On March 24, 2017, a mourning ceremony was held in the Grdelici Gorge to commemorate the 18th anniversary of the start of a massive missile and air strike by the NATO Air Force against civil and military facilities of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. More than 2 thousand of our Slavic brothers on Serbian soil were killed under elements of guided and unguided weapons in the tragic 1999. During that bloody action called "Allied Force" against numerous military and civilian objects in Serbia, which has an area of 88,000 square meters. km, 50 thousand missiles of various basing were launched, among which were more than 700 TFR UGM / RGM-109C "Tomohawk Block IIA / III" and more than 60 strategic air-launched cruise missiles (ALCM) AGM-86C CALCM Block I. Two types of missiles They launched the well-known US Aegis ships, the decommissioned British multipurpose nuclear submarine Splendid of the Swiftsure class, and the B-52 strategic missile bombers.
Moreover, the NATO Allied Air Force attracted 1,259 units to the operation. tactical aviation with high-precision missile and bomb weapons of short and medium range on suspensions. After destroying most of the strategic military facilities of Yugoslavia with the signal of war criminals NATO Secretary General Javier Solan and ex-NATO commander in Europe General Wesley Clarke, American and Western European tactical aviation launched pinpoint strikes on facilities in the energy sector and the oil refining industry, bus stations, railway stations, television centers telephone exchanges, residential areas of cities, etc. In total, 995 objects were destroyed throughout the republic. Already after the terrible bombing of the FRY by NATO aviation in Kosovo and Metohija, a real genocide of Serbs, Montenegrins and Roma began, carried out by more than 200 thousand Albanian robbers, criminals and terrorists who received permission to enter the above-mentioned regions of Yugoslavia. The actions of the bandit formations were supervised by NATO specialists. As a result, another 889 people were killed, and 722 were missing. 350 thousand people had to leave the territory of Kosovo and Metohija, and another 50 thousand lost their homes. This is how the Slavic pearl was trampled on in the center of the Balkans. As a result of the bombing, the total damage to the country amounted to $ 30 billion.
Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandr Vucic also recalled the tragic events of 18 years ago at the mourning ceremony, who completely ruled out the possibility of joining the North Atlantic Alliance, which was trying to "throw the republic to its knees," response to any act of aggression against modern Serbia.
No matter how sad it was for us to realize this, the economically and geopolitically weakened Yeltsin Russia of the late 90s practically did not oppose NATO in order to protect the airspace of Yugoslavia from massive missile attacks from Western tactical aviation. According to some reports, there was only a notification of the FRY General Staff, as well as RTV and air defense of the republic about the approach of American carrier-based aircraft, tactical aviation of the Air Forces of Western Europe, strategic missile-carrying bombers and the estimated trajectory of the Tomahawks. The data was transmitted both through the Yugoslav special services in Italy, France, Greece, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and through military channels from the military NKs of the Russian Navy in the Adriatic Sea and the Russian group of reconnaissance satellites. Meanwhile, it was just a drop in the ocean of the support that Moscow was unable to provide. The fact is that even with the existing 2K12 Kvadrat, S-125 Neva-M, Strela-1/2/10 air defense systems, as well as handicraft Prasha air defense systems, the Serbs were able to intercept the F-117A Nighthawk, 46 "Tomahawks" and several dozen drones, including the "Predator" (later NATO pilots talked about the high network-centric capabilities of the Yugoslav air defense in comparison with the Iraqi). The "duel" against western air attack weapons was lost only because of the low tactical and technical characteristics of the above-mentioned anti-aircraft missile systems, which were in service with the air defense forces of the FRY (they all had only one target channel and low noise immunity). At that time, Yugoslavia was in dire need of 6-channel anti-aircraft missile systems of the S-300PT / PS family; a system of three to five divisions could radically change the alignment of forces in the airspace of the republic, far from in favor of NATO. Alas, it did not take place …
The ill-fated resolution of the UN Security Council on the imposition of an arms embargo on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia did not play into Belgrade's hands either. This document, which finally constrained the defensive capabilities of Yugoslavia before the aggression, was “successfully” signed by the Russian Federation as well. Russia always relies on the UN legal framework, doesn't it ?! And our overseas "friends" act bypassing, that's the whole "song"! Consequently, the "Three hundred" were not delivered. It was for this that the cunning and strategically thought-out calculation of the NATO command in the Brussels headquarters of this military-political gathering was made. Unfortunately, President Slobodan Milosevic also made a huge mistake in his time: in 1996, the Russian Federation offered Yugoslavia S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems as part of the repayment of the USSR's debt to the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, but S. Milosevic refused, which eventually led to dire consequences and a conversation in the language of power. Otherwise, there would have been tens or hundreds of NATO Falcons and US Strike Eagles falling from the sky.
