November 30, 1914 can be considered the starting point of the existence of troops in Russia air defense. On this day, the commander-in-chief of the 6th Army, which guarded Petrograd, Adjutant General Konstantin Fan der Fleet, by his order, announced a special “Instruction on Aeronautics in the VI Army Region.” According to the document, for the first time in Russia, “air defense” of the capital and its environs was organized.
After more than a century of history - in the summer of 2015 - it was created the new kind Armed Forces - Aerospace Forces. It was created by merging Air Force and Aerospace Defense Forces. More than a year has passed since then. The main task of the most ambitious last years An organizational measure in the Armed Forces was to be the creation of a unified aerospace defense system.
However, in Russia, as it turned out, there is still no key component of such a system - a unified air defense (air defense) of the country.
Reforms and Serdyukov
Air defense troops as a separate branch of the armed forces existed in Russia until 1998, when Russian President Boris Yeltsin demanded immediate structural reforms of the army - first of all, a sharp reduction in the combat strength and strength of the armed forces. Then it was decided to unite the air defense troops and the air force into one structure with a simultaneous sharp reduction. However, at that time the relative centralization of management still remained.
Since the beginning of the 2000s, the General Staff, the main commands of various troops and military-scientific organizations of the Ministry of Defense began to actively develop options for building a unified Aerospace Defense (ASD) system, but they did not dare to make the necessary structural changes.
A new wave of transformations in this area began in 2010 after joining.
A campaign was launched to formulate the so-called unified approaches to the construction of the aerospace defense and the creation of the necessary groupings of troops in four strategic directions: “West”, “East”, “Center” and “South”, to whose subordination the main groupings of all types of the Armed Forces and branches of troops.
So-called operational-strategic commands were established (in essence, with the exception of signboards, not much different from military districts). The Air Force and Air Defense armies were withdrawn from the direct subordination of the Air Force High Command and transferred to the operational subordination of local commands.
Marshal Ogarkov's experiment
There was nothing fundamentally new in this decision, ex-Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Air Defense Forces, Colonel General, explained to Gazeta.Ru.
“Exactly the same reassignment was already carried out in 1975,” recalls Litvinov. “It happened on the initiative of the then chief marshal Nikolai Ogarkov. The border separate air defense armies in the western direction were transferred as an experiment to the Baltic, Belarusian and Carpathian military districts. The progress of the experiment was repeatedly checked by various commissions. The assessments were very different. Most experts were against these innovations. But the general conclusions were presented only as the author of the plan wanted - ".
Those who spoke out against it started to have problems, and those who admired Ogarkov’s initiatives were quickly promoted, the military leader clarifies.
According to the results of the experiment, in 1980, all border air defense associations were assigned to military districts. Thus, the unified air defense system of the country and the Armed Forces was fragmented, says Litvinov.
In 1985, individual air defense armies, after unsuccessful attempts to prove to the USSR Minister of Defense the ability of military district commanders to effectively manage subordinate air defense formations, were again returned to their original state, to the 1975 level. As a result, only personnel, financial and material losses remained from Ogarkov’s experiment.
The state of affairs was shocking
After the abolition of the air defense troops as a branch of the Armed Forces in 1998, and after another 13 years and the transfer of the corresponding associations to military districts, the unified system built over the years fell apart again, says former deputy commander-in-chief of the Air Force for armaments, Lieutenant General Vladimir Ruvimov.
“The head section of the aerospace defense system (the Moscow Air Defense District in former times) went to the leaders of the Space Forces, who had never previously dealt with the problems of organizing air defense,” recalls Ruvimov. — By and large, their competence in these complex problems was not much different from the awareness and literacy in matters of air defense (VKO) of signalmen, sappers, submariners or logistics workers.
And immediately, without really understanding anything, without having the appropriate education or service experience for this, they bravely took on the task of building an updated air defense system for the country.”
When the General Staff once again raised the problem of reforming the air defense (VKO), the opinion of experts in this field was still sought, but was never taken into account, Gazeta.Ru’s interlocutors familiar with the progress of the reform assure.
As a result, combat control of the Russian Air Force and Air Defense armies came under the leadership of the commanders of four districts and the Northern Fleet.
“What direct control in this case is exercised by the Main Command of the Aerospace Forces is still unclear. In fact, it performs the function of combat control only of the 1st Air Defense-Missile Defense Army (special purpose),”
— a high-ranking source in the leadership of the VKS complained in a conversation with Gazeta.Ru.
According to him, the commander-in-chief of the Aerospace Forces exercises direct control only of the aerospace defense forces allocated to him from the districts as part of combat duty and only in peacetime. The commanders of the five armies of the Air Force and Air Defense military districts are not even present at the regular Military Councils held at the High Command of the Aerospace Forces.
