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Military power of modern Russia. Aviation

Designed to protect centers, regions of the country (administrative, industrial and economic), troop groups and important facilities from enemy air and space strikes, support the actions of the Ground Forces and, strike the enemy's aviation, land and sea groups, his administrative, political and military-economic centers.

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.

In peacetime air force perform security tasks state border Russian airspace is notified of flights of foreign reconnaissance vehicles in the border zone.

The air force includes the air armies of the Supreme High Command strategic purpose and the Supreme High Command of Military Transport Aviation; Moscow Air Force and Air Defense District; Air Force and Air Defense armies: separate Air Force and Air Defense corps.

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.

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.

Rice. 1. Structure of the Air Force

One of the main requirements for an attack aircraft is high accuracy in hitting ground targets. Weapons: large-caliber guns, bombs, rockets.

The 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, conducting electronic warfare, radiation, chemical and biological protection, control and communications, meteorological and technical support, rescuing crews in distress, evacuating the wounded and sick.

Anti-aircraft missile forces designed 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.

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, and units and divisions of radiation, chemical and biological protection designed to perform the most complex engineering and chemical support tasks, respectively.

The Air Force is armed with aircraft Tu-160 (Fig. 2), Tu-22MZ, Tu-95MS, Su-24, Su-34, MiG-29, MiG-27, MiG-31 of various modifications (Fig. 3), Su -25, Su-27, Su-39 (Fig. 4), MiG-25R, Su-24MP, A-50 (Fig. 5), An-12, An-22, An-26, An-124, Il -76, IL-78; helicopters Mi-8, Mi-24, Mi-17, Mi-26, Ka-31, Ka-52 (Fig. 6), Ka-62; anti-aircraft missile systems S-200, S-300, S-300PM (Fig. 7), S-400 “Triumph”, radar stations and complexes “Protivnik-G”, “Nebo-U”, “Gamma-DE” , "Gamma-S1", "Casta-2".

Rice. 2. Strategic supersonic missile carrier-bomber Tu-160: wingspan - 35.6/55.7 m; length - 54.1 m; height - 13.1 m; maximum take-off weight - 275 tons; maximum combat load - 45 tons; cruising speed - 960 km/h; range - 7300 km; ceiling - 18000 m; weapons - missiles, bombs (including nuclear); crew - 4 people

Rice. 3. Multi-role fighter MiG-31F/FZ: wingspan - 13.46 m; length - 22.67 m; height - 6.15 m; maximum take-off weight - 50,000 kg; cruising speed - 2450 km/h; range - 3000 km; combat radius - 650 km; ceiling - 20,000 m; armament - 23-mm six-barreled cannon (260 rounds, rate of fire - 8000 rounds/min); combat load - 9000 kg (UR, bombs); crew - 2 people

Rice. 4. Su-39 attack aircraft: wingspan - 14.52 m; length - 15.33 m; height - 5.2 m; maximum speed near the ground - 2450 km/h; range - 1850 km; ceiling - 18,000 m; armament - 30 mm cannon; combat load - 4500 kg (ATGM with ATGM, anti-ship missiles, NUR, U R. bombs - conventional, guided, cluster, nuclear)

Rice. 5. Long-range radar detection and control aircraft A-50: wingspan - 50.5 m; length - 46.59 m; height - 14.8 m; normal take-off weight - 190,000 kg; maximum cruising speed - 800 km/h; range - 7500 km; ceiling - 12000 m; target detection range: airborne - 240 km, surface - 380 km; crew - 5 people + 10 people tactical crew

Rice. 6. Combat attack helicopter Ka-52 "Alligator": main rotor diameter - 14.50 m; length with rotating propellers - 15.90 m; maximum weight - 10,400 kg; ceiling - 5500 m; range - 520 km; armament - 30 mm cannon with 500 rounds of ammunition; combat load - 2000 kg on 4 hardpoints (ATGM, standardized containers with machine gun and cannon weapons, NUR, SD); crew - 2 people

Rice. 7. Anti-aircraft missile system S-300-PM: targets hit - aircraft, cruise and tactical missiles all types; affected area - range 5-150 km, altitude 0.025-28 km; number of simultaneously hit targets - up to 6; number of simultaneously aimed missiles at the target - 12; readiness time for combat work from the march - 5 minutes

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

Armed forces 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 significance of the aircraft as a new weapon, 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 became a powerful impetus for the development of aviation. World War. 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

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 enemy military and government control;
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 It is armed with long-range (strategic) and front-line (tactical) bombers of 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 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 provide information about the beginning of an air attack, combat information for anti-aircraft missile forces and air defense aviation, as well as information for controlling formations, units and air defense units.
The radio technical troops are armed with radar stations and radar systems capable of detecting not only airborne but also surface targets at any time of the year and day, regardless of meteorological conditions and interference.

