Main characteristics of Tu-160

4 people

Wingspan

Wing area

Empty mass

Normal take-off weight

Maximum take-off weight

Engines

4 × NK-32 turbofan engines

Maximum thrust

4 × 18,000 kgf

Afterburner thrust

4 × 25,000 kgf

2230 km/h (M=1.87)

Cruising speed

917 km/h (M=0.77)

Maximum range without refueling

Range with combat load

Combat radius

Flight duration

Service ceiling

about 22000 m

Rate of climb

Takeoff/run length

Weapons:

Strategic cruise missiles X‑55 SM/X‑101

Tactical aeroballistic missiles Kh‑15 S

Free-falling aerial bombs of up to 4000 kg caliber, cluster bombs, mines.

Main characteristics of Tu-95MS

7 people

Wingspan:

Wing area

Empty mass

Normal take-off weight

Maximum take-off weight

Engines

4 × NK‑12 MP theater

Power

4 × 15,000 l. With.

Maximum speed at altitude

Cruising speed

about 700 km/h

Maximum range

Practical range

Combat radius

Service ceiling

about 11000 m

Takeoff/run length

Weapons:

Built-in

Strategic cruise missiles X‑55 SM/X‑101–6 or 16

Free-falling aerial bombs up to 9000 kg caliber,

cluster bombs, mines.

Main characteristics of Tu-22M3

4 people

Wingspan:

At minimum sweep angle

At maximum sweep angle

Wing area

Empty mass

Normal take-off weight

Maximum take-off weight

Engines

2 × NK-25 turbofan engines

Maximum thrust

2 × 14,500 kgf

Afterburner thrust

2 × 25,000 kgf

Maximum speed at altitude

Cruising speed

Range of flight

Combat radius with a load of 12 t

1500…2400 km

Service ceiling

Takeoff/run length

Weapons:

Built-in

23 mm defensive installation with GSh-23 cannons

X-22 anti-ship cruise missiles

Tactical aeroballistic missiles X‑15 S.

Main characteristics of the Su-25

1 person

Wingspan

Wing area

Empty mass

Normal take-off weight

Maximum take-off weight

Engines

2 × R‑95Sh turbojet engines

Maximum thrust

2 × 4100 kgf

Maximum speed

Cruising speed

Practical range with combat load

Ferry range

Service ceiling

Rate of climb

Takeoff/run length

Weapons:

Built-in

30 mm double-barreled gun GSh-30–2 (250 rounds)

On external sling

Guided air-to-surface missiles - Kh-25 ML, Kh-25 MLP, S-25 L, Kh-29 L

Air bombs, cassettes - FAB-500, RBK-500, FAB-250, RBK-250, FAB-100, KMGU-2 containers

Shooting and gun containers - SPPU-22–1 (23 mm GSh-23 gun)

Main characteristics of the Su-24M

2 people

Wingspan

At maximum sweep angle

At minimum sweep angle

Wing area

Empty mass

Normal take-off weight

Maximum take-off weight

Engines

2 × AL-21 F-3 turbofan engines

Maximum thrust

2 × 7800 kgf

Afterburner thrust

2 × 11200 kgf

Maximum speed at altitude

1700 km/h (M=1.35)

Maximum speed at an altitude of 200 m

Ferry range

Combat radius

Service ceiling

about 11500 m

Takeoff/run length

Weapons:

Built-in

23‑mm 6‑barreled gun GSh‑6–23 (500 rounds)

On external sling:

Guided air-to-air missiles - R-60

Guided air-to-surface missiles - Kh‑25 ML/MR, Kh‑23, Kh‑29 L/T, Kh‑59, S‑25 L, Kh‑58

Unguided missiles - 57 mm S-5, 80 mm S-8, 122 mm S-13, 240 mm S-24, 266 mm S-25

Air bombs, cassettes - FAB-1500, KAB-1500 L/TK, KAB-500 L/KR, ZB-500, FAB-500, RBC-500, FAB-250, RBC-250, OFAB-100, KMGU-2 containers

Shooting and gun containers - SPPU-6 (23 mm GSh-6–23 gun)

Main characteristics of the Su-34

2 people

Wingspan

Wing area

Empty mass

Normal take-off weight

Maximum take-off weight

Engines

2 × AL-31 F-M1 turbofan engines

Maximum thrust

2 × 8250 kgf

Afterburner thrust

2 × 13500 kgf

Maximum speed at altitude

1900 km/h (M=1.8)

Maximum ground speed

Ferry range

Combat radius

Service ceiling

Weapons:

Built-in - 30 mm gun GSh-30–1

On the external sling - all types of modern air-to-air and air-to-surface guided missiles, unguided missiles, aerial bombs, cluster bombs

Main characteristics of the MiG-29 SMT

1 person

Wingspan

Wing area

Empty mass

Normal take-off weight

Maximum take-off weight

Engines

2 × RD‑33 turbofan engines

Maximum thrust

2 × 5040 kgf

Afterburner thrust

2 × 8300 kgf

Maximum ground speed

Cruising speed

Practical range

Practical range with PTB

2800…3500 km

Service ceiling

Weapons:

On external sling:

Guided air-to-surface missiles - Kh‑29 L/T, Kh‑31 A/P, Kh‑35

Containers KMGU-2

Main characteristics of the MiG-35

1 - 2 people

Wingspan

Wing area

Empty mass

Normal take-off weight

Maximum take-off weight

Engines

2 × TRDDF RD‑33 MK/MKV

Maximum thrust

2 × 5400 kgf

Afterburner thrust

2 × 9000 kgf

Maximum speed at high altitude

2400 km/h (M=2.25)

