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What types of Russian military aircraft are there? Russian Strategic Aviation

Home Structure Armed Forces of the Russian Federation Military air force Aviation structure

Aviation

Air Force Aviation (AVVS) According to its purpose and tasks, it is divided into long-range, military transport, operational-tactical and army aviation, which includes: bomber, attack, fighter, reconnaissance, transport and special aviation.

Organizationally, Air Force aviation consists of air bases that are part of Air Force formations, as well as other units and organizations directly subordinate to the Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force.

Long-Range Aviation (YES) is a means of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Russian Federation and is designed to solve strategic (operational-strategic) and operational tasks in theaters of military operations (strategic directions).

The DA formations and units are armed with strategic and long-range bombers, tanker aircraft and reconnaissance aircraft. Operating primarily in strategic depth, DA formations and units perform the following main tasks: defeating air bases (airfields), missile systems ground-based, aircraft carriers and other surface ships, objects from enemy reserves, military-industrial facilities, administrative and political centers, energy facilities and hydraulic structures, naval bases and ports, command posts associations of armed forces and operational centers air defense control in the theater of military operations, ground communications facilities, landing troops and convoys; mining from the air. Part of the YES forces may be involved in conducting aerial reconnaissance and performing special tasks.

Long-range aviation is a component of strategic nuclear forces.

DA formations and units are based taking into account its operational-strategic purpose and tasks from Novgorod in the west of the country to Anadyr and Ussuriysk in the east, from Tiksi in the north and to Blagoveshchensk in the south of the country.

The basis of the aircraft fleet is the Tu-160 and Tu-95MS strategic missile carriers, Tu-22M3 long-range missile carrier-bombers, Il-78 tanker aircraft and Tu-22MR reconnaissance aircraft.

Main aircraft armament: aviation cruise missiles long-range and operational-tactical missiles in nuclear and conventional configuration, as well as aerial bombs of various purposes and calibers.

A practical demonstration of the spatial indicators of the combat capabilities of the DA command are air patrol flights of Tu-95MS and Tu-160 aircraft in the area of the island of Iceland and the Norwegian Sea; on North Pole and to the Aleutian Islands region; along east coast South America.

Regardless of the organizational structure in which long-range aviation exists and will exist, the combat strength, characteristics of the aircraft and weapons in service, the main task of long-range aviation on the scale of the Air Force should be considered both nuclear and non-nuclear deterrence probable opponents. In the event of the outbreak of war, the DA will carry out tasks to reduce the military-economic potential of the enemy, destroy important military installations, and disrupt state and military control.

Analysis modern views the purpose of the aircraft, the tasks assigned to it, and the predicted conditions for their implementation show that at present and in the future, long-range aviation continues to be the main striking force of the Air Force.

Main directions of development of long-range aviation:

maintaining and increasing operational capabilities to carry out assigned tasks within strategic forces deterrence and forces general purpose through modernization of Tu-160, Tu-95MS, Tu-22MZ bombers with service life extension;
creating a promising aviation complex long-range aviation (PAK DA).

Military transport aviation (MTA) is a means of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and is intended to solve strategic (operational-strategic), operational and operational-tactical tasks in theaters of military operations (strategic directions).

The military transport aircraft Il-76MD, An-26, An-22, An-124, An-12PP, and Mi-8MTV transport helicopters are in service with the formations and units of the Military Aviation Administration. The main tasks of military aviation formations and units are: landing of units (units) of the Airborne Forces from operational (operational-tactical) airborne assault forces; delivery of weapons, ammunition and materiel to troops operating behind enemy lines; ensuring maneuver of aviation formations and units; transportation of troops, weapons, ammunition and materiel; evacuation of the wounded and sick, participation in peacekeeping operations. Includes air bases, units and units of special forces.

Part of the BTA forces may be involved in performing special tasks.

The main directions of development of the military transport aviation: maintaining and increasing capabilities to ensure the deployment of the Armed Forces in various theaters of operations, airborne landings, transportation of troops and materiel by air through the purchase of new Il-76MD-90A and An-70, Il-112V aircraft and modernization of Il-76 aircraft MD and An-124.

