Media: Georgian air defense caused serious damage to the Russians and is preparing to repeat the success

15 September 2020

In 2008, the Georgian air defense caused serious damage to the Russian Air Force and is going to repeat this success, writes the American magazine Forbes.

After Russia defeated Georgia in a short war 12 years ago, taking control of a significant part of the country's territory, Tbilisi decided to strengthen its defenses. On September 11, 2020, Georgia signed an agreement with the Israeli firm Rafael to modernize the country's air defense and retrain personnel. The cost of the contract is still unknown, and it is also unclear what types of weapons are in question.

Perhaps the radar and air defense system upgrades are the most important part of this plan. Georgia inherited from the USSR medium-range air defense systems S-125M "Neva-M" and 9K37 "Buk-M1", short-range air defense systems 9K33M2 "Osa-AK", 9K33M3 "Osa-AKM" and 9K35 "Strela-10". Moreover, the S-125M is a stationary air defense system, and all the others are mobile. In 2008, Ukraine handed over to Georgia a number of S-125Ms that were removed from combat duty, supplied 4 Kolchuga-M passive radio intelligence stations, and also trained Georgian military personnel in the methods of using mobile air defense systems from ambushes.

According to Tbilisi, between August 8-11, 2008, the Georgian air defense shot down 4 Russian Su-25 attack aircraft, 1 Tu-22M3 long-range supersonic bomber, 1 Su-24M front-line bomber and 1 Su-24MR reconnaissance aircraft. 4 crew members of Russian aircraft were killed. Another 3 Su-25 attack aircraft were damaged. After that, a large-scale military reform began in Russia. Moscow has significantly reduced the number of its military personnel and increased purchases of new types of weapons by $ 15 billion.

Georgia then suffered heavy losses in technology... Russian troops captured or destroyed all large radars, five Osa air defense systems, most of the Buks, as a result of which Georgia was practically defenseless against enemy aircraft. Until the end of 2008, Georgia received the Spyder medium-range air defense system from Israel, and in 2017, the Mistral short-range air defense system from France. Ukraine has sold long-range radars to Georgia, and France has sold medium-range radars. The listed Soviet "Buks", "Wasps" and "Strela" are still in the air defense system of Georgia. But technology from France and Israel is gradually taking over.

Photos used: Ereshkigal1 / wikimedia.org

11 comments

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Offline boriz

boriz (boriz) 15 September 2020 23: 40

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Well, as far as I remember, these were Soviet air defense systems with Ukrainian crews. And these crews are not the fact that they are alive.
In any case, in the networks I met rumors that everyone died prematurely. Although, these are only rumors. Can anyone have more specific data?
And what, Georgia again gathered in Abkhazia and South Ossetia? Air defense is unlikely to be useful to them. Ours will work from abroad, like the Jews in Syria. The distances are ridiculous, and the technique has already changed a lot since 2008.
And just to attack Georgia - there are no fools, feed them later. They only hope for this.
1. Offline Sapsan136
  
  Sapsan136 (Sapsan136) 16 September 2020 08: 36
  
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  Unfortunately, not all. Some of those who adjusted these air defense systems after delivery to Georgia survived and even received apartments from the Ministry of Defense, which was supposedly friendly to the Russian Federation at that time.
2. Offline free_flier
  
  free_flier 19 September 2020 07: 07
  
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  Now all the former are only dreaming about this - for Russia to attack them, they quickly surrendered, and then the "hated occupier" again fed / watered and rebuilt their industry.
  So the girls themselves (with low social responsibility), themselves ...
Offline Dmitry S.

Dmitry S. (Dmitry Sanin) 16 September 2020 06: 03

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Do Georgians have a craving for masochism?
Offline Sapsan136

Sapsan136 (Sapsan136) 16 September 2020 08: 33

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Let's start with the fact that in 2008, the damage to the Russian Air Force was caused by the air defense of Ukraine, which fought on the side of Georgia. As a result, the UKROP men were able to shoot down several Soviet-built Russian Air Force planes. The blow of the new Su-34s sounded like a death knell for the air defense of Ukraine in Georgia. Today, if anything, the first blow to suppress air defense systems and large military groups of the enemy of the Russian Federation will be delivered with cruise missiles, and not with free-fall air bombs. So the Georgians will not expect to repeat the partial success of 2008 today.
1. Offline Alexander.
  
  Alexander. 17 September 2020 19: 00
  
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  I completely agree with you !. Airplanes are much more perfect and Russia will not risk them, but it will "comb" cruise missiles so that there will be no "dandruff" in their hair for a long time ?!
Offline ImPerts

ImPerts (Igor) 16 September 2020 10: 55

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Ours write "We can repeat", these also decided to repeat? Then Tbilisi should definitely be taken and formed an adequate government)
1. Offline free_flier
  
  free_flier 19 September 2020 07: 10
  
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  What for? Then feed?
  Smooth the entire surface, then populate.
  1. Offline Yuri Alexeev
    
    Yuri Alexeev (Yuri Alekseev) 23 September 2020 08: 54
    
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    The Turks are already doing this there.
Offline shinobi

shinobi (Yuri) 23 September 2020 02: 12

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The dog barks, the wind carries, the caravan moves on. The rodents need to arrange a demonstrative scuffle so that the others would think.
Offline Yuri Alexeev

Yuri Alexeev (Yuri Alekseev) 23 September 2020 08: 52

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Then the Caspian flotilla was not armed with calibers, now yes. And the flight time to rodents is about five minutes. And I think that all military objects of rodents are already crammed into target-pointers, just in case.