The aforementioned plan to increase the combat effectiveness of the Serbian Armed Forces provides for a comprehensive modernization of all branches of the armed forces, but the main direction in which the future President of the country Aleksandr Vucic (the current Prime Minister of Serbia) plans to move is the formation of a worthy anti-aircraft and anti-missile component of the 7 million Balkan state. Alexander Vucic, like no one else, remembers the three spring months of 1999, and especially on April 23, when his mother Angelina miraculously survived during a NATO air strike on a television center in Belgrade, and when he himself almost died, fortunately, being late for an interview CNN as acting Minister of Information of Yugoslavia. Despite his interest in strengthening economic ties with the EU, Vucic is firm in his position on the need to return Kosovo and Metohija to Belgrade's jurisdiction. This fact alone indicates a possible confrontation in the region.
The initial stage in the modernization of the air defense forces of Serbia will be the receipt for free use of 2 divisions of 9K37 Buk anti-aircraft missile systems, consisting of 12 self-propelled firing units (SDU) 9A310, while there is no information about the transfer of 9A39 launchers (obviously, the Serbs are planning recharge the JMA using a transport vehicle, which will increase the recharge time from 12 to 16 minutes). It is possible that the 9S18 Kupol radar detector (RLO) will also be transferred. Considering that the RLO 9S18 has good energy and performance parameters with a detection range of a fighter-type target of 120 km and a tracking capacity of 75 air targets, the Serbian Buk crew at KP 9S470 deployed in the vicinity of Belgrade will be able to track airborne targets. the tactical situation over the eastern part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as Croatia, which are the most missile-hazardous areas.
Twelve self-propelled firing installations 9A310, receiving target designation from the command post 9S470, is quite enough to establish a good "anti-aircraft umbrella" in Belgrade and the surrounding area, which will create a no-fly zone at a distance of 30 km and in the altitude range from 25 to 18000 m. Such an umbrella can cope with with 18 - 20 "Tomahawks", taking into account the use from the approaching side of cruise missiles of electronic warfare aircraft of the F / A-18G "Growler" type. This figure may increase by one and a half times due to the presence in the Serbian air defense of such complexes as "Prasha" and "Strela-10", receiving target designation from the AWACS radar. At the same time, a massive strike by stealthy ultra-long-range tactical missiles AGM-158B JASSM-ER and PRLR AGM-88 HARM, two battalions of "Bukov" simply "will not be taken out", and Alexander Vucic, being in the post of Minister of Defense of the country from 2012 to 2013, understands this very well, and therefore initiated the second stage of updating the air defense of Serbia.
Here, anti-aircraft missile systems of the S-300P and S-300V families come to the fore. Vucic discussed the possibility of a deal to acquire two divisions of these complexes and one regimental command post with Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko. According to the future head of Serbia, such a purchase will be for the state "a decision for many years to come." The question arises: is Belgrade enough only two "Three hundred" for a reliable air defense and missile defense of the country's airspace, as well as the ability to intercept enemy air forces on long-range flight lines?
