"Aerial Warfare in Ukraine" Topic

Two Russian Mi-35M helicopters attacked Ukrainian positions, the first helicopter was fired at by a MANPAD, but its flares saved it, and the missile went into the ground. The 2nd helicopter was hit by another MANPAD and went down.
SputnikATONews, Jun 17, 2022.

GeoConfirmed near Rivnopil', Donetsk Oblast (47.79585, 36.70327).

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First some examples of rocket use:
1) Ukrainian Mi-8MSB helicopter doing that indirect fire thing with lofted S-13 122mm rockets, Apr 30, 2022.
2) Video taken by the IR camera of a VKS helicopter — purportedly shown that unguided rockets fired by VKS Su-25 are not dispersing as widely as perceived: Jun 15, 2022. (via Tom Copper)
3) Ukrainian Mi-8s with B13L1 rocket pods carrying S-13 rockets, June 16, 2022.

Supplement: Spray & Pray, How it Works. Video explaining all the details with help of fragments from different videos released by the Russians, by Thomas van Hare, June 19.

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COTS drone Mine clearance
Abraxas Spa, Jun 24, 2022.

"It's not all that often you see a Ukrainian commercial off-the-shelf drone clearing a road of TM-62 anti-tank mines by dropping an improvised VOG-17 based munition."
I.D. byUkraine Weapons Tracker

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The first combat use of the M142 HIMARS.
Pavlo Narozhnyy, Jun 24, 2022.

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Alchevs'k, Luhansk Oblast, a Russian SAM fails during launch
OSINTtechnical, Jun 24, 2022.

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The drone strike on the Russian Novoshakhtinsky refinery in Rostov Oblast was not by a TB-2, PD-1 or PD-2. Some commercial drones are suggested.

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The drone may have been a
Ukrainian made ACS-3 (Raybird-3)

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"The last few weeks Ukrainians have repeatedly reported air strikes by ‘three missiles' — foremost on Mykolaiv, but also in other areas (Dnipro, for example). Must admit this confused me, because VKS combat aircraft are usually deploying pairs of air-to-ground missiles. Foremost Su-34s are carrying either two Kh-59s (ASCC/NATO-codename ‘AS-13 Kingbolt'), or two Kh-29s (ASCC/NATO-codename ‘AS-14 Kedge').

… three Kh-22s are the maximum load of the Tu-22M-3; two on underwing stations and one under the centreline, like on attached illustration. Seems, such a combination was used to hit a depot with sunflower oil in Mykolaiv, yesterday in the morning, and then to hit another facility inside the industrial zone of that port, later during the day."
Tom Cooper, June 24.

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interesting use of drone ,think there was one or two mines still active

Second drone strike on the Russian Novoshakhtinsky refinery. It crashed near the tanks, a good 300m from the 1st one.
from thread by RALee85

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Satellite imagery shows a burned area at the site of a recent missile launch failure near Alchevsk, Luhansk Oblast. (above), Brady Africk.

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Russian attack (missed) on a bridge the Cherkasy area, Jun 27, 2022.

Supplement: Russian Missile Strike, 25 June 2022, by Tom Cooper.
Supplement: Of Backfires and Kitchens, by Tom Cooper, Jun 27.
And why the Russians are using old Kh-22 missiles launched from Tu-22M-3 heavy bombers.

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"Ukraine's air force command said the shopping complex in Kremenchuk was hit by two long-range X-22 missiles fired from Tu-22M3 bombers that flew from Shaykovka airfield in Russia's Kaluga region."

Osinttechnical, June 28, 22.

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Cyrillic Х is usually translated as Kh, so Х22 = Kh22.

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Video of a Russian Ка-52 Helicopter shot down with Martlet MANPAD, Kochevenko, June 28, 2022.
Ukraine Weapons Tracker reported: UK-supplied LMM multirole missile [=Martlet] proved that it could work against more than just UAVs; the Ukrainian 95th Air Assault Brigade scored a hit against a Russian helicopter in the East. The aircraft, said to be a Ka-52 attack helicopter, appears to crash.

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Osinttechnical (for video)
"Security camera footage from the strike on the mall in Kremenchuk clearly shows a Russian KH-22 directly impacting the structure. No secondary explosions."

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"On June 27, Russian Aerospace Forces launched a high-precision air attack at hangars with armament and munitions delivered by USA and European countries at #Kremenchug road machinery plant.

The high-precision attack has resulted in the neutralisation of west-manufactured armament and munitions concentrated at the storage area for being delivered to Ukrainian group of troops in Donbass.

