Buk Air Defense - Russia will no doubt hope that the latest version of the Buk anti-aircraft missile system will help turn things around against the Ukrainian Air Force.
The Russian military continues to struggle with establishing air superiority over Ukraine against a determined opposition that still has a significant number of manned fighter jets, as well as ground-based air defense systems, more of which are expected to be on the way soon. However, there are signs that the Kremlin is taking this requirement more seriously, or at least is now ready to launch new modern surface-to-air missiles (SAMS), including the 9K317M Buk-M3, known as the Viking in its export form , the latest iteration of the mid-range Buk self-propelled system.
Buk Air Defense
Yesterday, undated footage showing elements of the Buk-M3 systems operating in Ukraine or in border areas began to appear on social networks. The vehicles in question have prominent "Z" markings, now a common feature of Russian vehicles involved in the conflict. According to unconfirmed reports, the videos were filmed in the Kherson region in southern Ukraine earlier this month.
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If that's the case, it's likely that we'll see the new and improved Buk-M3 in Ukraine itself for the first time, although previous videos have shown the systems moving closer to Ukraine's borders ahead of the invasion, which began on February 24.
The Oryx blog's team of researchers, who collected photo and video evidence of material losses from both sides of the conflict, also spotted at least one vehicle associated with the Buk-M3, namely the 9С18М1-3 radar vehicle. western name Snow Drift. Apparently, it was destroyed by the Armed Forces of Ukraine on March 5. Although the radar was allegedly used as part of the Buk-M3 system, it is possible that the radar was used in conjunction with an earlier Buk system, many of which have been seen in Ukraine, both in Russian and Ukrainian hands.
As for the latest Buk-M3, this system is significantly different from its predecessors, which justifies the new designation of the US Department of Defense - SA-27. The Buk-M3, which has been in service since around 2016, uses new 9M317M missiles and electronics that provide vastly improved capabilities over older Buk systems. According to the US Army Doctrine and Training Command (TRADOC) handbook, it "outperforms even the older S-300P long-range air defense system," the air defense system known in the West as the SA-10 Grumble.
As a rule, the "Buk-M3" brigade consists of four battalions, which are subordinate to one control vehicle, such as the 9C52 "Polyana-D4".
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Each of the four battalions usually consists of three batteries, a command vehicle and a search radar. As for the batteries, each usually contains two launchers: a 9A317M radar launcher (TELAR) and a 9A316M elevating launcher (TEL). Alternatively, the battery may consist of two 9A316M TELs supported by a single 9S36M guidance and illumination radar.
In this configuration, a single Buk-M3 complex with multiple launchers could simultaneously engage up to 36 different targets, with each fire control radar capable of supporting up to six different targets.
TRADOC credits the Buk-M3 with a maximum engagement range of 43 miles, a minimum effective range of 1.5 miles, a maximum altitude of 115,000 feet, and the ability to engage targets moving at speeds up to 6,700 miles per hour, although that last number is more academic. and not of an operational nature.
Outwardly, the main difference between the Buk-M3 and its predecessors is the TEL and TELAR machines, which carry up to 12 missiles (although six are more common) in launch containers, rather than installing missiles directly on the launch rails. the upper part of the launch vehicle.
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The system is said to have some ability to engage surface-to-surface ballistic missiles, which could mean it is capable of countering Ukraine's Tochka-U (SS-21 Scarab) missiles that have been used in the conflict so far.
More importantly, however, the Buk-M3 is expected to provide the Russians with a more effective medium-to-high-level air defense system than previous versions of the Buk in use. They all lag behind the Buk-M3 in terms of combat, but the new system is just as mobile thanks to its armored chassis, which means it's well suited to keeping up with convoys of armored vehicles or other moving military equipment. The appearance of a new model in Ukraine may also indicate the level of disappointment with previous "Buks". Despite the extravagant claims about the killing of Ukrainian aircraft by Russia, the data so far indicate that the "Bukas" have suffered heavy losses to the Ukrainian defenders.
Combined with combat air patrols of the Su-35S and other advanced fighters operating from bases in Russia, Crimea and Belarus, as well as the long-range S-400 (SA-21 Growler) air defense systems deployed in the same countries, the Buk » -The M3 must be capable of becoming part of a complex multi-layered air defense network to cover Russian ground offensives and ensure that the Ukrainian Air Force can be sustained on the ground, at long range, or destroyed in the air. .
That's the theory, at least, although how realistic it is in practice is up for debate. After all, the Russians entered the conflict with significant numerical and technological advances, particularly in fighter jets and ground-based air defense systems, but have so far failed to make a decisive impact.
Meng Russian 9k37m1 Buk Air Defense Missile System1/35
Indeed, two days ago, the UK Ministry of Defense still believed that "Ukrainian Air Force and Air Defense Forces continue to effectively defend Ukrainian airspace" and that "Russia has failed to establish control from the air and relies heavily on countermeasures launched from relatively safe airspace of Russia to attack targets in Ukraine".
Earlier today, an unnamed senior US defense official confirmed to Aviation Week that "Russia's air superiority was still not due to Ukraine's 'very creative air defences'." While the previous 24-48 hours had seen an increase in air activity, including up to 300 Russian sorties in the last 24 hours, "Ukraine [also] picked up the pace."
Clearly, the battle for control of the skies over Ukraine remains volatile, with both sides still very active and neither having a real advantage, at least over a large area. That being said, adding more modern air defense systems will only help the Russians, especially as Ukraine struggles to acquire Soviet-era equipment to supplement the older systems it already uses.
However, while the Buk-M3 complements the range of threats currently facing the Ukrainian Air Force, questions remain about the maturity of the system, which has not previously been used in combat. It is also unclear how many systems are available to Russia. But perhaps most important is the fact that the Armed Forces of Ukraine have so far proven more than capable of challenging Russian air defense systems, attacking them from the air with TB2 unmanned aerial vehicles or targeting them from the ground with light guided missiles as well. like other weapons.
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It remains to be seen whether the Buk-M3 will significantly change the balance of power in the air war, and what other new systems the Russians might introduce into the conflict if they seek to ultimately gain the initiative in critical air dominance. .
March 22 update: An official video from the Russian Ministry of Defense purports to show the Buk-M3 system in action somewhere in Ukraine and includes an interview with a commander who describes how his battalion shot down a pair of Su-25 Force. air. Stormtroopers in quick succession:
"An air target was detected, after which we started escorting, carried out identification and reported to the command post. The senior commander gave the command to destroy the target, as it was not friendly - the launch was made, the target was hit. I had to change the starting position, but at about the same azimuth I saw the second target. There was no time to change positions, as the covered units would remain unprotected. I hit a second air target... the second plane was also hit,” the commander said.
The same battalion has already shot down 20 air targets, including Bayraktar TB2 attack drones. However, the video contains no evidence of any of these murders. Desperate Ukraine wants to return its anti-missile defense system "Buk", which Kyiv "gave" to Georgia in 2008
File:9a310 Self Propelled Launch Vehicle For Buk M1 2 Air Defence System.jpg
A diplomatic dispute arose between the governments of Georgia and Ukraine after the latter asked Tbilisi to return the "Buk" air defense complex, which was given "for free" in 2008.
On January 10, the Ministry of Defense of Georgia said that the country will not return the Buk missile systems to Ukraine, because the South Caucasus country paid for them, and did not receive them for free in 2008, as Ukraine claimed, TASS reports.
This happened after the interview of the temporary charge d'affaires of Ukraine in Georgia Andriy Kasyanov, in which he stated that Kyiv sent a request
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