Two strong powers have the most powerful air fleets in the world. These are Russia and the United States of America. Both countries are constantly improving them. New military personnel are released, if not annually, then every two to three years. Huge funds are allocated for development in this area.
If we talk about Russian strategic aviation, then do not expect that you will be able to find accurate statistical data anywhere on the number of attack aircraft, fighters, etc. in service. Such information is considered top secret. Therefore, the information provided in this article may be subjective.
General overview of the Russian air fleet
It is included in the Aerospace Forces of our country. One of the important components of the WWF is aviation. It is divided for long-range, transport, operational-tactical and army. This includes attack aircraft, bombers, fighters, and transport aircraft.
How many military aircraft does Russia have? Approximate figure - 1614 units military air equipment. These include 80 strategic bombers, 150 long-range bombers, 241 attack aircraft, etc.
For comparison, you can give how many passenger planes there are in Russia. Total 753. Of them 547 - main and 206 — regional. Since 2014, the demand for passenger flights began to fall, so the number of aircraft in use has also decreased. 72% of them- these are foreign models ( and ).
The new aircraft in the Russian Air Force are improved models of military equipment. Among them we can highlight Su-57. This 5th generation fighter with a wide range of functions. Until August 2017, it was developed under a different name - Tu-50. They began to create it as a replacement for the Su-27.
The first time he soared into the sky was still in 2010 year. Three years later it was put into small-scale production for testing. By 2018 Multi-batch deliveries will begin.
Another promising model is MiG-35. This is a light fighter whose characteristics are almost comparable with fifth generation aircraft. It was designed to deliver precise strikes against targets on land and water. Winter 2017 the first tests began. By 2020 The first deliveries are planned.
A-100 “Premier”- another new product from the Russian Air Force. Long-range radio navigation aircraft. It must replace outdated models - A50 and A50U.
From training machines you can bring Yak-152. It was developed for the selection of pilots at the first stage of training.
Among military transport models there are Il-112 and Il-214. The first of them is a light aircraft that should replace the An-26. The second was developed jointly with, but now they continue to design it, as a replacement for An-12.
Among helicopters, such new models are under development - Ka-60 and Mi-38. Ka-60 is a transport helicopter. It is designed to deliver ammunition and weapons to military conflict zones. Mi-38 is a multifunctional helicopter. It is financed directly by the state.
There is also a new item among passenger models. This is IL-114. Turboprop aircraft with two engines. It holds 64 passengers, but flies at a distance - up to 1500 km. It is being developed to replace An-24.
If we talk about Russian small aviation, the situation here is extremely deplorable. There are only 2-4 thousand planes and helicopters. And the number of amateur pilots is decreasing every year. This is due to the fact that for any aircraft you have to pay two taxes at once - transport and property.
Air fleets of Russia and the USA - comparative analysis
The total number of aircraft the US has is: that's 13,513 cars. Researchers note that of these - only 2000- fighters and bombers. The rest - 11,000- These are transport vehicles and those used by NATO, the US Navy and the National Guard.
Transport aircraft are extremely important to keep air bases operational and provide excellent logistics to America's troops. In this comparison, the US Air Force and the Russian Air Force clearly win the former.
The US Air Force has big amount technology.
In terms of the pace of renewal of military air equipment, Russia is taking the lead. By 2020, it is planned to produce another 600 units. The real power gap between the two powers will be 10-15 % . It has already been noted that Russian S-27s are ahead of American F-25s.
If we talk about comparing the armed forces of Russia and the United States, the trump card of the former is the presence of particularly powerful air defense systems. They reliably protect Russian air latitudes. Modern Russian complexes The S-400 air defense systems have no analogues anywhere in the world.
Russian air defense is something like an “umbrella” protecting the skies of our country until 2020. By this milestone, it is planned to completely update almost all military equipment, including air equipment.
Air Force (AF) - view Armed Forces, designed to protect the bodies of higher state and military administration, strategic nuclear forces, troop groups, important administrative-industrial centers and regions of the country from reconnaissance and air strikes, to gain air superiority, fire and nuclear destruction enemy from the air, increasing mobility and supporting the actions of formations different types Armed Forces, conducting comprehensive reconnaissance and performing special tasks.
The Russian Air Force consists of associations, formations and military units and include types of aviation: long-range, military transport; front-line (it includes bomber, attack, fighter, reconnaissance aircraft), army, as well as military air defense forces: anti-aircraft missile forces, radio engineering troops.
Long-range aviation- the main strike force of the Air Force, capable of effectively hitting important targets of aviation groups and carrier ships cruise missiles sea-based (SLCM), energy facilities and facilities of higher military and government administration, nodes of railway, road and sea communications.
Military transport aviation- the main means of landing troops and military equipment in the interests of operations in continental and ocean theaters of war, it is the most mobile means of delivering materiel, military equipment, food, units and subunits to given areas.