“What kind of unified aerospace defense system of the country in wartime can we talk about under these conditions?” — says Gazeta.Ru’s interlocutor.
As usual, all the shortcomings in the organization and structure of the troops came to light during the fighting.
On the eve of the armed conflict with Georgia in August 2008, the entire leadership of the Air Force was represented exclusively by pilots, which led them to underestimate the role of other branches of the military - reconnaissance, electronic warfare, air defense - in armed confrontation in the air.
The consequences turned out to be the saddest - absolutely unjustified losses in aviation in the first days of the conflict.
This state of affairs even shocked the Air Force command on the first day of the conflict, recalls the ex-commander of the 4th Separate Air Defense Army, Colonel General Anatoly Hypenen.
“Everything could have gone in those days according to a significantly worse scenario, if not for the urgent transfer of the S-300PS anti-aircraft missile regiment from the Moscow region (at that time from the operational-strategic Aerospace Defense Command) to Abkhazia,” says the military leader.
Unforgotten old
In recent years, there has been clear progress in the Aerospace Forces in matters of rearmament. In 2015, combat aviation received about 200 aircraft. The same number of combat vehicles is planned to be transferred to pilots in 2016. A lot of work is going on to improve the entire air defense infrastructure.
New over-the-horizon detection stations are being put into operation, new military and dual-use spacecraft are being actively launched, the troops continue to receive the latest S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems and Pantsir-S1 air defense systems, radars of the new fleet, equipment automated system management and communications. The quality of operational and combat training of personnel is also growing.
In all this there is a great merit of the current leadership of the Ministry of Defense and the command of the Aerospace Forces, however, the logistical support of air defense formations after subordination to their districts has deteriorated significantly, Gazeta.Ru’s interlocutors emphasize.
The corresponding structures of the districts are primarily engaged in providing support for the Ground Forces.
Air defense regiments and divisions are still “strangers” for them and stand in line for allowances at best second, or even third, and most often last, says a Gazeta.Ru source close to the leadership of one of the air defense armies .
In 2014, when it was decided to send additional troops to the Republic of Crimea to ensure security during the referendum, Russian Il-76 military transport aircraft with personnel began making continuous flights to the peninsula’s airfields. Ukrainian planes tried to interfere with the Russian ones by simulating military attacks, says Colonel General Hypenen.
“It was necessary to tightly close the sky of Crimea. And again in as soon as possible The S-300PM anti-aircraft missile regiment is being transferred to the territory of the republic from the Moscow region from the air defense-missile defense command.
From the moment the regiment went on combat duty, all provocations in the air immediately stopped. No one had any desire to enter the kill zone of a modern anti-aircraft missile system. But one can only imagine what the consequences of provocations against our aircraft would have been if the corresponding order had come from Kyiv,” explains the general.
According to him, the role of air defense systems in the Syrian conflict was also noticeable. Already on initial stage the campaign knew that in the areas combat use Russian aviation is carried out by aircraft from the air forces of the coalition led by the United States. There were warnings from Ankara that if our planes violated Turkish airspace there would be an extremely unfriendly reaction. However, until the Russian Su-24 was shot down, no measures were taken to cover strike aircraft from the ground.
“In just a day, anti-aircraft missile system The S-400 was delivered by air to Latakia and deployed in a new position area,” says Hypenen.
However, according to Gazeta.Ru’s interlocutors, no proper conclusions have been drawn about the results of the reforms of recent decades. Modern leaders of the Aerospace Forces still lack the understanding that in addition to their native and close branches of the armed forces, there are others in the new branch of the Armed Forces that are no less significant and very effective in battle. Moreover, a systematic increase in the combat capabilities of air defense groups in strategic directions through new types of weapons is not a solution to all problems.
“Today there is no talk of creating a unified aerospace defense system for the country in the High Command of the Aerospace Forces; apparently, everyone is satisfied with the current state of affairs. Nobody wants to come up with an alternative point of view that contradicts the position of the leadership of the military districts, and especially the General Staff,” explained Gazeta.Ru’s interlocutor, close to the leadership of the Aerospace Forces.
The creation at one time, under the leadership of Marshal Pavel Batitsky, of a unified command and control system for the country’s air defense forces was the first and, most importantly, a successful example of the implementation of the idea of forming strategic associations in the areas of armed struggle, states the ex-chief of the General Staff of the Air Defense Forces, Colonel General of Aviation.
“Subsequently, this was implemented in the corresponding automated control systems, and for each element of the created structure, starting from the Main Air Defense Command of the country, air defense formations and ending with formations, units and subunits - to individual mouth inclusive,” emphasizes Maltsev.
