RagnarDa Posted August 22, 2013 Posted August 22, 2013 Hi! I'm looking for resources describing how Warsaw pact/Soviet/Russian air-units operated, preferably Cold-War era. I'd like to understand things like the "Shturmovik"-role, specifically for setting up missions for the Su-25 and maybe eventually the MiG-21. For example, was the targets pre-briefed before take-off or was target-info handled to attack-planes from ground troops on the front 'a la JTAC? How was targets cued to the pilot (smoke-markers?)? Only things I read is that Shturmoviks would attack fortifications (and tanks?) on the front-line, so not interdiction-strikes? Anyone? Should I post this in the Russian forum? Thanks in advance! DCS AJS37 HACKERMAN There will always be bugs. If everything is a priority nothing is.
104th_Cobra Posted August 22, 2013 Posted August 22, 2013 (edited) Something where you can dig :) The Evolution of Russian Offensive Air Warfare Theory http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a272608.pdf Initiative in Soviet Air Force Tactics and Decision Making http://ia601209.us.archive.org/18/items/initiativeinsovi00john/initiativeinsovi00john.pdf The Limits of Soviet Airpower: The Bear Versus the Mujahideen in Afghanistan http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA391797 For more, search in DTIC. http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/ Edited: And more, if you want read the novel "Red Army", from Ralph Peters, an US Army Military Intelligence Officer. There are described some tactical situations, mostly ground forces combat but also some use of close air support aircraft and attack helicopters. Edited August 22, 2013 by Xpto 104th Cobra [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]
RagnarDa Posted August 23, 2013 Author Posted August 23, 2013 Thanks! Will check those out! DCS AJS37 HACKERMAN There will always be bugs. If everything is a priority nothing is.
GUMAR Posted August 23, 2013 Posted August 23, 2013 Wow, I'll read that too, thanks:) [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Реальные хотелки к ЛО3 по Су-25 в основном... ASRock PG9, i-5 9600KF, MSI 2080Ti, 32GB 3466
Vekkinho Posted August 23, 2013 Posted August 23, 2013 Some good reading up there... Thanks! [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]
RagnarDa Posted August 23, 2013 Author Posted August 23, 2013 Those where very interesting to read, although the second link seems to be a broken PDF for me. I did however find pretty much exactly the info I was looking for in this document: http://www.fas.org/irp/doddir/army/fm100-2-1.pdf To answer my own questions: Before takeoff, pilots receive a short briefing that designates a checkpoint toward which to proceed and, possibly, the target location. On reaching the checkpoint, the pilots contact the air represen- tative of the ground force units being supported to receive target designation or confirmation. Approach, attack, and recovery air control procedures remain the same as in preplanned air support missions. The "air-representative" is a Forward Air Controller that's assigned to a regiment (apparently the same thing as a brigade, and a armor brigade is around 90 T-72's and 20 BMP's plus support <SOURCE>). He uses preferably radio beacons (too bad we can't use that in FC3) but also colored smoke, flares and colored cloth to guide the attack-aircraft. Flight leaders can also assign targets independently using the same means. Each tactical aviation regiment, if I'm not mistaken, consists of a fighter squadron (MiG-21/23) a fighter-bomber squadron (Su-17/22? or Su-25?) and a helicopter element. Attack-helicopters operate separately under the army-air organization and nearer the front line. Any ground commander on any level can request air-support but the request is only forwarded up the chain of command to the maneuver commander (regiment?) who decides to go ahead as he is only assigned a limited amount of air-assets in the form of munitions (not aircrafts) and the request is forwarded to the air-commander (something like the western ATC) who then orders the planes into the air and the flight-leader then coordinates/communicates with the aforementioned FAC. Su-25 seems to operate only in this CAS-role and also in the near-frontline interdiction role. From my understanding I don't think it would participate in the Day 1 mass air-raids against NATO airfields and CCC but I haven't read the whole document yet. All in all, from what I understand, the Su-25 seems to operate more alike to the A-10 than I thought... DCS AJS37 HACKERMAN There will always be bugs. If everything is a priority nothing is.
104th_Cobra Posted August 24, 2013 Posted August 24, 2013 Those where very interesting to read, although the second link seems to be a broken PDF for me. That's a pity, i tried it right now and i download it. It is a good text, even with references to air-to-air combar. [quote name= I did however find pretty much exactly the info I was looking for in this document: http://www.fas.org/irp/doddir/army/fm100-2-1.pdf Nice one. There are here, right now, an interesting repository :) 104th Cobra [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]
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