Military Interventions in Syria and 2024 Syrian regime change

[seruriermarshal]

Israeli air strike targets Syrian warehouse containing Russian S-300 systems

TEL AVIV — Israel is said to have again attacked Syria’s military.
Opposition sources said the Israel Air Force struck a Syrian military facility in the Mediterranean port of Latakia.
The sources said the Israeli attack appeared to have targeted a warehouse that contained the Russian-origin S-300PMU2 air defense system.
“We heard massive explosions just outside the port,” a source said.
The latest strike, reported on early Jan. 27, marked the latest attempt to destroy the S-300 fleet in Syria. The sources said Israel conducted at least two attempts to destroy the long-range air defense system, stationed in Latakia, in 2013.
Syria was said to have received components of the S-300 in mid-2013. The system, with a range of more than 200 kilometers, could down Israeli fighter-jets in the air space of the Jewish state.
Israel was believed to have attacked Syrian military facilities in Latakia in May, July and October 2013. In the October operation, up to 20 Syrian soldiers were said to have been killed.
Neither Israel nor Syria has confirmed reports of an attack on the
S-300. Lebanon has reported the entry of Israeli warplanes on late Jan. 26.

http://www.worldtribune.com/2014/01/28/israeli-air-strike-targets-syrian-warehouse-containing-russian-s-300-systems/

 

[SOC]

Satellite imagery from 27 January shows the port complex to be untouched.

 

[SpudmanWP]

The attack was on a Military wharehouse in the port city of Latakia which is not the same as saying that it was in the port itself. In fact, the article states that a loud explosion was heard "outside the port".

Besides, I doubt that sat imagery taken on the 27th would already be online, unless you have a link.

 

[SOC]

The attack was on a Military wharehouse in the port city of Latakia which is not the same as saying that it was in the port itself. In fact, the article states that a loud explosion was heard "outside the port".

The article here says "in the Mediterranean port of Latakia". My point was that this statement is wrong, as the port is undamaged (and would be a stupid target given that it's being used for CW transshipment).

Reporting out of Lebanon referencing Syrian opposition people in Latakia says it was in Sheikh Daher, which is right outside the port. And is also undamaged, a highly dense residential area, and lacked any sign of military garrisons, warehouses, or launch pads. http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/115964

Besides, I doubt that sat imagery taken on the 27th would already be online, unless you have a link.

https://www.geodatawork.net/core/SceneDetails/Default.aspx?ApplicationId=DDWC&SceneUid=DS_PHR1A_201401270819401_FR1_PX_E035N35_1014_01426%3a%3abcfdb18a-14e2-47f7-9fae-dce82f8250b6%3a%3awfs&ProductUid=bcfdb18a-14e2-47f7-9fae-dce82f8250b6&Token=E9hUUSfuAGBqm9EVqO7HOkjwCev1OXz5FGfi-q52shtWDeEHV0eD6Lo52EnpXglyaW0FEJu9eIB35CcnOX-X9KKxsPFPDt5AxpSP85w8JcKTbhJB84gWBKuavYzb3_cFly1xIFpWNAwKcq93vus0SVj873IVTAhDD945EYYZpQUf4-oA7aB6gJJpcCZ1gVe2itaaBDOuKM9Lqw_JNFbdoOFC2iz-XVg-c3192m-YEJzdLTPDbd_PaTkUT_jwb85_sdBD-Y2q3sYuwtReO4nrqcihn8kEHaLvLRA22OWFoD9EwKs1Ukq9AtSEQttclgqXdyexRxzYQcKPM_QZ_r_EiU_xpPcQRGzD4qKIJhqrMoXkH8hEuAobRuny4vk85tjXbcI3aqREi19RHb3jAdE2B8_58oa9HofeBrNqVWXJkHWpBdRKe0Jg2bu-l8736jTMVIPLmRX1faE4avJRQsKXoXPp4w-4btxZJMMf3YgABi6c27akqeLPgz-iErY9kwfqNhDTn_HGC1oC-H0okZyDsAavzrwX1QaErAWQ063NfLNU3BDw2bkYZE3aUFwG03DMC7IBjhNupTOG1lAw7TUZUj16XCU68qKk-RCY_sRb2p3MTZbRL0fn0XToWVRPdAgJ-Z0joC0t6aWdNrhc32swQA2

Excuse the overly long link.