According to him, the extensive experience of large-scale exercises to repel massive air strikes confirmed the success of this system in different conditions, and this finally convinced the air defense leadership that with the outbreak of hostilities, no structural restructuring of the troops would be required.
The success of the system also lay in the fact that, depending on the situation, it provided both centralized and decentralized combat control of air defense troops, and at each link of the system in accordance with the assigned combat missions.
The Igla-super portable air defense system is a further development of the line of portable air defense systems launched by the Igla complex, which was put into service in 1983.
The most common and combat air defense system: S-75 air defense system
Country: USSR
Entered service: 1957
Rocket type: 13D
Maximum target engagement range: 29–34 km
Speed of targets hit: 1500 km/h
John McCain, who lost the last US presidential election to Barack Obama, is known as an active critic of Russian foreign and domestic policies. It is likely that one of the explanations for such an irreconcilable position of the senator lies in the achievements of Soviet designers half a century ago. On October 23, 1967, during the bombing of Hanoi, the plane of a young pilot, who came from the family of hereditary admirals John McCain, was shot down. His Phantom was hit by an S-75 anti-aircraft guided missile.
By that time, the Soviet anti-aircraft sword had already caused a lot of trouble for the Americans and their allies. The first “test of the pen” took place in China in 1959, when local air defense with the help of “Soviet comrades” interrupted the flight of a Taiwanese high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft, created on the basis of the British Canberra bomber. The hopes that the red air defense would be too tough for the more advanced aerial reconnaissance aircraft - the Lockheed U-2 - were also not destined to come true. One of them was shot down by an S-75 over the Urals in 1961, and the other a year later over Cuba.
The legendary anti-aircraft missile created at the Fakel design bureau has hit many other targets in various conflicts from the Far and Middle East to Caribbean Sea, and the S-75 complex itself was destined for a long life in different modifications. We can safely say that this air defense system has gained fame as the most widespread of all air defense systems of this type in the world.
The most high-tech missile defense system: the Aegis system ("Aegis")
SM-3 rocket
Country: USA
first launch: 2001
Length: 6.55 m
Steps: 3
Range: 500 km
Damage zone altitude: 250 km
The main element of this ship's multifunctional combat information and control system is the AN/SPY radar with four flat phased arrays with a power of 4 MW. The Aegis is armed with SM-2 and SM-3 missiles (the latter with the ability to intercept ballistic missiles) with a kinetic or fragmentation warhead.
The SM-3 is constantly being modified, and the Block IIA model has already been announced, which will be capable of intercepting ICBMs. On February 21, 2008, an SM-3 missile was fired from the cruiser Lake Erie in Pacific Ocean and hit the emergency reconnaissance satellite USA-193, located at an altitude of 247 kilometers, moving at a speed of 27,300 km/h.
The newest Russian air defense missile system: the Pantsir S-1 air defense missile system
Country Russia
adopted: 2008
Radar: 1RS1-1E and 1RS2 based on phased array
Range: 18 km
Ammunition: 12 57E6-E missiles
Artillery weapons: 30 mm twin anti-aircraft gun
The "" complex is designed for short-range cover of civilian and military targets (including long-range air defense systems) from all modern and promising air attack weapons. It can also protect the defended object from ground and surface threats.
Aerial targets include all targets with a minimum reflective surface with speeds up to 1000 m/s, maximum range 20000 m and altitude up to 15000 m, including helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles aircrafts, cruise missiles and precision bombs.
The most nuclear missile defense: the 51T6 Azov transatmospheric interceptor
Country: USSR-Russia
First launch: 1979
Length: 19.8 m
Steps: 2
Launch weight: 45 t
Firing range: 350–500 km
Warhead power: 0.55 Mt
Part of the second generation missile defense system around Moscow (A-135), the 51T6 (Azov) anti-missile missile was developed at the Fakel IKB in 1971–1990. Its tasks included transatmospheric interception of enemy warheads using counter nuclear explosion. Mass production and the deployment of "Azov" was carried out already in the 1990s, after the collapse of the USSR. The missile has now been withdrawn from service.
The most effective portable air defense system: Igla-S MANPADS
Country Russia
developed: 2002
Damage range: 6000 m
Damage altitude: 3500 m
Speed of targets hit: 400 m/s
Weight in firing position: 19 kg
According to many experts, the Russian anti-aircraft complex designed to destroy low-flying air targets various types in conditions of natural (background) and artificial thermal interference, it surpasses all analogues existing in the world.
