UKRAINIAN AIR FORCEExercise Perspective 2012

Held between 17 and 29 September, Exercise Perspective 2012 brought together the Ukrainian military’s might in a series of scenarios designed to train, test and fulfil live firing currency requirements of both ground-based and airborne tactical platforms. Steve Comber reports from Belbek near Sevastapol, from where a number of MiG-29s and Su-27s operated.

Words and Pictures

STEVE COMBER

Following the break-up of the Soviet Union in August 1991, Ukraine inherited a massive 780,000 strong military force, along with the third largest nuclear weapons arsenal in the world. Later the following year steps were taken to become a nuclear-free state, with the process completed by 1996.

At the time of the Soviet dissolution, substantial quantities of aircraft were essentially left on Ukrainian soil, and the Ukrainian Air Force was formally established on 17 March 1992, head-quartered in Vinnytsia, which had previously been the home of the 24th Air Army of the Soviet Air Force.

UKRAINIAN AIR FORCEExercise Perspective 2012

Among the aircraft types it acquired were Tupolev Tu-22M ‘Backfires’, Tu-95 ‘Bears’ and Tu-160 ‘Blackjacks’; all strategic bombers. In line with its policy of reducing the size of its armed forces, in terms of both numbers of personnel and assets, the country elected to give up its strategic bombers, which have either been returnedreturned to Russia, broken up or placed on display in museums. The emphasis for the Ukrainian Air Force is now very much with the protection of its own airspace.

The savings made possible by the downsizing, as well as a restructuring of its hierarchy aimed at reducing the amount of duplication in command and control levels, have allowed the Ukrainian Air Force to modernise an increasing proportion of the assets it has available and to improve the way it trains its personnel. A single-seat MiG-29 taxies out carrying what appears to be four Vympel R-73/AA-11 ARCHER air-to-air missiles.

Examples of the Su-27S (left) and the Su-27UB are pictured behind a pair of AA-10 ALAMO air-to-air missiles.

A single-seat MiG-29 taxies out carrying what appears to be four Vympel R-73/AA-11 ARCHER air-to-air missiles.

Examples of the Su-27S (left) and the Su-27UB are pictured behind a pair of AA-10 ALAMO air-to-air missiles.

An impressive line-up of Su-27S and Su-27UB noses and canopies on the Belbek flightline.

A pair of MiG-29s leave their distinctive mark in the sky as they depart Belbek at the start of an Exercise Perspective mission.

A dazzling array of colours as this Su-27UB utilises its brake chute to slow down on the Belbek runway.

This MiG-29 is bathed in beautiful light as it taxies out for another mission as the sun sets.

A considerably less vibrant colourscheme is carried by this Su-27S.

Above - A delightful colourscheme is carried by this MiG-29UB, seen departing with clean pylons.

Top right - The intensive tempo of flight operations provide ample opportunity for all parties to hone their skills.

RightRight - An Su-27S is turned around after another Exercise Perspective 2012 mission.

Left - The Ukrainian Air Force operates 28 An-26s in a variety of transport roles including a number kitted out as flying hospitals.

Above - A delightful colourscheme is carried by this MiG-29UB, seen departing with clean pylons.

Top right - The intensive tempo of flight operations provide ample opportunity for all parties to hone their skills.

RightRight - An Su-27S is turned around after another Exercise Perspective 2012 mission.

Left - The Ukrainian Air Force operates 28 An-26s in a variety of transport roles including a number kitted out as flying hospitals.

The Ukrainian military as a whole now regularly participates in multi-national operations and, at the 2008 Bucharest Summit, NATO declared that “Ukraine will become a member of NATO whenever it wants and when it would correspond to the criteria for the accession.” Current Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych, however, believes that his country’s present level of integration with NATO is sufficient.

This Su-27UB passes through the sun as it departs Belbek at the start of another mission. Interestingly, it appears to be carrying two different variants of the AA-10 ALAMO air-to-air missile.

The Ukrainian Air Force of 2012 is believed to have some 49,000 personnel (with the overall size of the military reduced to 300,000 following a switch from a conscription-based system to that of a volunteer force) and around 450 fixed and rotary-winged aircraft available to it, although somewhere in the regionregion of 250 additional airframes (a mix of MiG-29 ‘Fulcrums’, Su-24 ‘Fencers’ and Su-27 ‘Flankers’) are held in a reserve state.

So, we come to Belbek in September of this

year and Exercise Perspective 2012.

OverseenOverseen by Deputy Commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for Aviation - Aviation Air Force chief Lt. Gen. Vasyl Nikiforov, Belbek hosted aircraft and flight crews from various fighter units of the Ukrainian Air Force. Whilst present, the crews would fire live missiles and use the aircraft’s gungun against the SAB 250-200 ‘lighting bomb’. Ordinarily used to illuminate a large area at night, the SAB 250-200 is carried on the rails of

Above - A clean MiG-29 gets airborne in perfect conditions.

Above - This Su-27S taxies back after completing a mission. Note the open tail cone on the ‘boom’ on the left side of the picture that houses the brake chute.

Above - Beautiful golden light as this MiG-29UB gets prepared for a night-time sortie.