Operational-tactical aviation designed to solve operational (operational-tactical) and tactical tasks in operations (combat actions) of groupings of troops (forces) in theaters of military operations (strategic directions).

Army Aviation (AA) designed to solve operational-tactical and tactical tasks during army operations (combat operations).

Bomber Aviation (BA), armed with strategic, long-range and operational-tactical bombers, is the main strike weapon of the Air Force and is designed to destroy groupings of troops, aviation, naval forces the enemy, the destruction of his important military, military-industrial, energy facilities, communications centers, conducting aerial reconnaissance and mining from the air, mainly in strategic and operational depth.

Assault Aviation (AS), armed with attack aircraft, is a means of air support for troops (forces) and is intended to destroy troops, ground (sea) objects, as well as enemy aircraft (helicopters) at home airfields (sites), conduct aerial reconnaissance and mine mining from the air primarily at the forefront, in tactical and operational-tactical depth.

Fighter Aviation (IA), armed with fighter aircraft, is designed to destroy enemy aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles in the air and ground (sea) targets.

Reconnaissance aviation (RzA), armed with reconnaissance aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles aircrafts, is intended for conducting aerial reconnaissance of objects, the enemy, terrain, weather, air and ground radiation and chemical conditions.

Transport aviation (TrA), armed with transport aircraft, is intended for airborne landings, transportation of troops, weapons, military and special equipment and other materiel by air, ensuring maneuver and combat operations of troops (forces), and performing special tasks.

Formations, units, subunits of bomber, attack, fighter, reconnaissance and transport aviation can also be involved in solving other tasks.

Special Aviation (SPA), armed with airplanes and helicopters, is designed to perform special tasks. Units and subunits of special aviation are directly or operationally subordinate to the commander of the Air Force formation and are involved in: maintaining radar reconnaissance and the implementation of aviation guidance to air and ground (sea) targets; installation of electronic interference and aerosol curtains; search and rescue of flight crews and passengers; in-flight refueling of aircraft; evacuation of the wounded and sick; providing control and communications; conducting aerial radiation, chemical, biological, engineering reconnaissance and performing other tasks.

Russian supersonic strategic bomber Tu-160. Armed with cruise missiles capable of hitting targets at a distance of more than five thousand kilometers

The idea of using aircraft on the battlefield arose long before the first airplanes designed by the Wright brothers took to the air. Subsequent development military aviation was unusually rapid, and to this day airplanes and helicopters have become a formidable weapon in the hands of commanders, second in power only to nuclear missile forces. Without dominance in the sky, achieving victory on earth is incredibly difficult, and often impossible. Aviation is capable of detecting and destroying any target; it is difficult to hide from it and even more difficult to defend against.

What is military aviation?

Modern air forces include special troops and services, as well as a rather complex set of technical means, varied in their intended purpose, that can be used to solve attack, reconnaissance, transport and some other tasks.

The main part of this complex is the following types of aviation:

Strategic;
Frontline;
Sanitary;
Transport.

Additional aviation units are also included in the air defense forces, navy and ground forces.

History of the creation of military aviation

Sikorsky's Ilya Muromets aircraft is the world's first four-engine bomber

The first airplanes for a long time used almost exclusively for entertainment and sporting purposes. But already in 1911, during the armed conflict between Italy and Turkey, aircraft were used in the interests of the army. At first these were reconnaissance flights, the first of which took place on October 23, and already on November 1, the Italian pilot Gavoti used weapons on ground targets, dropping several ordinary hand grenades on them.

By the beginning of the First World War, the great powers managed to acquire air fleets. They consisted mainly of reconnaissance airplanes. There were no fighters at all, and only Russia had bombers - these were the famous Ilya Muromets aircraft. Unfortunately, it was never possible to establish a full-fledged serial production of these machines, so their total number did not exceed 80 copies. Meanwhile, Germany produced hundreds of its own bombers in the second half of the war.

In February 1915, the world's first fighter aircraft, created by the French pilot Roland Garros, appeared on the Western Front. The device he invented for firing through a propeller was quite primitive, although it worked; however, already in May of the same year, the Germans commissioned their own fighters equipped with a full-fledged synchronizer. From this point on, air battles became increasingly common.