They also list imagery acquired today, too.

 

[bobbymike]

Airstrikes Begin Against ISIS in Syria

9/23/2014

US aircraft—reportedly including Air Force F-22s in their combat debut—and cruise missiles, along with partner-nation airplanes, commenced strikes on ISIS targets in Syria on Monday. "I can confirm that US military and partner-nation forces are undertaking military action against [ISIS] terrorists in Syria using a mix of fighter, bomber, and Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles," said Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby in a statement. This marks the first airstrikes against ISIS forces inside of Syria since President Obama earlier this month announced the US strategy to destroy the terrorist army. "The decision to conduct theses strikes was made earlier today by the US Central Command commander under authorization granted him by [Obama]. We will provide more details later as operationally appropriate," added Kirby. Associated Press reported that aircraft from Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates took part in the strikes with the US assets. ABC News reported that F-22s were part of the air armada. If accurate, this would be the stealth aircraft's first use in combat. US aircraft have been bombing ISIS inside of Iraq since August. (Kirby's Twitter feed)

http://www.militarytimes.com/article/20140922/NEWS05/309220056/U-S-beigns-airstrikes-Islamic-State-targets-Syria?sf31461955=1

 

[ISP]

The second wave consisted of F-22 Raptors in their first combat role, F-15 Strike Eagles, F-16s, B-1 bombers and drones that launched from bases in the region around 9:00 p.m. Eastern time against targets in northern Syria, the general said.
(...)
Another photograph showed an intact ISIL command-and-control building in Raqqah that was targeted by U.S. Air Force F-22s during the second wave of strikes.

“This strike was the first time the F-22 was used in a combat role. The flight … delivered GPS-guided munitions, precision munitions, targeting only the right side of the building. You can see … that the command-and-control center where it was located in the building was destroyed,” Mayville said.

http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=123241

 

[XP67_Moonbat]

About frakkin time! B)

 

[bobbymike]

About frakkin time! B)

And most interesting is that it was air to ground strikes for the most lethal air to air fighter ever built.

 

[Dreamfighter]

Seen lots of negative comments (of course mostly on Av. Week again) about the 22's first use being for an AGM-mission; it's regarded a waste of money because the jet was originally designed for air-superiority/dominance.
Before, the negative comments were usually about the jet never being used in a real combat situation (Libya springs to mind). :


Personal thoughts;
Though IS(IS) has no airforce, they might have captured some capable SAM-systems, what might be a reason for the USAF to use a few 22s to take those out, amongst other things.
Maybe not being all too sure about how exactly Assad's airforce will respond to foreign fighters in Syrian airspace, could also be a reason (especially since Israel downed a Syrian jet over Golan yesterday). And the 15s and 16s are wearing out more and more, so maybe they want a few 22s to get hours instead, and meanwhile test the Raptor in a real combat condition.

 

[archipeppe]

http://theaviationist.com/2014/09/23/f-22-debut-over-syria/

 

[sferrin]

Seen lots of negative comments (of course mostly on Av. Week again) about the 22's first use being for an AGM-mission; it's regarded a waste of money because the jet was originally designed for air-superiority/dominance.
Before, the negative comments were usually about the jet never being used in a real combat situation (Libya springs to mind). :

Haters gonna hate. That about sums up AvWeek/Ares these days. If it wasn't dropping bombs they'd be crying about it not being used. Nevermind that when (not if) we get involved in a serious war sometime in the next two or three decades they'll be damn glad that F-22 is around, and wishing we'd bought more. (Though I doubt any of them have the integrity to admit it.)

edit: It's amusing that this same club was praising the debut of the Typhoon and Rafale over Libya (though I don't recall either shooting down any aircraft).

 

[bobbymike]

http://www.lexingtoninstitute.org/f-22-raptor-combat-debut-over-syria-underscores-need-for-cheaper-more-versatile-f-35/

 

[Talon_38C]

>>"Seen lots of negative comments (of course mostly on Av. Week again) about the 22's first use being for an AGM-mission; it's regarded a waste of money because the jet was originally designed for air-superiority/dominance."