This Su-27UB passes through the sun as it departs Belbek at the start of another mission. Interestingly, it appears to be carrying two different variants of the AA-10 ALAMO air-to-air missile.

a parent aircraft before being released. The welded shell houses seven flares producing at least 8.19 million candles of light and the 10.5m squared parachute canopy attached to the shell ensures a significant ‘hang time’ in the sky. The flares will burn for at least six minutes and provide a perfect heat source for useuse against heat-seeking air-to-air missiles, thus making them the ideal target for Exercise Perspective missions.

Incredible conditions as this Su-27UB from the 831st Tactical Aviation Brigade, based at Myrhorod, climbs into the blue, armed with four live AA-10 ALAMO rounds.

Incredible conditions as this Su-27UB from the 831st Tactical Aviation Brigade, based at Myrhorod, climbs into the blue, armed with four live AA-10 ALAMO rounds.

Around 15 MiG-29s and Su-27s were used in the exercise and the 40+ participating pilots performed ten missile firings each, with many of the missions taking place at the ChaudaChauda Research and Testing Center and included launches of ground-based anti-aircraft missiles against BP-3 ‘Flight’ UAVs.

Of course, it’s not only the flight crews who derive benefit from these exercises. A mission scenario was devised each day, for instance, 26 September saw 120 ‘enemy’‘enemy’ soldiers illegally cross the border into the country, prompting the mobilisation of ground and airborne forces, with Mil Mi-24 ‘Hinds’ operating alongside the Fulcrums and Flankers.Flankers. Despite the best efforts of the ‘enemy’ to evade capture, they were successfully neutralised by the ground forces.

Later in the exercise, an Ilyushin Il-76MD was used to parachute troops and infantry fighting vehicles into the ‘war zone’ (Novomoskovskyi Training Range), the first time such a deliverydelivery method had been employed by the Ukrainian Air Force for ten years. The operation was supported by a pair of Su-27s.

By making these scenarios as real as possible, it is hoped that everybody taking part will come away far better prepared, should the theory ever need to become a reality, than they would have been previously. Missions need planning and controlling, aircraft maintenance needs to be performed, live weapons need to be handled correctly, communications need to be established between airborne assets and troops on the ground etc. Every facet of modern-day military operations is examined and a much more cohesive and effective package is assembled as a result. much more cohesive and effective package is assembled as a result.

Blue 41, the only Su-27 taking part in the exercise in 'Legacy camouflage colours'. Few aircraft remain in this scheme now as refurbished aircraft arrive in service.

Blue 41, the only Su-27 taking part in the exercise in 'Legacy camouflage colours'. Few aircraft remain in this scheme now as refurbished aircraft arrive in service.

Left - This Su-27UB blasts away from the Belbek runway carrying four live AA-10 ALAMO air-to-air missiles.

Right - Another MiG-29UB waits patiently on the ramp at Belbek, loaded up with four SAB 250-200s.

Easily seen on the pylons of this MiG-29UB are two examples of the SAB 250-200 ‘lighting bombs’ used as targets during the live firing of air-to-air missiles.

Above - Resting on the ramp between missions, this Su-27S.

Above - Belbek is positioned right on the westerly facing Black Sea coast, making it an ideal location for captivating imagery.

Above - A single-seat Su-27S taxies out for another live-firing mission.

Easily seen on the pylons of this MiG-29UB are two examples of the SAB 250-200 ‘lighting bombs’ used as targets during the live firing of air-to-air missiles.

Above - This Su-27UB taxies back with all bar one rail empty.

Air-brake extended, this Su-27S taxies out armed with four Vympel R-73/AA-11 ARCHER air-to-air missiles.

The braking chutes on the MiG-29 fleet might not be as colourful as their Flanker counterparts but the ensemble still looks great.

Exercise Perspective 2012 appears to have been a great success for everyone with the notable introduction of new uniforms and exposure to a number of systems for the first time, including Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement Systems (MILES), making the training even more realistic.

UkrainianUkrainian Defence Minister Dmytro Salamatin also stated that tank units had used laser-guided munitions this year. “These perfect projectiles were just stocked. Today we’ve used them in practice.” The Defence Minister also said that he appreciated the cooperation of all units throughout the exercise and emphasised that the military leadership would create a “compact and effective armed forces and increase the social status of military people”. “We solve these tasks simultaneously, comprehensively, andand qualitatively. I’m sure that we’ll change the image of the Ukrainian Armed Forces soon,” he said.

Indeed, from the outside looking in it very much seems as if the Ukrainian military has already been learning plenty from its operations and associations with other nation’s armed forces and appears to be advancing well, despite the relatively small budget it has to work with compared to other nations. As well as the modernisation process that’s being applied to a number of its aircraft, more pilots are being trained, and flying hours for 2012 have been almost three times higher than those logged in 2011, and there’s a clear desire to improve further.logged in 2011, and there’s a clear desire to improve further.

Steve Comber wishes to thank the Ukrainian AF general staff & press officers for their invaluable co-operation & access to Belbek.

Air-brake extended, this Su-27S taxies out armed with four Vympel R-73/AA-11 ARCHER air-to-air missiles.

The braking chutes on the MiG-29 fleet might not be as colourful as their Flanker counterparts but the ensemble still looks great.