Thread by @GuyPlopsky

1/ Very interesting short excerpt from E. A. Fedosov's 2004 book entitled "Half a Century in Aviation: Notes of an Academic" that talks about how little senior Russian defense officials seemed to understand air power during the First Chechen War.

A short thread (translation) 👇

2/ At the time of First Chechen War, Fedosov headed Russia's GoSNIIAS (State Scientific Research Institute of Aviation Systems).

Translation 👇

3/ "When the storming of Grozny began ... I was summoned to Deputy PM Soskovets to inform what aviation means could be used to deliver an accurate strike on Dudayev's palace in the center of Grozny. It had been assumed that a control center was located in the palace basement."

4/ "Apart from Soskovets, in his office were the chairman of the FSB Stepashin, minister of internal affairs Erin, commander of the border troops Nikolayev, and minister of defense Grachev. Apparently, this "Piterka" [(Five)] directed the war in Chechnya at the highest level."

5/ "I reported that our frontline aviation Su-24M and Su-25T aircraft have high-precision laser and TV-guided weapons; the warheads of the missiles and bombs possess sufficient combat power to destroy the concrete ceilings of the palace basement."

6/ "It then became clear that the 4th Air Army does not have aircraft with these precision weapons because Su-17 and MiG-27 fighter-bombers were withdrawn from service while MiG-29 and Su-27 fighters could only employ regular [(unguided)] bombs against ground targets."

7/ "The only aircraft in service with the Air Force with high-precision missiles was the Su-24M, but the pilots of the 4th Air Army had no experience employing it in combat."

8/"Defense minister Grachev's statement at this moment was very characteristic. Leaning imposingly in his armchair he declared: 'Let me tell you how our Air Force is fighting. During an air strike on the aerodrome at Khankala, a regiment of Tu-22M aircraft completely destroyed...

9/ ...all of Cehchnya's aviation, and one bomb destroyed Dudayev's personal helicopter with a direct hit. I presented the pilot for the title of Hero of Russia.'"

10/ "I felt uneasy. Does the defense minister not understand that carpet bombing of the aerodrome's limited area by a group of 20 Tu-22Ms with a bomb load of 20 tons each has nothing to do with bombing accuracy, especially given the virtual absence of an air defense system?"

11/ "The fact that one of the bombs hit the helicopter speaks only of the intensity of the bombing. With such a dense bombardment there is nothing astonishing about the destruction of a small grouping of airplanes and helicopters at the aerodrome in Khankala."

12/ "For this it was not necessary to send a whole [Tu-22M] regiment. One squadron would suffice."

General Nikolayev's question didn't sound any better: 'the Tu-22M can be armed with the Kh-22 missile. Why can't we employ it against the palace?'"

13/ "I explained that the Kh-22 has active and passive homing heads. The active head aims at a radiocontrast target, but the palace building lacks this contrast. The passive head aims at an emitting target."

'So put an emitter on the roof of the palace,' said Nikolayev.'"

14/ "This was the final straw for me. A general who appears to be an intellectual saying such nonsense. If you have the ability to put emitters on the roof of the palace, then there is no need for sending planes. Stepashen and Erin kept quiet."

15/ "In the end, they decided to create a small grouping of Su-24Ms, man them with experienced pilots and, using such an 'aerial OMON,' carry out accurate strikes against reconnoitered targets. And also to cease carpet bombing."

16/

Fedosov then goes on to add that "by the time [such a grouping was created], the presidential palace in Gronzy had already been destroyed by a flight of Su-25s with regular concrete-piercing bombs. Dudayev wasn't present."

17/

Two quick remarks on the text above for the sake of accuracy:

- In the text excerpt in post 16/ of the thread, Fedosov, discussing the creation of the special Su-24M grouping, mentions the S-25L, saying it has a "TV homing head," but it is in fact a laser-guided missile.

18/
- Fedosov notes that the Su-24M was the only aircraft in VVS service that could use high-precision missiles relevant to the task (see post 7/ of the thread). However, baseline Su-25s could also do so, though Su-25 pilots, too, lacked experience employing these weapons.

-END-

May be of interest to @HarpiaP @RALee85 @konrad_muzyka @KomissarWhipla @krakek1 @KofmanMichael @CombatAir @PaperMissiles @JamesBosbotinis @Hankinstien