2015-02-15

Mysterious 'السورية' Il-76 in Syria!

By Babak Taghvaee
Photos by Luftwaffe A.S


The 15-2282 IRGCASF's Il-76TD in an unidentified Syrian Air Force Base

In 2012, after the ratification of the sanction against the Yas Air Cargo by the UN, the IRGC decided to find a way to cover its airline role in cargo flights toward Syria.

The Cargo airline resumed its activity again under new name of Pouya Air, and this time, the IRGC decided to never risk again and endanger its business by means of operating the cargo airline civil airplanes for cargo flights to Syria.


The 15-2282 IRGCASF's Il-76TD in an unidentified Syrian Air Force Base
Therefore and instead, one of three Il-76TDs of the IRGCASF was offered to Syrian Air for leasing via the Pouya Air. The airplane in question was the 15-2282 (0063471155), which had been recently overhauled at Moscow Zhukovsky between April 2010 and January 2011.

The airplane was wet-leased by Syrian Air, and subsequently a minor change in its livery was applied. The red cheat-line and trim was over-painted by white color, the Syrian Air insignia was applied on its vertical fin and front fuselage and the Syrian flag was replaced with Iranian flag on that. But the serial number of the airplane remained unchanged.
 

A good example photo stipulating the livery of this Candid while under Syrian Air operation

The airplane was heavily used beside the Syrian Air Il-76s for the domestic flights between Damascus IAP and Hama AFB as well as the international flights toward Iran.

15-2282 was in Syrian Air use until October 2013, when it together with a convoy of four Syrian Air airplanes, consisting of two Il-76TDs (YK-ATA and YK-ATD), one Tu-134B (YK-AYE) and a Falcon 20E (YK-ASB) were flown toward Iran and stayed in Badr Air Base of IRGCASF at Mehrabad International Airport for two weeks in October 2013. It seemed, that they were safe haven in Tehran from a mortar attack to Damascus airport at that time.

After October, the period of the contract for 15-2282 was reached and it was returned to the IRGCASF service again. The Syrian flag and Syrian Air insignia were covered and the Iranian flag was painted again on the airplane’s fuselage.

The airplane was repeatedly used for the IRGCASF’s domestic daily flights for carrying IRGC personnel and their families between the Tehran and other Iranian cities.

In rare cases it was reported that the airplane together with the EP-PUL (IRGCASF’s Il-76TD with 15-2284 serial number) have been used for carrying IRGC troops and Afghani soldiers of Fatemiyun Corps to Baghdad, from where they were being sent to Syria in 2014.


The 15-2282 IRGCASF's Il-76TD in an unidentified Syrian Air Force Base

2015-02-01

Spotted Aircraft/Aerial Vehicles over Syria: January 2015

Below is the list of spotted 'Aircraft and Aerial Vehicles' over Syria during the month January 2015:

PROVINCE CITY/TOWN DATE AIRCRAFT LINK
Damascus Al-Hajar Al-Aswad 01-01-2015 MiG-21 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFu5Grm0QUU
Idleb Al-Bara 02-01-2015 Su-24M2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PioWbpd3zsw
Idleb Jabal Azzawiyeh 04-01-2015 Su-24M2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRCCuQUSrv4
Damascus Douma 04-01-2015 MiG-23BN http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWnt66upmIw
Damascus Al-Hajar Al-Aswad 10-01-2015 Unknown http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO7M6Q94gGM
Lebanon Ersal 13-01-2015 Su-22M http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZI5Nt2Rigg
Idleb Jabal Azzawiyeh 16-01-2015 Mi-14 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxB-vi2l3aI
Idleb Bennesh 19-01-2015 UAV http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3k9zw5Dt5Is
Aleppo Bianoon 19-01-2015 Su-24M2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPL0wFYMLCg
Damascus Damascus 23-01-2015 MiG-23BN https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxvgYyzKF8E
Dar'a Enkhul 24-01-2015 MiG-23BN https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuZ1DNkO2jA
Damascus Joubar 25-01-2015 MiG-23BN https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vocSgHjwYkA
Damascus Qaboun 25-01-2015 MiG-23BN https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=is1YNi_-6a8
Damascus Eastern Ghouta 25-01-2015 MiG-21 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KZG2wE6q4I
Deir EzZour Albukamal 25-01-2015 A-10 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZTb81R0lYI
Dar'a County 25-01-2015 MiG-23 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9NlNUIrLoQ
Dar'a County 26-01-2015 MiG-23 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KleeRBp6Ig
Dar'a Al-Seheliyeh 26-01-2015 MiG-23 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YAiSG_mIGM
Dar'a Sheikh Meskin 26-01-2015 Su-24M2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkNCiZnYCaw
Lattakia County 26-01-2015 UAV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQCbpN9RGgw
Hama Sahl Al-Ghab 27-01-2015 Mi-14 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQZtwrbe-Fo
Hama Sahl Al-Ghab 27-01-2015 Mi-14 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1th2gNcGtI
Hama Jabal Shahshabo 27-01-2015 Mi-14 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwTUyG2vtyc
Idleb Albara 27-01-2015 Su-24M2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewwQNjZtJ-U
Idleb Albara 28-01-2015 Su-24M2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VmYMW6C1Ls
Deir EzZour Deir EzZour 31-01-2015 MiG-21 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGSKaa3TRH8