The length of Serbia from the southern border with Macedonia to the northern border with Hungary is about 480 km. Consequently, for effective defense against tactical enemy aircraft operating at medium and high altitudes, one S-300PMU-2 battalion with a radius of destruction of 200 km and one S-300PS early modification battalion with a range of 75 km (the first can be deployed under Belgrade, the second - in the southern part of the state, near the town of Leskovac). These divisions will be able to reliably close the airspace from a wide range of precision weapons and stealthy enemy aircraft over almost the entire territory of Serbia. Moreover, thanks to the S-300PMU-2, it will be possible to destroy promising hypersonic air attack weapons at speeds of up to 10,000 km / h, unlike the Buk, which is capable of destroying air targets at a speed of only 3,000 km / h. Everything would be fine, but the ability to repel massive attacks with Axes and other low-altitude "invisible" such as AGM-158B will still seriously limp, because the restrictive concept of the radio horizon has not yet been canceled (for three hundred it is 35-38 km), and the channeling of the two divisions is mediocre - only 12 targets fired at the same time.
Only one conclusion can be drawn from this: the Ministry of Defense of Serbia will have to fork out well. In particular, at least 2 S-300PMU-1 divisions will be required, responsible for the most missile-hazardous western air direction. The S-300PS is ruled out here, because the minimum target height of 25 meters does not cover the low-altitude capabilities of modern cruise missiles (about 20 m), while the PMU-1 works on targets at altitudes of 7-10 meters. The speed of the targets hit by the S-300PS also does not shine and is only 4,700 km / h versus 10,000 km / s for the PMU-1. There will also be demand for a "cut-down" division of 2 batteries of the S-300VM "Antey-2500" anti-aircraft missile system. One of the batteries "Anthea" can take over on combat duty near Belgrade: it will control the Bosnian and Romanian air directions. The second - in the southern part of Serbia: in its area of responsibility will be the Albanian and Greek air directions (which can be conditionally combined into the Mediterranean operational direction); it is from here, in the event of an aggravation of the military-political situation in the Balkan Peninsula, that one can expect a massive strike by US sea-based high-precision missile weapons.
Due to its pronounced ability to intercept high-speed ballistic and aeroballistic objects with a small radar signature (EPR - 0.02 m2), the S-300VM Antey-2500 can become an irreplaceable promising asset for Serbia for protection against such weapons as: operational-tactical ballistic missiles of the ATACMS family (MGM-140B / 164B), numerous modifications of anti-radar missiles, planning guided bombs of the AGM-154 JSOW family, as well as 3-3, 5-stroke guided missiles M30 GMLRS and XM30 GUMLRS. Moreover, the S-300VM has better noise immunity and computing capabilities of the updated element base, and is also equipped with longer-range and high-speed two-stage 9M82M anti-missiles with a range of 200 km, a flight speed of 2600 m / s and a maximum available overload of 30 units. The most important feature of the S-300VM can be considered the ability to destroy hypersonic aerospace elements of high-precision weapons with a speed of 16,200 km / h, which is 2 times faster than the design speed of American cruise missiles, which can be developed on the basis of the X-51A "Waverider" within the ambitious concept of BSU ("Rapid Global Strike"). By adopting the Antey-2500 air defense forces, Serbia can get a powerful deterrent tool for cooling especially hot heads in the NATO command.
In turn, 2 S-300PMU-1 air defense missile launchers and 2 S-300VM batteries will cost Belgrade no less than 700-900 million dollars, which corresponds to the annual defense budget of Serbia. Either a contract at a preferential price for the "Three hundred" alone, or the provision of a 1.5-2 billion loan from the Russian side for the purchase of the above air defense systems, as well as additional radio equipment for proper information coverage of the air defense missile systems operators, could become very relevant here. At the moment, Serbia's radio engineering units also cannot be attributed to the strong side of information awareness of the country's air defense. Undoubtedly, after March-June 1999, a number of decimeter surveillance radars of the AN / TPS-70 type (S-band phased array radar from "Northrop-Grumman" with a range of 450 km) remained in service with the RTV of Serbia, AN / TPS-63, S-605/654 from "Marconi", as well as the meter-long P-12 "Yenisei" and P-14F "Lena" and P-18 "Terek", but they practically do not correspond to the challenges of the modern air theater of operations, and their service life has almost expired.