Maximum ground speed

Cruising speed

Practical range

Practical range with PTB

Combat radius

Flight duration

Service ceiling

Rate of climb

Weapons:

Built-in - 30 mm GSh-30–1 cannon (150 rounds)

On external sling:

Guided air-to-air missiles - R-73, R-27 R/T, R-27ET/ER, R-77

Guided air-to-surface missiles - Kh‑25 ML/MR, Kh‑29 L/T, Kh‑31 A/P, Kh‑35

Unguided missiles - 80 mm S-8, 122 mm S-13, 240 mm S-24

Air bombs, cassettes - FAB-500, KAB-500 L/KR, ZB-500, FAB-250, RBK-250, OFAB-100

Main characteristics of the Su-27 SM

1 person

Wingspan

Wing area

Empty mass

Normal take-off weight

Maximum take-off weight

Engines

2 × AL‑31F turbofan engines

Maximum thrust

2 × 7600 kgf

Afterburner thrust

2 × 12500 kgf

Maximum speed at high altitude

2500 km/h (M=2.35)

Maximum ground speed

Practical range

Service ceiling

Rate of climb

more than 330 m/sec

Takeoff/run length

Weapons:

Built-in - 30 mm GSh-30–1 cannon (150 rounds)

Guided air-to-surface missiles - Kh‑29 L/T, Kh‑31 A/P, Kh‑59

Air bombs, cassettes - FAB-500, KAB-500 L/KR, ZB-500, FAB-250, RBK-250, OFAB-100

Main characteristics of the Su-30 SM

2 people

Wingspan

Wing area

Empty mass

Normal take-off weight

Maximum take-off weight

Maximum take-off weight

Engines

2 × AL-31FP turbofan engines

Maximum thrust

2 × 7700 kgf

Afterburner thrust

2 × 12500 kgf

Maximum speed at high altitude

2125 km/h (M=2)

Maximum ground speed

Flight range without ground refueling

Flight range without refueling at altitude

Combat radius

Flight duration without refueling

Service ceiling

Rate of climb

Takeoff/run length

Weapons:

Built-in - 30 mm GSh-30–1 cannon (150 rounds)

On external sling: Guided air-to-air missiles - R-73, R-27 R/T, R-27ET/ER, R-77

Guided air-to-surface missiles - Kh‑29 L/T, Kh‑31 A/P, Kh‑59 M

Unguided missiles - 80 mm S-8, 122 mm S-13

Air bombs, cassettes - FAB-500, KAB-500 L/KR, FAB-250, RBK-250, KMGU

Main characteristics of the Su-35

1 person

Wingspan

Wing area

Empty mass

Normal take-off weight

Maximum take-off weight

Engines

2 × turbofans with OVT AL‑41F1S

Maximum thrust

2 × 8800 kgf

Afterburner thrust

2 × 14500 kgf

Maximum speed at high altitude

2500 km/h (M=2.25)

Maximum ground speed

Ground range

Flight range at altitude

3600…4500 km

Service ceiling

Rate of climb

Takeoff/run length

Weapons:

Built-in - 30 mm GSh-30–1 cannon (150 rounds)

On external sling:

Guided air-to-air missiles - R-73, R-27 R/T, R-27ET/ER, R-77

Guided air-to-surface missiles - Kh‑29 T/L, Kh‑31 A/P, Kh‑59 M,

promising long-range missiles

Unguided missiles - 80 mm S-8, 122 mm S-13, 266 mm S-25

Air bombs, cassettes - KAB‑500 L/KR, FAB‑500, FAB‑250, RBK‑250, KMGU

Main characteristics of MiG-31 BM

2 people

Wingspan

Wing area

Empty mass

Maximum take-off weight

Engines

2 × TRDDF D‑30 F6

Maximum thrust

2 × 9500 kgf

Afterburner thrust

2 × 15500 kgf

Maximum speed at high altitude

3000 km/h (M=2.82)

Maximum ground speed

Cruising speed subsonic

Cruise speed supersonic

Practical range

1450…3000 km

High altitude flight range with one refueling

Combat radius

Service ceiling

Rate of climb

Takeoff/run length

Weapons:

Built-in:

23‑mm 6‑barreled gun GSh‑23–6 (260 rounds)

On external sling:

Guided air-to-air missiles - R-60 M, R-73, R-77, R-40, R-33 S, R-37

Guided air-to-surface missiles - Kh‑25 MPU, Kh‑29 T/L, Kh‑31 A/P, Kh‑59 M

Air bombs, cassettes - KAB‑500 L/KR, FAB‑500, FAB‑250, RBK‑250

Main characteristics (estimated) of PAK-FA

1 person

Wingspan

Wing area

Empty mass

Normal take-off weight

Maximum take-off weight

Engines

2 × turbofans with UVT AL‑41F1

Maximum thrust

2 × 8800 kgf

Afterburner thrust

2 × 15000 kgf

Maximum speed at high altitude

Cruising speed

Practical range at subsonic speed

2700…4300 km

Practical range with PTB

Practical range at supersonic speed

1200…2000 km

Flight duration

Service ceiling

Rate of climb

Weapons:

Built-in - 30 mm gun 9 A1–4071 K (260 rounds)

On the internal sling - all types of modern and promising air-to-air and air-to-surface guided missiles, aerial bombs, cluster bombs