Front-line bomber and attack aircraft designed primarily to provide air support to the Ground Forces in all types of military operations.
Frontline reconnaissance aircraft designed to conduct aerial reconnaissance in the interests of all types and branches of troops.
Frontline fighter aviation designed to destroy enemy air attack weapons when solving tasks of covering groupings, economic regions, administrative and political centers, military and other facilities.
Army aviation designed for fire support of the Ground Forces. It is also entrusted with combat and logistics support tasks. During the battle army aviation strikes at enemy troops, destroys his airborne assault forces, raiding, forward and outflanking detachments, provides landing and air support for his landing forces, fights enemy helicopters, destroys his nuclear missile systems, tanks and other armored vehicles.
Anti-aircraft missile forces designed to cover troops and facilities from enemy air attacks.
Radio technical troops are designed to detect enemy air attack weapons in the air, identify them, escort them, notify the command, troops and civil defense authorities about them, to monitor the flights of their aircraft.
Armament and military equipment of the Air Force
Strategic supersonic bomber with variable wing geometry Tu-160- designed to destroy the most important targets with nuclear and conventional weapons in remote military-geographical areas and deep behind the continental theaters of military operations.
Strategic missile carrier Tu-95MS- designed to solve strike missions to hit the most important targets in remote military-geographical areas and in the deep rear of continental theaters of military operations.
Heavy military transport aircraft An-22 (“Antey”)- designed for long-distance transportation of heavy and large-sized military equipment and troops, as well as for parachute and landing methods.
Heavy long-range military transport aircraft An-124 (“Ruslan”)- intended for the delivery of troops with standard military equipment and weapons from the deep rear of the country to theaters of military operations (theatres of war), transportation of troops between theaters of operations and inside rear zones, reinforcement of airborne assaults with heavy military equipment, delivery of cargo to fleet forces in ocean theaters, transportation of heavy and large-sized national economic cargo.
Front-line bomber with variable wing geometry Su-24M- Designed to destroy ground and surface targets in any weather conditions, day and night, in the tactical and immediate operational depths of enemy territory.
Su-25 attack aircraft- designed to destroy small-sized moving and stationary ground objects in conditions of visual visibility day and night, as well as low-speed air targets at the forefront in tactical and immediate operational depth.
conclusions
- The Air Force consists of long-range and military transport aviation, front-line bomber and attack aviation, front-line reconnaissance aviation, front-line fighter aviation, army aviation, anti-aircraft missile and radio-technical troops.
- The air force is designed to carry out air strikes against enemy groups, their rear and transport.
- The Air Force is leading aerial reconnaissance and organize air transportation.
- Military transport aviation of the Air Force is capable of landing and airborne troops, transporting troops and military equipment over long distances.
Questions
- What types of aviation are included in the Air Force?
- What types of anti-aircraft troops are part of the Air Force?
- What are the main aircraft in service with long-range aviation?
- In what variety? front-line aviation Did the legendary heroes of the Great Patriotic War Alexander Pokryshkin and Ivan Kozhedub serve?
Tasks
- Prepare a short report on the purpose of the air defense forces and their weapons and military equipment.
- Prepare a report about the heroic exploits and records of the famous Russian pilot of the First World War, Pyotr Nesterov.
- Using historical literature, write an essay on the topic “Chief Marshal of Aviation A. A. Novikov - Commander of the Air Force during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.”
- Using special materials and the Internet, prepare a report about one of the modern military pilots.
Russia knows better than anyone what war is... Our ancestors spent time in its defensive battles, battles and campaigns most great Russian history. Since then, the impenetrability of defense continues to be a strict requirement and the main challenge to the honor of the army, navy and military space forces of the country.
The world is changing rapidly, competition is growing, and the state army continues its steady development. In such realities, the relevance national history automatically comes to the fore, because within its framework, Russia’s accelerated growth cycles have always ended with a treacherous and fearful blow from the most “friendly” and most “reliable” Western “allies.”
Understanding the cyclical nature of the past and the duplicity of “civilized” states, the Russian leadership consciously attaches paramount importance to the protection of its own borders, preventive operations beyond state borders and the creation the right image for the Polite Russian Army.
FIGHT AVIATION
[MIG-35]
Flight tests of the MiG-35 multirole fighter began a week ago. On the same day, its flight was demonstrated to Vladimir Putin, who spoke of the car as “an interesting and in many ways unique technique.”
It is difficult to argue with the validity of this opinion. With a length of 17 meters and a take-off weight of more than 23 tons, the “thirty-five” reaches a speed of more than 2.5 thousand kilometers per hour, is capable of flying about 3 thousand kilometers without refueling, and can lift up to 7 tons of various weapons on eight hardpoints.