I think of it as training. ;D

 

[Steve Pace]

I bet the F-22s flew CAP just in case. -SP

 

[phrenzy]

Anyone know if there's some concern of flying the F-22 near the more modern Syrian sensor systems and potentially getting a useful signature?

 

[sferrin]

Anyone know if there's some concern of flying the F-22 near the more modern Syrian sensor systems and potentially getting a useful signature?

As opposed to flying intercepts on Bear bombers?

 

[TomS]

I bet the F-22s flew CAP just in case. -SP

The DoD Press release says specifically that the F-22s delivered "GPS-guided weapons," presumably either JDAM or SDB. (I'd guess SDB based on the released video.) I'm sure they were also carrying a couple of AMRAAM for self-defense, but it's also clear that with the Syrian government pre-warned, no one local was dumb enough to be flying when the US strikes went in.

 

[Triton]

"Was that a Lackluster F-22 Debut?"
Sep 24, 2014 by Amy Butler in Ares

Source:
http://aviationweek.com/blog/was-lackluster-f-22-debut

The F-22’s combat debut –- the twin-engine stealth fighter was used in anger against Islamic State (IS) extremists gaining footholds in Syria and Iraq early Sept. 23 in a wave of air strikes -– was not the dazzle many had expected. After years of hearing the refrain of the F-22’s purpose to “kick down the door” (thank you Gen. John Jumper, former USAF chief of staff) of air defenses, clearing the way for other assets to do business in an air battle, many probably expected the F-22’s debut to be just that.

This refrain was drilled into staffers’ (and reporters’) heads on Capitol Hill as the Air Force fought to keep the program alive for years. And, for its high cost -– some estimate it is a $66 billion program -- let’s face it: many of us hoped for a debut that would draw on its sexy stealth capabilities or rumored dazzling electronic warfare (EW) prowess.

But, the Raptor’s first recorded kill was not emblemized by a photo of a smoldering MiG shot down in the dark of night. Rather, the Pentagon showed us a hole in the top of a building that defense officials said was a command and control center for forces in Raqqah, IS’s self-declared capital. A defense official now confirms that the F-22 used in this historic strike employed a GBU-32, a 1,000 lb. Joint Direct Attack Munition.

Before and after F-22 strike, US Defense Dept.

The use of the F-22 nine years after it was declared operational raises an interesting question. Why now? We at Aviation Week won’t be the first or the only ones to opine on this subject. But, I wanted to get the talk started with our readers.

The air campaign that began this week over Syria was carried out in what Lt. Gen. William Mayville, director of operations for the Joint Staff described as “passive” air defenses.

Syria, however, is purported to possess decent air defenses –- some possibly integrated. And, we’ve not heard anything about Syrian air countering coalition assets. Arguably, this is a unique diplomatic backdrop for the debut of an asset designed at great cost to sneak in and out of air defenses and defeat any fighter that takes it on in the skies. The U.S. informed the Syrian government the strikes were coming by direct communication and there was no secret what was going to happen if you saw the news in the last few weeks. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is annoyed by IS, and we are providing a good pest control service. So, it is unlikely Syrian forces were going to engage coalition assets unless we went after certain national assets in Syria. Even then, it would be a gesture at best.

So, I wonder why was the F-22 used? Any number of assets can drop a 1,000 lb. Jdam, especially when the door that would need kicking down is wide open or, at the very least, slightly ajar. Did the aircraft’s sensors have some sort of classified effect? Was there an EW capability that, perhaps, we’ll find out about in months? Did someone in the chain of command just decide it was time to get the damn thing into the fight?

In the briefing, the closest explanation we got was from Mayville. “What we were looking at was the effects we wanted to see on the target areas and what platforms in the region would be best suited to do that,” he said during a Sept. 23 briefing. “We had a large menu of targets to strike from, and then we chose from there. 
So, it's less the platform than it is the effects we seek, and then it's what platform can deliver those effects. That's really the job of the [combined air operations center].”

We know the cause … I’m wondering what was the effect.

 

[Triton]

"F-22s Used In Syria Strikes; Right Force, Right Time, Say Analysts"
by Colin Clark on September 23, 2014 at 10:23 AM

Source:
http://breakingdefense.com/2014/09/f-22s-used-in-syria-strikes-right-force-right-time-say-analysts/

WASHINGTON: While we don’t yet have much detail on how many were used, what munitions were used or what targets they hit, F-22s were used in last night’s air strikes in Syria against ISIL and al Qaeda.

