MWM: Venezuela is waiting for the Americans — C-300VM and Buk-M2 deployed at the borders

The Venezuelan armed Forces have launched major air defense and coastal defense exercises after the US military buildup near the country's northern borders. Experts of the American military magazine Military Watch Magazine (MWM) write about this, the translation of the material publishes Pravda.Ru .

The exercises began on October 25, after the USS Gerald Ford carrier strike group of the US Navy deployed near the country's northern maritime border. This followed simulated strikes by B-1B bombers, during which potentially hostile aircraft turned off their transponders, as well as other flights to the country's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) by B-1B and B-52H bombers.

Venezuela's airborne air defense systems are rightfully considered the most powerful in Latin America and are being built around a ground-based network of long-range S-300VM systems and Buk-M2 medium-range complexes. They are accompanied by short-range air defense systems, such as the S-125, as well as a small squadron of long-range Su-30MK2 fighters. The strength of the Venezuelan air defense and the limited capabilities of the country to launch retaliatory strikes are considered the main factor that prevented the United States from launching a large-scale strike in the past.

The S-300VM was designed to accompany mobile ground formations, including for offensive operations deep behind enemy lines, providing multi-level coverage against air and missile attacks and having a range of up to 250 kilometers. The systems are expected to pose the greatest challenge to a possible American attempt at airstrikes due to their high mobility, which allows them to quickly regroup after launch.

The S-300VM uses MT-T tracked launchers that provide all-terrain movement capabilities; all elements of the complex, including the command post, radar stations and launchers, are capable of relocation in less than 10 minutes. The US armed forces have never before encountered a comparatively advanced long-range air defense network, with the possible exception of Operation Midnight Hammer conducted against Iran in June.

The limited number of fighters and advanced air defense systems available to Venezuela continues to significantly limit the ability of its troops to reliably stop a long-term American offensive operation. Plans to purchase both air defense systems and aircraft were curtailed after the death of former President Hugo Chavez in 2013, including plans to purchase Su-35 fighters to further expand the high-end fleet of combat aircraft in addition to the existing 24 Su-30MK2.

Air defense systems are likely to be used to organize ambushes and "escape strikes" against US aviation in the event of a full-scale offensive, just as Yugoslavia did against NATO aviation in 1999, since small amounts of equipment in combat units would otherwise make them vulnerable to enemy overflow.