The MIG 35 is a 4++ generation fighter, but in many ways it is separated from the full-blooded fifth only by a pro-Western calculation method. In fact, most of the innovative mechanisms of the vessel are completely identical to the PAK FA technological line. Thus, the MIG 35 is equipped with a new combat aviation complex with fifth-generation information and targeting systems, and the wing architecture allows it to accept all types of existing and newly developed missile prototypes for immediate installation. About extreme maneuverability (inherent in all Russian combat aircraft) there is no need to talk at all.
Separately, it is worth noting the unpretentiousness of the domestic “drummer”.
Unlike Western models, which refuse to show the inherent technical characteristics in any more or less difficult operating conditions, the MIG is reliable even in extreme situations. In particular, it was originally designed for routine landing not only on unpaved airfields, but also on average asphalt highways.
[Su-30SM]
The Su-30SM is a Russian 4++ generation heavy multi-role fighter, and its central combat mission is to completely gain air superiority.
Today, the Su-30SM is considered the most maneuverable serial fighter in the world, has excellent avionics that are not inferior to their Western counterparts, and rightfully occupies the pinnacle of development of the famous Su-27 line of aircraft.
The Su-30SM made its first flight on September 21, 2012. At the end of the same year, the aircraft was accepted into service with the country. Initially, the Russian Ministry of Defense signed a contract for the supply of 60 fighters of this class, but as of the beginning of the seventeenth year, over 71 units of these new machines had already been delivered to combat units.
[SU-35]
The Su-35 is the most formidable fighter of the Russian Aerospace Forces. This aircraft is capable of demonstrating enormous speed to rise to great heights, to perform aerobatics, and at the same time carry an exorbitant payload.
All its technical characteristics, weapons and advanced radio-electronic equipment, make the thirty-fifth an extremely dangerous adversary for any external enemy.
On December 25, 2012, the Russian Ministry of Defense received the first six Su-35 fighters, in 2013 twelve more, by the beginning of 2016 the Russian army already had about forty aircraft in service, and now the production of an additional fifty aircraft of this class is in full swing.
TRAINING - COMBAT AVIATION
[MIG-29KUB]
MiG-29KUB is a training and combat version of the famous MiG-29K fighter. But even being a “trainer”, improving piloting skills is still not his only task. Since in real combat, the MiG-29KUB is capable of solving all combat aspects that are identical to pure combat fighter MiG-29K.
"CUBE" - new car. When creating his glider, power plant and on-board equipment, the most modern technologies were used, the share of composite materials exceeded fifteen percent.
But still, the uniqueness of this aircraft lies elsewhere. Namely, that if necessary, the MiG-29 KUB is capable of moving at completely prohibitive angles of attack, abruptly moving away from the pursuer and unexpectedly hitting enemy missiles. Such parameters are explained by the fact that in the event of an extreme threat, the pilot of a given aircraft can resort to the “sleeping” potential of the machine. By pulling the control levers beyond the established on-board limiters, the pilot switches the MiG-29 to flight modes that are officially recognized as impossible for all world analogues of the corresponding class.
[Yak-130]
The use of combat vehicles for pilot training is expensive, so leading aviation powers have long been creating special training vehicles for these purposes. At the same time, the Yak-130 training aircraft is not a simple simulator, but also an aircraft that feels great on the battlefield.
This device belongs to class 4+, and therefore successfully allows you to train combat pilots not only of the fourth, but also of the fifth generation. An even more remarkable feature of the 130 is its ability to imitate not only domestic aircraft such as the MiG-29, Su-30 and Su-35, but also Western F-16, F-22, Mirage and even Harrier. .
In general, the characteristics of this multi-mission equipment allow it to be used not only as a light attack aircraft and trainer, but also as a reconnaissance aircraft, fighter-bomber and even airborne aircraft. electronic warfare.
Plus, in soon, based on this device, it is planned to produce a full-size attack drone for the needs of the Russian armed forces.
FRONT AVIATION
[SU-34]
SU-34 - the newest front-line bomber national army. In 2014, it was finally put into service and, as production progresses, it plans to become the main striking force of the country's aviation. In total, the Russian Aerospace Forces will purchase 124 such aircraft.
At the same time, the pace of retrofitting the Su-34 with the latest Tarantul radio-electronic warfare stations is increasing, which significantly expands the vehicle’s capabilities to suppress, target and target systems of a potential enemy.
Previously, the famous “suspension” of the “Khibiny” was used as an electronic warfare complex for defense and attack. (recently “turned off” all onboard electronics of the US battle cruiser Donald Cook), to date, the army continues to receive installations of an even more advanced class.
[PAK FA]
On June 20, 2016, the eighth aircraft of the T-50 experimental series took off into the skies of Komsomolsk-on-Amur. Unlike the previous ones, the eighth side was fully equipped with equipment and systems specified in the terms of reference for the final PAK FA. It was with its takeoff that the T-50 finally acquired the appearance of a serial and combat vessel.