F-22s flew in the second of three waves of attacks launched against ISIL targets in Syria, Lt. Gen. William C. Mayville, the Joint Director of Operations, told reporters during a briefing on last night’s air strikes.

The F-22 Raptors were mostly present to protect other aircraft from both surface-to-air missiles and from the fighter jets of Syria and Iran, said Robbin Laird, a defense consultant here known for his in-depth knowledge of the F-22.

For the Air Force, this is a talismanic moment. The F-22 is widely considered the world’s ultimate fighter with its supercruise capability, stealth and superior maneuverability. But it has, until last night, not been used in combat operations, leading to mocking comments directed at the expensive aircraft, which former Defense Secretary Robert Gates capped at 187 planes. That drought has ended, and with good reason, say two of America’s most highly regarded experts on air warfare.

“Effective planning requires the use of the right force at the right place at the right time,” Dave Deptula, the man who ran the air war in Afghanistan, says in an email. “The F-22 is the world’s most advanced combat aircraft and has the ability to negate the effectiveness of threat air defense systems. That’s why it was used in this case. There was no ‘dry spell’; rather, the previous operations in the permissive airspace of Iraq and Afghanistan did not require their capabilities.”

Deptula was joined by Mark Gunzinger of the Center For Strategic and Budgetary Assessment in his assessment this was the right mission.

“They are the most capable operational fifth gen combat aircraft in the world. F-22s are exactly the kind of capability a combatant commander would ask for if precision strikes are needed on targets in areas where hostile air defenses are present,” he writes. “The alternative to using highly survivable stealth aircraft would be to first conduct a campaign to suppress those threats. Such an operation in Syria would have significant policy implications, of course.”

Syria owns and uses advanced Russian air defenses, though not their most advanced.

 

[marauder2048]

I bet the F-22s flew CAP just in case. -SP

The DoD Press release says specifically that the F-22s delivered "GPS-guided weapons," presumably either JDAM or SDB. (I'd guess SDB based on the released video.) I'm sure they were also carrying a couple of AMRAAM for self-defense, but it's also clear that with the Syrian government pre-warned, no one local was dumb enough to be flying when the US strikes went in.

Which when combined with the Israeli SAM batteries on hair trigger alert (Patriot recently downed a Syrian "Fencer") may greatly inhibit Syrian air operations in general.

 

[Triton]

Maybe what is more important is the F-22s deterrent effect, it wins the battle before any shot is fired. Would an Iranian F-4 have challenged a F-18?

"Welsh: F-22 Flew to Drone's Rescue off Iran Coast"

Military.com Sep 17, 2013 | by Matthew Cox

Source:
http://www.military.com/daily-news/2013/09/17/welsh-f22-flew-to-drones-rescue-off-iran-coast.html?ESRC=airforce-a.nl

Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh on Tuesday sketched out a dramatic tale of a lone F-22 Raptor chasing off Iranian fighter jets over the Arabian Gulf.

The confrontation is the first publicized engagement involving the Air Force's most modern fighter and military forces of Iran.

"When the combatant commander wants air power there is only one number to call," said Welsh, praising Lt. Col. Kevin "Showtime" Sutterfield.

"Showtime is an Air Force Reservist … he flies the F-22. He flies it really well," Welso said.

In March, an Iranian F-4 flew within 16 miles of an MQ-1 Predator flying off the coast of Iran until a previously undisclosed aircraft escorted the Predator to safety. It turns out that aircraft was an F-22, the Air Force's fifth generation fighter.

"Did you guys see the news clip not long ago about the Iranian F-4s that intercepted a remotely-piloted aircraft out over the Arabian Gulf, and then they were warned off?"

Welsh then displayed a picture of Sutterfield before a large audience of his fellow service members at the Air Force Association's Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition on Tuesday.

"This is the guy that warned them off," he said. "He flew under their aircraft to check out their weapons load without them knowing that he was there, and then pulled up on their left wing and then called them and said ‘you really ought to go home.'"

The successful performance of the F-22 comes after the Air Force was forced to repeatedly halt F-22 flights because F-22 pilots repeatedly reported blacking out from problems breathing.

