How Russia's Su-35 and Stealth Su-57 Went to War in Syria

Michael Peck

Security, Middle East

A dress rehearsal? 

Key point: Moscow is learning how to best use its fighters on the battlefield, something that every power must do if it is to fight well.

Russia’s air force has gained valuable combat experience in Syria.

In fact, the majority of combat pilots have flown in Syria, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu stated during a military conference.

“The figures speak for themselves here,” said Russian military newspaper Red Star.  “98 percent of the transport aviation crews and 90 percent of operational-tactical and army aviation crews, and also 60 percent of the long-range aviation pilots have already participated in the previously mentioned operations. Furthermore, nearly one-third of the air defense specialists - 32 percent of the servicemen - have confirmed their mastery and professionalism during the course of the fulfillment of missions in Syria.”

Russia’s intervention in the Syrian Civil War proved pivotal in saving Bashar al-Assad’s regime from defeat by Islamic rebels. While Hezbollah and Iran fought the ground war with troops and advisers that buttressed the sagging Syrian Arab Army, Russia flew constant and devastating air strikes against the rebels (and also killed numerous Syrian civilians). Russia had a chance to test numerous planes, including the Su-35 fighter, the Tu-160 strategic bomber, the Su-57 stealth fighter and various missiles and smart bombs.

Such testing was needed. As The National Interest has previously reported, the Russian military has admitted problems with its equipment, such as smart bombs that missed their targets in Syria because they had never experienced desert conditions while being tested in Russia. The U.S. military has also had its share of weapons that proved better in the laboratory than the battlefield. Today’s F-22 and F-35 fighters, and the deadly smart bombs and air-to-air missiles they carry, owe much to painful lessons learned during the Vietnam War, when American equipment and air combat tactics were found to be unsuitable.