Russian Aerospace Forces have problems because of war and sanctions – UK intelligence

Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) aircraft are wearing out faster due to the intensive amount of sorties as part of combat operations, and maintenance and repair are complicated by sanctions, which threatens them with problems in the future.

Source: UK Ministry of Defence intelligence review on 28 September on Twitter, as reported by European Pravda

Details: UK Defence Intelligence stated that the VKS has lost about 90 fixed-wing aircraft since the start of the full-scale war. Some of the remaining military aircraft are flying far more sorties than in peacetime. 

Quote: "All aircraft have a projected lifespan, in flying hours. It is highly likely that with this extra wartime use, Russia is eating into many of its airframes’ lifespans far more quickly than the VKS planned for. The need for extra maintenance is complicated by a shortage of spare parts because of increasing demand and international sanctions."

More details: UK intelligence noted that so far, the Russian Aerospace Forces are retaining the ability to fly over the occupied territories of Ukraine. 

However, since the war has been going on for much longer than the Russian Ministry of Defence originally planned, the deterioration of the aircraft is likely to affect the combat capabilities of Russian aviation in the long term.

Background: In one of its previous reviews, UK Defence Intelligence described what the latest attacks have changed for the Russian Black Sea Fleet.

Ukrainska Pravda is the place where you will find the most up-to-date information about everything related to the war in Ukraine. Follow us on Twitter, support us, or become our patron!