In what it claims is the first such attack in history, Ukraine has used drones to strike a pair of Russian Navy Be-12, a twin-turboprop amphibious aircraft that we have profiled in depth in the past. The raid appears to have targeted two of the extremely scarce seagoing planes, potentially halving the number of airframes available to Russia and leaving a question mark over the future service for the type.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense today published a video showing the attack on an airfield in Russian-occupied Crimea, which it says is “the first ever strike on a Be-12.” Seen from the perspective of the kamikaze drones, two of the amphibians are hit (one of them with the Bort number 08) and a Mi-8 helicopter is also struck. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense claims the destruction of all three aircraft, but that cannot currently be independently verified. The airbase is almost certainly Kacha, near the Black Sea Fleet’s major naval base at Sevastopol.
According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense’s Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR), the drone strike was carried out on September 21 by the “Ghost” special forces unit.
The Be-12, known as Tchaika, or Seagull, in Russian and codenamed Mail by NATO, was first flown in 1960 and which then served throughout the rest of the Cold War. It has played an unsung but important role since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, most notably helping hunt for Ukrainian uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), or ‘drone boats,’ in the Black Sea.
What is clear, however, is that the number of these amphibians available to Russia was already strictly limited.
The U.K.-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) think tank reports that, at the beginning of 2023, Russia had six Be-12s. All were said to be in the Be-12PS search-and-rescue configuration. Recent satellite imagery of Kacha airfield in Crimea shows seven or eight Be-12s, of which four or five were airworthy, according to the Ukrainian Channel 24.
Provided that the two aircraft struck by the GUR were airworthy, and both are now either destroyed or damaged beyond repair, then the Be-12 force available to the Russian Navy may well have been halved. On the other hand, the fact that one aircraft appears to lack a propeller on one of its engines suggests it might already have been withdrawn from use. It could still be a highly valued source for spare parts though.
Videos and photos showing Russian Be-12s operating over the coast of Crimea began to proliferate in summer 2022, and, since then, there have been multiple reports indicating that these aircraft are being used to spot USVs, and likely other Ukrainian activity, including by special forces teams, combat divers, and reconnaissance parties, in and around the peninsula.
During its Cold War heyday, the Be-12 was mainly an anti-submarine warfare platform, but, without any significant upgrades, the aircraft has long since ceased to have any real utility in this role.
Today’s aircraft can also be used for combat search and rescue, for example, dropping supplies to Russian airmen downed over the Black Sea. The Be-12PS can also carry 13 survivors, although, since there are very strict limits on landing on water, due to the age of the airframes, this is of little relevance.
The Be-12 can also be used in a transport capacity, if required.
In an uncontested environment, the Be-12 still offers useful reconnaissance capabilities. Its radar is able to provide a basic situational awareness picture of the coastline, as well as detect ships, in a sea-control role. More importantly, especially for USV detection, is the extensively glazed nose station, accommodating the navigator/observer.
For Russia, Ukraine’s expanding USV operations have become increasingly problematic. Ukraine’s drone boat campaign has kept Russia’s Black Sea Fleet at bay and damaged enemy military facilities in occupied Crimea as well as the Kerch Bridge. Its drone boats have proliferated and become more diverse, including USVs that can launch bomber drones, which have been used to target Russian radars and air defense systems. Perhaps, drones launched from USVs were also responsible for attacking the aircraft at Kacha yesterday. Regardless, Ukraine has stepped up its use of drones to attack Russian assets in Crimea, in particular, with important radar sites being primary targets. Consistent attacks on airfields on the peninsula have also led to the construction of hardened aircraft shelters at the airbase on Belbek.
While Ukraine’s drone boat campaign began with kamikaze variants, laden with explosives and set out on one-way missions to hit Russian targets, these vessels now also include reusable anti-aircraft platforms, first-person view (FPV) drone launchers, and even gunboats.
With the latest Ukrainian attack on Kacha and dwindling spares for the type, the Russian Navy might finally be forced to decommission the Be-12. Until now, it has survived against the odds, including the dissolution of the Soviet Union, which divided much of the surviving fleet between Russia and Ukraine. In 1992, the Russian Be-12 fleet was officially decommissioned, but actual operational activity continued.
Then there was the annexation of Crimea, where the aircraft had long been based, and the all-out war with Ukraine.
In the air, the Be-12 has no chance of surviving without total air superiority, but it is on the ground that the aircraft first appears to have suffered losses. This continues a pattern of attacks on Russian aircraft on bases in Crimea, especially by drones, a tactic that has now extended deep into Russia as well.
Whether or not yesterday’s drone strike spells the end of the Be-12’s long career, Ukraine has struck another blow to the Russian military capabilities on the Crimean peninsula.
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