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BOLSTERING MOBILITY
WPS Agency, Russia
October 21, 2013 Monday
by Vladimir Mukhin
Source: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, No 227, October 21, 2013, p. 1
RUSSIA REINFORCES ITS 102ND MILITARY BASE IN ARMENIA; An update on
Russian military presence in the southern part of the Caucasus.
Russia is reinforcing the 102nd Military Base in Armenia, its bulwark
in the southern part of the Caucasus. Erebuni Air Force Base Commander
Colonel Alexander Petrov said that a MIG-29 wing and a helicopter
squadron would be formed there before very long. It will boost the
ability of the base to deal with military threats in the South Caucasus
Theater of Operations.
Availability of helicopters will make the Russian military in Armenia
more mobile, capable of deployment in the mountains... and with the
ability to airlift paratroops to targets behind enemy lines.
Neither Russia nor Armenia have ever said officially who the
enemy might be. Once in the Soviet Union, the Red Banner 127th
Motorized Infantry Division posted in Armenia (predecessor of the
Russian military base) covered the Armenian-Turkish border. It was
responsible for preventing the Turks from reaching Yerevan... The CIS
Collective Security Treaty Organization ran a military exercise of
its Fast Response Collective Forces in Armenia a year ago. Exercise
Cooperation'2012 taught the involved units the tactics of dealing
with illegal armed formations invading one of the CIS CSTO members.
Observers and experts then attributed the legend of the exercise to
the possible renewal of a conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan
over Nagorno-Karabakh. The possibility of an Israeli strike at Iran
was referred to as well. It follows that the 102nd Base could do with
some additional mobility indeed.
Military expert Lieutenant General Yuri Netkachev said, "With
helicopters available, the Russian military in this part of the region
will be able to wage a campaign of defense and go offensive whenever
the opportunity presented itself and the situation warranted it.
Mobile units will certainly come in handy in the area where there
are so many mountains and where the terrain is such that it is
probably pointless to expect standard uninterrupted front lines. Also
importantly, mobile units will be able to carry out both tactical
and strategic missions."
Netkachev reckoned that the helicopter squadron would include nine
or ten latest-version MI-8s and three to five MI-24 or MI-28 attack
helicopters. "It will enable the base command to deploy formations up
to a battalion strength at the distance of up to 500 kilometers," said
the expert. "This tactic proved itself in Afghanistan and Chechnya."
Airborne Troops Commander Colonel General Vladimir Shamanov said this
spring that some of his paratroops might be dispatched to Armenia but
Netkachev refused to believe that paratroops would be quartered there
on a permanent basis. "The way I see it, they will probably form
special assignment units from servicemen of the 102nd Base... and
airlift them whenever and wherever necessary. As for the Airborne
Troops and their rapid response forces, they will be sent to Armenia
only when an aggression is deemed a clear and present danger."
The 102nd Military Base will be performing its functions in close
cooperation with fighter aviation soon. These days, eighteen Russian
MIG-29s are assigned to border protection within the framework of
the CIS United Antiaircraft Defense System. Erebuni commander said
meanwhile that the fighters would be required soon to tackle both
aerial and ground targets. "The MIG-29s stationed in Armenia are being
upgraded to the 4+ level," said Petrov. "As for this future dealing
with ground targets, MIG-29 crews will practice it on the shooting
ranges of the Armenian regular army."
Petrov said, "I'm fairly confident that once the Erebuni base is
reinforced, our political and military leadership will order the
delivery of helicopters to the Armenian army as well. After all, it
will be but realization of the Russian-Armenian military-technical
cooperation treaty signed in Yerevan this summer... It is common
knowledge that Russia is realizing a contract for 40 helicopters with
Azerbaijan these days. Considering the necessity to maintain military
balance in the region, I'd say that the Armenian regular army needs
helicopters too."
***
Erebuni Air Force Base
This Air Force base was established in 1995. The 520th Air Force
Commandant's Office became its element in November 1998. MIG-29
fighters were stationed there at the same time. In July 2001, some
elements of the Erebuni Air Force Base formed the 3642nd Air Force
Base that became a part of the 102nd Russian Military Base in the
Caucasus. Erebuni base commander gets his orders from the command of
the 4th Air Force Army of the Southern Military District.