German fighter Fokker Dr.I. One of these aircraft was used the best ace World War I by Manfred von Richthofen

After the end of World War I, aircraft continued to develop rapidly, increasing their speed, range and payload. At the same time, the so-called “Douay Doctrine” appeared, named after its author, an Italian general who believed that victory in the war could only be achieved by aerial bombardment, methodically destroying the enemy’s defense and industrial potential, undermining his morale and will to resist.

As subsequent events showed, this theory does not always justify itself, but it was it that largely determined the subsequent directions of development of military aviation throughout the world. The most notable attempt to put the Douay Doctrine into practice was the strategic bombing of Germany during World War II. As a result, military aviation made a huge contribution to the subsequent defeat of the “Third Reich”, however, it was still not possible to do without the active actions of the ground forces.

Armadas of long-range bombers were considered the main strike instrument in the post-war period. It was in those years that jet aircraft appeared, which largely changed the very idea of military aviation. Huge “flying fortresses” became just a convenient target for the Soviet high-speed and well-armed MiGs.

B-29 - American strategic bomber of the 40s, the first carrier of nuclear weapons

This meant that bombers also had to become jet-powered, which soon happened. During these years, aircraft became increasingly complex. If during World War II only one aircraft technician was involved in servicing the fighter, then in subsequent years it was necessary to attract a whole team of specialists.

During the Vietnam War, multi-role aircraft, capable of striking ground targets as well as air combat, came to the fore. This was the American F-4 Phantom, which to some extent became a source of inspiration for the Soviet designers who developed the MiG-23. At the same time, the conflict in Vietnam once again showed that bombing alone, even the most intense, is not enough for victory: combat aviation without the help of ground forces, it is capable of forcing surrender only to a morally broken enemy, prepared in advance for defeat.

In the 70-80s of the last century, fighter planes appeared in the sky fourth generation. They differed from their predecessors not only in flight characteristics, but also in the composition of their weapons. The use of high-precision weapons has once again changed the face of air warfare: there has been a transition from massive airstrikes to “targeted” ones.

Su-27 (left) and F-15 – best fighters 80s of the last century

Today, the main direction of development of military aviation has become the intensive use of drones, both reconnaissance and strike, as well as the creation of stealth multi-purpose aircraft, such as the American F-35 or Russian Su-57.

Purpose of military aviation

List of main tasks that are solved with the help of military aircraft and helicopters:

Conducting all types of aerial reconnaissance;
Artillery fire adjustment;
Destruction of ground, sea, air and space targets, small and large, stationary and mobile, area and point;
Mining of areas;
Protection of airspace and ground forces;
Transportation and landing of troops;
Delivery of various military cargo and equipment;
Evacuation of the wounded and sick;
Conducting campaign events;
Inspection of the area, detection of radiation, chemical and bacteriological contamination.

Thus, military aviation can bring enormous benefits, of course, provided that it is used correctly.

Military aviation equipment

During the First World War, attack airships (Zeppelins) were actively used, however, today there is nothing like this in the Air Force. All equipment used is airplanes (airplanes) and helicopters.

Aircraft

The breadth of the range of tasks solved with the help of aviation forces the Air Force to include several different types of vehicles. Each of them has its own purpose.

F-111 - American front-line bomber with variable sweep wings

Combat aircraft

This type of aviation includes:

Fighters. Their main purpose is to destroy enemy aircraft and gain air superiority, local or complete. All other tasks are secondary. Armament – guided air-to-air missiles, automatic cannons;
Bombers. Can be front-line or strategic. They are used mainly for attacks on ground targets. Armament - air-to-surface missiles (including unguided ones), free-falling, gliding and guided bombs, as well as torpedoes (for anti-submarine aircraft);
Stormtroopers. Used primarily for direct support of troops on the battlefield;
Fighter-bombers are aircraft capable of striking ground targets and conducting air combat. All modern fighters to some extent they are.

Strategic bombers differ significantly from other combat aircraft in their weapons system, which includes long-range cruise missiles.