The only modern radars remaining in service with Serbian RTVs are the American AN / TPS-70, but their number is very limited. Moreover, US radars have a very low, by modern standards, elevation scanning area (0-20 °): for this reason, the station does not have a huge "dead zone funnel" of view in the upper hemisphere, which reaches 140 degrees. From this we conclude that the Serbian RTV needs such advanced radio-technical systems as the centimeter VVO 96L6E (maximum beam elevation angle 60 °) or 59N6M "Protivnik-G" with similar parameters of the view area and the ability to take direction finding of low-orbit space objects.
Alexander Vucic also mentioned the need to acquire a regimental command post for the "Three Hundreds" for a reason. Apparently, we are talking about an automated combat control point for the actions of air defense-missile defense systems "Baikal-1ME" or "Polyana-D4M1". For the Serbian air defense, this is a very important issue, since the S-125 and Strela-10 systems continue to be in service, and the Belarusian Buk air defense systems and the Russian Buk-M2 or Buk-M3 are planned to be acquired. ACS "Baikal" (or "Polyana") is able to combine these complexes into a network-centric link with the S-300PMU-1 or S-300VM. Consequently, when repelling a massive missile and air strike or counteracting enemy tactical aviation, the Trokhsotka, Buka, S-125 and Strela will be able to operate in a single integrated information space (according to the same principle as Aegis weapons in the "Link-16" system). The radio equipment of the same S-300PMU-1 (RLO 64N6E and NVO 76N6) will act as AWACS tools for all other types of integrated air defense systems.
In the presence of an automated control system "Polyana" or "Baikal" such unpleasant and dangerous tactical "flaws" as "farmstead" construction of the air defense system and irrational consumption of anti-aircraft guided missiles against enemy targets are completely excluded. For example, the crews of the Buk anti-aircraft missile systems will be notified via the telecode radio channel of the enemy's targets already captured and intercepted by the Three Hundreds, which will enable them to switch to fighting other “free” air attack weapons. The automated control system increases the productivity and survivability of the brigade / regimental level several times. For the Balkan theater of military operations and the projected number of anti-aircraft missile weapons in service with the air defense of Serbia, one "Baikal" will be more than enough. Controlled by an operator staff of 5-11 people, the Baikal automated control system is capable of simultaneously linking 500 routes of air objects and controlling 24 air defense systems of various types. The instrumental range of 3200 km, the maximum speed of processed targets of 18432 km / h and the altitude limit of 1200 km indicate the great prospects of this command and control point in more advanced long-range missile defense systems. To protect the Serbian sky, this ACS is a unique concept for building a powerful layered aerospace defense.
The Serbian Defense Ministry's expenses are unlikely to end there. The formation of a reliable "anti-missile shield" will not be crowned with success if the self-propelled anti-aircraft missile / artillery systems of the Tor-M1 / 2, Pantsir-S1 or Tunguska families are neglected. They cover the 3-5-kilometer "dead zone" of medium and long-range complexes, providing the completion of single breakthrough elements of the enemy's high-precision weapons. It is these systems that are absent in the structure of the Serbian air defense. Another item of expenditure after the possible purchases of the Tunguska and Tor complexes will be their integration into a single tactical communications system organized by the Baikal ACS. This will require the acquisition of far from one, but several unified battery command posts 9S737 "Rangir", which are the lower level, controlled by the automated control system "Baikal". One UBKP "Ranzhir" is capable of providing target distribution only for 4 consumers located at a distance of up to 5 km.
