(Zaman Al Wasl- After the use of mi-7 and mi-8 helicopters to drop barrels bombs on opposition-held areas,the Syrian regime has begun relying on the 618th naval helicopters squadron, sources said.
The helicopters in the Squadron are of the model mi-14 and Kamof-28 in its war on the villages and towns of the countryside of Hama and Idlib. The move comes as the regime and the sectarian militias supporting it mobilize to begin their campaign on Hama and Idlib countryside.
The technical readiness of these helicopters, especially the four Kamof-28 helicopters is acceptable, according to the source.
The regime Air Force worked on gathering all this squadron’s functional helicopters in Hama airport after these helicopters were deployed to several airports, especially al-Mezzeh airport. This move comes after the regime forces finished their military campaign on the Western Ghouta, especially Beit Jinn, which ended by evacuating about 500 fighters to Idlib and Daraa on Sunday. The helicopters in the Mezzeh military airport provided aerial coverage for the regime forces fighting in the Western Ghouta.
The number of helicopters collected at Hama 7 airport are subordinate to the naval helicopter squadron. These helicopters carry out many raids as they may be loaded with explosive barrels, naval ammunitions especially naval mines that the regime forces transferred to Hama Airport.
The source said that the helicopters, especially the Kamof-28, played a prominent role in bombing the residential areas in Hama’s northern and eastern countryside and Idlib’s southeastern countryside. A single helicopter may be loaded with six explosive barrels manufactured especially for these helicopters or naval mines.
The kamof-28 helicopters are distinguished by their dual rotor system as the helicopters have two rotors that spin in opposite directions. The dual rotor system means the helicopter does not need a tail rotor. These helicopters were originally developed to search for submarines at sea and attack them with naval mines, torpedoes or depth bombs. The regime started using them against the Syrian people especially after the regime lost many of its combat transfer helicopters that were originally used to drop explosive barrels on the revolutionary cities and villages.
Before the Russian forces took over the Khmeimim airbase, the 618th helicopter squadron was based there, but they were quickly evacuated to the Estamo tank battalion 9 kilometers north of Khmeimim airbase. The tank battalion was refurbished with an asphalt area for the helicopters to land. The Russians forced the regime to evacuate from the Estamo site on the basis the regime helicopters located there were debilitating the Russian aircraft’s movement.
The Russian forces quickly took advantage of the Estamo site and moved their fighter helicopter there. Meanwhile, the regime forces moved the 618th Squadron to Bseitur village in rural Jableh. There a square was prepared for the Squadron helicopters to be stationed and cement structures set up to house the command and squadron members.
During its battles to regain control over Wadi Barada, the regime forces used the 618th Squadron heavily to drop explosive barrels during the battles in December 2016 and January 2017. Due to their use in the fighting in that area, most of the naval helicopters were transferred to the al-Mezzeh airbase. The helicopters were used extensively to bomb Wadi Barada with explosive barrels.
Previous to the Russian forces entering the fighting in Syria, the regime used the 618th Squadron extensively to bomb the area of Jabal al-Turkmen in northern Latakia countryside with the aim of putting out the revolutionary movement there.
Zaman A Wasl
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