Reconnaissance and air surveillance aircraft

In principle, “regular” fighters or bombers equipped with the necessary equipment can be used to solve reconnaissance tasks. An example is the MiG-25R. But there is also specialized equipment. These are, in particular, the American U-2 and SR-71, and the Soviet An-30.

High-speed reconnaissance aircraft SR-71 Blackbird

Long-range radar detection aircraft - the Russian A-50 (created on the basis of the Il-76), and the American E-3 Sentry - also fall into this category. Such machines are capable of conducting deep radio reconnaissance, however, they are not stealthy, since they are a source of powerful electromagnetic radiation. Such reconnaissance aircraft as the Il-20, which are mainly engaged in radio interception, behave much more “modestly”.

Transport aircraft

This type of aircraft is used to transport troops and equipment. Some models of vehicles that are part of transport aviation are adapted for landing - both conventional and parachuteless, carried out from extremely low altitudes.

IN Russian army The most commonly used military transport aircraft are the Il-76 and An-26. If it is necessary to deliver cargo of significant weight or volume, heavy An-124s can be used. Of the American military aircraft for a similar purpose, the most famous are the C-5 Galaxy and C-130 Hercules.

Il-76 is the main aircraft of Russian military transport aviation

Training aircraft

Becoming a military pilot is quite difficult. The hardest thing is to gain real skills that cannot be replaced by virtual flights on a simulator or deep study of theory. To solve this problem, training aviation is used. Such aircraft can be either specialized machines or variants of combat aircraft.

For example, the Su-27UB, although used for pilot training, can be used as a full-fledged fighter. At the same time, the Yak-130 or the British BAE Hawk are specialized training aircraft. In some cases, even such models can be used as light attack aircraft to strike ground targets. This usually happens “due to poverty”, in the absence of full-fledged combat aircraft.

Helicopters

Although rotary-wing aircraft were used to a limited extent already during the Second World War, after the end of hostilities, interest in “helicopters” noticeably decreased. It soon became clear that this was a mistake, and today helicopters are used in the armies of the most different countries peace.

Transport helicopters

Conventional airplanes cannot take off and land vertically, which somewhat narrows their scope of application. Helicopters initially had this property, which made them a very attractive means for delivering goods and transporting people. The first full-fledged “debut” of such machines took place during the Korean War. The US Army, using helicopters, evacuated the wounded directly from the battlefield, delivered ammunition and equipment to the soldiers, and created problems for the enemy by landing small armed detachments in his rear.

V-22 Osprey is one of the most unusual examples of rotorcraft

Today the most typical transport helicopter in the Russian army is the Mi-8. The huge heavy Mi-26 is also used. The US military operates the UH-60 Blackhawk, CH-47 Chinook, and the V-22 Osprey.

Attack helicopters

The first rotary-wing vehicle, created specifically to engage ground targets and provide direct fire support to its own troops, appeared in the United States in the 60s. It was a UH-1 Cobra helicopter, some modifications of which are still used by the US military today. The functions of these machines to some extent overlap with the tasks of attack aircraft.

In the 70s, attack helicopters were considered perhaps the most effective anti-tank weapon. This became possible thanks to new types of guided aircraft missiles, such as the American TOW and Hellfire, as well as the Soviet Phalanx, Attack and Vikhryam. A little bit later combat helicopters were additionally equipped with air-to-air missiles.

The most “brutal” combat helicopter in the world - the Mi-24 - is capable of not only striking ground targets, but also transporting paratroopers

The most famous vehicles of this class are the Mi-24, Ka-52, AH-64 Apache.

Reconnaissance helicopters

In Soviet and then Russian army aviation, reconnaissance tasks were usually assigned not to specialized, but to ordinary combat or transport helicopters. The USA took a different path and developed the OH-58 Kiowa. The equipment placed on board this vehicle allows you to confidently detect and recognize various targets at long distances. Weak side The helicopter is poorly protected, which sometimes led to losses.

From Russian models The Ka-52 has the most advanced reconnaissance equipment, which allows this vehicle to be used as a kind of “gunner”.

UAV

Over the past decades, the importance of unmanned aerial vehicles has grown significantly. Drones make it possible to conduct reconnaissance and even launch surprise attacks on targets while remaining invulnerable. They are not only difficult to shoot down, but even easy to detect.