The problem has been a challenge for the Air Force but not one that prevented the service from deploying an F-22 squadron in April of last year to the United Arab Emirates' Al Dafra Air Base, an installation located about 200 miles from the Iranian coast.

Air Force officials have not confirmed the exact location of the F-22s but have instead said they are located at a base in Southwest Asia -- a region that includes the UAE. Last year, Air Force spokesperson Lt. Col. John Dorrian stressed that the F-22s were simply taking part in a scheduled deployment and were "not a threat to Iran."

Sutterfield's intercept of the Iranian jets was just one of many stories Welsh told of the courage, expertise and commitment Air Force personnel have shown over the last decade of conflict.

"I'll never worry; not while these guys are on our team," Welsh said. "I'm excited about the future. We've got some things to figure out, and we will figure them out."

 

[sferrin]

Did you notice this news is a year old?

 

[JohnR]

News items covering the Russian bombing in Syria are stating that the bombing is indiscriminate and causing higher civilian casualties than the Western air campaign. I watched an article a few nights ago which showed what looked very much like "dumb" bombs being loaded into a Backfire bomber. It then showed the bombs being dropped in a manner that looked no different than footage of WWII bombing raids.

My question is how are the bombs targeted; I presume by some kind of radar, and how accurate is it?

Regards.

 

[sferrin]

News items covering the Russian bombing in Syria are stating that the bombing is indiscriminate and causing higher civilian casualties than the Western air campaign. I watched an article a few nights ago which showed what looked very much like "dumb" bombs being loaded into a Backfire bomber. It then showed the bombs being dropped in a manner that looked no different than footage of WWII bombing raids.

My question is how are the bombs targeted; I presume by some kind of radar, and how accurate is it?

Regards.

Most (not all) bombs dropped by the Russians have been dumb bombs.

 

[Orionblamblam]

You have to wonder how much of this is simply disposal of old stock. Bombs can remain functional devices for *decades,* but if they are obsolete, disposal costs money. What better way to dispose of an old bomb than to set it off? And what better way to set off an old bomb than to drop it on territory you don't care about? If a bomb falls and *doesn't* promptly detonate, you don't need to send the UXB guys in to either disarm it or detonate it; you just forget about it. if it blows up a day or a year later... shrug. The US did the same in Nam with old WWI era dumb bombs. Of course, laser guided bombs were kinda new fangled at the time...

Plus... internal politics. Before this, someone from the Russian Air Force might've said "We need X Billion Rubles to buy Y number of brand-new precision guided bombs," and some beancounter would have replied with "Well, you have a bajillion of *these* bombs in stock, hardly seems like you need more." Now there are a whole lot less bombs in inventory; time to buy some replacements.

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Tu-22M-3 radar (unless its been upgraded) is an rather old design ("Rubin", first used on Tu-16 in the 60s) but the Tu-22M-3 version (PNA-D) added doppler beam-sharpening mapping modes, which increases effective resolution, so its probably one of the better Soviet-era systems. Its certainly not precision bombing though.

 

[Grey Havoc]

Via the Washington Times:

ORIGINAL CAPTION: A Russian bomber drops bombs on a target in this image made from video provided by the Russian Defense Ministry. (Associated Press)​

 

[Avimimus]

It is worth noting that Russian videos have been known to splice in footage from multiple tapes (e.g. the 'foab' thermobaric). The article also doesn't state that the target is in Syria - so I wouldn't necessarily take that picture (bombing through cloud cover) as more than illustrative.

Anyway we've had this discussion about iron bombs - the Russians are using a similar mix of weapons to what the United States used in the first Gulf War... it wasn't until after the turn of the millennium that the shift to using smart weapons on a variety of targets (rather than just high priority bridged, bunkers, C4 etc.) took place.

I *would* be interested in seeing a discussion of the Amnesty report. IMHO, in these reports there is always a risk of looking only at the damages done by the bombing without understanding the difficulties for the aviator that influence where the bombs fall.

