Video shows Russian Su-27 Flanker and Belarusian MiG-29 Fulcrum jets during air defense training

Cool footage shows Belarus and Russia’s warplanes intercept and escort an Antonov An-26 transport plane.

As explained last week, Russia deployed six Sukhoi-27 Flankers and three support transport planes to Bobruisk airfield in eastern Belarus to perform joint drills with local Belarusian Air Force MiG-29s.

The Russian deployment was a response to NATO’s deployment of 12 U.S. F-16 to Poland, and E-3 AWACS to Poland and Romania, in anticipation of last weekend’s referendum following which Crimea joined Russia.

The interesting video was filmed during an air defense exercise which involved the interception and escort of an Antonov An-26 cargo simulating an airspace violation.

 

About David Cenciotti
David Cenciotti is a journalist based in Rome, Italy. He is the Founder and Editor of “The Aviationist”, one of the world’s most famous and read military aviation blogs. Since 1996, he has written for major worldwide magazines, including Air Forces Monthly, Combat Aircraft, and many others, covering aviation, defense, war, industry, intelligence, crime and cyberwar. He has reported from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Syria, and flown several combat planes with different air forces. He is a former 2nd Lt. of the Italian Air Force, a private pilot and a graduate in Computer Engineering. He has written five books and contributed to many more ones.

6 Comments

  1. I always wondered the accuracy of those R-27 missiles (all variants). There were claims about a very poor performance back in 2000 in East Africa. But since then, 14 years passed by and I guess there has been some sort of upgrade.
    Leaving alone those R-73/74 missiles, Belorussian MiG-29’s seem flying with 2 R-27R in their full air-to-air load-out.

    Russian Su-27’s seem flying with longer ranged 2 R-27ER under the fuselage and 2 R-27ET under the wings. Interestingly Russian Su-27’s are not flying with their full air-to-air load-out while having those two weird long range heat seekers.

    I wonder if R-77 are not carried due to unreliability or just short number.

  2. The Su-27 appears to have issues with its port engine; on takeoff the flame colour was oranger (suggests cooler) and when it broke away from the transport there was quite a trial of smoke. Suggests a complete cumbustion issue

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