Delivery of the first aircraft to the Russian Aerospace Forces will begin this year. In the meantime, the military is contracting a limited series of 12 units, planning to formulate the exact order volume during active operation.
MILITARY TRANSPORT AVIATION
[PAK TA]
Work on the creation of a new heavy military transport aircraft, which should replace the proven, but already quite outdated Il-76, An-22 and An-124 Ruslan aircraft, continues at full speed.
The project received the code name PAK TA, which stands for "Advanced aviation complex for transport aviation", and is currently undergoing the direct design stage.
Strangely enough, the impetus for its development was given by - "independence" Ukrainians. The fact is that in the Soviet Union the main design bureau involved in the development of transport vehicles was the Kiev Antonov Design Bureau. After the collapse of the USSR, big problems began for this aircraft manufacturing enterprise, but it nevertheless continued to work at the expense of Russian orders. Now, with the initiation of the latest Ukrainian madness, the need to create a completely Russian transport aircraft has finally become a task without an alternative.
At the moment, there are several possible options for its final implementation. The first was announced by the Military-Industrial Commission under the President of Russia in 2014, and came as a shock to many experts.
If this version is implemented, the PAK TA will have supersonic speed (about 2000 km/h), flight range of at least 7 thousand kilometers and carrying capacity up to 200 tons (despite the fact that the largest serial transport aircraft in the world, Ruslan, is capable of transporting no more than 120 tons at subsonic speed).
According to plans, by 2024 the Russian armed forces should receive at least 80 such monsters. And if such a large-scale project is actually translated into reality, the air fleet of such ships will be able to quickly deliver an armored fist of 400 ultra-modern Armata tanks, along with other armored vehicles created on its basis, to anywhere in the world.
However, the statements of the Ilyushin Design Bureau made in 2015 look much more realistic. Within its framework, the new PAK DA is called Il-106, or “Ermak”, which is a modified Soviet project load capacity up to 100 tons and range of 5000 kilometers. If successful, the most powerful Russian civil aircraft engine, NK-93, will be installed on Ermak, and the cost of its operation will be one of the least expensive in the world.
UNMANNED AVIATION
[SKAT]
The reconnaissance and attack UAV "Scat" is a promising fighting machine. Currently, work on it is being carried out at the Sukhoi JSCB and RSK MiG.
The Skat has the shape of a tailless fuselage and is manufactured using low-observability technology. The take-off weight of the vehicle is about 10 tons. Combat load - two thousand kilograms.
In general, the key tasks in the field of unmanned Russian technology included in the developed promising complexes of long-range, front-line and light aviation; in addition to them, the creation of a heavy attack UAV is also being carried out on the basis of the Yak-130.
Unfortunately, before their implementation we will not be able to reduce the existing gap with competitors in this area, so at the moment we are using licensed foreign-made devices. Fortunately, American “friends” and European “allies” are actively helping us in this matter.
The irony is that, in the context of technological sanctions imposed against Russia, the raw materials and samples for technological borrowing were those foreign drones that the Russian Aerospace Forces densely, and personally, collected in the Syrian sky.
A few days ago, the Russian Ministry of Defense openly published a catalog of all captured UAVs that came into the possession of the Russian contingent during the Syrian military campaign. In it, with purely military humor, several dozen commercial, military and even homemade UAVs from most of the “developed” countries of the collective West are meticulously listed. The note at the end of the press release reads:
“All those who came under the control of the military department Russian Federation products are studied, tested, and undergo flight tests in a special Kolomna interspecific center for unmanned aircraft. A significant part of the trophies received were selected in good condition, fully equipped, with control panels and, in some cases, even in branded packaging.”
This press release is missing only a small but good-natured note from Russian designers:
“Thank you everyone for your gifts”...
STRATEGIC AVIATION
[PAK YES]
Russia and the United States are the only states on the planet that have a special type of air force - strategic aviation. Since the beginning of the nuclear era, it was the “strategists” who were and remain the main “winged” elite of both countries.
In 2009, our country's strategic aviation received a new life. A watershed three-year contract was concluded between the Ministry of Defense and the Tupolev Design Bureau to conduct R&D of the latest Russian aviation complex- PACK YES. In 2012, the preliminary design was successfully completed, approved, signed and transferred to direct development research taking place right now.
PAK DA is an extremely innovative device. It is not a modernization of any aircraft model and, in a number of parameters, goes far beyond the scope of the domestic concept of combat missile carriers.
But before moving on to the direct characteristics of this machine, let’s dwell on the military potential of aircraft already on combat duty in the world’s skies. On the one hand, we will supply US strategic aviation (considered by the Western press to be the best), and on the other - Russian fleet similar ships.
1. "B-52" - "TU-95"
The B-52 is the same basis for American strategic aviation as the TU-95 and TU-160 are for the Russian one. However, the “American,” unlike the “Russians,” today is in an extremely advanced state.