Closest to our borders: Patriot PAC-3 air defense system
Country: USA
first launch: 1994
Rocket length: 4.826 m
Rocket weight: 316 kg
Warhead weight: 24 kg
Target engagement height: up to 20 km
A modification of the Patriot PAC-3 air defense system created in the 1990s is designed to combat missiles with a range of up to 1000 km. During the test on March 15, 1999, a target missile, which was the 2nd and 3rd stages of the Minuteman-2 ICBM, was destroyed by a direct hit. After abandoning the idea of the Third Position Area of the American strategic missile defense system in Europe, Patriot PAC-3 batteries are being deployed in Eastern Europe.
The most common anti-aircraft gun: 20-mm Oerlicon anti-aircraft gun ("Oerlikon")
Country: Germany – Switzerland
Designed: 1914
Caliber: 20 mm
Rate of fire: 300–450 rounds/min
Range: 3–4 km
The history of the automatic 20-mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft gun, also known as the Becker gun, is the story of one extremely successful design that has spread throughout the world and is still in use today, despite the fact that the first example of this weapon was created by the German designer Reinhold Becker during the First World War.
The high rate of fire was achieved due to the original mechanism, in which the percussion ignition of the primer was carried out even before the cartridge was chambered. Thanks to the fact that the rights to the German invention were transferred to the SEMAG company from neutral Switzerland, both the Axis countries and the allies in the anti-Hitler coalition produced their own versions of the Oerlikons during World War II.
The best anti-aircraft gun of World War II: the 88-mm anti-aircraft gun Flugabwehrkanone
Country: Germany
Year: 1918/1936/1937
Caliber: 88 mm
Rate of fire: 15–20 rds/min
Barrel length: 4.98 m
Maximum effective ceiling: 8000 m
Projectile weight: 9.24 kg
One of the best anti-aircraft guns in history, better known as the “eight-eight”, was in service from 1933 to 1945. It turned out to be so successful that it became the basis for a whole family of artillery systems, including anti-tank and field ones. In addition, the anti-aircraft gun served as a prototype for the guns of the Tiger tank.
The most promising air defense and missile defense system: S-400 Triumph air defense system
Country Russia
Developed: 1999
Target detection range: 600 km
Damage range:
– aerodynamic targets – 5–60 km
– ballistic targets – 3–240 km
Damage height: 10 m – 27 km
The air defense system is designed to destroy jamming aircraft, radar detection and control aircraft, reconnaissance aircraft, strategic and tactical aviation aircraft, tactical, operational-tactical ballistic missiles, medium-range ballistic missiles, hypersonic targets and other modern and promising air attack weapons. Each air defense system provides simultaneous firing of up to 36 targets with up to 72 missiles aimed at them.
The most universal air defense and missile defense system: S-300VM "Antey-2500"
Country: USSR
Developed: 1988
Damage range:
Aerodynamic targets – 200 km
Ballistic targets – up to 40 km
Damage height: 25m – 30 km
The mobile universal anti-missile and anti-aircraft defense "Antey-2500" belongs to the new generation of anti-missile and anti-aircraft defense systems (BMD-PSO). “Antey-2500” is the world’s only universal missile defense and air defense system, capable of effectively combating both ballistic missiles with launch ranges of up to 2,500 km, and all types of aerodynamic and aeroballistic targets.
The Antey-2500 system is capable of simultaneously firing at 24 aerodynamic targets, including low-visibility objects, or 16 ballistic missiles flying at speeds of up to 4500 m/s.
/Based on materials popmech.ru And topwar.ru /
I was largely inspired to write this article by the excessive jingoistic sentiments of a significant part of the visitors to the site I respect “ Military Review“, as well as the slyness of the domestic media, which regularly publish materials about the strengthening of our military power, unprecedented since Soviet times, including the Air Force and Air Defense.
For example, in a number of media outlets, including on “VO”, in the “” section, a material was recently published entitled: “Two air defense divisions have begun protecting the airspace of Siberia, the Urals and the Volga region.”
Which states: “The Assistant Commander of the Central Military District, Colonel Yaroslav Roshchupkin, stated that two air defense divisions took up combat duty, starting to protect the airspace of Siberia, the Urals and the Volga region.
“The duty forces of two air defense divisions took up combat duty to cover administrative, industrial and military facilities in the Volga region, the Urals and Siberia. New formations were formed on the basis of the Novosibirsk and Samara aerospace defense brigades,” RIA Novosti quotes him as saying.
Combat crews equipped with S-300PS anti-aircraft missile systems will cover the airspace over the territory of 29 constituent entities of the Russian Federation, which are included in the area of responsibility of the Central Military District.”
After such news, an inexperienced reader may get the impression that our anti-aircraft missile defense units have received qualitative and quantitative reinforcement with new anti-aircraft systems.