Detonation of the storaged munitions caused a fire in a non-functioning shopping centre next to the facilities of the plant."
Russian Embassy, UK

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"New June 28th high resolution satellite imagery from @Planet shows the destroyed Kremenchug shopping mall, damage to the factory complex, and no damage to the train station, highlighted in this claim from the Russian Embassy."
Bellingcat, Jun 29, 2022.

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The Kh22 (AS-4 'Kitchen') is not high-precision, see "Supplement: Of Backfires and Kitchens" above.

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Russia's Kremenchuk Claims Versus the Evidence, bellingcat, June 29, 2022.

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US is planning to provide NASAMS air defence missile systems to Ukraine are a big deal, if true. Here's why. ChrisO, Jun 27, 2022.

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A Ukrainian Tu-143 Reys unmanned aircraft was shot down above Kursk Oblast this night.
There are reports that these obsolete drones were adapted to carry explosives and now used as Ersatz-ballistic missiles with a range of more than 100km.
Ukraine Weapons Tracker, Jun 29, 2022 .

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$820 USD million in additional security assistance for Ukraine includes 2 Two National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), U.S. Department of Defense, July 1, 2022.
See above for description.

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video of a Russian Ka-52 attack helicoper successfully hitting a BDRM-2 armoured car of the Ukrainian forces with a 9K121 Vikhr [AT-16 Scallion] ATGM. Ukraine Weapons Tracker, July 11, 2022.

"The first documented use of a modern Russian ZALA Lancet loitering munition in Ukraine – the remains of this one were found in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

Depending on the variant it can carry a payload of 1 to 3 kilograms."
Ukraine Weapons Tracker, July 16, 2022.

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video of a "Ukrainian Su-27 reportedly engaged a Russian cruise missile over Bila Tserkva", OSINTtechnical, July 16, 2022.

In the evening, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine shot down a Russian missile over Bilotserkiv district in Kyiv region. Before [the target, so] there were no casualties or damage, said the head of the OVA Kuleba. Debris fell into the field.
suspilnenews, July 16.

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A Russian Su-35(?) shot down over Bereslav, Kherson region. The pilot ejects and parachutes. Russian helicopters were also seen over the crash site.
Special Kherson Cat, July 20, 2022.

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The Russians have been placing forces around the Energodprskaya nuclear power plant at Enerhodar, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, using it as a shield, and firing Grad rockets at Nikopol.

At least two Ukrainian Polish-made WARMATE loitering munitions were used against Russian forces in Enerhodar.

Place of impact at the Energodprskaya nuclear power plant. The Russian military removed everything, but it looks like there were field tents with personnel.
July 21, 2022.

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video of above. "Using a kamikaze drone, an attack was made on a tent city and enemy equipment, in particular, on a car with anti-aircraft guns and BM-21 "Grad". According to available data, as a result of the attack, 3 Rashists were killed and 12 were injured. The tent city was destroyed by a fire that could not be extinguished for a long time."
HB, July 23, 2022.

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Ukraine will receive Slovakia's entire air fleet of MiG-29 Fulcrum fighters or 12 combat aircraft, one of which was used as a trainer by the Slovak Air Force. The donation comes thanks to a bilateral agreement between the Czech Republic and Slovakia that the Czech Air Force will protect Slovakia's airspace until Bratislava receives the 12 F-16 Block 70 units ordered by the US in the coming months

By Boyko Nikolov, bulgarianmilitary.com

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"The russians found the remains of an American made AGM-88D HARM anti-radiation missile.

BSU-60/B is the fin of AGM-88D HARMs made by Raytheon. Once fired they will automatically seek and destroy enemy air defense radars or jamming stations… but this is an air-launched missile."
Thomas C. Theiner, Aug 8.

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How did the US mount AGM-88 HARM missiles onto Ukrainian fighters… well, I think I know how. A short thread, Thomas C. Theiner.

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Under Secretary of Defense Colin Kahl: In recent packages for Ukraine we've included a number of anti-radiation missiles that can be fired off Ukrainian aircraft.

Previously, Pentagon did not announce the specific provision of such missiles to Ukraine.

Ostap Yarysh, Aug 9, 2022.

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Anti-radar missiles were announced on 25/7/22.
Anime_Art_lover

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The Armed Forces of Ukraine used the latest American AGM-88 HARM anti-radar missiles against Russian anti-aircraft radars

On August 5-7, the General Staff of the Armed Forces reported the destruction of a record numbers of Russian air defense equipment – 14 units of air defense systems and radars of the Russian Armed Forces.

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By Yuri Butusov

Andrew Perpetua, Aug 9, 2022.

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That piece of rocket (or whatever) has obviously had text overwritten on it. Is that an enhancement or simply another fake?

