"Islamic State Seizes Major Syrian Air Base After ..." Topic

…Days Of Heavy Fighting That Resulted In Over 500 Killed.

" Islamic State militants stormed an air base in northeast Syria on Sunday, capturing it from government forces after days of fighting that cost more than 500 lives, a monitoring group said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 346 Islamic State fighters were killed and more than 170 members of government forces had died since Tuesday in the fight over Tabqa base, making it one of the deadliest confrontations between the two groups since the start of Syria's war.

The Observatory, which monitors violence in Syria through sources on the ground, said fighting raged inside the air base on Sunday. It was the Syrian army's last foothold in an area otherwise controlled by Islamic State, which has seized large areas of Syria and Iraq…"
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Amicalement
Armand

Doesn't say if The Caliphate now has an air force.

Airbases should be behind the lines… says something about how poorly Syria is doing in that area.

But does ISIS have anyone that can fly any of the birds there ? Probably not … but maybe … Of course based on most pilots' performance from that region, if they can fly any of the aircraft. They should be meat-on-the-table for most Western and/or IDF pilots … Not to mention can ISIS do the maintenance to keep them flying if they can fly them at all ? I think not … And yes as the Ed. said, shows how poorly Assads's forces are doing … Losing an airfield is a bad turn of events. Even if ISIS can't fly anything … but neither can the SAF now… Less CAS … is not going to help Assad's bid to stay in power … Again, on the other hand, it may actually be a good thing if the US plans to use CAS on ISIS in Syria. As has been recently discussed …

I have to think that there are Iraqi Ba'athists in ISIS, with previous military experience, that can fly and maintain airplanes, at least as long as they can cannibalize parts. The article doesn't state if there were helicopters or aircraft left on the base. Against Western or IDF pilots they may not do well, but against the Iraqi or Syrians pilots…

I imagine ISIS is quite pleased that we've supported Syrian insurgents for years now.
If the Syrian government forces were at full strength and morale, I imagine they'd have made relatively short work of the attackers.

They're still getting 2-to-1 kill ratios even in the present state of affairs which reinforces the difference between trained professionals and insurgent militia in combat terms.

Some more detail on the capture of Tabqa airbase, and equipment therein, here:

spioenkop.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/tabqa-airbase-captured-by-islamic-state.html

They captured some MiG-21s, so you could get some interesting scenarios from that!

As I recall, the Al Qaeda Air Force does ok, even if they skip the landing lessons. :(

As the photos show, what state will the aircraft be after weeks of bombing and artillery barrages and close assault?

Seeing the performance of the Syrian Army against ISIS… make me to think how much they would have withstoods a War against Israel as they menace for so many years.

Amicalement
Armand

They wouldn't; Israel is the regional, military superpower. No conventional force can do that much against them. Sure, the Hezbollah defeated Israel in 2006 but they're the world's pre-eminent force in that sort of conflict.

Back to IS, it is apparent that this is not the case of a few thousand crazed fanatics marauding the region, but rather a more broadly supported (i.e. not totally of the IS ideology)uprising in Iraq.

So, that may indicate that they (i.e. the uprising) have more knowledge of weapon systems than would be expected of the aforementioned band of fanatics.

The Syrian foreign minister made a speech today in which he welcomed US bombing of the ISIS, but insisted that the USAF should (must!) give notice of their operations to the officially recognized government of the Syrian Arab Republic. You know, post a liason officer to Assad's HQ, or at least phone them in advance of the airstrikes. After all, they still hold a seat in the United Nations, and they issue the postage stamps and stuff. It looks bad when we treat them as totally irrelevant, and do whatever we like in their country.

Not the first airbase to fall into hands of Islamists.

Most of the aircraft captured have not been operational. They've been mainly helicopter bases though at least one had L-39s and MiG-21s stationed and one was an air defence batallion equipped with SA-2/-3s that defected to rebel side. However there has been no news of Syrian rebels using SA-2/-3s so I assume it's non operational.

This website has been following the war for sometime and has some good articles and pictures on the air war in Syria.

luftwaffeas.blogspot.com.au

It's got pics of the airbase at Tabqa – apparently SA342L Gazelles, a couple of Mi-25s were stationed as well as it being a MiG-21 training base home to 12 Squadron as well as a base flight of Mi-8s.

Also site highlighting claimed and confirmed shootdowns of SyAAF aircraft:

ejection-history.org.uk/CONFLICTS/SYRIA_2011_2012/Syrian_Conflict.htm

Problem with older Soviet gear and prolonged conflict is that it chews up very limited lifespans for key components like engines. Hence the Syrians have started using interceptors ala MiG-23ML, MiG-25 and MiG-29s in ground attack role as they run out of functional MiG-21s, MiG-23BNs, Su-22s, L-39s and Su-24s. They've even been using Mi-8 Hip transport choppers as bombers with infamous "barrel bomb.

On the upside it does mean that when rebels captured Syrian AF bases, there is seldom anything operational as generally operational aircraft would be evacuated to other bases and the rebels are left with unflyable wrecks for most part.

I saw that too zippy … but if the US does do air strikes on ISIS in Syria. It appears there maybe be more to fear from ADA/AAA than Syrian air assets. And those could be suppressed or destroyed … generally with minimal effort …

When ISIS seized that bank in Mosul they got an estimated $425,000,000.00 USD and they export oil at cut rate prices. If they are not already trafficking heroine, they should/will be, and soon.
That kind of money buys spare parts and expertise.

And a LGB on your precious air assets, the trouble with ISIL is, it is an irregular army that is now having to defend real borders, with real infrastructure. You can't hide an airbase in a hospital or school, or set up your SPAAG's in the courtyards of residential buildings.

Yes they have money, but a good part is used to sustain population centres and their infrastructure, like Mosul, who have millions of citizens. To be a state you have to act like one, terror can play a role but an over reliance on such crude methods will result in disaster. Not only that, they are fighting the Syrians, Kurds plus US airpower Iraq and the Lebanese, at this rate you better be dealing in hard drugs and giving your fighters some as well, they'll need it, however fanatical.

US Recon Drones were launched over Syria today according to CNN & FOX … Hopefully CAS packing various HE will follow soon …

@L4, I'm betting that the drones over Syria are already armed.

When ISIS seized that bank in Mosul they got an estimated $425,000,000 USD and they export oil at cut rate prices. If they are not already trafficking heroine, they should/will be, and soon.

That kind of money buys spare parts and expertise.

What spare parts? From the Chinese maybe? If so, the Chinese engines are even worse than the Russian ones. Replace bi-weekly in combat, the engine lasts 30 hours!

Would surprise me if they weren't packing and that they have been flying over Syria for long before today too …