In practice, in this case, no quantitative, much less qualitative, strengthening of our air defense happened. It all just comes down to changing the staffing and organizational structure. New equipment did not enter the troops.
The anti-aircraft missile system of the S-300PS modification mentioned in the publication, with all its advantages, cannot in any way be considered new.
The S-300PS with 5V55R missiles was put into service back in 1983. That is, more than 30 years have passed since the adoption of this system. But at present, in air defense anti-aircraft missile units, more than half of the S-300P long-range air defense systems belong to this modification.
In the near future (two to three years), most S-300PS will either have to be written off or overhauled. However, it is not known which option is economically preferable, the modernization of old or the construction of new anti-aircraft systems.
The earlier towed version of the S-300PT has already either been written off or transferred “for storage” without any chance of returning to the troops.
The “freshest” complex from the “three hundredth” family, the S-300PM, was delivered to the Russian army in the mid-90s. Most of the anti-aircraft missiles currently in service were produced at the same time.
The new, widely publicized S-400 anti-aircraft missile system has only just begun to enter service. In total, as of 2014, 10 regimental sets were delivered to the troops. Taking into account the upcoming mass write-off of military equipment that has exhausted its service life, this amount is absolutely insufficient.
Of course, experts, of whom there are many on the site, can reasonably argue that the S-400 is significantly superior in its capabilities to the systems it is replacing. However, we should not forget that the air attack means of the main “potential partner” are constantly being qualitatively improved. In addition, as follows from “open sources”, mass production of the promising 9M96E and 9M96E2 missiles and the ultra-long-range 40N6E missile has not yet been established. Currently, the S-400 uses 48N6E, 48N6E2, 48N6E3 S-300PM air defense missiles, as well as 48N6DM missiles modified for the S-400.
In total, if you believe “open sources”, our country has about 1,500 S-300 family air defense launchers - this, apparently, takes into account those “in storage” and in service with the air defense units of the ground forces.
Today Russian troops Air defense (those that are part of the Air Force and Air Defense) have 34 regiments with S-300PS, S-300PM and S-400 air defense systems. In addition, not long ago several anti-aircraft missile brigades, transformed into regiments, were transferred to the Air Force and Air Defense from the air defense of the ground forces - two 2-divisional brigades of S-300V and Buk and one mixed (two divisions of S-300V , one Buk division). Thus, in the troops we have 38 regiments, including 105 divisions.
However, these forces are distributed extremely unevenly throughout the country; Moscow is best protected, around which ten regiments of S-300P air defense systems are stationed (two of them have two S-400 divisions).
Satellite image Google Earth. Layout of air defense missile systems around Moscow. Colored triangles and squares - positions and basing areas of existing air defense systems, blue diamonds and circles - surveillance radars, white - currently eliminated air defense systems and radars
The northern capital, St. Petersburg, is well covered. The sky above it is protected by two S-300PS regiments and two S-300PM regiments.
Google Earth satellite image. Layout of air defense missile systems around St. Petersburg
The Northern Fleet's bases in Murmansk, Severomorsk and Polyarny are covered by three S-300PS and S-300PM regiments. At the Pacific Fleet in the area of Vladivostok and Nakhodka there are two S-300PS regiments, and the Nakhodka regiment received two S-400 divisions. Avacha Bay in Kamchatka, where the SSBNs are based, is covered by one S-300PS regiment.
Google Earth satellite image. S-400 air defense system in the vicinity of Nakhodka
The Kaliningrad region and the Baltic Fleet base in Baltiysk are protected from air attack by a mixed regiment of S-300PS/S-400.
Google Earth satellite image. S-400 air defense system in the Kaliningrad region at the former positions of the S-200 air defense system
Recently, anti-aircraft cover of the Black Sea Fleet has been strengthened. Before the well-known events related to Ukraine, a mixed regiment with S-300PM and S-400 divisions was stationed in the Novorossiysk area.
Currently, there is a significant strengthening of the air defense of the main naval base of the Black Sea Fleet - Sevastopol. It is reported that in November the peninsula's air defense group was replenished with S-300PM air defense systems. Taking into account the fact that complexes of this type are currently not produced by industry for its own needs, they were apparently transferred from another region of the country.
In terms of air defense cover, the central region of our country resembles a “patchwork quilt” with more holes than patches. There is one S-300PS regiment each in the Novgorod region, near Voronezh, Samara and Saratov. The Rostov region is covered by one S-300PM and a Buk regiment each.
