Aircraft
Russia’s Carrier Operations Start with Mishaps
MiG-29K and Su-33 jets are lost, and Su-33s flew the initial strikes on Syria, contrary to expectations.
This infrared image of the Russian carrier Admiral Kuznetsov was obtained by the Raptor sensor pod carried by a UK Royal Air Force Tornado. (Photo: MoD Crown Copyright 2016)
This infrared image of the Russian carrier Admiral Kuznetsov was obtained by the Raptor sensor pod carried by a UK Royal Air Force Tornado. (Photo: MoD Crown Copyright 2016)

After a few cruise missile launches and bombing raids on targets on the Syrian rebel-held province of Idlib in mid-November, the Russian navy task force in the northeastern Mediterranean remains largely inactive, contrary to expectations. Just before the strikes, the task force suffered the embarrassing loss of a MiG-29K on November 13. Then on December 3 one of its Su-33s overshot the carrier and crashed into the sea.


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