Russian Anti-Aircraft Systems Paint US Aircraft

The US-led coalition has seen Russia turn on its advanced S-300 anti-aircraft systems in Syria and “paint” aircraft, but there has not been a threat from the systems yet, said Maj. Gen Jay Silveria, deputy commander of Air Forces Central Command. US and coalition aircraft have reported different levels of signals from the S-300 systems, based on the electronics the aircraft carries. Russia has the radar systems on regularly to raise their awareness of the battlespace, Silveria said, and there has not been a threat though at times the aircraft might report the signals as them being targeted. If the coalition ever feels Russia would be ready to launch these systems, they would use the established line of communication. A surface-to-air system uses radar surveillance, then takes the shot, and then guides the system. So far, they “haven’t come close to that sequence of events,” Silveria said at AWS17. The coalition hasn’t ceded any airspace to Russia and continues to fly wherever it needs to, with deconfliction. F-22s fly missions daily into Iraq and Syria to both escort aircraft and help coordinate strikes with its sensor package, Sylveria said.