"What are the Russians up to?" - American press about the construction at the Khmeimim base in Syria

February 6 2021 21

The Russian Aerospace Forces continue to overhaul themselves at the Khmeimim airbase in Syria. What the Russians are up to by building up the runway of the military facility since December 2020 - the American online publication The Drive asks. Satellite images from Planet Labs, Inc. (California, USA) show the scale of the construction work.

Since 2015, a significant part of the airbase has been effectively rebuilt and significantly improved, including the expansion of the helipad, the creation of auxiliary infrastructure and the strengthening of the defense. Now one of the existing runways (western) is being lengthened by more than 300 m in the southern and northern parts. A taxiway is also being built there, which will connect the northern ends of both runways. This will increase the length of this runway to 3,2 km, greatly facilitating the activities of the Russians in the region, making the facility an even more important logistics and military center.

At the same time, the airbase will be able to accommodate significantly more different aircraft. Khmeimim will accept large transport vehicles with full load. An-124 "Ruslan" arrives at it anyway, but they are clearly underloaded and do not use their capabilities 100%, however, like the Il-76. After the completion of the work, Khmeimim will be able to act as an intermediate landing site for refueling military transport aircraft sent by Russia to Libya and other countries.

There is a possibility that Khmeimim will begin to receive the boards of Russian strategic aviation: Tu-22M3, Tu-95MS, and Tu-160, as well as anti-submarine Tu-142. Prior to that, "strategists" of the Russian Aerospace Forces flew in to bomb jihadists either from Russian territory or from the Hamadan airbase in Iran. However, flights over such distances are very expensive, and the situation with Iran is not at all predictable. It is much more profitable for the Russians to place "strategists" in Syria on a permanent basis, completely changing the entire existing balance of power in the vast region.

Moscow has officially leased this airbase for 49 years. It will be convenient for Russian aircraft to operate in territories south of Russia. Khmeimim can also turn into a permanent parking place for A-50U AWACS and Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft. Everything indicates that the Kremlin does not intend to leave Khmeimim at least until the end of the lease, which is starting to cause growing concern in NATO, summarizes the US media.

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oderih

+9

6 February 2021 18: 50

What can I say. The usual modernization is - "More good planes."
1. Vladimir VLvov
  
  -18
  
  7 February 2021 15: 03
  
  This means that we intend to fight and operate in the BV and in North Africa for a long time with all the ensuing consequences: airplanes and helicopters of the Aerospace Forces will be shot down and young people of the Russian Federation, who are so lacking in the country, will die. And how much does the "pleasure" of the GDP to be the main "resolver" in the region cost ordinary taxpayers? And at the same time, the GDP shifts all its promises of a good life to the people of the Russian Federation to 2030 ...: "There is no money, but you hold on ..."
  1. igor.igorev
    
    +13
    
    7 February 2021 15: 50
    
    Go gallop at your Maidan.
  2. minby
    
    +6
    
    8 February 2021 21: 42
    
    The war is going on all over the world. And if he stays out under a bench, as liberals of various stripes suggest all the time, it means losing the country. Although, for some, the homeland is where the backside is warmer .. Therefore, you cannot prove it to them.
  3. Sergey Mo
    
    +1
    
    14 February 2021 10: 23
    
    How many young Russians have died in Syria?
    how many barmaley were destroyed by the Russian military?
    Do you want Syria to be like Libya?
    kill Assad like Muammar Gaddafi, destroy everything and war?
Igor Berg

-16

6 February 2021 18: 50

I wonder what rent is from the Syrians. I hope we, as true friends of Bashar, pay with our rubles, since he invited us?
1. oderih
  
  +13
  
  6 February 2021 18: 57
  
  Jargonism "for what" is inherent in all sorts of outskirts. This is what betrays you
2. igor.igorev
  
  +2
  
  7 February 2021 15: 51
  
  The rent is very cheap. Support for Assad in everything. We do not pay a dime like the Americans for their bases around the world.
Alexander K_2

-14

6 February 2021 18: 51

RARE PUTTING! The runway was lengthened by 300 m, connected by a passage, an UNEXPECTED base for strategic aviation! It feels like a child wrote the article.
1. oderih
  
  +10
  
  6 February 2021 19: 00
  
  If for you EMPTY. No wonder. For you and should be EMPTY. Hehe
  1. Alexander K_2
    
    -15
    
    6 February 2021 19: 10
    
    There is a possibility that Khmeimim will receive the Russian strategic aircraft Tu-22M3, Tu-95MS, and Tu-160, as well as anti-submarine Tu-142, and where will these TUs fly?
    1. oderih
      
      +8
      
      6 February 2021 19: 14
      
      They won't tell you where to fly, where you need to fly, but there should be a jump strip.
      1. Alexander K_2
        
        -7
        
        7 February 2021 07: 46
        
        Then let them go!
2. igor.igorev
  
  +5
  
  7 February 2021 15: 53
  
  Well, yes, this is not the opening of a feldsher-obstetric center on the outskirts where Petyunya himself came to open it. Where are we before.
  1. Alexander K_2
    
    -7
    
    7 February 2021 17: 50
    
    So in Syria, they lengthen, expand. Not in Ukraine, read the article!
Diver d

-10

6 February 2021 20: 18
Probably, this Orlan today did not have enough runway length to accelerate and he fell in Syria. Although, drones are designed to fall and not endanger the lives of pilots. This is a reliable photo, which came today through our Middle East channel.
1. bobba94
  
  +3
  
  6 February 2021 20: 44
  
  Iron is not a pity. Expensive only, an infection, under 100 thousand dollars. There are many of them in Russia ... not enough, they will still rivet.
  1. Diver d
    
    -2
    
    8 February 2021 01: 43
    
    You looked just like in the mirror. And here's another message a day later. All taken from the same, our channel.
    1. tagil
      
      +6
      
      8 February 2021 10: 47
      
      And what is YOUR channel? I watch your correspondents in the thick of things, among the militants (or are they themselves?), As if your channel did not end after one of the bombings.
nehoroshih48

+1

8 February 2021 14: 05

We are simply returning the imperial ambitions of the Soviet Union, as befits a legal successor.
Anchonsha

+1

11 February 2021 01: 45

This pleases not only us, but also the Syrians, who are convinced that Russia has stood up to defend their country for a long time.