Syrian rebels have purportedly captured multiple Syrian Air Force’s MiG-23 fighter jets along with other air and ground-based equipment belonging to the Syrian military, days after they launched a surprise offensive against the Bashar al-Assad government and reignited the 13-year-old Civil War.
The rebels, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), have allegedly captured several MiG-23 stationed at the Neyrab airbase in Aleppo, according to claims swirling on social media.
The rebel forces, reorganized under the banner of “Military Operations Command,” ran over the largest Syrian city of Aleppo and seized multiple combat aircraft, including the MiG-23 Flogger fighter jet and the L-39 Albatross Light Attack Aircraft.
Several photos and videos of the rebels occupying the airbase were posted to the social media site X (formerly Twitter). In one such video, a rebel fighter could be seen climbing a dilapidated MiG-23. The aircraft did not seem to be operational, and it was probably meant for spare parts.
Some war-tracking and Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) accounts stated that at least four of these aircraft, along with an unknown number of L-39 and Mi-8 helicopters, had been captured, whereas others went on to say that the rebels had seized about seven MiG-23s at multiple air bases. EurAsian Times could not independently verify these claims.
These claims come days after the HTS, in coalition with other small Syrian rebel groups (some of them backed by neighboring Turkey), launched a lightning offensive against Bashar al-Assad’s forces on November 27.
The HTS has its roots in Al-Qaeda and has been banned by the United Nations, the United States, and other Western states. Though different splinter rebel groups have different ideologies, their collaboration is based on the common agenda of deposing Assad from power.
Just two days into the fighting, the rebels managed to capture Aleppo and have since been advancing to the central city of Hama. Rebels and a war monitor stated on December 3 that the rebels had captured villages, including Maar Shahur, a few miles north of the city, in a bid to mount pressure on Assad.
Nonetheless, Bashar al-Assad’s forces are reportedly flooding into the Hama region to establish a defensive line against Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s (HTS) offensive. Additionally, hundreds of Iraqi militia soldiers sponsored by Iran have crossed the border to fight with the regime. The Syrian Air Force, along with its ally, Russia, has intensified aerial strikes on the rebel strongholds in Idlib province, which borders Turkey. Moreover, Assad is also receiving support from Iranian-backed militias crossing over from Iraq.
While Assad’s forces are holding out, the rebels have made significant gains. In the past week, the rebels have allegedly seized a variety of military equipment from the Syrian military in Aleppo, including Pantsir S-1 anti-aircraft system, S-200 air defense system, T-72A tank, BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicle, BTR-80 armored personnel carrier, and more recently, the BM-30 Smerch Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS). According to unverified sources, an abandoned 9A310M1 Buk SAM launcher manufactured in Russia and equipped with a minimum of one surface-to-air missile was also captured.
However, of all the equipment seized by the rebels, the MiG-23 is one of the most significant since it has played a key role in air strikes on the rebels since the initial days of the Civil War. It was the first fixed-wing aircraft of the Syrian Air Force to bomb the rebels in the ongoing Civil War.
What Is The MiG-23?
The MiG-23 Flogger is a third-generation, swing-wing fighter jet produced during the Soviet era. It was among the first Soviet fighters equipped with beyond-visual-range missiles and the first to deploy the RP-23 Sapfir, a look-down/shoot-down radar.
It was conceived in the 1960s as an answer to the US F-4 Phantom II, which was a rage at the time.
The Flogger was based on an effective design concept: a light, single-engine, variable-geometry wing jet fighter that added modern avionics, enhanced handling, increased range, a wider range of weapons, and more powerful targeting capabilities while maintaining the agility of its predecessor, the MiG-21.
The MiG-23 has a maximum range of 1,150 kilometers and is intended for air superiority and short-range interception missions. Its small size, particularly its 4.82-meter height, makes deploying from airbases with inadequate facilities easier.
The MiG-23 was a popular choice for many air forces globally due to its sturdy design and adaptable weaponry, especially in wars requiring aircraft that combine performance, endurance, and reliability.
However, the aircraft had its fair share of troubles. For instance, the fighter was prone to instability problems at a high angle of attack, and test pilots often reported yaw instability at higher speeds and trouble landing in bad weather.
Additionally, the fuel tank system of early variants of the aircraft was hindered by design defects that were only addressed on subsequent MiG-23 models, and its R-29 engine had a short lifespan and a tendency to overheat.
Despite the troubles, though, the aircraft made its way to Syria and was deployed in the subsequent fighting with Israel. The MiG-23MS that Syria acquired used the same weapons system as the previous MiG-21S. Still, its radar was especially susceptible to electronic countermeasures (ECM), something the Israelis were particularly good at.
So, according to the reports from the 1973 war, Israeli F-15s and F-16s shot down more than a dozen Syrian MiG-23 jets through the course of the war. However, the aircraft fought well and caused casualties for Israel as well.
While conducting a weapons test trip in a MiG-23MS on April 19, 1974, Syria’s Captain al-Masry saw a group of Israeli F-4Es and fired three missiles, bringing down two of them. He was ready to use cannon fire to target another F-4 when a SAM battery’s friendly fire shot him down.
Based on this accomplishment, Syria received 24 more MiG-23MS interceptors and a comparable quantity of MiG-23BN strike variants the next year. Later, Syria purchased 28 more MiG-23MFs in 1977, and deliveries began in 1978.
Between 1981 and 1985, Syria employed the MiG-23MF, MiG-23MS, and MiG-23BN in combat over Lebanon. In April 1981, it reported that MiG-23MSs shot down two Israeli A-4 Skyhawks that were targeting a camp in Sidon—a claim that was denied by Israel.
The aircraft was also employed in the Civil War to attack the rebels. On July 24, 2012, Syrian MiG-23BNs dropped a bomb on Aleppo, marking the first time it was used in the civil conflict in Syria. Soon after, however, rebel and jihadist forces shot down a MiG-23 using anti-aircraft guns, capturing its pilot near Deir ez-Zor.
Since the initial days of the Civil War, Syrian Air Force MiG-23s have been frequently observed conducting aerial strikes on Syrian insurgents, with the latter claiming that many MiGs have been shot down or destroyed on the ground on various occasions.
With the capture of MiG-23 fighters by rebels, these geriatric Soviet-era aircraft are back in focus. However, it would not be a cakewalk for the rebels to repair and operate these jets without spare parts, adequate infrastructure, and trained fighter pilots who could fly them.
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