C-400 Turkey supply: why An-124 Ruslan were involved

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The other day there was a momentous event. Moscow has begun fulfilling its contractual obligations to supply S-400 systems to Turkey. Despite opposition from Washington, Ankara laid out $ 2,5 billion for Russian air defense systems, giving preference to them, rather than to the American Patriots. In response, the Kremlin flaunted its military transport aircraft, quickly deploying air defense systems over the air.





Why is it worth paying particular attention to this fact?

Air transportation is more expensive than sea transportation. But sometimes delivery speed is more important than cost.
For example, in 1996-1998, the resonance was caused by the story of the attempts of the young Russian Federation to deliver the S-300 PMU-1 systems to Cyprus. The air defense system was sent to the Mediterranean island by sea on board the BDK. However, they never reached their goal. Turkey opposed sharply, it was supported by the USA and Great Britain. As a result of the political conflict, Cyprus did not receive the S-300. A “compromise” was found, according to which air defense systems were installed in Greek Crete. Subsequently, the Cypriots received simpler complexes, Tor-M1 air defense systems and Buk-M1-2 air defense systems as "compensation".


There are other weaknesses in maritime transport, as domestic defense industry experts have already seen through bitter experience. As you know, Turkey is not the first buyer of the S-400 from Russia. Previously, the SAM acquired China, for which our defense industry was sanctioned by the US State Department. But then the Chinese did not receive air defense systems. When delivered by sea in the English Channel last year, the ship fell into a severe storm, and, according to the official version, the missiles were seriously damaged. As a result, manufacturers had to re-fulfill the order.


It turns out that the sea route with its cheapness is sometimes inferior to the air. Russia is able to carry out the tasks of operational transfer equipment anywhere in the world, thanks to the preserved military transport aviation (BTA). The flying "heavy vehicles" of the Russian Aerospace Forces are the An-124 Ruslan. In the fleet of domestic BTA, there are 16 of them. Only they are able to accommodate and quickly transport the S-400 complex by air. For comparison, the United States is forced to carry its “Patriots” by sea, because they don’t get on their own BTA aircraft.

In 2015, the Ruslans had already deployed the S-400 air defense system to Syria unexpectedly for many. Now the Kremlin has just as spectacularly repeated this issue with Turkey. The domestic military transport administration has once again demonstrated that, if necessary, it is able to quickly strengthen air defense of any union state: Syria, Venezuela or Iran.
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11 comments
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  1. sgrabik
    sgrabik
    +9
    14 July 2019 11: 40
    This is one more proof that our military transport aviation, it is extremely necessary to constantly have in its composition a sufficient number of over-heavy military transport aircraft capable of accommodating and transporting the widest range of weapons over long distances, given that the An-124 Ruslan military-technical cooperation will soon run out of all its resources. It is necessary to speed up the creation and launch of serial production of an aircraft that can completely replace this type of aircraft in our VKS.
    1. vik669
      vik669
      +1
      14 July 2019 16: 05
      It is necessary to speed up the creation and launch of serial production of the aircraft as much as possible - we understand everything, let's get started!
      1. sgrabik
        sgrabik
        0
        15 July 2019 15: 47
        This your silly irony is completely out of place here.
        1. Piramidon
          Piramidon
          0
          15 July 2019 18: 45
          This is a response to empty calls. The main thing is that you gave the command - "It is necessary!". Will the release of aircraft start immediately from this? Site users understand this even without your appeals, and those on whom the solution of the issue depends, do not read your comments. So, this is a simple shaking of the air or the keyboard for the sake of plus signs.
  2. Sapsan136
    Sapsan136
    +5
    15 July 2019 10: 25
    The problem is that there are big problems with military transport aviation in the Russian Federation. The new version of the Il-76 is built per hour by a teaspoon, and Ruslan-class aircraft are not produced at all. The legacy of the USSR is extremely worn out ...
  3. bratchanin3
    bratchanin3
    +5
    15 July 2019 12: 48
    Great demonstration of capabilities and strength.
  4. Pishenkov
    Pishenkov
    +3
    15 July 2019 13: 24
    Yes, beautiful. Soviet developments are still working, but this will not last forever.
    For those who constantly criticize the army and the air force for the use of Soviet technology: similar technology of the middle and end of the twentieth century is used today by all the most advanced armies in the world. No new analogues have been created either here or abroad. So - you can also scold them for this.
    But this does not mean that you can relax ... you need to work, it is a fact. At least over the modernization of the same Ruslans.
    1. sgrabik
      sgrabik
      +1
      15 July 2019 15: 45
      Ruslanov’s modernization is ongoing, now almost nothing is being bought in Ukraine, but the main structural components of the aircraft are not eternal. Gliders, planes, and other basic components, sooner or later, but will require a complete replacement, and this, in essence, is tantamount to building a new aircraft, so that modernization alone can not do, new aircraft are needed. But Ukraine will not let us produce them, besides, the An-124 Ruslan is already pretty outdated, a plane similar in its characteristics and capabilities is needed, but created and built on a modern elemental base.
      1. Pishenkov
        Pishenkov
        +1
        15 July 2019 16: 18
        For a start, I would have followed the path of the "Dakota", aka Li-2. Proceeding from the fact that "Ruslan" is the plane of Antonov's bureau, but still Soviet, just make copies, possibly with new motors and avionics. He still flies at least 30 years as a transport aircraft, and will be quite adequate for his purposes. Until then, calmly develop a replacement.
        And about the rights of the ITP - this An was made by almost the entire Union, and not the Ukrainian SSR. The patents are all Soviet, the assignee of the USSR is the Russian Federation. If someone sues any courts, it is their business, the process will drag on for years, and the planes will still fly. "Ruslans" are already certified in the world, so no one hinders this process in any way.
        The Ukrainians are still releasing Soviet weapons to this day and somehow do not itch about patents ... You can then bring counterclaims to them. What then will their army without the same AK, for example, do ???
        1. Pivander
          Pivander
          0
          18 July 2019 13: 24
          The whole Union and the Capital did. And now Shefler does it, and the courts win the right to own the brand over the hill.
          1. Pishenkov
            Pishenkov
            +1
            18 July 2019 14: 58
            If you mean vodka, then it was officially made by the Moscow Crystal plant. I don’t know how patent cases were conducted there. Perhaps the one who acquired the plant also acquired patents. In the 90s there was a mess and under this brand they did everything they wanted.
            And Ruslan is the joint work of dozens of enterprises throughout the USSR. You are comparing incomparable things ...