A screenshot from the video
On October 22, helicopters of the Russian Aerospace Forces arrived at the Tabqah Airbase in the Syrian province of Raqqah. According to Washington, the airbase was abandoned by the US military in the framework of its ‘wthdrawal from northern Syria’. However, the base is not located in the north, or close to the area of Turkey’s Operation Peace Spring. In fact this happened after the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces reached a security agreement with the Damascus government.
According to reports, Russia and Syria are planning to fully restore the damaged airstrip and once again turn Tabqah into a full-fledged airbase.
The Tabqah airbase is located southwest of the city of Raqqah:
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The base is proper to Carried mission on north east Syria,its not close to the front line and the free Syrian army or those terterrori in the area close to the Turkey border can’t harm it.
If they repair it, it will cut the distance to north east front by 60-80%. But for another base they will need more aircrafts/helicopters, more ground crews, SAMs, infantry…. Will Russians put there additional aircrafts and helicopters without transferring them from Hmeymim? With that they would have much better control of battlefield and air space near Iraq border. I think it is time Russians finish this war liberating the whole Syria.
Verovatno ce malo modernizovati Sirijsku avijaciju, premestiti njihov S-300, pancire i ostalo, ne verujem da ce Rusi ulaziti vise nego sto jesu.
Sumnjam da Sirija ima dovoljno naoružanja za tako nešto. S-300 i Pantsiri su tamo zbog napada Izraela i štite zapadni deo koji je najnaseljeniji. Pozdrav.
Nemojte iskljuciti mogucnost dodatnog naoruzavanja Sirijske PVO od strane Rusije, takodje, S-300 definitivno nije tu da bi se Sirijci branili od bilo koga samoinicijativno vec samo uz blagoslov Rusa. Trece, znate li za onaj trac da su u paketu S-300 dobili samo rakete najkraceg dometa?
Ne verujem da ce Rusi praviti nov Hmejmim od ovog aerodroma, mada, ko zna…
Ano!
You’ve got some valid points. It is indeed closer to Rakka where there is indeed some potential for a revival of ISIS activities now that the Kurds are busy fighting to Turks and SAA is tied in Idlib and securing the new position on the border with Turkey. My best guess is that they may end up stationing there on rotation basis a few helicopters, or perhaps even a few SU 25 both of which have a somewhat shorter operational range to be used from the Hmynim base.
Another major plus would be that any assets stationed there will be quite bit further from the constantly prying eyes of the Israel air force and long range air to ground missiles . However, I agree that any serious attempts to use the base as permanent lunch platform for Russia air force would have to come with some serious financial commitment. I do no see this happening but you never know. Russia’s priority in Syria is foremost to keep a close eye on eastern Mediterranean from where US ships and submarine could lunch surprise attacks on Russian southern flank. The open desert in Syria’s interior is not that much a priority for them.