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

The Russian Federation is a powerful power, this is no secret to anyone. Therefore, many are interested in how many aircraft Russia has in service and how mobile and modern its military equipment is? According to analytical studies, the modern Russian Air Force actually possesses a huge amount of such equipment. The world-famous publication Flight International proved this fact by publishing in its publication a ranking of countries that have the most powerful air weapons.

"Swifts"

The leader in this ranking is America. The US Army has about 26% of the military air assets that have been created in the world. According to data published in the publication, the American Army has about 13,717 military aircraft, of which about 586 are military refueling vessels.
The army of the Russian Federation took the third place of honor. How many military aircraft does Russia have according to Flight International? According to data published by the publication, the Russian army currently has 3,547 aircraft that can be used for military purposes. If translated into percentages, this will indicate that about 7% of all military vessels that exist in the world belong to the Russian Federation. This year, the country's army should be replenished with new Su-34 bombers, which showed excellent performance during the military operations that unfolded in Syria. Analysts claim that by the end of the year the number of equipment of this type will reach 123 units, which will significantly increase the capacity Russian army.
In third place in the ranking is the Chinese Air Force.

about 1,500 air assets;
approximately 800 helicopters;
about 120 Harbin Z attack rotorcraft.

In total, according to the publication, the Chinese army has 2942 units of aircraft, that is, 6% of all military aircraft available in the world. After reviewing the published data, Russian experts noted that some of the information is indeed true, however, not all facts can be called reliable. Therefore, you should not try to find the answer to the question - how many aircraft does Russia have, using only this source. Experts noted that the publication was not fully able to analyze strategically important air equipment, and if a comparison is made between combat aircraft and transport-combat vessels belonging to the Russian and US armies, it will be possible to notice that the American Air Force is not so superior to the Russian air fleet, according to Flight International experts.

Composition of the Russian Air Force

So how many aircraft does Russia really have in service? It is impossible to answer this question unequivocally, because the amount of military equipment is not officially published anywhere; this information is kept in the strictest confidence. But, as you know, even the strictest secret can be revealed, even if only partially. So, according to information that was published by a reliable source, the Russian air fleet is indeed inferior, although not by much, to the American army. The source indicates that the Russian Air Force has about 3,600 aircraft in its arsenal, which are operated by the army and about a thousand are in storage. The Russian Navy includes:

long-range military equipment;
military transport aircraft;
military aviation;
anti-aircraft, radio and missile forces;
troops for communications and reconnaissance.

In addition to the above units, the air force includes troops participating in rescue operations, logistics services and engineering units.

The military aircraft fleet is constantly replenished with aircraft; currently the Russian army has the following military aircraft in its arsenal:

Su-30 M2 and Su-30 SM;
Su-24 and Su-35;
MiG-29 SMT;
Il-76 Md-90 A;
Yak-130.

In addition, the army also owns military helicopters:

Mi-8 AMTSH/MTV-5-1;
Ka-52;
Mi-8 MTPR and MI-35 M;
Mi-26 and Ka-226.

In the army of the Russian Federation he serves about 170000 Human. 40000 of them are officers.

Victory Parade on Red Square

What types of structures operate in the army?

Main structures Russian fleet are:

brigades;
bases where military air equipment is located;
command staff army;
a separate command staff supervising the activities of long-range aviation;
command staff in charge of transport air forces.

Currently, there are 4 commands in the Russian Navy, they are located;

in the Novosibirsk region;
in the Khabarovsk district;
in Rostov-on-Don;
in St. Petersburg.

Relatively recently, the officer corps carried out several reforms. After their completion, the previously named regiments were renamed into air bases. Currently, there are air bases in Russia about 70.

Tasks of the Russian Air Force

The Air Force of the Russian Federation must perform the following tasks:

Repel enemy attacks both in the sky and in outer space;
Act as a defender against enemy air for the following objects: military and government; administrative and industrial; for other objects that are valuable to the country.
To repel an enemy attack, the Russian navy can use any ammunition, including nuclear.
Vessels, if necessary, should conduct reconnaissance from the sky.
During military operations, air equipment must provide support from the sky for other branches of the armed forces that are available in the army of the Russian Federation.

The Russian military fleet is constantly replenished with new aircraft, and old aircraft are certainly updated. As it became known, the Russian Air Force has begun developing a 5th generation military fighter together with the navies of the United States, India and China. Apparently, soon Russian base will be replenished with completely new 5th generation flying equipment.