Aircraft type

Quantity
in service

Planned
build

Planned
modernize

Bomber aircraft as part of long-range aviation

Strategic missile carriers Tu-160

Strategic missile carriers Tu-95MS

Long-range missile carrier-bomber Tu-22M3

Bomber and attack aircraft as part of front-line aviation

Su-25 attack aircraft

Su-24M front-line bombers

Su-34 fighter-bombers

124 (total)

Fighter aircraft as part of front-line aviation

Frontline fighters MiG-29, MiG-29SMT

Frontline fighters Su-27, Su-27SM

Frontline fighters Su-35S

Multirole fighters Su-30, Su-30SM

Interceptor fighters MiG-31, MiG-31BSM

Promising aviation complex for front-line aviation - PAK FA

Military transport aviation

Transport aircraft An-22

Transport aircraft An-124 and An-124-100

Transport aircraft Il-76M, Il-76MDM, Il-76MD-90A

Transport aircraft An-12

Transport aircraft An-72

Transport aircraft An-26, An-24

Transport and passenger aircraft Il-18, Tu-134, Il-62, Tu-154, An-148, An-140

Promising military transport aircraft Il-112V

Promising military transport aircraft Il-214

Army Aviation Helicopters

Multi-purpose helicopters Mi-8M, Mi-8AMTSh, Mi-8AMT, Mi-8MTV

Transport and combat helicopters Mi-24V, Mi-24P, Mi-35

Mi-28N attack helicopters

Ka-50 attack helicopters

Ka-52 attack helicopters

146 (total)

Transport helicopters Mi-26, Mi-26M

Promising multi-purpose helicopter Mi-38

Reconnaissance and special aviation

Aircraft AWACS A-50, A-50U

Airplanes RER and electronic warfare Il-20M

An-30 reconnaissance aircraft

Tu-214R reconnaissance aircraft

Tu-214ON reconnaissance aircraft

Il-80 air command posts

Il-78, Il-78M refueling aircraft

Promising AWACS aircraft A-100

Promising aircraft RER and electronic warfare A-90

Il-96-400TZ tanker aircraft

Unmanned aerial vehicles (transferred to the Ground Forces)

"Bee-1T"

The Russian Federation is a powerful aviation power with its own history, whose air force is capable of resolving any conflicts, threatening our country. This was clearly demonstrated by the events last months in Syria, where Russian pilots are successfully fighting against the ISIS army, which poses a terrorist threat to the entire modern world.

Story

Russian aviation began its existence in 1910, but the official starting point was August 12, 1912 when Major General M.I. Shishkevich took control of all units in the Aeronautical Unit of the General Staff, which had been organized by that time.

Having existed for a very short period of time, the military aviation of the Russian Empire became one of the best air force of that time, although the aircraft industry in Russian state was in its infancy and Russian pilots had to fight on foreign-made aircraft.

"Ilya Muromets"

Despite the fact that the Russian state purchased aircraft from other countries, Russian soil has never been poor in talented people. In 1904, Professor Zhukovsky founded an institute for the study of aerodynamics, and in 1913, the young Sikorsky designed and built his famous bomber "Ilya Muromets" and a biplane with four engines "Russian Knight", designer Grigorovich developed various hydroplane designs.

The aviators Utochkin and Artseulov were very popular among the pilots of that time, and the military pilot Pyotr Nesterov amazed everyone by performing his legendary “dead loop” and became famous in 1914 by ramming an enemy plane in the air. In the same year, Russian pilots conquered the Arctic for the first time during flights to search for the missing pioneers of the North from Sedov’s expedition.

The Russian air force was represented by Army and Naval aviation, each type had several aviation groups, which included air squads of 6-10 aircraft each. Initially, the pilots were only engaged in adjusting artillery fire and reconnaissance, but then using bombs and machine guns they destroyed enemy personnel. With the appearance of fighters, battles began to destroy enemy aircraft.

1917

By the fall of 1917, Russian aviation consisted of about 700 aircraft, but then the October Revolution broke out and it was disbanded, many Russian pilots died in the war, and most of those who survived the revolutionary coup emigrated. The young Soviet republic founded its own air force in 1918, called the Workers' and Peasants' Red Air Fleet. But the fratricidal war ended and they forgot about military aviation; only at the end of the 30s, with the course towards industrialization, did its revival begin.

The Soviet government intensively took up the construction of new aviation industry enterprises and the creation of design bureaus. In those years, brilliant Soviet aircraft designers – Polikarpov, Tupolev, Lavochkin, Ilyushin, Petlyakov, Mikoyan and Gurevich.

To train and train pilots, flying clubs were founded as initial pilot training schools. After receiving piloting skills in such institutions, the cadets were sent to flight schools and then assigned to combat units. More than 20 thousand cadets were trained in 18 flight schools, technical personnel were trained in 6 institutions.

The leaders of the USSR understood that the first socialist state was in dire need of an air force and took all measures to quickly increase the aircraft fleet. At the turn of the 40s, wonderful fighters appeared, built at the Yakovlev and Lavochkin Design Bureaus - these are Yak-1 And LaG-3, Ilyushin Design Bureau commissioned the first attack aircraft, designers under the leadership of Tupolev created a long-range bomber TB-3, and the design bureau of Mikoyan and Gurevich completed flight tests of the fighter.

1941

The aviation industry, on the threshold of war, produced 50 aircraft per day in the early summer of 1941 and three months later doubled the production of aircraft.

But for Soviet aviation The beginning of the war was tragic; most of the aircraft located at airfields in the border zone were destroyed right in the parking lots without having time to take off. In the first battles, our pilots, lacking experience, used outdated tactics and, as a result, suffered heavy losses.

