By Chris CovertRantbrug.com
Russian bombers attacked several ground targets belonging to The Islamic State in the mountains of northern Syria Wednesday, according to Russian language reports.
According to a news account which appeared in RIA Novosti, the Russian Air Force contingent in Syria flew a total of 20 sorties in the air operation. According to Russian Ministry of Defense spokesman General Major Igor Konashenkov, supply dumps for ammunition and fuel, communications centers and headquarters and control centers, as well as troop concentrations were struck.
The air strikes were launched using data supplied by the Syrian Army general staff. According to General Konashenkov, all targets were destroyed.
According a Russian language news account in vesti.ru, two SU-24 bombers were used in the bombing attack near Hama, 213 kilometers north of Damascus.
The air raid comes 24 hours after Russian president Vladimir Putin was granted authorization to use his air force to support the Syrian Army by the Duma, Russia's parliament. The air raids were launched less than 24 hours after the arrival at Latakia on Syria's west coast of six Russian Air force SU-34 twin seat, twin engine bombers, the most advanced aircraft of its type in Russia's inventory.
According to Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, Russia's aid to the Syrian Army is expected to be temporary, but he did not specify how long Russian planes would be used to assist the Syrian Army in presumably upcoming offensive operations.
The announcement clearly signals that Russia intends to provide not just bombing raids in rearward areas held by ISIS, but will coordinate with the Syrians in assisting ground operations.
According to a separate news account, the Russian Ministry of Defense is planning to expand their combat aircraft deployment to between 40 and 60 aircraft, roughly a bomber division, along with a Russian Army detachment consisting of two rifle battalions deployed to guard them. The base to be used will likely be the airbase at Latakia.
Quoting a Russian academic, Dr. Konstantin Sivkov said that two ground interdiction squadrons, probably SU-25s, two bomber squadrons of SU-24s, and one or two fighter squadrons, likely SU-30 air superiority aircraft will be deployed as a mixed air division. The new deployment could reach 72 combat aircraft. Additionally, Russian Air Force long range detachments based in Crimea could be used in upcoming operations. Those aircraft could include Su-24s, and any number of other long range aviation including TU-95 and TU-22m bombers.
The newly deployed SU-34s are likely to become a component of the Syrian deployment, according to Dr. Sivkov.
Chris Covert writes about foreign military issues for Rantburg.com. He can be reached at grurkka@gmail.com and on Twitter.