Russia in deal to Deliver Fighter Planes to Syria

[NeutralCitizen]

Russia has signed a deal to sell Syria nearly 40 fighter jet trainers for over half a billion dollars, a Russian newspaper reported on Monday, despite growing international criticism over its military trade with the violence-ridden country.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has used troops and tanks to try to crush a 10-month-old popular revolt and thousands of people have been killed.

The daily Kommersant cited a source close to Russia's state arms export monopoly, Rosoboronexport, as saying that the sides had signed a contract after holding talks in December, and that Damascus was to pay $550 million for 36 Yak-130 aircraft.

A spokesman for Rosoboronexport refused to comment. A Russian defense industry source indicated the planes had not been built, saying assembly could start after Syria makes a down payment, according to Kommersant.

"The creation of 36 new fighters for a foreign consumer is fully within the power of (manufacturing facilities)," the source was quoted as saying. "As soon as Syria sends Russia the down payment, the factory can get started on assembly."

The advanced training jets could be used for air attacks on ground targets and to train pilots on the country's more advanced fleet of Mi-29 jet fighters, which it ordered from Russia in 2007.

Moscow is one of Assad's few remaining allies, still serving top arms customer Syria while joining China in an October veto of a Western-crafted U.N. Security Council resolution that threatened an arms embargo.

Syria makes up $700 million of arms sales in 2010, some 7 percent of Russia's total of $10 billion in arms deliveries abroad, according to the Russian defense think tank CAST.

CAST director Ruslan Pukhov said he had previously been aware of the deal, but said the contract might be annulled by the Syrian side if Damascus suspected any international military action against his rule was in the works.

"It's an expensive order and while these jet trainers may be good for specific missions ... it's no substitute for a supersonic (fighter) jet," he said.

Russia has made strong gestures to reaffirm support for Assad recently, including sending its Navy flagship to a Russian base on the Mediterranean coast of Syria near Tartus.

Earlier this month a ship full of ammunition from Russia was detained in Cyprus. The ship was released the next day and sailed on to Tartus.

The United States said it had raised concerns about the ship with Russia, but Moscow has said it needs no justification for its defense trade with Syria without an internationally binding arms embargo in place.

 

[NeutralCitizen]

These Planes are good for destroying ground targets the insurgents attacking Syrian Troops.

 

[Vassnti]

These Planes are good for destroying ground targets the insurgents attacking Syrian Troops.

If you want some thing to attack rebels and insurgents that may have some anti air capability then wouldnt the best thing be the 29's. Ofcourse if all you are bombing is soft targets like hospitals and kindergartens then the mittens would be fine.

 

[NeutralCitizen]

If you want some thing to attack rebels and insurgents that may have some anti air capability then wouldnt the best thing be the 29's. Ofcourse if all you are bombing is soft targets like hospitals and kindergartens then the mittens would be fine.

The question is may if they have any probably a few however how many can they shoot down ? these if the situation reaches the point will be used in homs and hama and other hideouts.

 

[Zabaniyah]

Yak-130 fighter trainer:

 

[Major Shaitan Singh]

Russia and Syria have signed a $550-million contract on the delivery of 36 Yakovlev Yak-130 Mitten combat trainer, the Kommersant daily quoted on Monday a source close to Russia’s state arms exporter Rosoboronexport as saying.

Under the deal struck in late December, the jets are to be supplied to Syria once Damascus makes a prepayment, the source said.

A source in the aircraft production industry told the newspaper the aircraft construction company Irkut is able to produce the jets for Syria in a relatively short time.

Contacted by RIA Novosti, both Rosoboronexport and Irkut declined to comment.

Analysts say the contract is “risky” given the worsening satiation in Syria and the growing international pressure on President Bashar al-Assad over his crackdown on protesters.

Ruslan Pukhov, who heads the Moscow-based Center for Analysis of Stategies and Technologies, said the contract was “certainly a big success of Russia’s leaders and arms traders.” But it’s clear, he said, that “the international community, led by the United States, has made a decision to crush Bashar al-Assad’s regime, and this may lead to the contract being disrupted and Russia suffering image and financial losses.”

The contract was apparently signed when the situation in Syria was “not as dramatic as it is now,” Pukhov said, adding that getting the Russian jets has likely lost its relevance for Damascus.

“The Yak-130 plane is superfluous for attacking insurgents – these goals can be served by cheaper planes,” the analyst said. At the same time, he said, the jet cannot endure air battles with Israeli, Turkish, or Western coalition’s aircraft, should a military conflict erupt in Syria.

Russia has opposed international sanctions, including an arms embargo, against Syria, where the death toll from clashes between protesters and government troops has reached 5,400, according to the United Nations.

Earlier this month, the United States expressed concerns over weapons deliveries to Damascus following media reports about a Russian ship loaded with arms docking in the Syrian port of Tartus.

Without explicitly confirming the report of the arms shipment, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said last week Russia was not going to justify its actions before the West because it was not violating “any international agreements or any [UN] Security Council resolutions.”

“We are only trading items with Syria that are not banned by international law,” he said

 

[SQ8]

A capability upgrade that is not really an upgrade.. leaves the SyAF between a rock and a hard place.

 

[nirreich]

Zero chance the Russian will give Syria new jet planes in the current circumstances. Even the Russian are not that obtuse.

 

[Zabaniyah]

I think Syria once did desire MiG-31s. That deal never went off due to either Israeli pressure or lack of funds. Israeli-Russian relations are not what they used to be.

 

[jha]

A very good plane for engaging Ground targets ...Will be interesting to see if Russia delivers from its own inventory...

 

[Alpery]

money transfer...before going of Assad

 

[Killswitch]

Assad is a very oppressive ruler. I feel bad for the people who are dying fighting his army. They dont stand much o a chance as it stands right now.


These aircraft will probably be used to crush Syrians as opposed to Israelis(who would shoot them down).

 

[Nishan_101]

Syria should be looking towards the JF-17s and J-10Bs also:

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

30 Planes would train 200-300 pilots easily for 100-200 Migs no doubt

 

[jha]

30 Planes would train 200-300 pilots easily for 100-200 Migs no doubt

If Assad does not go, expect at least 100 Su-30/Mig-29 deal....