It was possible to turn this situation around only in mid-1943, when the flight crew acquired the necessary experience and aviation began to receive more modern equipment, such aircraft as fighters Yak-3, La-5 And La-7, modernized attack aircraft with Il-2 air gunner, bombers, long-range bombers.

In total, more than 44 thousand pilots were trained and graduated during the war, but the losses were enormous - 27,600 pilots were killed in battles on all fronts. By the end of the war, our pilots gained complete air superiority.

After the end of hostilities, a period of confrontation began, known as the Cold War. The era of jet aircraft began in aviation, the new kind military equipment - helicopters. During these years, aviation developed rapidly, more than 10 thousand aircraft were built, the creation of fourth generation fighter projects was completed and Su-29, development of fifth-generation machines began.

1997

But the subsequent collapse of the Soviet Union buried all initiatives; the republics that emerged from it divided all aviation among themselves. In 1997, the President of the Russian Federation, by his decree, announced the creation of the Russian Air Force, which united the air defense and air force forces.

Russian aviation had to participate in two Chechen wars and the Georgian military conflict; at the end of 2015, a limited contingent of the air force was redeployed to the Syrian Republic, where it successfully conducts military operations against global terrorism.

The nineties were a period of degradation of Russian aviation; this process was stopped only in the early 2000s, Air Force Commander-in-Chief Major General A.N. Zelin in 2008 described the situation in Russian aviation as extremely difficult. The training of military personnel was significantly reduced, many airfields were abandoned and destroyed, aircraft were poorly maintained, and training flights practically ceased due to lack of finance.

year 2009

Since 2009, the level of training of personnel began to rise, aviation equipment was modernized and overhauled, the purchase of new aircraft and the renewal of the aircraft fleet began. The development of the fifth generation aircraft is nearing completion. The flight crew began regular flights and are improving their skills; the material well-being of the pilots and technicians has increased.

The Russian Air Force consistently conducts exercises, improving combat skills and prowess.

Structural organization of the air force

On August 1, 2015, the air force organizationally joined the military space forces, of which Colonel General Bondarev was appointed commander-in-chief. The Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force and Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Aerospace Forces is currently Lieutenant General Yudin.

The Russian Air Force consists of the main types of aviation - long-range, military transport and army aviation. Radio technical, anti-aircraft and missile forces are also included in the Air Force. The most important functions of providing reconnaissance and communications, protection against weapons of mass destruction, conducting rescue operations and electronic warfare are performed by special troops also included in the air force. In addition, it is impossible to imagine the Air Force without engineering and logistics services, medical and meteorological units.

The Russian Air Force is designed to perform the following missions:

• Repel any attacks by the aggressor in the air and space.
• Providing air cover for launch sites, cities and all significantly important objects,
• Conducting reconnaissance.
• Destruction of enemy troops using conventional and nuclear weapons.
• Close air support for ground forces.

Back in 2008, a reform of Russian aviation took place, which structurally divided the air force into commands, brigades and air bases. The command was based on the territorial principle, which abolished the air force and air defense armies.

Today, commands are located in four cities: St. Petersburg, Khabarovsk, Novosibirsk and Rostov-on-Don. A separate command exists for long-range and military transport aviation, located in Moscow. By 2010, there were about 70 former aviation regiments, and now air bases, in total there were 148 thousand people in the air force and the Russian Air Force is second in number only to US aviation.

Military equipment of Russian aviation

Long-range and strategic aircraft

One of the brightest representatives of long-range aviation is the Tu-160, which bears the affectionate name “ White Swan" This machine was produced during the Soviet Union, develops supersonic speed and has a variable sweep wing. According to the developers, it is capable of overcoming enemy air defenses at ultra-low altitude and delivering a nuclear strike. The Russian Air Force has only 16 such aircraft and the question is: will our industry be able to organize the production of such machines?

The Tupolev Design Bureau's aircraft first took to the air during Stalin's lifetime and has been in service ever since. Four turboprop engines allow long-distance flights along the entire border of our country. Nickname " Bear"earned due to the bass sound of these engines, is capable of carrying cruise missiles and nuclear bombs. There are 30 of these machines left in service in the Russian Air Force.

Strategic missile carrier long range with economical engines, it is capable of supersonic flights, equipped with a variable-sweep wing, the production of these aircraft was launched back in the last century in the 60s. 50 vehicles and a hundred aircraft are in service Tu-22M preserved.

Fighter aircraft

Frontline fighter released in Soviet time, belongs to the first aircraft of the fourth generation; later modifications of this aircraft numbering about 360 units are in service.

On the base Su-27 A vehicle was released that had an electronic electronic equipment, capable of identifying targets on the ground and in the air at a great distance and transmitting target designations to other crews. There are a total of 80 such aircraft in stock.

Even deeper modernization Su-27 became a fighter, this aircraft belongs to the 4++ generation, it has high maneuverability and is equipped with the latest electronics.

These aircraft entered combat units in 2014; the air force has 48 aircraft.

The fourth generation of Russian aircraft began with MiG-27, more than two dozen modified models of this vehicle have been produced, with a total of 225 combat units in service.

Another fighter-bomber that cannot be ignored is the newest aircraft, which is in service with the Air Force in the amount of 75 units.

Attack aircraft and interceptors

- this is an exact copy of the F-111 aircraft of the US Air Force, which has not been flying for a long time; its Soviet analogue is still in service, but by 2020 all machines will be decommissioned; now there are about a hundred similar machines in service.