Drones are likely to become a reality in the foreseeable future priority direction aviation development. Such vehicles will, in particular, be used as assistants for the most modern tanks and fifth-generation fighters. Over time, they may completely replace manned combat aircraft.

Promising Russian UAV "Okhotnik"

Air defense

To solve problems air defense Both conventional front-line fighters and specialized interceptors can be used. Particular attention was paid to such aircraft in the USSR, since American strategic bombers had long been considered the No. 1 threat.

The most famous air defense aircraft were the Soviet MiG-25 and MiG-31 interceptors. These are relatively low-maneuverable aircraft, but they are capable of quickly accelerating to speeds of more than 3,000 kilometers per hour.

Of the American fighters with a similar purpose, the F-14 Tomcat is the most famous. This carrier-based aircraft was the sole carrier of the long-range AIM-54 Phoenix missile and was used to protect carrier strike groups from air attack.

MiG-25 interceptor on takeoff. Taking advantage of their record speed, such aircraft successfully evaded dozens of air-to-air missiles fired at them.

In recent decades, aviation technology has not been developing as rapidly as it was previously. Fighters such as the F-15, F-16, F/A-18 and Su-27 still dominate the air forces of various countries, although these machines first took to the air back in the 70-80s of the last century . Of course, this does not mean that progress has stopped. The composition of weapons is changing, on-board electronics are being updated, and most importantly, the tactics and strategy for using aviation are being revised, which in the future may become largely unmanned. One thing is clear - whatever the technical composition of the Air Force, airplanes and helicopters will remain one of the most powerful means of achieving victory in any military conflict.

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 conducting 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, military aviation Russian Empire became one of the best air forces of the time, although aircraft production in Russian state was in its infancy and Russian pilots had to fight on foreign-made aircraft.

"Ilya Muromets"

Although 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 under the name 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 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 Soviet Union buried all the 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 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 engineering, anti-aircraft and rocket troops also included in the Air Force. Key Features to ensure reconnaissance and communications, protection against weapons of mass destruction, rescue operations and electronic warfare carried out 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 territorial principle which abolished the Army Air Force and Air Defense.

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 prominent representatives 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' plans, it is capable of overcoming enemy air defenses at ultra-low altitude and inflicting nuclear attack. IN Russian Air Force There are 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"Deserved because of the bass sound of these engines, it is capable of carrying cruise missiles and nuclear bombs. There are 30 of these machines left in service in the Russian Air Force.

A long-range strategic missile carrier with economical engines 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 exact copy The F-111 is a US Air Force aircraft that has not been flying for a long time; its Soviet counterpart is still in service, but by 2020 all aircraft will be decommissioned; there are currently about a hundred similar aircraft 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 machines is beyond 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, destroy command posts without risking the lives of the people controlling 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.

The military-industrial complex of Russia is one of the most modern in the world, therefore Russian military aviation is also one of the most modern on the planet.

The Russian military-industrial complex is capable of producing almost any type of modern military aircraft, including fifth-generation fighters.

Russian military aviation consists of:

Russian bombers
Russian fighters
Russian attack aircraft
Russian AWACS aircraft
Flying tankers (refuelers) of Russia
Russian military transport aircraft
Russian military transport helicopters
Russian attack helicopters

The main manufacturers of military aircraft in Russia are PJSC Sukhoi Company, JSC RSK MiG, Moscow Helicopter Plant named after M. L. Mil, JSC Kamov and others.

You can see photos and descriptions of some companies' products using the links:

Let's look at each class of military aircraft with descriptions and photographs.

Russian bombers

Wikipedia will very accurately explain to us what a bomber is: A bomber is a military aircraft designed to destroy ground, underground, surface, and underwater targets using bombs and/or missiles. .

Long-range bombers of Russia

Long-range bombers in Russia are developed and produced by the Tupolev Design Bureau.

Long-range bomber Tu-160

The Tu-160, which received the unofficial name “White Swan”, is the fastest and heaviest long-range bomber in the world. The Tu-160 “White Swan” is capable of reaching supersonic speed, and not every fighter is able to keep up with it.

