Page 99 - AirForces - Monthly (February 2020)

Left: Turkish and US senior military o icials assigned to the Combined Joint Operations Center-Akçakale,

return from a patrol of the security mechanism zone over northeast Syria aboard a Turkish Army UH-60. US
Army/Maj Juan L Martinez Below: An F-15E Strike Eagle receives fuel from a 28th Expeditionary Air Refueling
Squadron KC-135R Stratotanker during a combat air patrol mission over Syria. USAF/MSgt Russ Scalf

now talked daily over what was dubbed the On October 17, video imagery appeared the US withdrawal from northern Syria had
‘deconfliction hotline’ to choreograph these online showing Russian military vehicles been completed. As previously explained,
deployments and prevent any accidents or and personnel at Tabqa Airport, south of President Trump partially reversed his pull-
incidents that might spiral out of control. Raqqa city, as a VKS Mi-8AMTSh landed. out order and several hundred US troops have
To support their troops who were now policing The next phase of the US withdrawal took remained to safeguard a couple of oilfields in
the border security zone in co-operation place on the night of November 13/14 when eastern Syria. Although reinforced recently
with Turkish units, Moscow dispatched an the last US troops flew out of KLZ. Early the with Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, the
extra battalion of military police to Syria. It next morning Russian Mi-35 and Mi-8AMTSh US enclaves are in remote desert regions
arrived at Khmeimim air base in western rotorcraft began landing on the airstrip and with poor lines of communications back to
Syria via a series of Il-76s, along with more Russian military police started to spread out supporting US forces in Iraq. Russian and
than 30 armoured vehicles, on October 26. across the base. A camera crew from the Syrian troops are now positioned in the main
A Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) Russian government-funded RT television population centres in the Kurdish region and
detachment of Mi-35 attack and Mi-8AMTSh network followed behind the Russian troops. It control critical transport infrastructure, including
transport helicopters was repositioned appeared that the Americans had left the site Qamishli Airport. The high tide of US influence
from Khmeimim to Kweires Airport, east of intact, including helicopter landing pads, barrack in Syria is now well and truly in retreat. AFM
Aleppo, to begin flying air patrols eastwards buildings, medical facilities and fuel tanks.
over advancing Russian columns. The appearance of Russian helicopters
The helicopters then flew to an airport in the across northern Syria added a new
heart of the Kurdish region in northeast Syria dimension to Moscow’s push to project
to provide air support to Moscow’s troops military forces into the heart of the Kurdish
policing the region. The Russian Ministry of region, formerly controlled by the SDF
Defence’s Zvezda television channel posted under the protection of US troops.
video imagery online on November 11 showing Qamishli Airport is the only airfield to the
two Mi-35s and one Mi-8AMTSh landing at east of the Euphrates with a hardened runway
Qamishli Airport. The helicopters made a under Russian and Syrian control and was
low-level approach to Qamishli city, before a key logistic hub for Syrian troops isolated
circling and landing at the nearby airport. in the region by IS fighters in 2014. It played
A ground support element, including at an important role as the Syrian government
least one fuel tanker and a Pantsir-S1 anti- air bridge to the besieged city of Deir ez-Zor
aircraft gun/missile system, was seen near between 2014-17. Since the agreement
the airport’s aircraft ramp in the video between Damascus and the SDF in October
imagery. Another Mi-8 was seen on the that allowed Syrian troops to expand their
ground on the ramp, although it is not clear presence in northeastern Syria, at least
if it was a Russian or Syrian helicopter. one Syrian Il-76 transport aircraft has been
The opening of Qamishli Airport to tracked heading towards Qamishli Airport. When the last US troops flew
Russian helicopters meant this was the The presence of Russian forces at the out of KLZ on November 14,
Russian Mi-35 and Mi-8AMTSh
second airstrip in northeastern Syria Kobanî Landing Zone was a symbolic event, helicopters began landing on the
to have a Russian military presence. signalling that the most difficult element of airstrip. Zvezda

www.Key.Aero #383 February 2020 // 97

06/01/2020 10:42:17
92-97 Syria AFM Feb2020.indd 97
92-97 Syria AFM Feb2020.indd 97 06/01/2020 10:42:17