Legendary Stormtrooper Su-25 "Rook", which has high survivability, was developed in the 70s so successfully that after so many years of operation they are going to modernize it, since they do not yet see a worthy replacement. Today, 200 combat-ready vehicles and 100 aircraft are mothballed.

The interceptor develops high speed in a matter of seconds and is designed for a long range. The modernization of this aircraft will be completed by the twentieth year; in total there are 140 such aircraft in units.

Military transport aviation

The main fleet of transport aircraft are aircraft from the Antonov Design Bureau and several modifications from the Ilyushin Design Bureau. Among them are light transporters and An-72, medium-duty vehicles An-140 And An-148, solid heavy trucks An-22, An-124 And . About three hundred transport workers perform tasks to deliver cargo and military equipment.

Training aircraft

Designed after the collapse of the Union, the only training aircraft went into production and immediately gained a reputation as an excellent training machine with a program for simulating the aircraft for which the future pilot is retrained. In addition to it, there is a Czech training aircraft L-39 and an aircraft for training transport aviation pilots Tu-134UBL.

Army aviation

This type of aviation is represented mainly by Mil and Kamov helicopters and also by the machine of the Kazan Helicopter Plant “Ansat”. After being discontinued, the Russian army aviation was replenished with one hundred and the same number. Most of the helicopters in combat units are proven and Mi-24. Eights in service - 570 units, and Mi-24– 620 units. The reliability of these Soviet cars no doubt.

Unmanned aircraft

The USSR attached little importance to this type of weapon, but technological progress does not stand still and in modern times drones have found worthy use. These aircraft conduct reconnaissance and film enemy positions and carry out destruction command posts without risking the lives of people operating these drones. The Air Force has several types of UAVs - these are "Bee-1T" And "Flight-D", an outdated Israeli drone is still in service "Outpost".

Prospects for the Russian Air Force

In Russia, several aircraft projects are in development and some are close to completion. Undoubtedly, the new fifth-generation aircraft will arouse great interest among the general public, especially since it has already been demonstrated. PAK FA T-50 is undergoing the final stage of flight testing and will enter combat units in the near future.

An interesting project was presented by the Ilyushin Design Bureau; the aircraft and aircraft developed by its designers are replacing the Antonov aircraft and removing our dependence on the supply of spare parts from Ukraine. The newest fighter is being commissioned, test flights of new rotary-wing aircraft are being completed and Mi-38. We started developing a project for a new strategic aircraft PAK-DA, they promise that it will be lifted into the air in 2020.

It is well known throughout the world that Russian army- one of the most powerful on our planet. And she is considered as such by right. The air force is part of the Russian Armed Forces and is one of the key units of our army. Therefore, it is necessary to talk about the Air Force in more detail.

A little history

History in the modern sense begins in 1998. It was then that the Air Force we know today was formed. And they were formed as a result of the merger of the so-called troops and the Air Force. True, even now they no longer exist as such. Since last year, 2015, there has been the Aerospace Forces (VKS). By combining space and air forces, it was possible to consolidate potential and resources, as well as concentrate command in one hand - due to which the effectiveness of the forces increased. In any case, this is exactly how the need to form the VKS was justified.

These troops perform many tasks. They repel aggression in the air and space spheres, protect the land, people, country and important objects from attacks coming from the same place, and provide air support for the combat operations of other Russian military units.

Structure

The Russian Federation (after all, many people are more accustomed to calling them in the old way than VKS) includes many divisions. This is aviation, as well as radio engineering and anti-aircraft in the first place. These are the branches of the Air Force. The structure also includes special troops. These include intelligence, as well as communications of automated control systems and radio engineering support. Without this, the Russian Air Force cannot exist.

Special troops also include meteorological, topogeodetic, engineering, NBC protection, aeronautical, and also engineering. But this is not a complete list. It is also complemented by support, search and rescue, and meteorological services. But, in addition to the above, there are units whose main task is to protect military command and control bodies.

Other structure features

It should be noted that the structure that distinguishes the Air Force of the Russian Federation also has divisions. The first is long-range aviation (YES). The second is military transport (VTA). The third is operational tactical (OTA) and, finally, the fourth is army (AA). But that's not all. Units can include special, transport, reconnaissance, fighter aircraft, as well as attack and bomber aircraft. And each has its own tasks, which the Air Force obliges them to carry out.

The composition still has a certain foundation on which the entire structure rests. Naturally, these are air bases and brigades belonging to the Aerospace Defense Forces.

The situation in the 21st century

Every person who understands this topic at least a little knows perfectly well that in the 90s the air force of the Russian Federation was actively degrading. And all due to the fact that the number of troops and their level of training was very small. Plus, the technology was not particularly new, and there were not enough airfields. In addition, the structure was not funded, and therefore there were practically no flights. But in the 2000s the situation began to improve. To be more precise, everything began to progress in 2009. It was then that the fruitful and capital works concerning the repair and modernization of the entire Russian Air Force fleet.

Perhaps the impetus for this was the statement of the commander-in-chief of the troops, A. N. Zelin. In 2008, he said that the aerospace defense of our state was in a catastrophic state. Therefore, the purchase of equipment and improvement of the entire system as a whole began.

Symbolism

The Air Force flag is very bright and noticeable. This is a cloth blue color, in the center of which there is an image of two silver propellers. They seem to intersect with each other. An anti-aircraft gun is also depicted with them. And the background is made up of silvery wings. In general, it’s quite original and symbolic. Golden rays seem to emanate from the center of the cloth (there are 14 of them). By the way, their location is strictly regulated - this is not a chaotic choice. If you turn on your fantasy and imagination, it begins to seem as if this emblem is in the middle of the sun, blocking it - that’s why the rays.

