Flight tactical exercises of armies of Belarus and Russia entered active phase
The presence of aviation has been significantly increased at all country’s airfields and every day dozens of aircraft and helicopters take to the skies to perform tasks
‘An aircraft is flying near the state border, presumably a reconnaissance aircraft’, is a fragment of one of the regular reports that are daily received by the Commander of the Air Force and Air Defence. There are no exercises here. For those who follow the actions of NATO aviation over the past few years, this is everyday life. Alliance planes are actively obtaining information about the capabilities of our air defence system, often setting up provocations and flying extremely close to borders. Therefore, winter manoeuvres are not a challenge to someone, but primarily a warning that red lines tend to end.
Commander of the Air Force and Air Defence Andrei Lukyanovich underlines, “The main goal of the exercise is to increase the operational compatibility of the aviation units of Belarus and Russia. A wide range of tasks are performed: starting with aerial reconnaissance, joint patrolling of the state border in the airspace and aviation control from an early warning aircraft.”
Moreover, the tasks of landing tactical assault forces, transporting goods, air support, fighter cover and evacuating the wounded are being also worked out.
The idea of the main episodes of the training was carefully worked out by the headquarters, taking into account the current challenges. Nevertheless, many adjustments are made along the way to check the coherence of the allies. The general management of the exercise is carried out at the command post of the Air Force and Air Defence, where the military of the two countries co-ordinate the work of aviation and receive information on the completion of tasks online.
The most important episode of the first stage is the dispersal of aviation. Another issue worked out in the tactical flight exercises is the identification of enemy air defence systems. For this, the Russian A-50 aircraft is used. To work on identified ground targets, the MiG-31K with the Kinzhal hypersonic missile system, which can hit objects at a distance of up to 2,000km, takes off into the air.
The main stages of the combat use of aviation take place at the Ruzhansky training ground. In the sky, air targets are destroyed by Su-30SM fighters, Su-34, Yak-130, Su-25, as well as Mi-24 helicopters are working on the ground grouping of a mock enemy. Each action of the pilots is closely monitored by the two countries’ specialists.
“As part of the exercises, best practices are adopted, which relate to the building the flight order of the equipment of aviation groups performing tasks,” said Major General Viktor Gulevich, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, First Deputy Defence Minister of Belarus. “This is necessary to ensure that their implementation is effective and safe for pilots.”
The most important interaction is in the framework of information transfer with the subsequent completion of tasks. That is, some carry out reconnaissance of objects, the others carry out tasks to defeat them, yet the others carry out their cover and, if necessary, conduct search and rescue operations.
