16:22, 14.05.24
The helicopters were destroyed at the rearming and refueling point.
For the second time in two months, Ukrainian helicopters have landed near the front line in eastern Ukraine to refuel and rearm – and were spotted by a Russian drone flying overhead.
As Forbes writes , a few minutes later, the Russian Iskander ballistic missile hit the helicopters, blowing up three units of this equipment near Pavlograd.
This loss is devastating for the small aviation forces of the Ukrainian army. According to the publication, a pair of Mi-24 attack helicopters and the Mi-17 attack helicopter accompanying them were damaged. The rotorcraft were on a daytime mission on Saturday, landing at a so-called “forward arms and refueling point” (FARP) before being spotted by an enemy drone.
A FARP is a field near the front line where helicopters can land safely so support troops can rush in with trucks loaded with fuel and ammunition. The idea is for helicopter crews to quickly complete refueling and rearming and take off before the enemy can target.
The Ukrainians conduct FARP operations on a daily basis as their helicopters perform low-altitude missions along the front line – delivering supplies, evacuating wounded soldiers and firing unguided missiles at Russian forces.
During the first two years of the full-scale war, FARPs were relatively safe – probably because Ukrainian air defenses protected refueling points. The process of identifying targets and obtaining permission to attack was slow.
But the ammunition of the Ukrainian air defense has run out. Russia has learned to target and attack faster.
“Russia is using new technology to improve communication between sensors and gunners,” British Army Warrant Officer Blair Battersby wrote.
This spring, Russian drones went deeper into the Ukrainian rear. Russian missiles and bombs began to target the most vulnerable and valuable Ukrainian assets in the rear.
American General Claire Gill and her colleague Major Bridget Day predicted this problem three years ago. The US Army is used to installing large FARPs for dozens of helicopters. But times have changed.
“Just because it worked in the past does not necessarily mean it will work again. The concept of large FARPs has little chance of survival,” Gill and Day wrote.
They were right even in cases where the FARPs are smaller. On or shortly before March 13, a Russian drone spotted a trio of Mi-8 or Mi-17 attack helicopters from the 12th Army Aviation Brigade of the Ukrainian Army rearming in a field in Novopavlivka.
The Iskander missile destroyed two helicopters and killed at least two pilots. Two months later, it happened again – and in approximately the same area.
Since February 2022, the Ukrainians have lost 40 helicopters. But they have restored some old vessels and also receive as aid from their foreign allies. However, this does not mean that the Ukrainian army should not worry. Each helicopter lost can mean two or more crew members killed or injured, and experienced aviators are harder to replace than airships.
“Loss on vulnerable FARPs may continue unless the Ukrainians speed up rearming and refueling procedures, add more air defenses over FARPs, or switch to safer night operations – or some combination of all three,” the newspaper writes.
(C)UNIAN 2024
Screwups happen in war, ok, but lessons need to be learned from them. That this happened twice is once too often. ☹
The loss of the choppers sucks, but hopefully no personnel were harmed – particularly the pilots.
Yeah, my concern, too. There had been media reports about those pilots, incredibly brave folks, with huge hearts. Many of them family guys, but still risking their lifes every mission for the defence of their country. Do you remember the story about how they visited the the young boy who was always waving his hands when the helis zoomed by his family’s house? As stupid as it sounds, we can only send thoughts and prayers that those inspiring patriots will survive the war. Every single casualty is a huge loss for the world, where such good people are already way too rare. 🖖😢🍀
Another thought: That seems to be a job for Budanov! Who are the RuSSkies planning those strike missions, sadly quite successfully, and where are they? That needs to be investigated, with top priority, and then that unit has to be eliminated. Because those Russians are a bit too smart to be allowed to continue with their evil work. 👿
This might be true or it might not. Fact is that the video is VERY iffy. I would not want to use something like that in a court of law.