In the Urals near Yekaterinburg there are positions of an anti-aircraft missile regiment armed with S-300PS. Beyond the Urals, in Siberia, on a gigantic territory, only three regiments are stationed, one S-300PS regiment each near Novosibirsk, in Irkutsk and Achinsk. In Buryatia, not far from the Dzhida station, one regiment of the Buk air defense system is stationed.
Google Earth satellite image. S-300PS air defense system near Irkutsk
Except anti-aircraft systems, protecting fleet bases in Primorye and Kamchatka, on Far East there are two more S-300PS regiments covering Khabarovsk (Knyaze-Volkonskoye) and Komsomolsk-on-Amur (Lian), respectively; one S-300B regiment is deployed in the vicinity of Birobidzhan.
That is, the entire huge Far Eastern Federal District is protected by: one mixed S-300PS/S-400 regiment, four S-300PS regiments, one S-300V regiment. This is all that remains of the once powerful 11th Air Defense Army.
The “holes” between air defense facilities in the east of the country are several thousand kilometers long, and anyone and anything can fly into them. However, not only in Siberia and the Far East, but throughout the country, a huge number of critical industrial and infrastructure facilities are not covered by any air defense systems.
In a significant part of the country, nuclear and hydroelectric power plants remain unprotected, and air strikes on them could lead to catastrophic consequences. The vulnerability of Russian strategic nuclear forces deployment sites to air attacks provokes “potential partners” to attempt a “disarming strike” with high-precision weapons to destroy non-nuclear weapons.
In addition, long-range air defense systems themselves need protection. They need to be covered from the air by short-range air defense systems. Today, regiments with S-400 receive Pantsir-S air defense missile systems for this (2 per division), but S-300P and V are not covered by anything, except, of course, effective protection anti-aircraft machine gun installations of 12.7 mm caliber.
"Pantsir-S"
The situation with airborne lighting is no better. This should be done by the radio technical troops, their functional responsibility is the advance issuance of information about the beginning of an enemy air attack, providing target designation for anti-aircraft missile forces and air defense aviation, as well as information for managing air defense formations, units and subunits.
During the years of “reforms,” the continuous radar field formed during the Soviet era was partially, and in some places completely lost.
At present, there is practically no possibility of monitoring the air situation over the polar latitudes.
Until recently, our political and former military leadership appeared to be preoccupied with other more pressing issues, such as the reduction of the armed forces and the sale of “surplus” military equipment and real estate.
Only recently, at the end of 2014, Defense Minister General of the Army Sergei Shoigu announced measures that should help correct the existing situation in this area.
As part of the expansion of our military presence in the Arctic, it is planned to build and reconstruct existing facilities on the New Siberian Islands and Franz Josef Land, it is planned to reconstruct airfields and deploy modern radars in Tiksi, Naryan-Mar, Alykel, Vorkuta, Anadyr and Rogachevo. The creation of a continuous radar field over Russian territory should be completed by 2018. At the same time, it is planned to upgrade radar stations and data processing and transmission facilities by 30%.
Fighter aircraft, designed to combat enemy air attacks and carry out missions to gain air superiority, deserve special mention. Currently, the Russian Air Force formally has (including those in “storage”) about 900 fighters, of which: Su-27 of all modifications - more than 300, Su-30 of all modifications - about 50, Su-35S - 34, MiG -29 of all modifications - about 250, MiG-31 of all modifications - about 250.
It should be taken into account that a significant part of the Russian fighter fleet is included in the Air Force in name only. Many aircraft produced in the late 80s and early 90s require major repairs and modernization. In addition, due to problems with the supply of spare parts and replacement of failed avionics units, some of the modernized fighters are essentially, as aviators put it, “doves of peace.” They can still take to the air, but they can no longer fully complete a combat mission.
The past 2014 was significant for volumes of aircraft supplied to the Russian armed forces, unprecedented since the times of the USSR.
In 2014, our Air Force received 24 multifunctional Su-35S fighters produced by the Yu.A. Aviation Plant. Gagarin in Komsomolsk-on-Amur (branch of OJSC Sukhoi Company):
Twenty of them became part of the recreated 23rd Fighter Aviation Regiment of the 303rd Guards Mixed Aviation Division of the 3rd Russian Air Force and Air Defense Command at the Dzemgi airfield (Khabarovsk Territory) shared with the plant.
All these fighters were built under a contract dated August 2009 with the Russian Ministry of Defense for the construction of 48 Su-35S fighters. Thus, the total number of vehicles manufactured under this contract by the beginning of 2015 reached 34.
The production of Su-30SM fighters for the Russian Air Force is carried out by the Irkut Corporation under two contracts for 30 aircraft each, concluded with the Russian Ministry of Defense in March and December 2012. After the delivery of 18 vehicles in 2014, the total number of Su-30SM delivered to the Russian Air Force reached 34 units.
