Information about the use of An-2 biplanes during training flights of the Russian Air Force appeared on social networks. They come from the regions bordering Ukraine. Russia wants to use remote-controlled biplanes, as Azerbaijan did during the Karabakh war, Report informs, citing the Polish publication Defense24.
According to the publication, there were more than 5,000 An-2 aircraft that were not actively used in the Russian Air Force. According to the information, their use during the training flights may be an indication of a plan to use them as non-transport aircraft. The most likely thesis is that these are remote-controlled gliders.
Defense 24 states that in the second Karabakh war, An-2 planes were used by Azerbaijan to detect and shell Armenia's anti-aircraft systems. This tactic allowed them to be eliminated only at the cost of losing old biplanes.
The publication noted the simplicity and cost-effectiveness of converting An-2s into drones. The publication stressed that Azerbaijan has successfully used a similar solution in the recent conflict.
According to Russian media, Azerbaijan used modified An-2 aircraft as suicide drones in the Karabakh war.