The plans to form a full-fledged echeloned air defense missile defense system in Serbia are also confirmed by the fact that during the negotiations between A. Vucic and V. Putin the issue of the possibility of acquiring a certain number of 2K22M1 Tungusska-M1 anti-aircraft missile and artillery systems was raised. These complexes are unique to this day. Despite the maximum speed of the intercepted target of only 1800 km / h, it remains possible to destroy the subsonic strategic missile RGM-109E "Tomahawk", AGM-86C ALCM, stealth tactical missile systems JASSM-ER and KEPD-350 "Taurus", as well as tactical missiles range of the AGM-65 "Maverick" family. "Tungusska-M1", equipped with modules for receiving tactical information from third-party AWACS radars through the command post "Ranzhir", is capable of opening fire on subtle air attack weapons about 1, 3-1, 5 times earlier than the "Tungusska" of the first modification (2K22) without telecode means. The target tracking station of the centimeter range (with a range of 16 km) allows, with an accuracy of several meters, to display the 9M331M1 missile defense system on the line of sight with the target. This accuracy meets the characteristics of the new radar fuse of the aforementioned missile, which has improved the ability to combat small targets. The improvement of the noise immunity of the 2K22M1 anti-aircraft missile and gun complex was facilitated by the 1A29 optoelectronic sight. Tactical aircraft can be hit by the Tunguska at a distance of 10 km and an altitude of 3500 m.
To cover the close lines of all long-range divisions of the Serbian air defense in different parts of the state, up to 12-15 Tungusska-M1 and / or Tor-M1 / 2 complexes and at least 3-4 Rangir battery command stations will be required. Considering that credit options for concluding a contract between Belgrade and Moscow have not yet been considered, it will take about 6-8 years to bring the Serbian RTV and air defense systems to their current state.
THE SITUATION WITH THE UPDATING OF THE AIR-DEFENSE COMPONENT OF SERBIA LOOKS MORE GRIMMER: 14 "FALCRUMS" AGAINST HUNDREDS OF WESTERN "FALCONS", "RFALS" AND "TYPHOONS"
If the progress observed today in the modernization of the ground component of the air defense of Serbia is promising, then it is not possible to characterize the renewal of the country's fighter aircraft in the same way. Today in service with the Serbian Air Force consists of:
Only these vehicles in the Serbian Air Force have the ability to effectively work against ground targets with a wide variety of missile and bomb weapons, including high-precision tactical short-range missiles AGM-65B "Maverick" with TVGSN and X-66 "Thunder" with radio control. Despite the low transonic flight speed of 1020 km / h, as well as the total thrust of 2 TRDFs of 4540 kgf, the Orao has a practical ceiling of 15 km, and the hull is adapted to maneuvering with overloads of 8 units. Despite all the flight technical advantages at subsonic speed, these aircraft have a very short range of 350 - 550 km. Yes, J-22s can operate at ultra-low altitudes, but their pilots and command do not have the opportunity to "replay" the tactical moments of a combat mission during an attack or reconnaissance operation due to the short range comparable to modern attack helicopters.
To increase the anti-aircraft and strike qualities of tactical aviation, while negotiating the future purchase of the S-300 and Bukov complexes, an agreement was reached through the Ministries of Defense of Serbia and the Russian Federation to transfer 6 front-line MiG-29 interceptor fighters to the Serbian side. The details were also agreed between Presidents A. Vucic and V. Putin. Moreover, the future President of Serbia and Minister of Defense Zoran Djordjevic were able to familiarize themselves with the machines being prepared for transfer at one of the facilities of RSK MiG. As it became known, three vehicles belong to the MiG-29S modification (“Product 9.13”), one to the MiG-29A version and another 2 to the MiG-29UB version (“Product 9.51”, two-seater combat training vehicle). All 6 fighters will undergo a deep modernization at the facilities of the Moma Stanoilovic aircraft plant in the Serbian city of Batajnica by Russian and Serbian specialists. It is not yet clear which way of modernization the Air Force and the Ministry of Defense of Serbia have chosen, but it is known that the cost of the work will approach about $ 200 million. The work will cover the extension of the airframe's lifespan, as well as equipping with new avionics, allowing the use of air-to-ground missiles.
