Belarus To Set Up Air Defense For Venezuela

[ROCK45]

Does Belarus produce air defense systems on there own or would they be maintaining and teaching Venezuelans how to use Russian systems? I think it's interesting in the below article if mentions "training experts" I wonder if there be hired long term, of course just for training purposes? (wink)


Belarus To Set Up Air Defense For Venezuela

By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Published: 25 Mar 19:08 EDT (15:08 GMT)

MINSK - Belarus will build an air defense system for Venezuela over the next six years, the deputy chief of the Belarusian general staff said March 25, according to the Interfax news agency.

"It is expected that over the next six years we will be able to supply Venezuela with an air defense system, complete with training experts and preparation of administrative staff," Gen. Pyotr Tikhonovsky said.
Related Topics

"This will help us pursue our other interests in Venezuela too," the military official added.

Venezuela currently has no integrated air defense network, only separate anti-aircraft units and aircraft, he said.

Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, a fierce foe of U.S. President George W. Bush, has made a priority of modernizing and expanding his oil-rich country's armed forces.

He has already bought significant numbers of aircraft and small arms from Russia, and has pledged solidarity with Belarus.

Western powers criticize the regime of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko for imprisoning opposition leaders, preventing criticism in the state-controlled media and imposing severe restrictions on rallies.

The United States, which has dubbed Belarus "Europe's last dictatorship" recently imposed economic sanctions in protest at the country's human rights record.

Link
http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=3445269&c=AIR&s=AME

 

[Feanor]

Belarus produces chassis for the Russian Tor M1 AA system. Maybe they reverse engineered some SA-5/S-200. However it's highly unlikely that they'd be able to manufacture even basic S-300V variants. They purchased 6 batteries of S-300 systems from Russia in 2006 so I don't understand what kind of an air defense system they could be helping Venezuela set up.

On second thought I do recall Venezuela talking about buying Tor M1 systems. It is possible that 1) Belarus is simply bragging about producing the chassis for them 2) Russia will sell the actual SAM to Belarus, Belarus will add the chassis and resell them to Venezuela, to avoid international complications.

 

[extern]

They purchased 6 batteries of S-300 systems from Russia in 2006 so I don't understand what kind of an air defense system they could be helping Venezuela set up.

"Pechora-2M" http://www.defensys.ru/proizvodstvo21_eng.html
http://www.defensys.ru/photogal_eng.html
http://www.peters-ada.de/techn_4.jpg
http://www.peters-ada.de/techn_5.jpg
http://www.peters-ada.de/techn_14.jpg
http://www.peters-ada.de/techn_30.jpg
http://www.peters-ada.de/techn_16.jpg
http://www.peters-ada.de/techn_6.gif

"Pechora-2TM" http://www.tetraedr.com/eng/production_pechora2tm.php

"OSA-1T" http://www.tetraedr.com/eng/production_osa.php

S-200 VE "Vega" http://www.tetraedr.com/eng/production_vega.php

 

[Feanor]

So pretty much..... outdated garbage? Why would they go for such systems over their direct descendents produced by Russia? Money limitations? That doesn't seem to be the case, they coughed up funds for around 80 helicopters, and 24 super flankers. Political troubles? Russia already indicated willingness to sell advanced weapon systems. Then what?

 

[ROCK45]

Political Choice

It's a political choice to begin with Chavez is only involving himself with Belarus because of there falling out with the United States over arms sales.

 

[Feanor]

Makes no sense. He's already involved himself with Russia, and has purchased some quite advanced equipment which Russia was willing to sell despite all U.S. objections. Moreover the original article doesn't mention what systems will be purchased. It's possible that this is a re-export a scheme.

 

[ROCK45]

Falling out

It makes total sense the US has political problems with Belarus over arms sale and other events. Chavez is just pissing off the Americans by showing his newly found "pledged solidarity" to Belarus, that's all. It has nothing to do with Russia at all and never did.

Quote from the article
Western powers criticize the regime of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko for imprisoning opposition leaders, preventing criticism in the state-controlled media and imposing severe restrictions on rallies.

The United States, which has dubbed Belarus "Europe's last dictatorship" recently imposed economic sanctions in protest at the country's human rights record.

 

[Feanor]

..... so...... is he buying weapons or doing politics? Because if he's buying weapons and needs advanced AD systems then Russia is his best bet.

 

[ROCK45]

Russia

Of course Russia is his answer for AD systems and always was. I wonder how the Flanker training is coming along in Venezuela must be in there third year right?

 

[Actual]

One system not mentioned here yet,

Ahat R&D of Minsk are close to begining trials and testing of their Buk-MB SAM system, a development of the Buk-M1 (SA-11).

Still, just how effective this development of a 30-year old weapons system (itself a development of the earlier Kub SA-6) is open to question. I'm inclined to agree that the motives for Chavez's interest in Belraussian AD systems are more political than any military concern.

 

[Feanor]

The Russian military is set to put the Tor M2 into prodution next year, with Belorussia considering their purchase. Could those end up in Venezuela? Consider that a Tor M2E (e - export) has already been announced.

 

[Chrom]

One system not mentioned here yet,

Ahat R&D of Minsk are close to begining trials and testing of their Buk-MB SAM system, a development of the Buk-M1 (SA-11).

Still, just how effective this development of a 30-year old weapons system (itself a development of the earlier Kub SA-6) is open to question. I'm inclined to agree that the motives for Chavez's interest in Belraussian AD systems are more political than any military concern.

They are no S-300 ofc, but still are certainly good enough against any neighborhoods country. Also, upgraded Buk/Kub/C-125/C-75 etc are probably still one of best medium-range SAM's around - not because they are so good, but rather because of lack of competititors.

Tor / Patnsir, while much newer, are another (shorter-ranged) class and cant
compete. Western examples are even more scarce and ancient.

Patriot technically fall into that class - but is much too expensive and new versions are longer ranged. Aster... i dont know if ground-based version is really finished. Barak-2... not there.

Which other options a country willing cheap medium-ranged SAM would have?

 

[Viktor]

Well Belarus will build integrated airdefence network (radars, missiles, fighters, etc all working togeather with redudant mobile (most likely) comand centers all conected via secured datalink) ... you may call Pechora garbage system but do you know posibilities of new only modernized Pechora-2A to say its garbage ... more to it .. (I wont say they integrated network can last against USAF) quality of the network mostly depends on radars and every missiles more or less can shoot down fighter if its properly guided ... what if Chavez decides to buy Russian centimeter/decimeter/meter wave band radars ... who can assure you can slipp past them even with stealth planes or jamm them efficiently ... so he can build prity mutch impenetrable airdefence network for all S.American threads including future ones ...

 

[Feanor]

I don't know that any mass produced russian RLS can effectively detect the new Raptors. Do you have any evidence suggesting this other then government claims?

Oh and by the way Viktor are you also Viktor on russianforces.org Pavel's blog?

 

[Viktor]

I don't know that any mass produced russian RLS can effectively detect the new Raptors. Do you have any evidence suggesting this other then government claims?

Oh and by the way Viktor are you also Viktor on russianforces.org Pavel's blog?

Russians have developt Nebo and Oborona class radar system that function in meter wave band and have excellent detection range against stealth objects. Those radars are integrated within airdefence system.

-> I posted few times at Pavels blog but I think there are two Viktors back there

 

[Feanor]

Nebo and Oborona? I'll check it out thanks for the heads up. Are you the Viktor that talked about the T-95 being public in 2 months?

 

[Viktor]

Nebo and Oborona? I'll check it out thanks for the heads up. Are you the Viktor that talked about the T-95 being public in 2 months?

Yup, thats me !