and other nations will be playing catch-up.

What I did get from the BI article are some of the sexiest photos of the F-35 I've ever seen:






Smmmokin'!
edit: added one more pin-up

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

14. I...

..."LOL"'d because it is hard to believe that anything good other than pocket lining is going to come of this project. By the time it is operational, (Another 5-10 years?) drones and missiles via U.S. Navy, for example, will take care of all the tactical hits. It has been a just a pandering to the old pilots club that we still put humans into airplanes, i.e.... UMAV's.

Sorry. The pictures were pretty though!

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

11. Pentagon: Here are all the problems with the F-35...

..."During the live flight testings in 2014, the Department of Defense's Office of the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation compiled a report on the progress and failures of the F-35 program.

Here are some of the key problems that the Pentagon identified."

http://www.businessinsider.com/here-are-all-the-problems-with-the-f-35-that-the-pentagon-found-in-a-2014-report-2015-3


And as of this week, they still say the computer system on the Flying Jalopy maybe ready to use sometime in 2017.

[pampango]

7. "The deployment gives Russian President Vladimir Putin another opportunity to showcase Moscow’s war

machine ... Now the plane, which has unusual maneuvering capabilities thanks to its thrust vectoring engines (see the video above), can be tested in a real war environment."

That should be good for future sales. Nothing like testing your new plane in a "real war environment" to attract future customers.

And this should help Russia defeat ISIS' high-tech air force.

[karynnj]

9. Humm I bet they destroy every one of ISIS's high tech planes by the end of the day -

none will be left. Can't beat that.

[pampango]

12. That would look great in an ad. "It destroyed ISIS' air force in one day." I want one of those. n/t

[NickB79]

15. Extremely maneuverable aircraft and SAM missile batteries against ISIS? Who are they kidding?

These are not the kind of weapons you deploy when you're fighting a country with LITERALLY no air force.

These are weapons intended to intimidate Turkey and by extension the US and NATO after the shoot-down of a Russian fighter jet last year.

[Purveyor]

16. A quite appropriate response IMO... nt