Eight more Su-30M2 fighters were produced by the Yu.A. Aviation Plant. Gagarin in Komsomolsk-on-Amur.
Three fighters of this type entered the newly formed 38th Fighter Aviation Regiment of the 27th Mixed Aviation Division of the 4th Russian Air Force and Air Defense Command at the Belbek airfield (Crimea).
The Su-30M2 aircraft were built under a contract dated December 2012 for the supply of 16 Su-30M2 fighters, bringing the total number of aircraft built under this contract to 12, and the total number of Su-30M2s in the Russian Air Force to 16.
However, this quantity, significant by today’s standards, is absolutely insufficient to replace aircraft in fighter regiments that are being written off due to complete physical wear and tear.
Even if the current rate of supply of aircraft to the troops is maintained, according to forecasts, in five years the fighter fleet of the domestic Air Force will be reduced to approximately 600 aircraft.
Over the next five years, about 400 Russian fighters are likely to be decommissioned - up to 40% of the current roster.
This is primarily with the upcoming decommissioning of the old MiG-29 (about 200 units) in the very near future. Due to problems with the airframe, about 100 aircraft have already been rejected.
Unmodernized Su-27s, whose flight life will end in the near future, will also be written off. The number of MiG-31 interceptors will be reduced by more than half. It is planned to retain 30-40 MiG-31s in the DZ and BS modifications in the Air Force, and another 60 MiG-31s will be upgraded to the BM version. The remaining MiG-31s (about 150 units) are planned to be written off.
The shortage of long-range interceptors should be partially resolved after the start of mass deliveries of the PAK FA. It was announced that it is planned to purchase up to 60 PAK FA units by 2020, but for now these are only plans that will most likely undergo significant adjustments.
The Russian Air Force has 15 A-50 AWACS aircraft (another 4 in “storage”), recently supplemented by 3 modernized A-50U.
The first A-50U was delivered to the Russian Air Force in 2011.
As a result of the work carried out as part of the modernization, the functionality of the aviation complex for long-range radar detection and control has significantly increased. The number of simultaneously tracked targets and simultaneously guided fighters has been increased, and the detection range of various aircraft has been increased.
The A-50 should be replaced by the A-100 AWACS aircraft based on the Il-76MD-90A with a PS-90A-76 engine. The antenna complex is built on the basis of an antenna with an active phased array.
At the end of November 2014, TANTK named after. G. M. Beriev received the first Il-76MD-90A aircraft for conversion into the A-100 AWACS aircraft. Deliveries to the Russian Air Force are scheduled to begin in 2016.
All domestic AWACS aircraft are permanently based in the European part of the country. Beyond the Urals they appear quite rarely, mostly during large-scale exercises.
Unfortunately, loud statements from high stands about the revival of our Air Force and Air Defense often have little to do with reality. In the “new” Russia, an unpleasant tradition has become an absolute irresponsibility for the promises made by high-ranking civilian and military officials.
As part of the state armament program, it was planned to have twenty-eight 2-division S-400 regiments and up to ten divisions of the latest S-500 air defense system (the latter should perform the tasks of not only air defense and tactical missile defense, but also strategic missile defense) by 2020. There is now no doubt that these plans will be thwarted. The same fully applies to plans regarding the production of the PAK FA.
However, as usual, no one will suffer serious punishment for disrupting the state program. After all, we “don’t hand over our own,” and “we’re not in 1937,” right?
P.S. All information given in the article regarding the Russian Air Force and Air Defense was taken from open, publicly available sources, a list of which is given. The same applies to possible inaccuracies and errors.
Information sources:
http://rbase.new-factoria.ru
http://bmpd.livejournal.com
http://geimint.blogspot.ru
Satellite imagery courtesy of Google Earth
S-300VM "Antey-2500" air defense system
The world's only mobile air defense system that can intercept ballistic missiles short and medium range (up to 2500 km). “Antey” can also shoot down a modern aircraft, including the invisible Staelth. The Antey target can be hit simultaneously by four or two 9M83 (9M83M) missiles (depending on the weapon used) launcher). In addition to the Russian army, the Almaz-Antey concern supplies Antey to Venezuela; a contract was also signed with Egypt. But Iran abandoned it in 2015 in favor of the S-300 air defense system.
ZRS S-300V
The S-Z00V military self-propelled anti-aircraft missile system carries two types of missiles. The first is the 9M82 in order to shoot down ballistic Pershings and SRAM-type aircraft missiles, as well as long-flying aircraft. The second is 9M83, for destroying aircraft and ballistic missiles of the Lance and R-17 Scud types.
