The Air Force of the Russian Federation is a separate type of force that is part of the structure of the Aerospace Forces of our country. The abbreviated name is the Russian Air Force. Until 08/01/15, the Air Force was considered a separate type of armed forces. After this date, by decree of the President of Russia, the Air Force was merged with the aerospace defense forces and became a new type of armed forces - Aerospace.
The Air Force is rightfully considered the most mobile and operational branch of the forces of our army. The Air Force includes aviation, anti-aircraft missile and radar troops, and special forces.
Air Force Tasks
The Air Force objectives include:
- Detection of the beginning of an attack at distant stages by air patrol and radar reconnaissance.
- A notification of the beginning of an attack by all the headquarters of the RF Armed Forces, all types and arms of service in all military districts of Russia, including the headquarters of civil defense.
- Reflecting an attack in the air, establishing full control of the airspace.
- Protection of military and civilian objects from attacks from the air and from space, as well as from air reconnaissance.
- Air support for the actions of the Land and Naval Forces of the Russian Federation.
- The defeat of military, rear and other enemy targets.
- The defeat of air, land, land and sea groups and formations of the enemy, his air and sea landing.
- Transportation of personnel, weapons and military equipment, landing.
- Conducting all types of aerial reconnaissance, radar reconnaissance, electronic warfare.
- Control of land, sea and air space in the border strip.
The structure of the Air Force of the Russian Federation
The structure of the Russian Air Force has a complex multi-level system. By arms and forces of the Air Force are divided into:
- Aviation
- anti-aircraft missile forces;
- radio engineering troops;
- special troops.
Aviation, in turn, is divided into:
- distant and strategic;
- front-line;
- army;
- fighter;
- military transport;
- special.
Long-range aviation is intended for delivering missile-bomb strikes in the enemy's deep rear lines at a considerable distance from the borders of the Russian Federation. Strategic aviation, in addition, is armed with nuclear missile and bomb weapons. Her aircraft are able to travel considerable distances at supersonic speeds and at high altitudes, while carrying a significant bomb load.
Fighter aircraft has the task of covering the most important areas and important objects from an air attack and represents the main maneuvering air defense force. The main requirement for fighters is high maneuverability, speed, and the ability to effectively conduct air combat and intercept various air targets (fighter interceptors).
Front-line aviation includes assault and bomber aircraft. The former are intended to support ground forces and naval groups, to defeat ground targets at the forefront of hostilities, and to combat enemy aircraft. Front-line bombers, unlike long-range and strategic, are designed to destroy ground targets and groupings of troops at near and medium distances from basing airfields.
Army aviation in the Russian Air Force is represented by helicopters for various purposes. First of all, it closely interacts with the army forces, solving a wide variety of combat and transport tasks.
Special aviation is called upon to solve various highly specialized tasks: to conduct aerial reconnaissance, electronic warfare, to detect ground and air targets at long distances, to refuel other aircraft in the air, to provide command and communications.
Special forces include:
- reconnaissance;
- engineering;
- aeronautical;
- meteorological;
- surveying troops;
- electronic warfare forces;
- RKhBZ forces;
- search and rescue forces;
- parts of electronic support and ACS;
- parts of logistics;
- rear parts.
In addition, the Russian Air Force associations are divided by organizational structure:
- special forces command;
- air forces of special purpose;
- air armies of military transport aviation;
- Air Force and Air Defense Army (4th, 6th, 11th, 14th and 45th);
- parts of the Central Air Force subordination;
- foreign airbases.
The current status and composition of the Air Force of the Russian Federation
The active process of the degradation of the Air Force in the 90s led to a critical state of this type of troops. The number of personnel and their level of training fell sharply.
According to many media reports, at that time Russia could count a little more than a dozen highly trained fighter and attack aircraft pilots who had experience in military operations. Most pilots had almost no experience piloting aircraft.
The vast majority of aircraft fleet equipment required major repairs, airfields and ground-based military facilities could not withstand any criticism.
The process of loss of combat capability of the Air Force after 2000 was completely stopped. Since 2009, the process of total modernization and overhaul of equipment was launched. So, plans for the purchase of new military equipment were brought to the level of the Soviet era, and the development of promising weapons models began again.
As of 2018, many authoritative publications, including foreign ones in terms of size and level of equipment, put the Air Force of our country in second place after the U.S. Air Force. However, it is noted at the same time that the growth in the number and equipment of the Chinese air force is ahead of the Russian air forces and in the very near future, the Chinese air force can be equal to ours.
During a military operation with Syria, the Air Force not only were able to conduct full-fledged combat tests of new weapons and air defense systems, but also, by rotating the strength of personnel, carry out "shelling" in combat conditions for most pilots of fighter and attack aircraft. 80-90% of pilots now have experience in warfare.