The US B-52 class combat aircraft were developed back in the 1950s, and for the most part continue to operate in their original condition. Russian "TU-95", on the other hand, belong to the "M" modification and, unlike the "Yankees", were produced in the 80s of the last century.
Thus, a significant part of domestic “strategists”, consisting of Tu-95 aircraft, are much younger than American “nuclear” bombers. Plus, since 2008, Russia has been carrying out a large-scale program to modernize 35 TU-sheks to the extreme modification of the Tu-95MSM, which in particular will allow them to take on board the latest cruise missiles Kh-101 and Kh-102 with unparalleled technical characteristics .
But even without modernization, in a completely basic version, the Russian “Bear” is quite capable of carrying nuclear and non-nuclear Kh-55SM cruise missiles with a range of 3.5 thousand km. At the same time, the launch range of the AGM-86B ALCM missiles of the current American B-52 does not exceed the maximum distance of 2700 km. There is no need to talk about the Kh-101/102 missiles installed on already modernized models. This type of ammunition can easily cover a distance of 5.5 thousand km inclusive.
In fact, all that remains of the fifty-year-old prototype in the Russian “strategist” is the purpose, name and huge screws of the Zhdanov Design Bureau, which have a record (82 percent) efficiency in all operating modes. The American B-52, for the most part, remains a 50-year veteran, whose service life it was decided to futilely extend until the airframe’s service life is completely exhausted. And this will happen exactly in 2040, when America’s youngest strategist turns 83 years old.
Today, Russia's aviation nuclear triad is represented by 62 Tu-95 aircraft, mostly new modifications, while the number of American B-52 aircraft on combat duty is about 66 aircraft, with a whole list of their key shortcomings.
According to NATO classification, TU-95 is codenamed “Bear”. And in fact, it really perfectly characterizes the character and capabilities of this magnificent machine. Proof of this is a textbook episode from rich history this multitasking technique.
On October 30, 1961, the Tu-95 was dropped at the training ground " New Earth"a unique ammunition that literally shook the whole world. It was the most powerful in the history of mankind thermonuclear bomb“Kuzka’s mother”... Or in other words - the AN602 product, with a warhead equivalent to 50 million tons of TNT.
The dropped bomb detonated normally, but this happened at the moment when the TU-95 carrier managed to fly only a safe (as it seemed then) 45 kilometers from the epicenter of the explosion. Of course, this distance was not safe. From the electromagnetic pulse, all the bomber's instruments switched off at once and all the engines were simultaneously blocked. The Tu-95 started its engines already in the fall: the first at seven thousand meters, the second at five... But the “Bear”, even in such a situation, showed with dignity that it was not for nothing that it bears such a proud name.
At the given time, it landed at the planned airfield as usual, and did so on only three working engines out of four, the last one (as it turned out on the ground) was burned beyond recognition and completely failed. Also, (only after landing) it became clear that the plane’s fuselage was almost completely charred, the outer surface of the wings and even the internal electrical wiring were under a thick layer of burning. Most of the aircraft's aluminum parts melted, some elements were monstrously deformed...
Nine years later, in a completely different situation, an aircraft of the same class delivered a full-size glider of a Tu-144 passenger aircraft from Moscow to Novosibirsk. Since it was an “emergency” at that moment, it was simply attached to a reinforced bomb rack pylon.
As a result, after a given time, the 65-meter Tu-144 was airlifted to its final destination.
Operation of the modernized Tu-95 will last at least until 2025, when they will be replaced by the newest missile carrier of the latest generation PAK DA.
2. "B1-B" - "TU-160"
The American B-1B is rightfully considered a technical analogue of the Russian strategic missile carrier Tu-160, but there is one difference. "B1-B" - unable to carry strategic cruise missiles with nuclear equipment. Or more precisely, in the arsenal American army At the moment, there are simply no types of nuclear weapons suitable for it. The reason for this “strangeness” is that from the composition strategic forces The United States launched this aircraft back in the mid-90s. At the same time, its conversion to conventional non-nuclear ammunition began.
Today it is difficult to overestimate the annoyance the Pentagon feels about the decision made in the 90s, because just some twenty years ago it seemed absolutely correct to them. And today, the logic that “Red Russia” was defeated, targets for atomic strikes no longer existed, and according to the general and collective conviction of the American establishment, our country has left the list of Great Powers forever, does not stand up to any criticism.
Taking into account the circumstances and the American "resting on its laurels" to today The United States finds itself in a very difficult situation, when the American bomber still remains strategic, but at the same time has no ability to perform its target functions, and the Russian one, on the other hand, has only become even more formidable. Moreover, even in the case of “emergency” equipment of the “American” with free-falling bombs with nuclear warheads (installed on external pylons), its stealth properties will be so spoiled that the aircraft will lose its other advantage - stealth. Considering that it will hardly be possible to open the enemy’s layered air defense of level “C - 300/400/500” in this state, the prospects of such an attack look extremely unfounded.
