MOSCOW. Nov 26 (Interfax-AVN) - U.S. Stinger surface-to-air systems may pose the most serious threat to aviation, especially to fire support helicopters, during the guerilla war which the Taliban movement is planning to launch against the United States and its allies in Afghanistan, Colonel General Vitaly Pavlov, army aviation commander in the Russian Land Forces, said on Monday.
Pavlov commanded a mixed aircraft regiment during the Afghan war of 1981-1982. At that time the United States supplied some 1,000 Stingers to the Mujahedeen and attempted to get them back after the war ended. They paid USD60,000 to 100,000 for one system but managed to regain no more than 300. At present the Taliban has 80 to 200 SAM systems including Stringers, Pavlov told Interfax-Military News Agency.
Taking into account his experience in Afghanistan Pavlov said that in mountainous regions of the country a skilled operator could use the system 100 percent efficiently, especially against various helicopters.
The current success off the Northern Alliance troops is backed by effective operations of aircraft of the U.S. and the anti-terrorist coalition. In November 80 percent of the aviation missions have targeted the frontline. It means that the Taliban's line of defense was destroyed and the immediate rear practically paralyzed by air strikes, Pavlov added. According to him, as a result the Taliban lacked the ability to manoeuvre forces and means in the combat area, relocate reserves to dangerous sectors and support troops with ammo.
The U.S. and its allies will not have the ability to make massive attacks on the Taliban battlefront and rear during the guerilla war. The battlefront will be everywhere and aircraft of the coalition will be attacked by Stingers and tracked down in any moment, Pavlov stressed.