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<ul><li><strong>India started using French Mirage 2000s in 1985 but started facing problems when in 2008 its R-530D and Magic II missiles became obsolete.<br /></strong></li><li><strong>The <keyword id="15141" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Air-Force">Indian Air Force</keyword> decided to integrate its Russian R-73 missiles with the Mirage and Israeli ‘Elbit’ successfully completed the project.<br /></strong></li><li><strong><keyword id="6355882" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="israel">Israel</keyword> integrated the missiles not only with the fighter jet but also with the DASH helmet it was providing India.<br /></strong></li></ul>The story of Indian Air Force has been written with the aid of many global counterparts. And over time, the country has become an expert at mix and match. <br /><br />Here’s how. An Indian pilot is flying a French Mirage fighter, weilding a Russian missile, with an Israeli helmet!<br /><br />This ‘mix’ is also because Indian forces use legacy equipment, which has been causing concerns. Air Force’s Mirage 2000 fighter jet has been in service since 1985 and officially India is the only country currently operating this aircraft. So much so, its maker <keyword id="6354785" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="france">France</keyword>’s Dassault stopped producing them. <br /><br />In 2008, the R-530D and Magic II air-to-air missiles which Mirage was primarily equipped also became obsolete and the fighter was left without any missiles to fight the enemy aircrafts.<br /><br /><strong>Source Code </strong><br /><br />As the procurement of similar aircraft was lengthy, and IAF didn’t have many options, they decided to integrate their Russian R-73 missiles onto Mirage. Putting the R-73, which was then in service with the Sukhoi 30s, Mig-29s and Mig-21 ‘Bison’ jets, with any western platforms had never been tried before.<br /><br />This project did not go down well with the French who refused to assist India in this ‘Jugaad’ project. But an ‘innovative’ Israel was ready to take on the challenge. <br /><br />The integration was finally done with the help of the country’s Elbit, which was also supplying Indian Air Force with its latest sophisticated DASH <keyword id="2734412" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Helmet-Mounted-Display">helmet-mounted display</keyword>. This helps project critical information during missions, right to the pilot’s eye.<br /><br />“There were key challenges,” says an IAF officer who further added that, “This was a new helmet and we were working without source codes.” <br /><br />So they had to go to extra lengths and make algorithms to make Mirage’s <keyword id="47552" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="radar">radar</keyword> ‘talk’ to Russian missiles. <br /><br />While this was done under super surveillance as Elbit has to be given access to the aircraft’s sensitive information. <br /><br />The other countries of France and <keyword id="6358826" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Russia">Russia</keyword> were unhappy as their assistance was not taken for the project, though France did refuse help. However, it was a success, and all’s well that ends well. Even if the Indian forces have to resort to face multitude of issues instead of buying new equipment. <br /><br /><strong>SEE ALSO:</strong><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indian-army-places-order-for-israels-anti-tank-spike-missiles/articleshow/70175141.cms">Indian Army invokes emergency powers to buy Israel’s fire-and-forget anti-tank missiles</a><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indias-brahmos-missile-can-now-travel-at-3-times-the-speed-of-sound/articleshow/70129788.cms">India's flagship missile can now cruise at 3 times the speed of sound</a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />

Indian Air Force and the story of how it brought Israel, France and Russia together

