Road to Damascus The Russian Air Campaign in Syria, 2015 to 2018

Abstract

The introduction of Russian airpower in Syria has been widely cited as a turning point in the Syrian civil war. Few analyses have attempted to systematically evaluate the impact of Russian airpower on Syrian military operations, against both the Western-backed opposition groups and the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). This study provides a strategic analysis and performance assessment of the use of Russian airpower in Syria from September 2015 to March 2018. The findings will provide insights to U.S. Air Force, Joint Force, Coalition, expert community, policy, and academic audiences about the Russian Aerospace Force's (VKS's) strengths, weaknesses, and adaptations in Syria - its first modern expeditionary air war.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 12, 2022
Accession Number
AD1168542

Entities

People

  • Adam R. Grissom
  • Christopher A. Mouton
  • John P. Godges
  • Michael Simpson
  • Russell Handon

Organizations

  • RAND Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Cyber
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Air Power
  • Aircrafts
  • Attrition
  • Civil War
  • Combat Readiness
  • Command And Control
  • Delphi Method
  • Employment
  • Geographic Distribution
  • Geography
  • Military Operations
  • Precision-Guided Munitions
  • Strategic Analysis
  • United States
  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
  • War
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Aerospace logistics and air mobility.
  • Nuclear Non-Proliferation and International Security
  • Political Violence and Terrorism Studies.

Technology Areas

  • Space