
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.
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.
A lot of antiquity in the cockpit
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
Bad jet fuel?
Was only one afterburner engaged? I noticed that as well.
Care to elaborate on why they kept the Red Star?