Air Strikes by VKS & SyAAF, 11 May 2017

Nocturnal activity was minimal again. One VKS fighter-bomber launched from Hmemmem ab at 00.21, a single L-39 from Shayrat at 00.27. These…

Nocturnal activity was minimal again. One VKS fighter-bomber launched from Hmemmem ab at 00.21, a single L-39 from Shayrat at 00.27. These two seem to have attacked different targets between Kfar Zita and Lataminah. At 00.40, the Russians launched another aircraft from Hmemmem, and the SyAAF one L-39 from Kweres AB: these two flew away in eastern direction, though. Lataminah was attacked by another L-39 around 00.56, and then by a helicopter at 05.21, but it’s unknown from where these two came.

The morning saw a lot more action. At 07.22, three helicopters launched from as-Safira — and all went in NE direction. Something similar can be said for a Su-22 that took off from Kweres AB at 08.16 and a Russian fighter-bomber that left Hmemmem AB at 08.22, then for the Su-24 from Tiyas at 08.29, another Su-22 from Kweres at 08.35, and two helicopters from as-Safira at 08.36 and 08.38. However, the Su-22 that launched from Shayrat at 08.49, bombed Lataminah, while another Su-22 was then reported approaching western Aleppo around 08.53.

Two Russian helicopters patrolled the Banias area during the morning, and either the A-50U or a Tu-214R was then photographed high in the skies. This was probably related to reports about deliveries of additional SA-21 (S-400) SAMs to Syria.

The Su-24 that took off from as-Sien at 09.30 attacked the Kfar Zita area, while the Su-22 that launched from Shayrat at 09.37 bombed Lataminah, but the Su-22 launched from Kweres at 10.08 turned in eastern direction again, as did another helicopter from as-Safira, at 11.06. On the contrary, the Su-22 that took off from Tiyas at 11.03, bombed the Lataminah area.

The Russians launched two fighter-bombers from Hmemmem AB at 11.53, as-Safira added another helicopter at 12.08, Shayrat dispatched one Su-22 at 12.18; Tiyas a single Su-24 at 12.26, and the Russians another fighter-bomber at 12.45.

Five helicopters launched from as-Safira at 13.10–13.45, and four Su-22s from Shayrat and Tiyas at 13.30–13.46. The Russians added one fighter-bomber each at 14.01, and 14.36. All of these turned in eastern direction, indicating a major operation against the Daesh. Most of this activity was apparently related to the regime’s and Russian attack on Jirrah AB, in eastern Aleppo. This was reportedly liberated by the following morning (i.e. on 12 May 2017).

Late afternoon was a lot quieter, though: ‘just’ two Su-25s from Hmemmem at 15.19, then a single Su-22 from Shayrat at 17.02, and two additional VKS fighter-bombers from Hmemmem AB at 17.05.

There was a lot less activity during the evening: a single L-39 launched from Kweres at 20.01, and one from Nayrab at 22.46, but then several take-offs from Hmemmem AB were recorded, at 22.23, 22.33, 23.16, 23.39, and 23.49.

Totals

VKS

fighter-bombers: 17

helicopters: 2?

UAVs: 5

recce: 0

SyAAF

helicopters: 12

L-39s: 4

MiG-21s: 0

MiG-23s: 0

Su-22s: 13

Su-24s: 3