<br /><ul><li><strong>The Wing Commander reportedly chose to return to his squadron in Srinagar rather than visiting his home in Chennai though he was on leave. <br /></strong></li><li><strong>The Wing Commander Abhinandan was sent to sick leave of four weeks after a series of events wherein he was captured by the Pakistan Army on February 27.<br /></strong></li><li><strong>He was kept under Pakitani captivity for over 60 hours before his return to India. <br /></strong></li></ul>Indian Air Force pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who was widely praised for his bravery after being captured by Pakistan for nearly two days, has already returned to his squadron while on a four-week sick leave, <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/iaf-pilot-abhinandan-varthaman-returns-to-his-squadron-in-srinagar-2013348?pfrom=home-topscroll">reported</a> Press Trust of India citing official sources. <br /><br />According to media reports, the Wing Commander chose to return to his squadron in Srinagar rather than visiting his home in Chennai.<br /><br />The pilot was captured by the Pakistan Army on February 27 in the Pakistan administered Kashmir after his MiG 21 was hit following IAF's air strike on the <keyword id="119193" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jaish-e-Mohammed">Jaish-e-Mohammed</keyword> camp in Pakistan's Balakot, in the wake of the February 14 <keyword id="43212" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pulwama">Pulwama</keyword> terror attack which left 40 Central Reserve Police Force troopers dead.<br /><br />"At the moment, the officer has decided to stay with his men and machines in Srinagar and would be required to come back from New Delhi for a review by medical board which will decide on his fitness for flying fighter planes," reported ANI quoting sources. <br /><br />Following the strikes in February, Varthaman was held in Pakistan captivity for over 60 hours before his release to India by Pakistan as a ‘peace gesture’. Later, he was whisked from the Attari Joint Check Post (JCP) complex under tight security to the Amritsar International Airport for Delhi. After his return, he completed two-week debriefing by security agencies and went on four-weeks leave. <br /><br />Varthaman will reportedly undergo review of his fitness soon after his sick leave period to assess whether he can return to fighter cockpit or not. <br /><br /><em>(With IANS)</em><br /><br />See also: <br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.my/indian-pilot-returned-pakistan-deescalate-conflict-ate-secret-documents-reports-2019-3/%5C">Indian fighter pilot returned by Pakistan after wild ordeal where he was shot down over enemy territory and reportedly ate sensitive documents to keep them secret</a><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/pakistan-says-it-will-release-captured-indian-pilot-as-a-peace-gesture/articleshow/68203079.cms">Pakistan says it will release captured Indian pilot as a ‘peace gesture’</a><br />

Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman who was captured by Pakistan returns to his squadron while on sick leave: Report

<ul><li><strong>Defence Minister <keyword id="6355121" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rajnath-Singh">Rajnath Singh</keyword> on Thursday approved a proposal for procurement of <keyword id="9504027" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="21-MiG-29-fighter-aircraft">21 MiG-29 fighter aircraft</keyword></strong></li><li><strong>, along with upgradation of 59 Mig-29s, and 12 more Su-30 MKI aircraft.</strong></li><li><strong>While the <keyword id="629565" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="MiG-29">MiG-29</keyword> procurement and upgradation from Russia is estimated to cost Rs 7,418 crore, the Su-30 MKIs will be procured from HAL at an estimated cost of Rs 10,730 crore.</strong></li><li><strong>These equipment will be manufactured in India by the Indian defence industry with participation of several MSMEs as prime tier vendors<br /><br /></strong></li></ul>Amid the tense situation at the border with China, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday approved a proposal for procurement of 21 MiG-29 fighter aircraft, along with upgradation of 59 Mig-29s, and 12 more Su-30 MKI aircraft.<br /><br />To strengthen the armed forces for defending the borders, the Defence Acquisition Council meeting, chaired by Rajnath Singh, accorded approval for capital acquisitions of various platforms and equipment required by the three services.<br /><br />"Proposals for an approximate cost of Rs 38,900 crore were approved," a <keyword id="43909" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Defence-ministry">Defence Ministry</keyword> statement said.<br /><br />While the MiG-29 procurement and upgradation from Russia is estimated to cost Rs 7,418 crore, the Su-30 MKIs will be procured from HAL at an estimated cost of Rs 10,730 crore.<br /><br />Focused on indigenous design and development, these approvals include acquisitions, amounting to Rs 31,130 crore, from Indian industry.<br /><br />These equipment will be manufactured in India by the Indian defence industry with participation of several MSMEs as prime tier vendors.<br /><br />The indigenous content in some of these projects is up to 80 per cent of the project cost.<br /><br />A large number of these projects have been made possible due to transfer of technology by the Defence Research &amp; Development Organisation to indigenous industry.<br /><br />These include Pinaka missiles, BMP armament upgrades and software defined radios for the Indian Army, and long-range land attack Cruise missile systems and Astra missiles for the Indian Navy and Indian Air Force.<br /><br />The cost of these design and development proposals is in the range of Rs 20,400 crore.<br /><br />Acquisition of new and additional missile systems will add to the fire power of three services.<br /><br />While the acquisition of more Pinaka missile systems will enable raising additional regiments over and above the ones already inducted, addition of long-range land attack missile systems having a firing range of 1,000 km to the existing arsenal will bolster the attack capabilities of the navy and the IAF.<br /><br />Similarly induction of Astra missiles having beyond visual range (BVR) capability will serve as a force multiplier and immensely add to the strike capability of the Indian Navy and IAF.<br />

