Georgian Air Force

benaakatz

Active member
Right now they barely have one. Are they going to try to procure fighters in the future to protect themselves from Russia? Cuz they have no chance in defending themselves in the event of another mini war if they have no air force.

They have several Su-25 attack aircraft and several Mi-24 gunships in terms of firepower. That's it.

Will they buy some fighters in the future? (Do they have the $ to?)

If they do, what fighter do you think would be good for them?
 
Yeah but I can't see Georgian aircraft even taking to the skies against the Russian air force coming in full strength.
 
true, if russia wanted they could role over georgia. but im talking about the kind of short war...a few day conflict like last time (before the international community stops it, or before russia felt it asserted itself enough).

maybe a few dozen F-16s could hold off the russians and protect georgia's airspace for that long.
 
I really don't think so. I think the weight of the Russian airforce will just squash what the Georgians can field.
Having a very mobile and dense AA network will probably do a better job at holding the Russians off. Maybe a squadron of interceptors to deal with the high flying stuff that are hard for SAM to deal with.
 
I think a few SAAB Grippens would be able to fend off those nasty little Sukhoi Fencers untill some of the more dangerous stuff blows them away.

But then again they would be better off with a crapload of Patriots than having a few grippens get axed.
 
I think Vipers will be good enough to take care of the high flying threats though I don't know if they could actually get the latest versions of the Sea Harrier which could fire AMRAAMs. I'm just thinking what airbases they have will just get smashed. As for Fencers, they would be the sort of targets the SAM would be good for. Fencers are going to come flying in doing around the clock SEAD but that's why Georgian SAM networks should be mobile.
 
Maybe, but the problem I think would be that the Georgians arent really familiar with western type aircraft, so the vipers probably wouldnt perform as well as they should [according to the textbooks]
 
It really depends. The US Air Force has trained a lot of air forces around the world in using the Viper so in terms of trianing the Georgians, it won't be much of a problem. What adjustment problems the Georgian pilots will have with the F-16, the Gripen won't have much of an advantage either.
 
Maybe, but they wouldnt last that much if the bear released all its fury.

So yeah I think its better for them to go with your suggestion with the SAM's. A bunch of patriots and some CIWS wouldnt go amiss, me thinks.
 
Right, like I said, they'd be for those high flying stuff the SAM have difficulty shooting down.

Lots of stingers would be a must. That would make CAS a very difficult proposition.
The Roland SAM system on the Marder chasis would be ideal as well.
Patriot missiles don't hurt either.
Personally, I'd also recommend whatever Warsaw pact SAM systems they can get as well. That would make filling up the quantity easier.
CIWS? I'm not aware of a land version but 20mm vulcan AAA wound be a pretty standard thing to have.
 
Right, like I said, they'd be for those high flying stuff the SAM have difficulty shooting down.

Lots of stingers would be a must. That would make CAS a very difficult proposition.
The Roland SAM system on the Marder chasis would be ideal as well.
Patriot missiles don't hurt either.
Personally, I'd also recommend whatever Warsaw pact SAM systems they can get as well. That would make filling up the quantity easier.
CIWS? I'm not aware of a land version but 20mm vulcan AAA wound be a pretty standard thing to have.

Well, If im correct a Patriot missile has a maximum altitude of about 22km? If so, then I beleive that should be enough to take down aircraft such as the Su-34/24/25. Maybe even a Tupolev, but I doubt Russia would use something that big if it was a smaller war like August last year.

Stingers? Hmm I think it would be infinitely more cheaper for them to grab themselves as many Igla's as they can [I think they already use them] and to use them instead. I think a Igla has about the same range of a stinger [maybe more].

Well, they probably could get lots of S-300's and S-200's, but I doubt the latter would do much to the Russians. If they had a S-400, that would be a different story altogether.

Nah, They made a land-based version of the phalanx. Its called the Centurion, but Im pretty sure it wouldnt come cheap. Would be better though if it had a 30mm round instead of the 20mm in my opinion.
 
No, 20mm is just fine. Don't need 30mm. For AAA, you want to throw as much stuff in the air as densely as possible. Using a smaller round with a higher ROF is more effective against aircraft. Remember, 20mm is a big round!
Dunno about how good the Igla is... the Stinger though is truly proven.
Even the lower grade SAM would be good for Georgia. If anything, they will buy time. I don't think any SAM network would be completely ineffective. Heck, throw some SA-2s in with the mix.
 
These are the specifications of the Russian 30mm AK-630 CIWS:

Gun: AO-18 six-barrel 30 mm Gatling gun.

Weight: (Empty / with ammunition and control system)
  • AK-630/630M: 1,850 kg (empty), 1,918 kg (with ammunition), 9,114 kg (with ammunition and control systems)
  • AK-630M1-2: 2,500 kg (empty), 11,819 kg (with ammunition and control systems)
  • AK-306: 1,100 kg (empty), 1, 630 kg (with ammunition and control systems)
Elevation: -12 to +88 degrees at 50 degree/s
Traverse: 360 degrees at 70 degree/s
Muzzle velocity: 900 m/s (MPDS round).
Rate of fire: 83 round/s (5000 round/min).
Ammunition: Fixed (HE-FRAG, FRAG)

Ammunition stowage: A single below deck magazine
  • AK-630/630M: 2,000 rounds
  • AK-630M1-2: 4,000 rounds
  • AK-306: 500 rounds
Weapons range: Effective range with HE-FRAG (0.54 kg) shell, 4,000 m (4,375 yd)
Search and track systems: A-213-Vympel-A, includes radar, optical, and TV control systems


These below are the Specifications of the American 20mm Phalanx/Centurion CIWS:

Gun: 20 mm M61 Vulcan Gatling gun autocannon.
Height: 4.7 m.
Weight: 12,250 lb (5,560 kg).
Elevation +82 to −5 degrees.
Muzzle velocity: 1,100 m/s.
Rate of fire: 4,500 rounds/minute.
Maximum burst size: 1000 rounds.
Ammunition: 1,550 rounds.
Radar: Ku band.
100% Kill distance: Unknown
Cost: Unknown


Anyways, knowing the Russians Igla would probably last longer, but wont have as good guidance and such as the Stinger.

An SA-2? They would be better off with a bunch of SA-3's. Much more mobile, but sacrifices some missile range.
 
A mobile launcher will be ideal but a few SA-2s ought to mix up the AA threat enough to give the Russian planners a really hard time.

As for the 30mm vs 20mm. You can see the 20mm is 200m/s faster than the 30mm. I forgot to mention, but muzzle speed is also important as it improves your liklihood of actually getting the aircraft (don't have to lead as much). 20mm is more than enough to tear open an aircraft's airframe.

Got a range for that thing?

Speaking of which, the Phalanx is a pretty old platform now.
As for the Russian one... got a feeling if you ask the maker, it can even cure cancer.
 
In Soviet Russia, cancer cures you.

Even so, the differences in the muzzle velocity wouldnt make too much of a problem. Im not sure what its called, but dont the CIWS's fire a fair bit infront of the target? Like, seeing as the Phalanx has a higher muzzle velocity it wouldnt have to fire as far infront like the Kalashnikov [I love saying Kalashnikov out loud, its just one of those words like Schweinsteiger and Leipzig...]

Well, according to the AK-630 quote the HE shell is about 4km. I googled the Phalanx range, and according to this site [http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ship/weaps/mk-15.htm] it is classified.
 
Back
Top