Taking into account the fact that for a small Balkan theater of operations there is no need to equip MiGs with a bar for refueling in the air, we can expect an upgrade to the level of the MiG-29SM or MiG-29M. Judging by the fact that the restoration and renovation of each "Falcrum" will cost 30 million dollars, we can talk not only about powerful onboard radars with a slotted antenna array Н019МП with the ability to map the terrain and tracking ground targets, but also about more modern radars with AFAR type "FGA-29" (an assumption about the latter can be made on the basis of the very high cost of modernization of only 6 machines). Naturally, the converted MiGs will receive the entire range of missile weapons for gaining air superiority, as well as for hitting ground targets, among which you can find:
The information field of the cockpit will be modernized with new large LCD MFI, similar to those installed by the MiG-29SMT or MiG-29M2. The short turnaround time can be explained by the rapid replacement of the outdated element base with a digital one using the MIL-STD-1553B interface. The six Russian MiG-29A / S / UB are not the only valuable surprises for the Serbian Air Force. The second batch of "Falcrum" will be donated to Belgrade together with 2 battalions of "Buk" from the Belarusian Air Force. This became known at the end of January, after the return of Vucic and Djordzhevich from Minsk. By agreement with Minsk, Belgrade will only need to pay for the upgrade of 8 transferred MiG-29S to the level of the MiG-29BM. It is most likely that the work will take place in the workshops of JSC "558 Aviation Repair Plant" in Baranovichi.
The Belarusian enterprise offers a lighter package of modern options as RSK MiG. In particular, the element base of fighters will receive 23% of new digital modules, and another 6% of early electronic units will be improved. The new modules are based on the hardware components of the SUV-29S weapons control system, which implement the air-to-surface mode, as well as expand the range of air combat missiles, which also includes the R-77. Thanks to this, the effectiveness of the tasks of air interception and gaining air superiority increases by 2, 8 times in comparison with the early MiG-29A. Impact capabilities have quadrupled. The N019P radar sighting system received a terrain mapping mode, the radar image of which is displayed on the new MFI-55 color multifunctional indicator (early versions of fighters were equipped with a monochrome indicator). The range of missile and bomb armament corresponds to that of the MiG-29SM / M. The Belarusian modification of the MiG-29BM provides for the installation of a rod for refueling in the air of the "hose-cone" scheme, but given the small Serbian airspace, as well as the inability to operate at a great distance from the state borders (due to the superiority of NATO ground and air defense systems), this element can and not to be used in the construction of the Serbian "BMka". Most likely, due to the simplified cockpit display equipment and the preservation of more than 60% of the avionics of the early production MiG-29S, the upgrade of Serbian vehicles to the "BM" level will cost several times less than the modernization of the MiG-29A / S / UB transferred by Russia.
In conclusion, we can conclude that the replenishment of the Serbian Air Force fleet with 14 modernized MiG-29s will significantly increase the country's defensive and strike potential in certain air directions. In short-term aerial battles, flight-to-flight, the updated Falkrums will be able to withstand both Typhoons and the American carrier-based F / A-18E / F. But the difficult geographical position of Serbia (surrounded by NATO member states) absolutely does not imply local clashes with enemy aircraft: there is a 30-40 times numerical superiority here, and therefore the MiGs will be able to operate exclusively within the air borders of Serbia, under the cover of the S- 300V / PMU-1.
The strike potential of the new fighters will also extend to Kosovo, but all their actions will depend solely on the viability of the Serbian air defense ground component. According to the existing threats in the region, the number of the Serbian Air Force fleet needs to be increased to 70-100 MiG-35 type 4 ++ aircraft, while such plans will take about a decade to be implemented. And today, the country's security will be based on the construction of the most powerful air defense system of Russian origin in Southeast Europe.