India rushes to buy fighters amid border standoff with China

The Indian Air Force (IAF), civil administration authorities and the Indian Army are carrying out a massive rescue operation at Tato in <keyword id="46408" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Arunachal-Pradesh">Arunachal Pradesh</keyword>, after an AN-32 aircraft crashed. The aircraft went on a mission on June 3 with 13 people on board. The IAF found the wreckage of the plane on June 11, and is now searching for the survivors. <br /><br /><br />This year has been bad for IAF aircraft, and has been replete with crashes. <br /><br /><strong>The Jaguar crash </strong><br /><br /><div type="image" title="300px-Jaguar_DF-SD-05-05511" tempid="135948" msid="69758505" hostid="261"></div>

<br />In January, a Jaguar aircraft developed a snag and crashed near Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh. The IAF pilot who was flying it, had a narrow escape. <br /><br /><br /><strong>Surya Kiran’s mid-air collision aircraft</strong><br /><br /><div type="image" title="5c6be1b9eb3ce811893a21f4-750-563" msid="69758478" hostid="261"></div>

<br />In February, two Surya Kiran aircraft crashed after a mid-air collision while rehearsing for 'Aero India 2019' air show in Bengaluru. Aero India did not permit the Surya Kiran team to participate in the show after the incident, which led to the death of two pilots. <br /><br /><strong><br />Mirage 2000 crash<br /></strong><br /><div type="image" title="Mirage-2000-air-crash-696x392" msid="69758479" hostid="261"></div>

<sup>PTI</sup><br />In a second incident in February, a French-built Mirage 2000 aircraft crashed minutes after taking off from HAL Airport in Bengaluru. An investigation on the incident which killed two pilots, hints at a possible mechanical issue. <br /><br /><strong><br />Mi-17 helicopter crash in J&amp;K</strong><br /><br /><div type="image" title="download" msid="69758480" hostid="261"></div>

<br />The same month, an Mi-17 helicopter crashed in an aerial engagement at the Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir’s Nowshera sector. The event led Pakistan to capture the Indian pilot, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who ejected from the aircraft and landed in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir. <br /><br /><br /><strong>MIG-27 crash in Eta village <br /><div type="image" title="300px-MiG-27_(cropped)" tempid="135917" msid="69758434" hostid="261"></div>

</strong><br />Yet again in February, an MiG 27 jet that was flying on a training mission, crashed into Eta village of Pokhran range. The aircraft was flying from Jaisalmer Air Force Station, but the pilot ejected safely. <br /><br /><strong><br />The Jodhpur crash <br /><div type="image" title="plane" tempid="135886" msid="69758352" hostid="261"></div>

</strong><br />In March, an MiG-27 fighter jet, which was on a routine mission from Jodhpur, crashed in a village in Sirohi, Rajasthan following an engine failure. The pilot and the co-pilot ejected safely. <br /><br /><br /><strong>The crash in Bikaner <br /><div type="image" title="300px-MiG-21_Lancer_C_cropped" msid="69758392" hostid="261"></div>

</strong><br />In early March, an MiG-21 Bison fighte<a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/indian-air-force-mig-21-fighter-jet-crashes-in-rajasthan-s-bikaner-pilot-ejects/story-RxSDygeTyAUAZy9EL6PFkP.html">r jet crashed </a>in Shobhasar ki Dhani, 12 km from Bikaner city of Rajasthan after it reportedly suffered a bird hit. The pilot of the aircraft ejected safely before the crash.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Crash of Russian-origin aircraft </strong><br /><div type="image" title="f394283382cb82444d5368f90a61e2ef" msid="69758248" hostid="261"></div>
An IAF An-32 transporter with 13 people on board, went missing while flying from Assam to Arunachal Pradesh on Monday. There was no trace of the plane or its wreckage till June 11 when IAF found wreckage of the plane. A rescue operation is currently underway.<br />
<br />

Indian Air Force has lost over 10 aircraft-- and the year not even halfway through