“B1-B” is able to fly to the borders of Russia, but that’s all it can do in this case.
3. "B-2 Spirit"
The B-2 Spirit is an extremely controversial aircraft. Metaphorically, it is a symbiosis of the famous US corporate corruption and the no less famous Hollywood fantasy of the American military departments. Being the most expensive aircraft in the world (the cost of one car exceeds a fantastic 2 billion dollars), it is also the most irrational aircraft in the history of the world aircraft industry.
The first bomber of this series was manufactured in the late 80s; in total, about 21 of them were created. It is also noteworthy that the program lasted less than ten years - with the beginning of the 90s, the production of the B-2 Spirit was completely discontinued. On the one hand, the reason for this was that so high price turned out to be unaffordable even for the budget of the United States of America, and on the other hand, on Russian S-300 class air defense systems (for reasons inexplicable to American designers) This “stealth aircraft” with the lowest ESR in the world glowed like a Christmas tree garland already within a 100-kilometer radius. The S-400 sees the American “invisible” even further - at a distance of about 180 kilometers. As a result, at the moment there are 16 similar aircraft in the US arsenal, but for the reasons described above, they are simply “standing there”.
4. "PAK DA" - "LRS-B"
Today dictates its own rules for both Russian and American aviation. And we, as well as the United States, need our own new generation strategic aircraft. The Russian aircraft of this class will be the PAK DA currently under construction, and the American aircraft will be the LRS-B bomber from Northrop Grumman.
Presumably, the take-off weight of the domestic “strategist” will exceed 100 tons, the combat load will not be inferior to the Tu-160, which means that it will be able to take on board more than thirty tons of missile and bomb weapons. The flight range will remain at 12 thousand km. There is currently no more detailed information on the PAK DA project, but if you believe the statements of Russian military officials, the PAK DA will be armed not only existing species aviation weapons, but also specialized hypersonic strike missiles with nuclear and non-nuclear warhead variants.
As for American prospects, the good news for us in this regard is that the tender of the American Ministry of Defense in 2015 was won by the same company that miserably failed the Spirit B-2 project (Northrop Grumman). Let's hope that this corporation will continue to follow the traditions of the American aircraft industry in recent years, and will delight us with the same beautiful, technologically advanced, but completely useless aircraft as before. Unfortunately, the chances of this are not so great, since the new American President Donald Trump, who has a very long list of financial issues with private military contractors, may well intervene in such a scenario.
On the other hand, it’s not even a matter of the manufacturing company, but the very concept of American combat aircraft.
Unlike the Russian one, which focuses on increasing the speed and maneuverability of combat vehicles, the American method implies a reduction in radar signature. An example of the first path was the “storm of the sky” Tu-160, the embodiment of the second was the disastrous “B-2 Spirit”.
As time has shown, the method chosen by Russian designers was much more correct than the American concept. And first of all, because advanced Russian air defenses have both reduced and continue to nullify all the advantages of the American stealth doctrine.
As for the reasons for the “miss” of American developers, it is simple - at the end of the last century, US pilots experienced a real shock when they visited the “missile jungle” of distant Vietnam. Then, the layered areas of continuous air defense created by the Soviet air defense systems led not only to the largest numbers of American losses, but also to the beginning of a multi-year program of “stealth” of everything possible.
In general, today's Russian strategic aviation is head and shoulders above the American one. First of all, due to the cruise missiles that are armed with the Russian Tu-95 and Tu-160 bombers, secondly, thanks to modernized characteristics these aircraft themselves.
GENERALIZATION
Russian military industry for last years made an incredible leap, and new items domestic developments deservedly causing wide public resonance and discussion.
In 2016 alone, the Russian Armed Forces received 59 new-production combat aircraft: 12 MiG-29SMT, two Su-30M2, 17 Su-30SM, 16 Su-34, 12 Su-35S and ten Yak-130 combat trainers. In addition, the Tu-95MS strategic missile carriers and the Tu-160 strategic aviation flagships underwent deep modernization.
“We need to do a lot to strengthen the nuclear triad,” he said at the final meeting military commission President of Russia in December 2016. “In improving the early warning system (missile attack warning system), in the Aerospace Forces, even more so at sea and in the Ground Forces. It is also necessary to improve reconnaissance systems and introduce more advanced communication systems. But overall, more than half of our country’s army is already the latest weapons. And by 2021, the share of modern military equipment will exceed 70%.”
It is worth noting that Vladimir Vladimirovich spoke about the army as a whole, but separately, the share of modern models, say in the Russian Aerospace Forces, has already been brought to 66%, and the serviceability of aviation equipment - to 62%.
In accordance with the state armament program, by 2020 it is planned to supply more than 900 new and modernized aircraft and helicopters to military aviation, as well as repair the same number of existing aircraft.
