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Syria has used its Buk-M2E air defence systems, seen here launching a missile during an exercise, to harass Turkish aircraft. Source: SANA
Syria's harassment of the Turkish Air Force surged towards the end of April, when its surface-to-air missile systems 'locked on' to F-16s for more than 20 minutes, according to information released by the General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF).
The TAF's assertion that Syrian SAMs "achieved radar lock" on its F-16s means the pilots were alerted by their radar warning systems that their aircraft were illuminated by a SAM system's target-engagement radar.
The TAF has been complaining that Syrian SAMs are illuminating its aircraft since November, when it said S-75 (SA-2 'Guideline') and S-200 (SA-5 'Gammon') systems had locked on to F-16s patrolling inside Turkish airspace on three different days.
The total illumination time increased to 120 seconds in December and then 360 seconds in January, according to the TAF, but there were no reported incidents in February.
This changed in March, when Turkish F-16s were illuminated by SAM engagement radars for more than 1,700 seconds. Much of this activity occurred after an F-16 shot down a Syrian MiG-23 that the TAF said had strayed into Turkish airspace.
The Syrians began using their latest air defence systems to harass Turkish F-16s even before that incident. The TAF reported that a Pantsyr-S1E (SA-22 'Greyhound') illuminated one of its aircraft for the first time on 5 March and a Buk-M2E (SA-17 'Grizzly') was used for the first time on 19 March.
Even though they have shorter ranges than Syria's Soviet-era S-75s and S-200s, both these systems would be far more intimidating for Turkish pilots as they are significantly more sophisticated. Unlike the old semi-active radar-guided SAMs, the Buk-M2E does not need to keep a target continuously illuminated until it is hit by a missile so can simultaneously engage more than one target.
At the same time, by using its Buk-M2Es and Pantsyr-S1Es Syria could be providing Turkey and its allies with useful intelligence on the radar frequencies used by the systems and their engagement envelopes.
The harassment decreased over the first 20 days of April, when the TAF only reported engagements on two days. However, Syrian SAM systems have illuminated Turkish F-16s on all but one day between 21 April and 30 April, bringing the total illumination time up to 1,205 seconds.
The first Turkish aircraft other than an F-16 - an Airtech CN235 - was illuminated on 23 April. The Turkish Air Force operates CN235s in the transport and surveillance roles, while the coastguard has a maritime surveillance variant.
Syria uses SAMs to harass Turkish aircraft - IHS Jane's 360