All the fins will have the same text on them except for the serial number which is unique for each and added separately later.

The HARM found in Ukraine isn't fake and it doesn't have the same serial number as a HARM in a Dutch museum:

1) third line isn't the Serial Number (S/N)
2) below a pic of the Dutch missile & I added explanations for the codes
3) as the Dutch missile is inert it didn't get a S/N

Thomas C. Theiner, Aug 8, 2022.

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Further to above, another announcement: "Slovakia has announced that they will ground their MiG-29 fighter jets next month and donate them to Ukraine.
Visegrád 24, Aug 13, 2022.

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Taiwan is to supply 800 x Revolver 860 drones to Poland for Ukraine. Oryx, August 10, 2022, armyinform, 20 Aug, 2022 & Taiwan News, 18 Aug 2022.

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They look ideal for Ukraine.
If they can resist Russian jamming, they will cause a lot of disruption.

As people are wondering what VAMPIRE is; I believe it is this pickup truck mounted anti-UAV system from L3Harris, which also uses "laser guided rockets":

Here is the product description
Thomas C. Theiner, Aug 25, 2022.

The system comes on a pallet that can be mounted on any flat surface.

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Russian video. Ukrainians hijacked a Russian drone to the surprise of its operators, live on camera 😂 Slight panic at the end as Russians realise their location is not safe anymore.
Dmitri @wartranslated, Aug 28, 2022.

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Private Israeli intelligence firm ImageSatIntl publishes satellite images showing that Russia has apparently moved its S-300 system out of Syria back to Russia.

Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian, Aug 27, 2022.

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Norway and Great Britain are joining forces to acquire the Norwegian micro-drone Black Hornet as a donation to Ukraine.
Norway Government, 24/08/2022.

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THE BLACK HORNET: Is a Norwegian developed micro-UAV. Small enough to be held in one hand, the Black Hornet can fly through buildings and up and down staircases. This one of a kind nano UCAV allows Ukrainian war fighters to reconnoiter the urban battle space.

Chuck Pfarrer, Aug 28, 2022.

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Great intel ! Good to see even Taiwan sent some ordinance too.

"First Ukrainian TB2 footage released in a bit, showing a pair of strikes on a Russian 2B11 mortar and an Ural-43206.

There is a possibility that Russian frontline air defenses have been degraded by recent Ukrainian HARM strikes, allowing TB2s to operate near the front again."
OSINTtechnical, Sep 2, 2022.

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Kupyansk, wreckage of what appears to be an Iranian made Russian Shahed-136 loitering munition.

First visual confirmation of Iranian drones in Russian service.
OSINTtechnical, Sep 13, 2022.

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If anyone wondered what crashed today in Russian Stavropol' region injuring 6 firefighters, you'd be very much surprised to know that it wasn't a "Ukrainian UAV", but a Russian Kinzhal [hypersonic] missile.

And yes, the "booster" or the nozzle's aerodynamic cover didn't separate from the missile upon its separation from the carrier(?), which would probably mean that the main engine didn't ignite.

LotA, Sep 15, 2022.

"In the last 6 months, Russia has hit Ukraine with three Kh-47M2 Kinzhal "hypersonic" missiles and itself with one."
OSINTtechnical

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Ukraine War: Intro to Iranian UAV/UCAVs, part 1, part 2 and part 3 by Tom Cooper.

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'Deadly Skies' Air Defence In Ukraine – Drones, SAMs, and Attrition by Perun, Oct 16, 2022.

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Video of A Russian Kh-101 cruise missile is intercepted near the CHPP-6 power plant north of Kyiv, OSINTtechnical, Oct 20, 2022.

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Russia's ‘Kamikaze' Drones Are Changing The Ukraine War

YouTube link

link

Armand

Hitler had the same tactic with the V1 and V2, it didn't work for him and it won't work for Pootin.

Enough getting through for significant damage, though.
Seem to be more successful than Russian missile attacks.
New era.

Not directly in Ukraine, but there have been two major training flights accidents in different parts of Russia lately (one next to the Azovan Sea).

One local commentator mentioned that this might be an indicator of maintenance problems in the Russian air force, and if this is truely the case then he suggests more such incidents are likely to follow.

what range do those iranian drones have?

see Tom Coopper's 'part 3' for Iranian Drone Ranges

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Ukraine War, 4 November 2022: Air War Update, Part 1, Basics by Tom Cooper.

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Ukraine War, 8 November 2022: Air War Update, Part 2, (still) Basics by Tom Cooper.

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video of "A Russian controlled DJI Mavic appears to successfully drop an explosive on a Ukrainian drone (possibly an Autel Evo)".
Faine Greenwood, Dec 3, 2022.

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