 

[Rickshaw]

You have to wonder how much of this is simply disposal of old stock. Bombs can remain functional devices for *decades,* but if they are obsolete, disposal costs money. What better way to dispose of an old bomb than to set it off? And what better way to set off an old bomb than to drop it on territory you don't care about? If a bomb falls and *doesn't* promptly detonate, you don't need to send the UXB guys in to either disarm it or detonate it; you just forget about it. if it blows up a day or a year later... shrug. The US did the same in Nam with old WWI era dumb bombs. Of course, laser guided bombs were kinda new fangled at the time...

Plus... internal politics. Before this, someone from the Russian Air Force might've said "We need X Billion Rubles to buy Y number of brand-new precision guided bombs," and some beancounter would have replied with "Well, you have a bajillion of *these* bombs in stock, hardly seems like you need more." Now there are a whole lot less bombs in inventory; time to buy some replacements.

In Vietnam, if a bomb failed to detonate it was usually harvested for HE by the NLF and used in IEDs against US and Allied troops. The NLF was quite adept at removing HE and detonators from US bombs. I would not be surprised if the anti-Assad forces were becoming as good.

 

[Archibald]

How surprising... this are the same russian forces that faced Chechen resistance in Grozny, and just razed the city from the face of Earth instead of fighting house-to-house. They don't care about precision strikes or "colateral damage" - they just bomb the shit out of their aircrafts.

 

[Grey Havoc]

ORIGINAL CAPTION: Russian warplanes fly in the sky over the Mediterranean coastal city of Latakia, Syria, January 28, 2016.
REUTERS/OMAR SANADIKI

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-nato-idUSKCN0W212Y​

 

[bobbymike]

Iskanders in Syria?

http://www.defensenews.com/articles/israeli-satellite-imagary-shows-russian-nuclear-capable-missiles-in-syria?akds

 

[Avimimus]

One thing I'd be interested in figuring out:

What percentage of the damage to eastern Aleppo's buildings is a result of aerial bombardment and what percentage is a result of short range artillery?

 

[dan_inbox]

this are the same russian forces that faced Chechen resistance in Grozny, and just razed the city from the face of Earth instead of fighting house-to-house. They don't care about precision strikes or "colateral damage"

Maybe they have kept the basic value that they care about the lives of their own soldiers more than about the lives of anyone else, especially the very terrorists they are fighting against and the populace that produces them.
Western political correctness looks fine and dandy when you are sitting in a Californian university office, but on the terrain it got long ago to the point where it is the single largest weakness and source of casualties in our own ranks. And therefore is leveraged systematically by the bad guys everywhere who do not give a damn about such political correctness.

Especially when faced with different cultures with different values, at some point the West will need to get its act together again. History doesn't teach that we defeated the Nazi & Japanese aggressors by being politically correct. At best it is wishful thinking to hope to preserve our virginity while defeating such vicious opponents as the worldwide radical Islamistic wave. At worst, it is wholesale jeopardizing of lives on our own side, civilian and military alike.

It feels like the Russians have simply kept much more practical.
And with huge success too: they just turned the tables in Syria, saved their pawn Assad, and made the involved western powers look even more weak and non-credible than before. Which will be noticed by all the local warlords looking for a credible protector ally.

Even for those who do not support Putin or his dictatorship regime, force is to observe that his practical conduct has just scored him huge successes, and given black eyes aplenty to US FR UK and all the other politikorrect westerners.
It should be a basic lesson that before going to war, a power should ask itself: Am I really ready to do what it takes to win? And if your blessed values can't handle the heat, then stay out of the kitchen. It will avoid more unnecessary defeats like Lebanon '82, Somallia '93, A-stan and Irak.

War is not clean. Especially so when between different civilizations. Defeating another civilization will not be achieved without massive amounts of deaths.
Theoretically we should avoid such wars, but if the other side starts it, too bad. Your only choice is to do what it takes and win, or to totter and get nowhere.
In Syria and the Middle East, so far Russia has chosen one path and the West the other.