And if you look into history, you can understand that this is so. Because in Soviet times, the flag was a blue cloth with a golden sun, in the middle of which was a red star with a hammer and sickle in the center. And just below are silver wings that seem to be attached to a black propeller ring.

It is worth noting that the Federation, together with the US Air Force, planned to conduct joint anti-terrorism exercises in 2008. This was supposed to happen in the Far East. The scenario was planned as follows: terrorists hijack a plane at the airport, and troops prevent the consequences. The Russian side had to bring into action four fighters, search rescue services and an early warning aircraft. The US Air Force required the participation of a civilian airliner and fighter aircraft. Plus the notorious plane. However, shortly before the planned event, literally a week, it was announced that it had been decided to celebrate the exercise. Many believe that the reason was the strained relations between NATO and Russia.

| Types of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation | Aerospace Forces (VKS). Air Force

Armed Forces of the Russian Federation

Aerospace Forces (VKS)

Air Force

From the history of creation

Aviation took its first steps without a sufficient scientific base, only thanks to enthusiasts. However, in late XIX- early 20th century Theoretical and experimental research appeared in this area. The leading role in the development of aviation belongs to the Russian scientists N. E. Zhukovsky and S. A. Chaplygin. The first successful flight of the aircraft was carried out on December 17, 1903 by American mechanics brothers W. and O. Wright.

Subsequently, various types of aircraft were created in Russia and some other countries. Their speed then reached 90-120 km/h. The use of aviation during the First World War determined the importance of the aircraft as a new combat weapon and caused the division of aviation into fighter, bomber and reconnaissance.

In the warring countries, during the war years, the fleet of aircraft expanded and their characteristics improved. The speed of the fighters reached 200-220 km/h, and the ceiling increased from 2 to 7 km. From the mid-20s. XX century Duralumin began to be widely used in aircraft construction. In the 30s in the design of aircraft they switched from a biplane to a monoplane, which made it possible to increase the speed of fighters to 560-580 km/h.

The Second World War was a powerful impetus for the development of aviation. After it, jet aviation and helicopter manufacturing began to develop rapidly. Supersonic aircraft appeared in the Air Force. In the 80s Much attention was paid to the creation of short takeoff and landing aircraft, high payload capacity, and improvement of helicopters. Currently, some countries are working to create and improve orbital and aerospace aircraft.

Organizational structure of the Air Force

• Air Force Command
• Aviation (types of aviation - bomber, attack, fighter, air defense, reconnaissance, transport and special);
• Anti-aircraft missile forces
• Radio technical troops
• Special troops
• units and institutions of the rear

Air Force- the most mobile and maneuverable branch of the Armed Forces, designed to protect the bodies of higher state and military command, strategic nuclear forces, troop groups, important administrative and industrial centers and regions of the country from reconnaissance and air strikes, attacks on aviation, land and naval groups the enemy, its administrative-political, industrial-economic centers in order to disorganize state and military administration, disrupt the work of the rear and transport, as well as conduct aerial reconnaissance and air transportation. They can perform these tasks under any weather conditions, at any time of day or year.

The main tasks of the Air Force in modern conditions are:
• revealing the beginning of an enemy air attack;
• notifying the main headquarters of the Armed Forces, headquarters of military districts, fleets, and civil defense authorities about the beginning of an enemy air attack;
• gaining and maintaining air supremacy;
• covering troops and rear facilities from aerial reconnaissance, air and space strikes;
• air support for the Ground and Navy forces;
• defeat of enemy military-economic potential facilities;
• violation of military and government controlled enemy;
• defeat of enemy nuclear missile, anti-aircraft and aviation groups and their reserves, as well as air and sea landings;
• defeat of enemy naval groups at sea, ocean, naval bases, ports and bases;
• the release of military equipment and the landing of troops;
• air transportation of troops and military equipment;
• conducting strategic, operational and tactical air reconnaissance;
• control over the use of airspace in the border strip.

The Air Force includes the following types of troops (Fig. 1):
• aviation (types of aviation - bomber, attack, fighter, air defense, reconnaissance, transport and special);
• anti-aircraft missile forces;
• radio technical troops;
• special troops;
• units and institutions of the rear.

The aviation units are armed with airplanes, seaplanes and helicopters. The basis of the Air Force's combat power is supersonic all-weather aircraft equipped with a variety of bomber, missile and small arms weapons.

The anti-aircraft missile and radio technical troops are armed with various anti-aircraft missile systems, short-range air defense systems, radar stations and other means of armed warfare.

In peacetime, the Air Force performs tasks to protect the state border of Russia in the airspace and alerts about flights of foreign reconnaissance vehicles in the border zone.

Bomber aircraft has long-range (strategic) and front-line (tactical) bombers in service various types. It is designed to defeat troop groups, destroy important military, energy facilities and communications centers primarily in the strategic and operational depths of enemy defenses. The bomber can carry bombs of various calibers, both conventional and nuclear, as well as air-to-surface guided missiles.

Attack aircraft designed for air support of troops, destruction of manpower and objects primarily at the front line, in the tactical and immediate operational depth of the enemy, as well as command of the fight against enemy aircraft in the air.
One of the main requirements for an attack aircraft is high accuracy in hitting ground targets. Weapons: large-caliber guns, bombs, rockets.

Fighter aircraft air defense is the main maneuverable force of the air defense system and is designed to cover the most important directions and objects from enemy air attack. It is capable of destroying the enemy at maximum ranges from defended objects.
Air defense aviation is armed with air defense fighter aircraft, combat helicopters, special and transport aircraft and helicopters.

