29 dawn in October: Royal Norwegian Air Force launches its F-16 in QRA (Quick Reaction Alert) to identify a Russian force that flew close to the Norwegian coast in south-west direction and composed of four strategic bombers Tu-95 Bear -H and four Il-78 tankers. The same Russian formation was followed by the Royal Air Force fighters on sight and, soon after, by the Portuguese F-16.
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29 October afternoon: training consisting of two TU-95 Bear-H and 2 Su-27 Flanker is identified by NATO radar behind the Turkish borders, but always in international airspace. Scramble for Ankara's F-16. Eye contact.
Finally, late yesterday afternoon, NATO radars detected the same formation (two Su-24 "Fencer", two MiG-31 "Foxhound", two Su-34 "Fullback" and a single Su-27 "Flanker" ) that 24 hours earlier had been intercepted in international airspace close to the Baltic countries. On an intercept route from the base of Šiauliai, in Lithuania, Portuguese F-16 rose. There is no news of eye contact.
The provocations between Russia and the West continue, with those dangerous and yet so frequent 'toys' during the Cold War. A way to test the enemy's defenses on the one hand and to show him his strength on the other.
However, the unusual air activity of the last 48 hours has alarmed NATO. The Russian formations, in fact, do not respect international civil air traffic and act in silent radio, ignoring all flight plans. Of course, until now all the Russian aircraft identified were flying in international airspace, but it is also true that the routes followed lapped the national borders of NATO countries or protected by the latter.
Russia, meanwhile, continues to militarize.
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Starting with the 2017, the Russian air force will allocate a squadron of MiG-31 and other tactical aircraft at the "Arctic" airport near the urban settlement of Tiksi, north of the Sakha Republic, in Eastern Siberia.
This is what the Ria Novosti is today
The reconstruction of the airfield will start within the next year. A second formation of MiG-31 will also be deployed in the 2017 at the Anadyr airport, a town in the Russian Far East.
At present, the strength of the Northern War Fleet is not enough to guarantee national security. It would also be necessary to deploy a strong contingent of combat aircraft in the area, to intercept and destroy incoming missiles as they approach the Russian border. A high-precision missile attack against Russia, in fact, would only be effective if carried by launchers deployed in the Arctic Region. Missiles launched from other regions would be able to destroy marginal targets, due to their limited flight autonomy.
The Ministry of Defense has already announced its intention to re-open at least seven airports on the continental part of the Arctic Circle, taken out of service in the 1993. Finally, a new strategic military command in the Arctic was created, dubbed the "Unified Strategic Command of the Northern Fleet".
The Arctic territory is considered rich in untapped oil and gas reserves. The Region has always been at the center of disputes between the United States, Russia, Canada, Norway and Denmark.
As early as last December, Russia began deploying aerospace defense units in the Arctic Region and started building an early warning radar in the far north of the country. The deployment of electronic warfare units has already begun in the Arctic, while work has begun on the construction of the radar network near the city of Vortuka, north of the polar circle. Russia plans to complete the Arctic radar detection network within the 2018.
Four class "Voronezh" radar stations are already active. Two class "Voronezh" model "DM" radars, six thousand kilometers of discovery with the ability to simultaneously trace 500 targets, are fully active in the territory of Krasnodar and in the Leningrad region. Radar stations in the Kaliningrad and Irkutsk regions are being tested.
Voronezh radars can be quickly redistributed and require a reduced crew compared to the previous generation. Russia will put into service seven "Voronezh" class radars in the next five years. The new radars will replace the obsolete "Dnepr" and "Daryal" class systems.
The importance of the Arctic
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Moscow's design also includes a fully automated air defense radar capable of detecting all kinds of threats, including cruise missiles and unmanned aircraft, at a maximum distance of three thousand kilometers. The automated early warning radar, dubbed "Container", will cover most of Europe. Since 2 last December, the system is being tested at the city of Kovylkino. Unless unexpectedly, it could become fully operational by the end of the 2015. Specifications, number of radar stations and location are covered by military secrecy.
Moscow, meanwhile, continues to arm the "friendly" countries. Four S-300 missile systems will be delivered to Belarus by the end of the year. According to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, the four missile systems will enter service by the 2015.
The contract for the supply of the four S-300 systems was signed last July.
The S-300 is one of the most powerful anti-aircraft systems available today. He can follow up to 100 targets, being able to hire 12 at a distance of 200 kilometers (124 miles) and at height of 27 kilometers (about 17 miles).
Franco Iacch