Very remarkable in this regard are the words of the First Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces, Lieutenant General Pavel Kurachenko.
“At the first stage, until 2018, the country plans to increase the groupings of the Aerospace Forces in strategic directions and complete the transfer of aviation to the “division-regiment” structure, create a closed radar field of a ground-based early warning system and begin deploying elements of a system for countering space systems equipped with weapons on new physical principles ».
To sum it up, it can be noted.
Russia, without being drawn into the arms race, is persistently building its national defense. And all the military achievements that exist and appear every day, together serve as a powerful factor in deterring and warning a potential aggressor.
After the Syrian events, many hotheads finally realized that fighting with Russia is not only dangerous, but simply impossible. For everyone else, there are still relevant, great words of the German Kaiser Otto von Bismarck:
2017-02-08 Formation of the Air Force and Air Defense Forces of the Russian Federation (1992–1998)“Make alliances with anyone, start any wars, but never Don't fight the Russians."
Decay process Soviet Union and the events that followed noticeably weakened the Air Force and Air Defense Forces (ADF). A significant part of the aviation group (about 35%) remained on the territory of the former Soviet republics (more than 3,400 aircraft, including 2,500 combat aircraft).
Also on their territories remained the most prepared for deployment military aviation airfield network, which in comparison with the USSR was reduced by almost half in the Russian Federation (primarily in the Western strategic direction). The level of flight and combat training of Air Force pilots has sharply decreased.
Due to the disbandment large quantity radio engineering units, the continuous radar field over the territory of the state disappeared. Was significantly weakened and general system air defense of the country.
Russia, the last of the former USSR republics, began building the Air Force and Air Defense Forces as an integral part of its own Armed Forces (Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of May 7, 1992). The priorities of this construction were to prevent a significant decrease in the level of combat effectiveness of formations and units of the Air Force and Air Defense Forces, to reduce personnel through the revision and optimization of their organizational structure, to remove obsolete weapons and military equipment from service, etc.
During this period, the combat strength of the Air Force and Air Defense Aviation was represented almost exclusively by fourth-generation aircraft (Tu-22M3, Su-24M/MR, Su-25, Su-27, MiG-29 and MiG-31). The total strength of the Air Force and Air Defense Aviation was reduced almost threefold - from 281 to 102 air regiments.
As of January 1, 1993, the Russian Air Force had combat strength: two commands (long-range and military transport aviation (MTA)), 11 aviation formations, 25 air divisions, 129 air regiments (including 66 combat and 13 military transport). The aircraft fleet amounted to 6,561 aircraft, excluding aircraft stored at reserve bases (including 2,957 combat aircraft).
At the same time, measures were taken to withdraw formations, formations and air force units from the territories of countries far and near abroad, including the 16th Air Army (AA) from the territory of Germany, 15 AA from the Baltic countries.
Period 1992 – early 1998 became a time of great painstaking work governing bodies Air Force and Air Defense Forces to develop a new concept of military development of the Russian Armed Forces, its aerospace defense with the implementation of the principle of defense sufficiency in the development of the Air Defense Forces and offensive character in the use of the Air Force.
During these years, the Air Force had to take a direct part in the armed conflict in the territory Chechen Republic(1994–1996). Subsequently, the experience gained allowed us to more thoughtfully and with high efficiency carry out the active phase of the counter-terrorism operation in the North Caucasus in 1999–2003.
In the 1990s, due to the beginning of the collapse of the unified anti-aircraft field of the Soviet Union and former countries- members of the Warsaw Treaty Organization, there was an urgent need to recreate its analogue within the borders of the former Soviet republics. In February 1995, the Commonwealth countries Independent States(CIS) an Agreement was signed on the creation of a Joint Air Defense System of the CIS member states, designed to solve problems of protecting state borders in the airspace, as well as to conduct coordinated collective actions of air defense forces to repel a possible aerospace attack on one of the countries or a coalition states
However, assessing the process of accelerating the physical aging of weapons and military equipment, the Defense Committee of the State Duma of the Russian Federation came to disappointing conclusions. As a result, it was developed new concept military construction, where it was planned even before 2000 to reorganize the branches of the Armed Forces, reducing their number from five to three. As part of this reorganization, two independent branches of the Armed Forces were to be united in one form: the Air Force and the Air Defense Forces.
New branch of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
In accordance with the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation dated July 16, 1997 No. 725 “On priority measures to reform the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and improve their structure”, by January 1, 1999, the the new kind Armed Forces - Air Force. IN short time The Air Force Main Command developed a regulatory framework for a new branch of the Armed Forces, which made it possible to ensure the continuity of management of Air Force formations, maintaining their combat readiness at the required level, and performing combat duty missions air defense, as well as conducting operational training activities.