Reconnaissance aircraft designed for conducting aerial reconnaissance of the enemy, terrain and weather, and can destroy hidden enemy objects.
Reconnaissance flights can also be carried out by bomber, fighter-bomber, attack and fighter aircraft. For this purpose, they are specially equipped with day and night photographic equipment at various scales, high-resolution radio and radar stations, heat direction finders, sound recording and television equipment, and magnetometers.
Reconnaissance aviation is divided into tactical, operational and strategic reconnaissance aviation.

Transport aviation designed for the transportation of troops, military equipment, weapons, ammunition, fuel, food, airborne landings, evacuation of the wounded, sick, etc.

Special aviation designed for long-range radar detection and guidance, refueling aircraft in the air, electronic warfare, radiation, chemical and biological protection, control and communications, meteorological and technical support, rescue of crews in distress, evacuation of the wounded and sick.

Anti-aircraft missile forces but are intended to protect the country’s most important facilities and troop groups from enemy air strikes.
They constitute the main firepower of the air defense system and are armed with anti-aircraft guns. missile systems and anti-aircraft missile systems for various purposes, possessing great firepower and high accuracy in destroying enemy air attack weapons.

Radio technical troops- the main source of information about the air enemy and are intended for conducting radar reconnaissance, monitoring the flights of their aircraft and compliance by aircraft of all departments with the rules for the use of airspace.
They give out information about the beginning of an air attack, combat information for anti-aircraft missile forces and air defense aviation, as well as information for managing air defense formations, units and subunits.
Radio technical troops are armed with radar stations and radar systems, capable at any time of the year and day, regardless of meteorological conditions and interference, detect not only air, but also surface targets.

Communication units and subdivisions designed for deployment and operation of communication systems in order to ensure command and control of troops in all types of combat activities.

Electronic warfare units and units designed to interfere with airborne radars, bomb sights, communications and radio navigation of enemy air attack systems.

Units and subdivisions of communications and radio engineering support designed to provide control of aviation units and subunits, aircraft navigation, takeoff and landing of aircraft and helicopters.

Units and subdivisions engineering troops, as well as parts and units of radiation, chemical and biological protection are designed to perform the most complex tasks of engineering and chemical support, respectively.

The air force has long become the basis of the armed forces of any army. Airplanes are becoming more than just a means of delivering bombs and missiles to the enemy; modern aviation is multifunctional combat systems with wings. Newest fighters The F-22 and F-35, as well as their modifications, have already been put into service with the US Army, and here we mean “army” as ground forces. This means that infantry is now on a par with tanks and infantry fighting vehicles and includes fighters. This highlights the role of air power in modern warfare. Such a shift towards multifunctionality was made possible by new developments in the field of aircraft construction and changes in the principles of war. A modern fighter can fight without approaching the target closer than 400 km, launch missiles at 30 targets and at the same second turn around and fly to the base. The case is of course a special one, but it more than describes the picture. Not exactly what we are used to seeing in Hollywood blockbusters in which, no matter how far you look into the future, fighters in the air and in space are conducting classic “dog fights” from the times of the Great Patriotic War. Some time ago, a couple of news sites were full of news that in a simulation of the battle between the “drying” and the F-22, the domestic machine emerged victorious due to its superior maneuverability; of course, we were talking about superiority in close combat. All articles noted that in long-range combat the Raptor is superior to the Su-35 due to more advanced weapons and guidance systems. This is what distinguishes 4++ and 5th generations.

On this moment The Russian Air Force is armed with combat aircraft of the so-called 4++ generation, the same Su-35. This is the product of a deep modernization of the Su-27 and Mig-29, which have been available since the 80s; it is planned to begin a similar modernization of the Tu-160 soon. 4++ means as close as possible to the fifth generation; in general, the modern “drying” differs from the PAK FA in the absence of “stealth” and AFAR. Nevertheless, the possibilities for modernizing this design have basically been exhausted, so the issue of creating a new generation of fighters has been around for a long time.

Fifth generation

Fifth generation of fighters. We often hear this term in the news about modern weapons and at aviation shows. What is it? "Generation" is in general outline a list of requirements that modern military doctrine places on a combat vehicle. The 5th generation vehicle should be stealthy, have supersonic cruising speed, advanced target detection systems and electronic warfare systems, but the most important thing is versatility. It’s not for nothing that projects have the word “complex” in their names. The ability to fight equally well in the air and hit ground targets largely determines the appearance of the fifth generation. These are the tasks that were set for the future designers of the new symbol of domestic aviation.

The development of a new generation began in the USSR and the USA almost simultaneously, back in the 80s, and in the States they already selected a prototype in the 90s. Because of world-famous events Soviet program found itself in stagnation long years, this is the reason for the lag these days. As you know, the 5th generation fighter F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning are already in service with the United States and a number of other countries. What is noteworthy is that “Raptors” are not yet supplied even to allies, having noticeable advantages over “Lightnings”, the exclusive presence of “Raptors” in the US Army makes their Air Force the most advanced in the world.

Our response to the “Raptors” is still being prepared, the dates have been repeatedly postponed, from 2016 to 2017 2019, now it’s 2020, but experts say that another postponement is possible, although they note that the new Russian fighter is increasingly taking the form of a product ready for serial production.

