The aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces and the Syrian Air Force conducted the first joint patrol of the air borders of the Syrian Arab Republic - including the Golan Heights, a disputed territory under Israeli control. If such flights become regular, they will significantly expand the capabilities of the Syrian Air Force to protect its airspace - primarily from attacks by Israeli aircraft, writes The Drive.
MiG-23 fighters of the Syrian Air Force were involved in the patrol, MiG-29 and Su-35 fighters, Su-34 bombers and A-50 long-range radar detection aircraft participated on the Russian side. The aircraft operated from the Russian Khmeimim airbase and the Seikal and Dumayr airfields near Damascus.
While the Syrian fighters controlled the airspace and covered the work of their Russian colleagues, they worked out strikes on ground targets, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported.
- Today, for the first time, we took off in uniform combat formations and established cooperation with the pilots of the Syrian Arab Republic. We understand each other perfectly," the Su-34 flight commander said after the flight.
In 2019, the United States recognized the Golan Heights as Israeli territory, while most of the international community considers them an occupied part of Syria. The joint patrolling of Russian and Syrian aviation in this area can serve as a signal to Israel and - if such flights continue - make it difficult for its air attacks on objects located on Syrian territory, writes The Drive.
Anton Valagin