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The importance of air power in modern warfare is enormous, and the conflicts of recent decades clearly confirm this. Russian Air Force by number aircraft second only to the American Air Force. Russian military aviation has a long and glorious history; until recently, the Russian Air Force was a separate branch of the military; in August last year, the Russian Air Force became part of the Aerospace Forces of the Russian Federation.

Russia is undoubtedly a great aviation power. Except glorious history, our country can boast of a significant technological reserve, which allows us to independently produce military aircraft of any type.

Today, Russian military aviation is going through a difficult period of its development: its structure is changing, new aircraft are entering service, and a generational change is taking place. However, events last months in Syria showed that the Russian Air Force can successfully carry out its combat missions in any conditions.

History of the Russian Air Force

The history of Russian military aviation began more than a century ago. In 1904, an aerodynamic institute was created in Kuchino, and one of the creators of aerodynamics, Zhukovsky, became its director. Within its walls, scientific and theoretical work was carried out aimed at improving aviation technology.

During the same period, the Russian designer Grigorovich worked on the creation of the world's first seaplanes. The first flight schools were opened in the country.

In 1910, the Imperial Air Force was organized, which existed until 1917.

Russian aviation took an active part in the First World War, although the domestic industry of that time lagged significantly behind other countries participating in this conflict. Most of the combat aircraft flown by Russian pilots of that time were manufactured at foreign factories.

But still, domestic designers also had interesting discoveries. The first multi-engine bomber, the Ilya Muromets, was created in Russia (1915).

The Russian air force was divided into air squads, which included 6-7 aircraft. The detachments were united into air groups. The army and navy had their own aviation.

At the beginning of the war, aircraft were used for reconnaissance or adjusting artillery fire, but very quickly they began to be used for bombing the enemy. Soon fighters appeared and air battles began.

Russian pilot Nesterov made the first aerial ram, and a little earlier he performed the famous “dead loop”.

The Imperial Air Force was disbanded after the Bolsheviks came to power. Many pilots served in the Civil War on different sides of the conflict.

In 1918 new government created its own air force, which took part in the civil war. After its completion, the country's leadership paid great attention to the development of military aviation. This allowed the USSR in the 30s, after large-scale industrialization, to return to the club of the world's leading aviation powers.

New aircraft factories were built, design bureaus were created, and flight schools were opened. A whole galaxy of talented aircraft designers appeared in the country: Polyakov, Tupolev, Ilyushin, Petlyakov, Lavochnikov and others.

In the pre-war period, the armed forces received a large number of new models of aviation equipment, which were not inferior to foreign analogues: MiG-3, Yak-1, LaGG-3 fighters, TB-3 long-range bomber.

By the beginning of the war, Soviet industry had produced more than 20 thousand military aircraft of various modifications. In the summer of 1941, USSR factories produced 50 combat vehicles per day, three months later the production of equipment doubled (up to 100 vehicles).

The war for the USSR Air Force began with a series of crushing defeats - a huge number of aircraft were destroyed at border airfields and in air battles. For almost two years, German aviation had air supremacy. Soviet pilots did not have the proper experience, their tactics were outdated, like most of the Soviet aviation equipment.

The situation began to change only in 1943, when the USSR industry mastered the production of modern combat vehicles, and the Germans had to best forces sent to defend Germany from Allied air raids.

By the end of the war, the quantitative superiority of the USSR Air Force became overwhelming. During the war, more than 27 thousand Soviet pilots died.

On July 16, 1997, by Decree of the President of Russia, the the new kind troops - the Air Force of the Russian Federation. Part new structure Air defense troops and air force entered. In 1998, the necessary structural changes were completed, the Main Headquarters of the Russian Air Force was formed, and a new commander-in-chief appeared.

Military aviation Russia participated in all conflicts in the North Caucasus, in the Georgian war of 2008, in 2019, Russian Aerospace Forces were introduced into Syria, where they are currently located.

Around the middle of the last decade, active modernization of the Russian air force began.

Old aircraft are being modernized and units are receiving new technology, new air bases are being built and old ones are being restored. The fifth generation fighter T-50 is being developed and is in its final stages.

The pay of military personnel has been significantly increased, today pilots have the opportunity to spend enough time in the air and hone their skills, and exercises have become regular.

In 2008, the reform of the air force began. The structure of the Air Force was divided into commands, air bases and brigades. Commands were created according to territorial principle and replaced the air defense and air force armies.