Long-range bomber Tu-95

Tu-95 is a veteran of Russian long-range aviation. Developed back in 1955 and having undergone many upgrades, the Tu-95 is still Russia's main long-range bomber.

Long-range bomber Tu-22M

Tu-22M is another long-range bomber of the Russian Aerospace Forces. It has variable sweep wings, like the Tu-160, but its dimensions are smaller.

Frontline bombers of Russia

Frontline bombers in Russia are developed and produced by PJSC Sukhoi Company.

Su-34 front-line bomber

The Su-34 is a 4++ generation combat aircraft, a fighter-bomber, although it would be more accurate to call it a front-line bomber.

Su-24 front-line bomber

Su-24 is a front-line bomber, the development of which began in the USSR in the early 60s of the last century. Currently, it is being replaced by the Su-34.

Russian fighters

Fighter aircraft in Russia are developed and produced by two companies: PJSC Sukhoi Company and JSC RSK MiG.

Su fighters

PJSC Sukhoi Company supplies the troops with such modern combat vehicles, such as the fifth generation fighter Su-50 (PAK FA), Su-35, front-line bomber Su-34, carrier-based fighter Su-33, Su-30, heavy fighter Su-27, attack aircraft Su-25, front-line bomber Su-24M3.

Fifth generation fighter PAK FA (T-50)

PAK FA (T-50 or Su-50) is a fifth-generation fighter developed by PJSC Sukhoi Company for the Russian Aerospace Forces since 2002. As of the end of 2016, tests are being completed and the aircraft is being prepared for transfer to regular units.

Photo PAK FA (T-50).

Su-35 is a 4++ generation fighter aircraft.

Photo of Su-35.

Carrier-based fighter Su-33

Su-33 is a 4++ generation carrier-based fighter. Several such aircraft are in service with the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov.

Su-27 fighter

The Su-27 is the main combat fighter of the Russian Aerospace Forces. On its basis, the Su-34, Su-35, Su-33 and several other fighters were developed.

Su-27 in flight

MiG fighters

RSK MiG JSC currently supplies the troops with the MiG-31 interceptor fighter and the MiG-29 fighter.

MiG-31 interceptor fighter

The MiG-31 is an interceptor fighter designed to perform missions at any time of the day and in any weather. The MiG-31 is a very fast aircraft.

MiG-29 fighter

The MiG-29 is one of the main combat fighters of the Russian Aerospace Forces. There is a deck version - MiG-29K.

Stormtroopers

The only attack aircraft in service with the Russian Aerospace Forces is the Su-25 attack aircraft.

Su-25 attack aircraft

Su-25 is an armored subsonic attack aircraft. The aircraft made its first flight in 1975. Since then, having undergone many upgrades, it has reliably performed its tasks.

Russian military helicopters

Helicopters for the army are produced by the Moscow Helicopter Plant named after M.L. Mil and JSC Kamov.

Kamov helicopters

OJSC Kamov specializes in the production of coaxial helicopters.

Ka-52 helicopter

The Ka-52 Alligator is a two-seat helicopter capable of performing both attack and reconnaissance functions.

Deck helicopter Ka-31

The Ka-31 is a deck-based helicopter equipped with a long-range radio detection and guidance system and is in service with the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov.

Deck helicopter Ka-27

The Ka-27 is a multi-purpose carrier-based helicopter. The main modifications are anti-submarine and rescue.

Photo of Ka-27PL Russian Navy

Helicopters Mile

Mi helicopters are developed by the Moscow Helicopter Plant named after M.L. Mil.

Mi-28 helicopter

Mi-28 - attack helicopter used by the Russian army of Soviet design.

Mi-24 helicopter

The Mi-24 is a world-famous attack helicopter created in the 1970s in the USSR.

Mi-26 helicopter

Mi-24 is a heavy transport helicopter, also developed during the Soviet era. On this moment is the largest helicopter in the world.

Military aircraft are aircraft used for military front-line or combat sorties, designed for high power without taking into account efficiency, in contrast to civil aviation aircraft.