[Translated from Russian]
WPS Agency, Russia
October 21, 2013 Monday
by Vladimir Mukhin
Source: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, No 227, October 21, 2013, p. 1
RUSSIA REINFORCES ITS 102ND MILITARY BASE IN ARMENIA; An update on
Russian military presence in the southern part of the Caucasus.
Russia is reinforcing the 102nd Military Base in Armenia, its bulwark
in the southern part of the Caucasus. Erebuni Air Force Base Commander
Colonel Alexander Petrov said that a MIG-29 wing and a helicopter
squadron would be formed there before very long. It will boost the
ability of the base to deal with military threats in the South Caucasus
Theater of Operations.
Availability of helicopters will make the Russian military in Armenia
more mobile, capable of deployment in the mountains... and with the
ability to airlift paratroops to targets behind enemy lines.
Neither Russia nor Armenia have ever said officially who the
enemy might be. Once in the Soviet Union, the Red Banner 127th
Motorized Infantry Division posted in Armenia (predecessor of the
Russian military base) covered the Armenian-Turkish border. It was
responsible for preventing the Turks from reaching Yerevan... The CIS
Collective Security Treaty Organization ran a military exercise of
its Fast Response Collective Forces in Armenia a year ago. Exercise
Cooperation'2012 taught the involved units the tactics of dealing
with illegal armed formations invading one of the CIS CSTO members.
Observers and experts then attributed the legend of the exercise to
the possible renewal of a conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan
over Nagorno-Karabakh. The possibility of an Israeli strike at Iran
was referred to as well. It follows that the 102nd Base could do with
some additional mobility indeed.
Military expert Lieutenant General Yuri Netkachev said, "With
helicopters available, the Russian military in this part of the region
will be able to wage a campaign of defense and go offensive whenever
the opportunity presented itself and the situation warranted it.
Mobile units will certainly come in handy in the area where there
are so many mountains and where the terrain is such that it is
probably pointless to expect standard uninterrupted front lines. Also
importantly, mobile units will be able to carry out both tactical
and strategic missions."
Netkachev reckoned that the helicopter squadron would include nine
or ten latest-version MI-8s and three to five MI-24 or MI-28 attack
helicopters. "It will enable the base command to deploy formations up
to a battalion strength at the distance of up to 500 kilometers," said
the expert. "This tactic proved itself in Afghanistan and Chechnya."
Airborne Troops Commander Colonel General Vladimir Shamanov said this
spring that some of his paratroops might be dispatched to Armenia but
Netkachev refused to believe that paratroops would be quartered there
on a permanent basis. "The way I see it, they will probably form
special assignment units from servicemen of the 102nd Base... and
airlift them whenever and wherever necessary. As for the Airborne
Troops and their rapid response forces, they will be sent to Armenia
only when an aggression is deemed a clear and present danger."
The 102nd Military Base will be performing its functions in close
cooperation with fighter aviation soon. These days, eighteen Russian
MIG-29s are assigned to border protection within the framework of
the CIS United Antiaircraft Defense System. Erebuni commander said
meanwhile that the fighters would be required soon to tackle both
aerial and ground targets. "The MIG-29s stationed in Armenia are being
upgraded to the 4+ level," said Petrov. "As for this future dealing
with ground targets, MIG-29 crews will practice it on the shooting
ranges of the Armenian regular army."
Petrov said, "I'm fairly confident that once the Erebuni base is
reinforced, our political and military leadership will order the
delivery of helicopters to the Armenian army as well. After all, it
will be but realization of the Russian-Armenian military-technical
cooperation treaty signed in Yerevan this summer... It is common
knowledge that Russia is realizing a contract for 40 helicopters with
Azerbaijan these days. Considering the necessity to maintain military
balance in the region, I'd say that the Armenian regular army needs
helicopters too."
***
Erebuni Air Force Base
This Air Force base was established in 1995. The 520th Air Force
Commandant's Office became its element in November 1998. MIG-29
fighters were stationed there at the same time. In July 2001, some
elements of the Erebuni Air Force Base formed the 3642nd Air Force
Base that became a part of the 102nd Russian Military Base in the
Caucasus. Erebuni base commander gets his orders from the command of
the 4th Air Force Army of the Southern Military District.
[Translated from Russian]