By the time the Russian Armed Forces were united into a single branch, the Air Force consisted of 9 operational formations, 21 aviation divisions, 95 air regiments, including 66 combat aviation regiments, 25 separate aviation squadrons and detachments based at 99 airfields. The total aircraft fleet was 5,700 aircraft (including 20% training) and more than 420 helicopters.
The Air Defense Forces included: an operational-strategic formation, 2 operational, 4 operational-tactical formations, 5 air defense corps, 10 air defense divisions, 63 anti-aircraft units missile forces, 25 fighter air regiments, 35 units of radio technical troops, 6 formations and reconnaissance units and 5 electronic warfare units. It was armed with: 20 aircraft of the A-50 radar surveillance and guidance complex, more than 700 air defense fighters, more than 200 anti-aircraft missile divisions and 420 radio engineering units with radar stations of various modifications.
As a result of the measures taken, a new organizational structure of the Air Force was created, which included two air armies: the 37th Air Army of the Supreme High Command ( strategic purpose) (VA VGK (SN) and 61st VA VGK (VTA). Instead air armies front-line aviation formed air force and air defense armies, operationally subordinate to the commanders of the military districts. The Moscow Air Force and Air Defense District was created in the Western strategic direction.
Further construction of the organizational structure of the Air Force was carried out in accordance with the Plan for the Construction and Development of the Armed Forces for 2001–2005, approved in January 2001 by the President of the Russian Federation.
In 2003, army aviation was transferred to the Air Force, and in 2005–2006. – part of connections and parts military air defense, equipped with S-300V anti-aircraft missile systems (ZRS) and Buk complexes. In April 2007, the Air Force adopted the new generation S-400 Triumph anti-aircraft missile system, designed to defeat all modern and promising aerospace attack weapons.
At the beginning of 2008, the Air Force included: an operational-strategic formation (KSpN), 8 operational and 5 operational-tactical formations (air defense corps), 15 formations and 165 units. In August of the same year, units of the Air Force took part in the Georgian-South Ossetian military conflict (2008) and in the operation to force Georgia to peace. During the operation, the Air Force carried out 605 air sorties and 205 helicopter sorties, including 427 air sorties and 126 helicopter sorties to carry out combat missions.
The military conflict revealed certain shortcomings in the organization of combat training and the control system of Russian aviation, as well as the need for a significant renewal of the Air Force aircraft fleet.
Air Force in the new look of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
In 2008, the transition to the formation of a new look for the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (including the Air Force) began. In the course of the activities carried out, the Air Force switched to a new organizational structure, more in line with modern conditions and realities of the time. Air Force and Air Defense commands were formed, subordinate to the newly created operational-strategic commands: Western (headquarters - St. Petersburg), Southern (headquarters - Rostov-on-Don), Central (headquarters - Yekaterinburg) and Eastern ( headquarters - Khabarovsk).
The Air Force High Command was assigned the tasks of planning and organizing combat training, the long-term development of the Air Force, as well as training the leadership of command and control bodies. With this approach, responsibility for the preparation and use of military aviation forces and means was distributed and duplication of functions was excluded, as in Peaceful time, and for the period of hostilities.
In 2009–2010 a transition was made to a two-level (brigade-battalion) system of command and control of the Air Force. As a result, the total number of air force formations was reduced from 8 to 6, all air defense formations (4 corps and 7 air defense divisions) were reorganized into 11 aerospace defense brigades. At the same time, active renewal of the aircraft fleet is taking place. Fourth generation aircraft are being replaced by their new modifications, as well as modern types of aircraft (helicopters) with wider combat capabilities and flight performance.
These include: Su-34 front-line bombers, Su-35 and Su-30SM multirole fighters, various modifications of the long-range supersonic all-weather interceptor fighter MiG-31, a new generation medium-range military transport aircraft An-70, light military transport An-140-100 type aircraft, a modified Mi-8 attack military transport helicopter, a multi-purpose helicopter medium range with Mi-38 gas turbine engines, combat helicopters Mi-28 (various modifications) and Ka-52 Alligator.
As part of further improvement of the air defense (aerospace) defense system, currently time is running development of a new generation of S-500 air defense systems, in which it is planned to apply the principle of separately solving the problems of destroying ballistic and aerodynamic targets. The main task of the complex is to combat combat equipment of medium-range ballistic missiles, and, if necessary, intercontinental missiles ballistic missiles at the final section of the trajectory and, within certain limits, at the middle section.
Modern air forces are the most important integral part Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Currently, they are designed to solve the following tasks: repelling aggression in the aerospace sphere and protecting command posts of the highest levels of state and military administration, administrative and political centers, industrial and economic regions, the most important economic and infrastructure facilities of the country, groups from air strikes troops (forces); destruction of enemy troops (forces) and objects using conventional, high-precision and nuclear weapons, as well as for air support and support of combat operations of troops (forces) of other branches of the Armed Forces and branches of the armed forces.
The material was prepared by the Research Institute ( military history)
Military Academy of the General Staff
Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
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