A video showing fighters touring the recently captured airbase of Tabqa provides an interesting insight in some of the equipment captured by fighters of the Islamic State. An overview can be read below.
First off; Tabqa's gate guard, a MiG-21MF serialed 460, a symbol for what happened to the base.
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Two T-62 Model 1972s, once stationed here to protect the base against attacks of the Free Syrian Army. Due the inability of the Syrian Arab Air Force (SyAAF) to fly in heavy armour, a couple of T-62s were the only sort of armour present at Tabqa.
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A RSP-7 early-warning radar along with the associated DRL-7 antenna.
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One of Tabqa's five double Hardened Aircraft Shelters (HAS) holding one MiG-21MF and various artillery pieces.
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A MiG-21MF serialed 1543. This plane once entered service with the SyAAF in 1973 and is believed to have been undergoing overhaul at the time of capture. Its cockpit remains in pristine condition nonetheless.
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Three 130mm M-46 field guns and three 122mm D-30 howitzers seen in the othe side of the HAS.
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More interesting are the four German made HOT missiles however. Intended for use on the SyAAF's SA-342 'Gazelle' fleet, they are part of a batch of around one-thousand missiles delivered between 1977 and 1981. They once saw heavy action against Israeli armour in the 1982 war and were recently flown in along with SA-342s for use against vehicles of the Islamic State around Tabqa. While the SA-342s were evecuated, these missiles remained at Tabqa. With the Islamic State lacking a suitable launch platform, these missiles are as good as useless.
9M113 Konkurs and 9M133 Kornet anti-tank missiles which were also captured at Tabqa did come with launchers though, their usage in Syria or Iraq can be expected.
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Four R-13M air-to-air missiles, once intended to be launched by the MiG-21s based at Tabqa. The second picture shows chaff and flare dispensers in the lower right corner, used by planes for evading MANPADS.
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UB-16-57 rocket pods firing 57mm rockets were also found. Although also intended for use on the MiG-21s, they can easily be mounted on vehicles. Bombs and at least twenty UB-16s along with associated S-5 rockets were captured in this HAS.
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MiG-21bis serialed 2217 in front of a double HAS holding two MiG-21UMs. Apparently no effort had been taken to safely store this plane in the nearby HAS when this video was shot. On the other hand, no effort was taken by the SyAAF to destroy the MiG-21bis either.
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MiG-21UM serialed 2360, already inoperational long before the attack on Tabqa began.
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A shot at Tabqa's radars, once responsible for detecting any plane entering Syrian territory via the North, now seeminly still intact after the battle for Tabqa. It is likely the Islamic State wanted to capture these intact for possible future use, thus evading any damage from this side. If any of the radars were sabotaged by the defenders is unknown but seems unlikely due to the status of the MiG-21s, which seemed to have been captured without being sabotaged. None of the radars appeared to suffer any kind of damage in the video and curiously enough, none have been targeted by the SyAAF yet.
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Two PRV-13 height-finding radars, supporting the single JY-27 also present at this base.
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One P-12 early-warning radar, one P-35/37 early-warning and interception radar and a JY-27 long range surveillance radar, the most modern radar captured at the base and one of the most modern radars within Syrian service.
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Lastly, a P-14 early-warning radar and another PRV-13 height-finding radar.
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First off; Tabqa's gate guard, a MiG-21MF serialed 460, a symbol for what happened to the base.
Two T-62 Model 1972s, once stationed here to protect the base against attacks of the Free Syrian Army. Due the inability of the Syrian Arab Air Force (SyAAF) to fly in heavy armour, a couple of T-62s were the only sort of armour present at Tabqa.
9M113 Konkurs and 9M133 Kornet anti-tank missiles which were also captured at Tabqa did come with launchers though, their usage in Syria or Iraq can be expected.
Four R-13M air-to-air missiles, once intended to be launched by the MiG-21s based at Tabqa. The second picture shows chaff and flare dispensers in the lower right corner, used by planes for evading MANPADS.
MiG-21bis serialed 2217 in front of a double HAS holding two MiG-21UMs. Apparently no effort had been taken to safely store this plane in the nearby HAS when this video was shot. On the other hand, no effort was taken by the SyAAF to destroy the MiG-21bis either.
A shot at Tabqa's radars, once responsible for detecting any plane entering Syrian territory via the North, now seeminly still intact after the battle for Tabqa. It is likely the Islamic State wanted to capture these intact for possible future use, thus evading any damage from this side. If any of the radars were sabotaged by the defenders is unknown but seems unlikely due to the status of the MiG-21s, which seemed to have been captured without being sabotaged. None of the radars appeared to suffer any kind of damage in the video and curiously enough, none have been targeted by the SyAAF yet.
Two PRV-13 height-finding radars, supporting the single JY-27 also present at this base.
One P-12 early-warning radar, one P-35/37 early-warning and interception radar and a JY-27 long range surveillance radar, the most modern radar captured at the base and one of the most modern radars within Syrian service.
Lastly, a P-14 early-warning radar and another PRV-13 height-finding radar.
Recommended Articles
North Korean MANPADS showing up in the hands of fighters of the Islamic State?
The Islamic State Resets Balance with Spoils of Tabqa Airbase
Tabqa airbase captured by the Islamic State at last
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The spoils of Regiment 121, captured by the Islamic State
The spoils of Brigade 93, captured by the Islamic State