Su-34s and Other Russian Weapons Turkey Should Keep in Mind

© Sputnik / Maxim Blinov / Go to the mediabankSu-34 bomber jet
Su-34 bomber jet - Sputnik International
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Ankara made headlines this week when it shot down a Russian Su-24 bomber, prompting some to speculate that the incident could lead to a military standoff. The National Interest came up with a listing of five Russian weapons that would surely convince Turkey to back off should it want to escalate the situation.

Interesting fact: the US magazine is not talking about ballistic missiles or tactical nuclear weapons, but rather those arms that would be ideal for a limited campaign, including bombers, guided missile cruisers and electronic warfare systems.

© Sputnik / Dmitriy Vinogradov / Go to the mediabankRussian pilots of the Su-34 at the Hmeimim base in Syria.
Russian pilots of the Su-34 at the Hmeimim base in Syria. - Sputnik International
Russian pilots of the Su-34 at the Hmeimim base in Syria.

Su-34 bomber and AA-12 air-to-air missile

The Sukhoi Su-34 Fullback fighter-bomber, which made its combat debut in Syria, is probably the first weapon of war which comes to mind. The 4++ generation jet, which entered service in March 2014, is meant to replace the aging Sukhoi Su-24 Fencer.

"Compared to Turkey's F-16, Su-34 can carry more weapons and fuel so it enjoys a longer range. Russia currently has more than eighty Su-34s, of which about fifteen are based in Syria," the National Interest reported.

The Su-34, costing nearly $40 million apiece,  can accelerate to a maximum speed of 1,200 mph and has a maximum range of 2,500 miles without refueling.

"The Su-34 becomes an even deadlier adversary when we take into consideration its AA-10 and AA-12 air-to-air missiles," the media outlet observed.

Consider the operational range of missiles outfitted on the Su-34 and the F-16. The AA-12 has an operational range of up to 68 miles while the US-made AIM-120 AMRAAMs on Turkish fighter jets, according to the National Interest, have a range of 30 miles.

© Photo : ROSTECKrasukha 4 electronic warfare system
Krasukha 4 electronic warfare system - Sputnik International
Krasukha 4 electronic warfare system

Krasukha-4 land-based jammer

A Su-24 bomber aircraft - Sputnik International
Turkish Jets Ambushed Russian Su-24 - Russian Air Force Commander
The Krasukha-4 jamming platform is the latest version of a mobile electronic warfare system in service since 2014. It is designed to jam ground-based and airborne radars, including AWACS units, as well as low-orbit satellites.

The jammer boasts an operational range of nearly 190 miles and is said to be capable of permanently disrupting targeted radio-electronic devices, the National Interest noted.

Russian forces deployed to Syria are said to have one Krasukha-4 jammer in their arsenal.

"Krasukha-4 could blind TuAF's Peace Eagle AWACS planes and make it difficult for the Turkish side to generate the air picture of the eastern Mediterranean and Syria, and undermine its ability to coordinate scramble and interception missions against the Russians," the media outlet detailed.

© Sputnik / Grigoriy Sisoev / Go to the mediabankThe Moskva guided missile cruiser, the flagship of Russia's Black Sea Fleet
The Moskva guided missile cruiser, the flagship of Russia's Black Sea Fleet - Sputnik International
The Moskva guided missile cruiser, the flagship of Russia's Black Sea Fleet

Slava-class guided missile cruiser

Then there is the Moskva cruiser, the lead warship of the Slava-class ships.

"With sixteen P-500 Bazalt anti-ship missiles, sixty-four S-300PMU Favorit long-range air defense missiles and two OSA-M short-range surface-to-air missiles, three-dimensional (3D) search and tracking radars and over-the-horizon radars, the Slava-class cruiser is a floating fortress," the National Interest noted.

The magazine also added that the guided missile cruiser might not be well protected against Turkey's Gür-class submarines, describing them as "silent and deadly."

If the abovementioned weapons are not enough to convince Turkey that deescalating tensions is the only option, highly trained Russian speacial operation forces coupled with the country's cyberwarfare capabilities will surely do the trick.

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