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Mikoyan Gurevich</span></p><p class="caption">A MiG-29K takes off of the Admiral Kuznetsov.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>A <a href="http://www.combataircraft.net/2016/11/14/russian-navy-mig-29-in-mediterranean/mig-29kub-rac-mig-copy/" target="_blank">report from Combat Aircraft </a>states that the Russian navy lost a MiG-29K fighter into the Mediterranean as it returned to the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier after operating over Syria.</p><p>Combat Aircraft reports that the plane's wreckage has been recovered and the pilot survived.</p><p>Recent <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/russias-aircraft-carrier-sorties-syria-2016-11" target="_blank">reports</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpnxJmYnFsQ" target="_blank">videos</a> suggest that Russia began the Kuznetsov's first combat deployment last week in the Mediterranean to support Syria's President Bashar al-Assad.</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/russia-kuznetsov-syria-deployment-2016-10" target="_blank">Experts agree</a> that the Kuznetsov's deployment to Syria doesn't meaningfully increase Russia's capabilities in the area, and that the deployment was done more for <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=1&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjo656HwajQAhWKjVQKHZUCAwQQFggbMAA&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.usni.org%2F2016%2F10%2F26%2Fanalysis-russias-carrier-deployment-syria-propaganda-not-practical&amp;usg=AFQjCNHwXCEZaaMivY6d5Su77rNm9bICGw&amp;bvm=bv.138493631,d.eWE" target="_blank">propaganda purposes</a> and to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/russia-imitate-us-naval-power-carrier-syria-2016-9" target="_blank">showcase Moscow's military hardware</a>, like the MiG-29K which displayed prominently in a <a href="https://theaviationist.com/2016/11/02/watch-this-video-of-russian-su-33-and-mig-29k-jets-operating-from-the-deck-of-kuznetsov-aircraft-carrier-in-the-med-sea/" target="_blank">flashy video</a> of the operations aboard the Kuznetsov.</p><p>The news of the crash could potentially hurt Russia's prospects to export the plane to nations like India, Thailand, and China, who also operate MiGs and ski-slope style aircraft carriers.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/some-russias-most-formidable-weaponry-putin-satan-2-2016-10">Russia just introduced a new missile nicknamed 'Satan 2' - here's a look at their other formidable weapon systems</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="lvNnUzNzE6kAqQ3YCs6ZhlpfNy24eEC8" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