 

[bobbymike]

US Tomahawk Missiles Bombard Syrian Air Force Base

—Brian Everstine4/7/2017

US Navy ships at 8:40 p.m. EDT Thursday fired 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles into Syria, targeting the airfield that launched Tuesday’s gas attack. The missiles hit the Shayrat airbase in Homs province, targeting aircraft, hardened aircraft shelters, petroleum and logistical storage, ammunition supply, bunkers, air defense systems, and radars, in an attempt to damage Syrian President Bashar al Assad’s air force and his ability to target rebels following the gas attack. The strike originated from the USS P​orter and USS Ros​s off the coast of Syria in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. President Trump said late Thursday the strike is in response to the “horrible chemical weapons attack on innocent civilians. … Assad choked out the lives of helpless men, women, and children.” Trump said in brief remarks at Mar-a-Lago, Fla., late Thursday, “It is in this vital national security interest of the US to prevent and deter the spread and use of deadly chemical weapons.” Syrian state media in response to the attack called it an act of “aggression,” according to The Associated Press. Russian troops were reportedly stationed at the base before the strike. The US informed Russia about the strike beforehand to avoid Russian casualties. The Pentagon late Thursday was assessing the results of the strike. “The strike was a proportional response to Assad’s heinous act,” Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. Jeff Davis said in a statement. Shayrat Airfield was used to store chemical weapons and Syrian air forces. … The strike was intended to deter the regime from using chemical weapons again.”

https://news.usni.org/2017/04/06/breaking-u-s-destroyers-fire-dozens-tomahawks-syrian-airfield-retaliation-strike-chemical-attack

 

[Avimimus]

Further reports... there are claims that only 23 of the missiles hit their intended targets. The runway was being resurfaced and Russian helicopters have been stationed there. Uncertain about other Russian equipment or what equipment was stationed there at the time of the attack.

 

[bobbymike]

Further reports... there are claims that only 23 of the missiles hit their intended targets. The runway was being resurfaced and Russian helicopters have been stationed there. Uncertain about other Russian equipment or what equipment was stationed there at the time of the attack.

Links would be nice. Tomahawks with only 39% accuracy find that hard to believe.

 

[Triton]

Further reports... there are claims that only 23 of the missiles hit their intended targets. The runway was being resurfaced and Russian helicopters have been stationed there. Uncertain about other Russian equipment or what equipment was stationed there at the time of the attack.

Links would be nice. Tomahawks with only 39% accuracy find that hard to believe.

The claims are being made by the Russian Ministry of Defense and being reported by the usual suspects:

" ‘Low efficiency’: Only 23 Tomahawk missiles out of 59 reached Syrian airfield, Russian MoD says"
Published time: 7 Apr, 2017 09:41
Edited time: 7 Apr, 2017 16:46

Source:
https://www.rt.com/news/383858-syria-us-strike-inefficient/

The strike on the Shayrat airfield in Syria’s Homs Province destroyed a material storage depot, a training facility, a canteen, six MiG-23 aircraft in repair hangars and a radar station.

The runway, taxiways and the Syrian aircraft on the parking apron remained undamaged, Russia’s Defense Ministry spokesman said in a statement.

The ministry described the combat efficiency of the strike as “quite poor.”

“On April 7, 2017, between 3:42am and 3:56am Moscow time, two US Navy destroyers (USS Porter and USS Ross) fired 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at Shayrat airfield in Homs Province, Syria, from an area near the Island of Crete in the Mediterranean Sea.

“According to our sources, only 23 of them reached the Syrian airbase,” Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Major-General Igor Konashenkov said, adding that the points of impact of the other 36 cruise missiles remain unknown.

 

[bobbymike]

Further reports... there are claims that only 23 of the missiles hit their intended targets. The runway was being resurfaced and Russian helicopters have been stationed there. Uncertain about other Russian equipment or what equipment was stationed there at the time of the attack.

Links would be nice. Tomahawks with only 39% accuracy find that hard to believe.

The claims are being made by the Russian Ministry of Defense and being reported by the usual suspects:

" ‘Low efficiency’: Only 23 Tomahawk missiles out of 59 reached Syrian airfield, Russian MoD says"
Published time: 7 Apr, 2017 09:41
Edited time: 7 Apr, 2017 16:46

Source:
https://www.rt.com/news/383858-syria-us-strike-inefficient/

Thanks Triton it makes sense now because those same sources usually say Russian missile hits with 161% efficiency

 

[Avimimus]

Given the performance of the Kh-101 in Syria they have plenty of reason to lie or distort Tomahawk performance. That said, they may have been in the tubes a bit long.

Does anyone have information on the airfield before and after the strikes?