Military aircraft, first of all, are required to have a high rate of climb, as well as greater speed, altitude and flight range. For the operational conduct of air warfare, long-range bomber aircraft and missile carriers are used to destroy military targets. Refueling aircraft, which only have fuel on board, have the ability to refuel combat aircraft directly in flight. Military aircraft include long-range reconnaissance aircraft with long range, altitude and flight speed. Tactical military aircraft include fighter aircraft (or fighter jets), fighter-bombers, light bombers, and fixed-wing aircraft. tactical reconnaissance. Modern military aircraft are often designed as multi-role aircraft, i.e. they are intended for combat use like attack aircraft, interceptor fighters and reconnaissance aircraft.

1) Fighter aircraft (fighters)

A fighter aircraft is a very fast one- or two-seat combat aircraft for destroying (searching for) enemy combat aircraft, unmanned missiles, etc. All modern fighter aircraft, as a drive, are equipped with one or two air jet engines. The speed exceeds sound and is currently about 3500 km/h, the rate of climb near the ground is over 200 m/s and the maximum operating altitude is up to 30,000 m. The armament consists of 2 to 5 fixed automatic guns (with a caliber of 2.0 to 3 .7 cm) and ballistic, radio-controlled or homing air-to-air missiles. In addition, for the most part, fighter aircraft have extensive electronic equipment such as radar, recognition device, etc.

Heavy fighter aircraft or fighter-bombers combine the flight power and flight qualities of fighters - high combat speed and rate of climb, high maximum flight altitude, good maneuverability - and the qualities of light and medium bombers - long flight range, good armament, high payload, extensive electronic and radar equipment. They are highly versatile in their combat capabilities. Their intended purpose, among other things, includes actions to intercept and attack ground targets, search for submarines, support formations of ships and ground combat operations, combat use as an escort fighter or reconnaissance aircraft. Armament and equipment accordingly meet the assigned tasks. Radar installations are standard; weapons usually consist of large-caliber guns and missiles (air-to-air or air-to-ground), as well as bombs and torpedoes as bomber weapons. Since there is no free space in the fuselage of these military aircraft, bombs, missiles and additional fuel tanks are suspended under and at the ends of the wings. The speed performance of heavy bombers is between Mach number 0.2 and 2, the maximum flight altitude is from 15,000 to 20,000 m, and the flight range is from 1,500 to 4,500 km.

Previously, there were special night fighters that were used specifically for combat operations at night, as they were equipped with instruments for blind flight. Most modern fighter aircraft are all-weather, i.e. they can fly combat missions in bad weather conditions, as well as at night. Also, all-weather fighter aircraft are often called heavy fighters, since they are in most cases two-seat and equipped with two engines.

The essence of effective air defense is to “intercept” an incoming enemy and prevent him from completing his combat mission, and therefore destroy him. This requires fighter aircraft with good take-off power, high speeds, a high maximum flight altitude and good armament, namely fighter-interceptors. First of all, they are deployed close to the border industrial centers and other protected objects.

The use of high-speed and high-flying combat aircraft (bombers) with a jet engine has significantly increased the requirements for the rate of climb, speed and maximum altitude of interceptor fighters. This leads to the following power characteristics: maximum speed from 2000 to 2500 km/h, flight range is 2000-3500 km. Such indicators require, with an average take-off weight of 7 to 12 tons, the use of engines with a thrust of 3000 to 5000 kgf, whose power can increase by another 50% due to additional fuel combustion. For short-term acceleration, especially when climbing, additional rocket propulsion systems can be used.

2) Bomber aircraft (bombers)

Fighter aircraft are primarily used to solve defensive missions, while for bombers offensive actions are put in the foreground. A bomber is a large, heavy military aircraft with multiple turbojet engines (jet turbines or turboprop engines). On short runways or when overloaded, bombers are often equipped with auxiliary launch rockets.

Bombers are tasked with attacking distant targets quickly and at high altitude with explosive charges in the form of bombs. Because of the great danger of approaching a target in a hostile area, more and more bombers are being upgraded to missile carriers, which launch missiles at a great distance from the target and are remotely controlled to hit it while the bomber itself is outside the area controlled by enemy forces. The take-off weight of modern bombers reaches 230 tons, and the total thrust is over 50,000 kgf or, accordingly, the total power is approximately 50,000 hp. The bomb load depends on tactical radius actions; it reaches up to 16,000 km without refueling, and even more when refueling in the air. The flight altitude reaches 20,000 m, and the crew size can be 12 people. The speed of modern bombers exceeds 2000 km/h; Bombers are currently being designed that will have even greater speed. Defensive weapons consist of rockets, machine guns and automatic cannons.