Report: Russian Navy MiG-29K crashed returning to aircraft carrier from Syria

<ul class="summary-list"><li>An outgunned US Navy pilot downed four Soviet MiG-15 jets in a legendary dogfight over 70 years ago.</li><li>Royce Williams was flying an inferior F9F Panther.</li></ul><p>More than 70 years ago, a US Navy pilot took on seven Soviet aircraft — then among the world's best interceptor fighters — and shot down four of them in a legendary dogfight that was classified for decades.</p><p>The Korean War air battle is no longer a secret, and the pilot, Royce Williams, was <a href="https://www.insider.com/man-shot-4-soviet-jets-30-minutes-secret-50-years-2023-1">recently awarded</a> the Navy Cross for his display of "extraordinary heroism."</p><p>Williams was outmatched that day, fighting in an inferior plane with the numbers clearly on the enemy's side. Insider asked naval-aviation experts how he pulled off a win with the odds stacked against him. They said it was his training and readiness that saw him through that.</p><p>On November 18, 1952, the day of the battle, Williams was flying an F9F Panther, a Navy carrier-based jet fighter, as part of a team of three planes from the fighter squadron VF-781 during a combat-patrol mission over the Sea of Japan when they encountered seven Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 jet fighters. This swept-wing Soviet aircraft was considered to be superior to the straight-wing American Panther in terms of overall performance.</p><p>The Soviet jets engaged the American team, and it wasn't long before Williams found himself fighting alone. An unexpected fuel-pump issue forced the team's flight leader to return to the aircraft carrier Oriskany, leaving just the young lieutenant and his wingman. Then when Williams shot down one of the enemy planes, his wingman pursued it, and Williams was left to take on the six remaining Soviet aircraft on his own.</p><p>Williams was outgunned and outnumbered as he took on the Soviet jets in what became the longest dogfight in US military history, but he held his own. <a href="https://www.cpf.navy.mil/Newsroom/News/Article/3275313/secnav-awards-navy-cross-to-retired-korean-war-veteran/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to Pacific Fleet</a>, during the 35-minute battle, he shot down four MiG-15s in a single fight, something no American pilot had ever done. But as the US and Soviet Union were not engaged in open conflict, his exploits were kept secret.</p><p>According to Williams' Navy Cross citation, his plane was "severely damaged" by a direct hit from one of the Soviet MiG-15s, but he continued to engage the Soviets until he managed to escape through the clouds and land a "nearly uncontrollable" plane back on the USS Oriskany.</p><div type="image" title="A Grumman F9F Panther fighter jet fires its guns during an attack on the North Korean port of Hungnam." height="1500" width="2000" msid="97501027" hostid="261"></div><h2>'The only thing I could do was out-turn them'</h2><p>Manufactured by Grumman, the F9F Panther first flew in 1947 and became the backbone of US Navy and Marine Corps air fleets during the Korean War, according to the <a href="https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/museums/nmusn/explore/photography/aircraft-us/aircraft-usn-f/f9f-panther.html">National Museum</a> of the US Navy. They were armed with four 20 mm cannons and also carried air-to-ground munitions.</p><p>Hill Goodspeed, the deputy director at the National Naval Aviation Museum, told Insider that during the Korean War, the Panther primarily conducted ground strike missions as opposed to engaging in air-to-air fighting.</p><p>The MiG-15, meanwhile, first entered service in 1949 and operated against United Nations forces during the Korean War, according to the <a href="https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/196115/mikoyan-gurevich-mig-15bis/">National Museum</a> of the US Air Force. This aircraft was armed with 23 mm cannons and a 37 mm cannon.</p><div type="image" title="A Soviet Union MiG-15." height="3131" width="4175" msid="97501028" hostid="261"></div><p>Though the MiG-15 could fly faster and climb to a higher altitude, the Panther had the advantage in turning ability. When an aircraft is able to out-turn another, it can prevent an enemy from getting a good shot. The Panther also had certain firepower advantages with a more stable firing platform than the MiG-15, Goodspeed said.</p><p>Williams told the American Veterans Center in a 2021 <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SImG_7g-Lvg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video interview</a> that the MiG-15 was the "best fighter airplane in the world" at the time and that "plane on plane," he was at a clear disadvantage.</p><p>"In the moment I was a fighter pilot doing my job," Williams said in an account of the fight, according to Pacific Fleet. "I was only shooting what I had," he recalled. "They had me cold on maneuverability and acceleration — the MiG was vastly superior on those counts to the F9F. The only thing I could do was out-turn them."</p><p>Goodspeed said human factors and the ability to understand the enemy were critical in a fight like this, explaining "it all comes down — first and foremost — to the person in the cockpit and the training they've received."</p><div type="image" title="During the Korean War, two United States Grumman F9F Panther jet fighters are refueling after having been armed with rockets under their wings in 1951." height="3743" width="4991" msid="97501029" hostid="261"></div><h2>This dogfight was 'a very rare feat'</h2><p>Guy Snodgrass, a career Navy fighter pilot and former US defense official, told Insider that Williams' engagement "justifies" the role of institutions like the US Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program — also known as TOPGUN. It's not always possible to change the equipment that the US has in its arsenal, but military institutions can help shape training and readiness levels.</p><p>"Having a better piece of equipment can lull you into a false sense of security that your equipment is going to take care of the engagement for you. And that's not the case," said Snodgrass, a former TOPGUN instructor. "Once you get inside that visual arena, then you're in a position where your skills, your dedication, your hard work, staying in the fight — all those things become outsized factors that can really turn the tide of the conflict."</p><p>Snodgrass said one element of the TOPGUN training was studying "adversarial" aircraft made by countries that the US might have a greater chance of going up against in the future — like Russia or China. These are then compared with the strengths and weaknesses of US aircraft.</p><p>Williams' dogfight isn't the only example of US planes battling enemy aircraft that are superior on paper. During World War II, for example, the Navy's F4F Wildcat went up against Japan's Mitsubishi A6M Zero, which was considered to be the more capable plane in part because of its maneuverability, Goodspeed said.</p><p>That said, "in the jet age, to shoot down multiple jets in air-to-air combat was a very rare feat," Goodspeed explained, comparing later fights with those during World War II, when an aviator might shoot down several planes in one day.</p><p>Snodgrass said there were lots of big-picture lessons to extract from large-scale wars like Korea or Vietnam, and specific engagements — like Williams' dogfight — demonstrate how a pilot can use their strengths in a situation where they may be outmatched.</p><p>"The machines have advanced. The tactics have advanced," the former aviator said. "So it's really more the principle that you're going after rather than the specifics of this case."</p><div type="image" title="TKTKKT" height="4480" width="5973" msid="97501030" hostid="261"></div><p>The US government <a href="https://www.insider.com/man-shot-4-soviet-jets-30-minutes-secret-50-years-2023-1">classified</a> the legendary 1952 dogfight, and Williams, who was awarded the Silver Star in May 1953 and retired from the Navy in 1980, was sworn to secrecy about what happened until his story was finally declassified about 20 years ago.</p><p>Because Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro has the authority to upgrade awards, he decided to review Williams' case and said it stood out. On January 20, he presented Williams with the Navy Cross, which is the service's second-highest military honor.</p><p>"It was very clear to me that his actions were extraordinary, and more closely aligned with the criteria describing a higher award," Del Toro said of Williams during a ceremony in San Diego. "And sir, what a tremendous honor it was to tell you in person, that after all these years, your courageous actions would finally get the recognition they deserve."</p><p><strong>Correction: February 2, 2023 —</strong><em>An earlier version of this article misstated the Grumman F9F Panther's place in naval aviation history. The first carrier-based jet-powered fighter was not the Panther. It was the McDonnell Aircraft Company FH-1 Phantom.</em></p>