Structure of the air force of the Russian Air Force

Today, the Russian Air Force is part of the military space forces, the decree on the creation of which was published in August 2019. The leadership of the Russian Aerospace Forces is carried out General base RF Armed Forces, and the direct command is the Main Command of the Aerospace Forces. The commander-in-chief of the Russian military space forces is Colonel General Sergei Surovikin.

The Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Air Force is Lieutenant General Yudin, he holds the position of Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces.

In addition to the air force, the Aerospace Forces include space forces, air defense and missile defense units.

The Russian Air Force includes long-range, military transport and army aviation. In addition, the Air Force includes anti-aircraft, missile and radio technical troops. The Russian Air Force also has its own special troops, which many perform important functions: provide reconnaissance and communications, engage in electronic warfare, rescue operations and defense against weapons mass destruction. The Air Force also includes meteorological and medical services, engineering units, support units and logistics services.

The basis of the structure of the Russian air force are brigades, air bases and commands of the Russian Air Force.

Four commands are located in St. Petersburg, Rostov-on-Don, Khabarovsk and Novosibirsk. In addition, the Russian Air Force includes a separate command that manages long-range and military transport aviation.

As mentioned above, the Russian Air Force is second only to the US Air Force in size. In 2010, the strength of the Russian air force was 148 thousand people, about 3.6 thousand different pieces of aircraft were in operation, and about 1 thousand more were in storage.

After the 2008 reform, air regiments turned into air bases; in 2010, there were 60-70 such bases.

The Russian Air Force is assigned the following tasks:

repelling enemy aggression in the air and outer space;
protection from air strikes of military and government control points, administrative and industrial centers, and other important infrastructure facilities of the state;
defeating enemy troops using various types of ammunition, including nuclear;
conducting intelligence operations;
direct support for other branches and branches of the Russian Armed Forces.

Military aviation of the Russian Air Force

The Russian Air Force includes strategic and long-range aviation, military transport and army aviation, which, in turn, is divided into fighter, attack, bomber, and reconnaissance.

Strategic and long-range aviation is part of the Russian nuclear triad and is capable of carrying different kinds nuclear weapons.

. These machines were designed and built back in the Soviet Union. The impetus for the creation of this aircraft was the development by the Americans of the B-1 strategist. Today, the Russian Air Force has 16 Tu-160 aircraft in service. These military aircraft can be armed with cruise missiles and free-fall bombs. Whether Russian industry will be able to establish serial production of these machines is an open question.

. This is a turboprop aircraft that made its first flight during Stalin’s lifetime. This vehicle has undergone deep modernization; it can be armed with cruise missiles and free-falling bombs with both conventional and nuclear warheads. Currently, the number of operating machines is about 30.

. This machine is called a long-range supersonic missile-carrying bomber. Tu-22M was developed in the late 60s of the last century. The aircraft has variable wing geometry. Can carry cruise missiles and bombs with a nuclear warhead. The total number of combat-ready vehicles is about 50, another 100 are in storage.

The fighter aviation of the Russian Air Force is currently represented by the Su-27, MiG-29, Su-30, Su-35, MiG-31, Su-34 (fighter-bomber) aircraft.

. This machine is the result of a deep modernization of the Su-27; it can be classified as generation 4++. The fighter has increased maneuverability and is equipped with advanced electronic equipment. Commencement of operation of the Su-35 - 2014. The total number of aircraft is 48 aircraft.

. The famous attack aircraft, created back in the mid-70s of the last century. One of the best aircraft in its class in the world, the Su-25 has participated in dozens of conflicts. Today there are about 200 Rooks in service, with another 100 in storage. This aircraft is being modernized and will be completed in 2020.

. A front-line bomber with variable wing geometry, designed to overcome enemy air defenses at low altitude and supersonic speed. The Su-24 is an obsolete aircraft; it is planned to be written off by 2020. 111 units remain in service.

. The newest fighter-bomber. There are currently 75 such aircraft in service with the Russian Air Force.

Transport aviation Russian Air Force represented by several hundred various aircraft, the vast majority developed in the USSR: An-22, An-124 “Ruslan”, Il-86, An-26, An-72, An-140, An-148 and other models.

Training aviation includes: Yak-130, Czech aircraft L-39 Albatros and Tu-134UBL.

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 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 troops. 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. 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 postponed several times, from 2016 to 2017 2019, now it’s 2020, but experts say that another postponement is possible, although they note that a new Russian fighter every day it is increasingly taking the form of a product ready for mass 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. This design brought the aircraft to new level 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 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 acronym it is clear that we're talking about 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 may lead to interesting shapes airframe, perhaps another 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 of modern aviation and the air force of the near future will still have a human face.

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