Is Russia's Air Force Falling Apart?
Task and Purpose
Security, Europe
We have some answers.
This is what we know.
Three Russian military aircraft have crashed since Jan. 18, leaving at least five crew members dead at a time when the Russian Air Force is engaged in increasing aggressive aerial operations worldwide.
(This first appeared last month.)
- On Friday, two Russian Sukhoi Su-34 fighter-bombers collided during a training mission over the Sea of Japan, the Ministry of Defense announced. One of the four crew members aboard was recovered alive.
- On Tuesday, a Tupolev Tu-22M3 crashed while landing a blizzard at a military airfield north of the Arctic Circle, Russian state media first reported. Three of the four crew members aboard were reportedly killed in the incident.
- All three aircraft were participating in training exercises and unarmed at the time of their respective accidents, according to media reports.
- It's worth noting that the Su-34 was designed, per FighterSweep, to eventually replace the Tu-22M3 among other aging aircraft from Russia's Soviet-era fleet.
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