One of Russia's four reconnaissance An-30s aircraft spotted over Syria

Defense Express reported what is currently known about these aircraft used by the Russian military

Analysts assumed that this Russian reconnaissance aircraft is carrying out its flight amid reports of a possible offensive by Syrian opposition forces towards the city of Aleppo.

This footage attracts attention not only because it indicates that hostilities may intensify again in Syria, which may involve the Russian troops present there. The point here is that the Russians are still using a rare type of reconnaissance aircraft.

Based on current data, the Russian Aerospace Forces may currently have only four An-30 reconnaissance aircraft, while there may be about fifty Su-24MR reconnaissance aircraft.

During the summer of 2024, there were several reports of Western aircraft allegedly ‘dangerously approaching’ Russian An-30s during flights over Syria. However, it seems that only now has it been possible to film a Russian An-30 in the Syrian sky.

The specificity of the An-30 is that it is an aerial survey aircraft, which requires flying literally over the target to complete the mission, and in modern conditions this can only be done if there are no enemy air defenses. Obviously, it is this circumstance that dictates that the Russians are currently using their An-30s only in the skies over Syria, where there is no threat to these aircraft.

Characteristics of the An-30:

• fuselage length and wingspan — 24.26 meters and 29.02 meters;
• maximum take-off weight — 23 tonnes, including 650 kilograms of camera equipment on board;
• maximum flight speed — 540 km/h;
• range — 1,240 kilometers;
• crew — 6 people + 1 operator.