Here's how a wildly outgunned US Navy pilot outfoxed one of the Soviet Union's best jets, scoring a string of kills in a legendary dogfight

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Russian MoD</span></p><p class="caption">An Su-33 prepares for takeoff from the Admiral Kuznetsov.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Russia's sole aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, began its first-ever combat deployment to Syria with <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/royal-navy-watching-russian-navy-channel-2016-10" target="_blank">plenty of fanfare</a>, but a <a href="http://www.janes.com/article/65775/russian-carrier-jets-flying-from-syria-not-kuznetsov" target="_blank">recent report from IHS Jane's</a> indicates that Russia has given up on launching strikes from the carrier entirely.</p><p>Satellite imagery obtained by Jane's shows the Su-33s and one MiG-29KR jets previously aboard the carrier now stationed at the Hmeymim Air Base in Syria, alongside land-based planes from Russia's air force.</p><p>The Kuznetsov, never an entirely reliable system, had one of its <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/russian-navy-mig-crashed-aircraft-carrier-syria-2016-11" target="_blank">MiG-29KRs crash in November</a>, and another pilot had to eject after the Kuznetsov's landing gear failed and couldn't receive the aircraft, Jane's reports.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Mikoyan Gurevich</span></p><p class="caption">A MiG-29K takes off of the Admiral Kuznetsov.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Military analysts speculated before the deployment that the Kuznetsov added "<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-russia-sailed-navy-to-syria-2016-11" target="_blank">nothing</a>" to the battle, as Moscow already has a wealth of strike aircraft in Syria, and cruise missiles fired from the Russian navy ships stationed in the Mediterranean don't offer any significant advantages over the cheap, unguided bombs Russian planes freely drop in the uncontested airspace above Syria.</p><p>The Russian Ministry of <keyword id="6354810" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Defense">Defense</keyword> did manage to crank out a few high-quality videos during the two or so weeks the Kuznetsov actually sustained operations, which fits the narrative put forth by the US Naval Institute's news service that the deployment was "<a href="https://news.usni.org/2016/10/26/analysis-russias-carrier-deployment-syria-propaganda-not-practical" target="_blank">propaganda, not practical</a>."</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://news.usni.org/2016/11/09/official-russians-flying-armed-sorties-carrier-syria-massive-strikes-likely-soon">Russian MoD Photo</a></span></p><p class="caption">Sukhoi Su-33 launching from the Admiral Kuznetsov in 2012.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/us-aircraft-carriers-2016-11">This is why a US aircraft carrier is a force to be reckoned with</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="RvN3RzeDr0axqwLkJJdQi0Q8RjiLegPA" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