Su-47 "Berkut"

In Russia, the fifth generation has a rather long-suffering history. As you know, the PAK FA, also known as the T-50, and more recently the Su-57, is not the first attempt to get an ultra-modern multi-role fighter into service. One of these attempts was the Su-47, also known as Berkut. Testing of a new aircraft with a forward-swept wing took place back in the 90s. The car is very memorable and for a long time was visible and heard. The “reverse” wings partly played a cruel joke on him. Such a design brought the aircraft to a new level of maneuverability, however, to solve all the problems of such a design, the forces were never found, either in Russia or in the States, where in the 80s there was a project for the X-29, a fighter with a similar swept wing. Also, this prototype did not meet all the requirements of the fifth generation, for example, it could only overcome supersonic power with afterburner.

Only one fighter was built and it is now used only as a prototype. Perhaps the Su-47 will be the last attempt to create an aircraft with a forward-swept wing.

Su-57 (PAK FA)

PAK FA (Advanced Aviation Complex of Frontline Aviation) is a new Russian aircraft. It became the first successful attempt to bring to life the fifth generation of aircraft. At the moment, there is little information in the public domain about its characteristics. From the obvious, it has all the characteristics of the fifth generation, namely supersonic cruising speed, stealth technologies, active phased array antennas (AFAR), and so on. Externally, it is similar to the F-22 Raptor. And now everyone who is not too lazy is already starting to compare these machines, no wonder, because the Su-57 will become the main “protagonist” in the fight against the Raptors and Lightnings. It is worth noting that in the new realities, the improvement of missiles will also occupy a special place. As has already been said, entering into battle takes place over gigantic distances, so how maneuverable a fighter will be and how well it feels in close combat is a matter of minor importance.

In Russia, the “arrows” for the latest aviation technology are the R-73 rocket and its modifications, which rightfully bear the fame of a formidable weapon. But the designers, in accordance with the good Russian tradition, “just in case”, provided for the installation of a 30-mm air cannon on the Su-57.

In developing

Another transition to the “five” is planned for another 4++ aircraft - the Mig-35. Sketches of the “face” of the future interceptor have already been shown, but it is not yet clear whether there will be a need for it or whether the Su-57 will cope with its functions. Not only would a light fighter meet all the requirements of the new generation, it would be necessary to develop a fundamentally new engine and solve the problem of installing stealth. Which is impossible for cars of this class in modern realities. As mentioned earlier, the fifth generation assumes the multifunctionality that the Su-57 should theoretically have, so what tasks will be assigned to the Mig is still not clear.

Another promising vehicle for the Russian aviation forces is the PAK DA, being developed within the walls of the Tupolev design bureau. From the abbreviation it is clear that we are talking about long-range aviation. According to the plan, the first flight is in 2025, but given the tendency to postpone the release of anything, you can immediately throw in a couple of three, or even five years. Therefore, most likely we will not soon see the new Tupolev take off into the sky; obviously, long-range aviation will make do with the Tu-160 and its modification in the near future.

Sixth generation

On the Internet, no, no, yes, there is a yellow article about the sixth generation of fighters. That development is already in full swing somewhere. This is of course not true, because let us remind you that the newest fifth generation is in service only with the United States. Therefore, it is too early to talk about “development at full speed.” I should finish with the fifth one here. As for speculation about what the weapons of the future will look like, there is room for discussion. What will the new generation of aircraft be like?

From the sixth generation we can expect that all standard characteristics will increase. Speed, maneuverability. Most likely, the weight will decrease, thanks to new materials of the future, electronics will reach a new level. In the coming decades, we may expect breakthroughs in the creation of quantum computers; this will allow us to move to an unprecedented level of computing speed, which in turn will make it possible to seriously modernize the modern AI of the aircraft, which in the future may rightfully bear the name “co-pilot.” Presumably, there will be a complete abandonment of the vertical tail, which is absolutely useless in modern realities, since fighters operate mainly at extreme and extreme angles of attack. This could lead to interesting airframe shapes, perhaps again an attempt to change the wing sweep.

Most main question which the designers of the future will decide - is a pilot needed at all? That is, will the fighter be controlled by AI or by a pilot, and if by a pilot, will the pilot control the plane remotely or the old-fashioned way from the cockpit. Imagine a plane without a pilot. This is a huge “relief” for the car, because in addition to the weight of the pilot himself and his equipment, a decent load is created by the pilot’s seat, which is supposed to save lives, which makes it a complex machine, stuffed with electronics and mechanisms for ejecting the pilot. Not to mention changing the design of the airframe, in which there is no need to allocate a huge amount of space for a person and rack your brains over the ergonomic design of the cockpit to make it easier to control the machine in the air. The absence of a pilot means that you no longer need to worry about overloads, which means the car can be accelerated to any speed that the structure can handle, the same goes for maneuvers in the sky. This will also make pilot training easier. And we are talking not only about reducing the requirements for the pilot’s health. Now the pilot is the most valuable thing in a fighter aircraft. Enormous amounts of time and resources are spent on preparation; the loss of a pilot is irreparable. If a pilot controls a fighter from the comfort of a chair deep in a bunker on a military base, then this will change the face of war no less than the “transfer” from horses to tanks and infantry fighting vehicles.

The prospect of completely eliminating the pilot still looks like a task for the more distant future. Scientists are warning about the consequences of using AI, and the very philosophical and ethical component of replacing a person with a robot in war is still being studied. We still do not have the computing power to create a full-fledged replacement for the pilot, but in the coming decades a technological revolution in this area is possible. On the other hand, the pilot's flair and military ingenuity cannot be recreated by zeros and ones. For now, these are all hypotheses, so the appearance modern aviation and the air force of the near future will still have a human face.

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