Like all types of aircraft, bombers can also be classified according to different aspects, such as bomb load and thus take-off weight (light, medium and heavy bombers) or depending on their combat purposes(tactical and strategic bombers).

Tactical bombers are aircraft that are designed to solve certain specific tasks of operational warfare, namely, tactical missions. This means actions that change the situation on a certain section of the front and subjugate the entire target, and therefore the destruction in a certain area of concentration of enemy troops, assembly areas, firing positions, airfields, supply routes, etc.

Based on this formulation of the problem, we can formulate the basic requirements for tactical bombers: high combat speed, bomb load up to 10 tons, maximum flight range up to 6000 km. As a result of these requirements, design features which can be summarized as follows: an aircraft with one, two, three or four jet engines with a take-off weight of 20 to 50 tons, with remotely controlled defensive weapons or air-to-air missiles, electronic and radar equipment, with a pressure hull , capable of withstanding heavy loads when flying at low altitudes. From all this, it can be argued that tactical bombers have a certain similarity with heavy fighters, both in their tasks and in their parameters.

Strategic bombers. Strategy is the science of waging war on a large scale. The word strategic means large-scale military operations. This also explains the combat purpose of strategic bombers. These military aircraft are designed to perform combat missions deep behind enemy lines.

All bombers are equipped with radar equipment to search for targets and locate attacking fighter aircraft. Combat sorties are carried out in small groups or alone. Since modern bombers have almost the same speed as fighters, the same flight range, as well as significant defensive capability thanks to air-to-air missiles, today they often refuse fighter cover.

Bombers were first used during the First World War, alone or in small groups. In the Second World War, “massive” combat missions took place in large groups, which numbered several hundred bombers and flew under the cover of fighter aircraft. The bombers of that time had several engines, were relatively slow, designed for a maximum bomb load and a large number of defensive weapons. Modern ones, on the contrary, are designed for long range, altitude, and flight speed. In most cases, reconnaissance planes flew ahead and were intended to find the target. Unlike the bombers of that time, they were equipped with radar devices. Thanks to the glowing aviation bombs, dropped by parachute, the target was designated. A dive bomber was considered a special type, which high altitude approached the target, then rammed it in a fast diving flight, and dropped one or more bombs from a short distance. After this, the bomber again leveled its position in flight. After design intercontinental missiles There was an opinion that strategic bombers were outdated. But thanks to their improvement to missile carriers and flying launchers in Lately they regained their importance.

3) Reconnaissance aircraft (reconnaissance aircraft)

These are multi-seat, lightly armed fighters or bombers (without a bomb load), which are equipped with aerial cameras, radar instruments, often devices for transmitting television signals, or also ship-borne aircraft for aerial reconnaissance, i.e. for reconnaissance of positions, objects, etc. of the enemy, territory and weather conditions in the interests of all parts of their own armed forces. Previously, depending on the maximum flight range and area of application, short-range reconnaissance aircraft and long range. Today, depending on the combat purpose, they talk about tactical and strategic reconnaissance officers. There are special reconnaissance aircraft for conducting artillery fire from the air, for reconnaissance of the area in the firing zone of one's own artillery thanks to visual reconnaissance or aerial photographs, and also for monitoring the camouflage of one's own artillery. Such aircraft are called artillery aircraft. They belong to short-range reconnaissance or tactical reconnaissance.

4) Military transport aircraft

These are large aircraft that have from 2 to 8 engines and a flight range of 3000 km or more. They are lightly armed or not armed at all and are designed to transport supplies for troops (food, fuel, ammunition, weapons, also guns, tanks, vehicles, etc.). Military transport aircraft are used for landing (landing) airborne troops, as well as transportation of troops during regroupings. A park Vehicle military transport aviation consists of transport aircraft, cargo gliders and helicopters, which are equipped accordingly.