Russia has just given up on trying to launch strikes from its rickety aircraft carrier

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Russian Ministry of <keyword id="6354810" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Defense">Defense</keyword></span></p><p class="caption">The Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich fires a cruise missile from the Mediterranean at rebel targets in Syria.</p></div><p></p></div></div>On Tuesday, the Russian Ministry of Defense released a handful of videos glorifying its Mediterranean naval campaign to support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.</p><p>Videos showed cruise missiles launching vertically from destroyers, tipping sideways, and then rocketing towards Syria's Aleppo as well as operations aboard Russia's sole aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov.</p><p>But according to experts, as flashy as this naval show of force may be, it adds nothing. </p><p>"It's mostly for show," <a href="https://twitter.com/russmil" target="_blank">Dmitry Gorenburg</a>, senior research scientist at Harvard's <a href="http://daviscenter.fas.harvard.edu/about-us/people/dmitry-gorenburg" target="_blank">Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian studies</a>, told Business Insider.</p><p>According to Gorenburg, hauling an aircraft carrier, a nuclear-powered battle cruiser, two destroyers, a tanker, and the tug boat that accompanies the Kuznetsov in case of a breakdown, "didn't add anything," to Russia's military capability in Syria "but it caught everyone's attention."</p><p>"There's been an effort over the last few years to show that Russia has some of the same capabilities as the US," said Gorenburg. "One prominent example was those <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/watch-russian-warships-launch-cruise-missiles-against-targets-in-syria-from-the-caspian-sea-2015-10" target="_blank">cruise missile strikes from the Caspian Sea</a>, to show that they have the standoff cruise missile capability."</p><p>And the first-ever combat deployment of the Kuznetsov aircraft carrier represents another great attempt to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/russia-kuznetsov-syria-deployment-2016-10" target="_blank">mimic the US's military power</a>. "They have one aircraft carrier, it's not the most reliable," said Gorenburg about the Kuznetsov, which had to be towed almost 3,000 miles back to Russia after <a href="http://www.popularmechanics.com/military/navy-ships/a18141/towing-admiral-kuznetsov-video-tugboat/" target="_blank">breaking down in 2012</a>.</p><p>Gorenburg pointed out that the Kuznetsov came bearing new aircraft: MiG 29Ks. But these naval variants, suited for the type of strike missions necessary in Syria, haven't yet been put to combat use. Additionally, one of the MiG 29Ks <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/russian-navy-mig-crashed-aircraft-carrier-syria-2016-11" target="_blank">crashed on Monday when returning to the ship</a>.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Mikoyan Gurevich</span></p><p class="caption">A MiG-29K takes off of the Admiral Kuznetsov.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>In part, Gorenburg says the naval deployment to Syria can be seen as a sales pitch, as Russia hopes to export cruise missiles and aircraft: "They've used the Syria conflict for showing off their arms for customers, but that's more with regular [not naval] aircraft."</p><p>The real purpose behind the deployment, however, is "more to demonstrate to NATO and the US that they have this capability, and it's something else you have to keep in mind."</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://news.usni.org/2016/11/09/official-russians-flying-armed-sorties-carrier-syria-massive-strikes-likely-soon">Russian MoD Photo</a></span></p><p class="caption">Sukhoi Su-33 launching from the Admiral Kuznetsov in 2012.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman echoed Gorenburg's statements <a href="http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/us-says-russia-showboating-with-carrier-deployment-to-syria/article/2607436" target="_blank">to the Washington Examiner</a>: "There's not a kinetic effect that they bring that can't already be brought with the forces that they have there."</p><p>"From a pure military perspective, Russia already has significant capabilities inside Syria. They have nearly two dozen strike aircraft that are based there," Davis said.</p><p>So Russia hasn't added any new capabilities to the field, but risked dragging out its relic of an aircraft carrier. Experts agree that the naval deployment to Syria is a message from the Kremlin: We've arrived as a naval power, so look out.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-politicians-parliament-russia-oleh-lyashko-vladimir-putin-yuriy-boyko-kiev-kremlin-crimea-2016-11">Watch 2 Ukrainian politicians brawl after one is accused of working with Russia</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="83YzdsNzE6zY8JZXFjLxZ5t7PRc1sNGf" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

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