Autonomous air defense system "Tor"
Bearing the proud name of the Scandinavian deity, the Thor air defense system can cover not only infantry and equipment, but also buildings and industrial facilities. "Thor" protects, among other things, from precision weapons, guided bombs and enemy drones. At the same time, the system itself controls the designated airspace and independently shoots down all air targets not identified by the “friend or foe” system. That's why they call it autonomous.
Anti-aircraft missile system"Osa" and its modifications "Osa-AK" and "Osa-AKM"
Since the 60s of the 20th century, the Osa has been in service with the Soviet and subsequently Russian armies and the armies of the CIS countries, as well as more than 25 foreign countries. It is capable of protecting ground forces from enemy aircraft, helicopters and cruise missiles operating at extremely low, low and medium altitudes (up to 5 m at a distance of up to 10 km).
MD-PS air defense system with increased secrecy of operation
The stealth of the MD-PS is ensured through the use of optical means for detecting and guiding the missile using infrared radiation of the target in the wavelength range of 8-12 microns. The detection system has an all-round view and can simultaneously find up to 50 targets and select the most dangerous ones. Guidance is carried out according to the “fire and forget” principle (missiles with homing heads that “see” the target).
"Tunguska"
The Tunguska anti-aircraft gun missile system is a short-range air defense system. In battle, it protects infantry from helicopters and attack aircraft operating at low altitudes, and fires at lightly armored ground and floating equipment. She opens fire not only from a standing position, but also while moving - as long as there is no fog or snowfall. In addition to the ZUR9M311 missiles, the Tunguska is equipped with 2A38 anti-aircraft guns, which can turn towards the sky up to an angle of 85 degrees.
"Pine - RA"
The Sosna-RA light mobile towed anti-aircraft gun-missile system, like the Tunguska, is equipped with an anti-aircraft gun that hits targets at an altitude of up to 3 km. But the main advantage of Sosna-RA is the 9M337 Sosna-RA hypersonic missile, which fires at targets at altitudes of up to 3,500 meters. The destruction range is from 1.3 to 8 km. "Sosna-RA" - light complex; this means that it can be placed on any platform that can support its weight - Ural-4320, KamAZ-4310 trucks and others.
New items
Long- and medium-range anti-aircraft missile system S-400 "Triumph"
The destruction of targets at long range in the Russian army is ensured, among other things, by the S-400 Triumph air defense system. It is designed to destroy aerospace attack weapons, and is capable of intercepting a target at a distance of more than 200 kilometers and at an altitude of up to 30 km. The Triumph has been in service with the Russian army since 2007.
"Pantsir-S1"
The Pantsir-S1 air defense missile system was put into service in 2012. Its automatic cannons and radio command-guided missiles with infrared and radar tracking make it possible to neutralize any target in the air, on land and on water. "Pantsir-S1" armed with 2 anti-aircraft guns and 12 surface-to-air missiles.
SAM "Sosna"
The Sosna mobile short-range anti-aircraft missile system is the latest Russian innovation; The complex will enter service only at the end of this year. It has two parts - armor-piercing and fragmentation-rod action, that is, it can hit armored vehicles, fortifications and ships, shoot down cruise missiles, drones and high-precision weapons. The Sosna is guided by a laser: the rocket flies along the beam.
"Russian Ministry of Defense"
Air defense troops appeared during the First World War. On December 26, 1915, the first four separate four-gun light batteries were formed and sent to the Western Front for firing at air targets. In accordance with the order of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation dated February 9, 2007, this memorable date began to be celebrated in Russia as the Day military air defense.
Organizationally, these formations are part of the formations, formations and units of the Ground Forces, Airborne troops, coastal troops of the Navy (Navy) and perform tasks in the country’s unified air defense system. They are equipped with anti-aircraft missiles, anti-aircraft artillery, anti-aircraft gun and missile systems (systems) of different ranges and methods of missile guidance, as well as portable weapons. Depending on the range of destruction of air targets, they are divided into short-range systems - up to 10 km, short-range - up to 30 km, medium-range - up to 100 km and long-range - more than 100 km.
At the final collegium of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation held on December 22, the Commander-in-Chief Ground forces Oleg Salyukov stated that Russian military air defense is capable of repelling any means of air attack existing in the world. He emphasized that the development of military threats in the aerospace sphere necessitates “coordinated development of missile, space and air defense systems, taking into account qualitatively new requirements.”
The modern weapons of the Air Defense Forces of the Ground Forces are in many ways superior to their predecessors and have no analogues in the world, which is confirmed by their high competitiveness in the arms market
Oleg Salyukov
Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces, Colonel General
The military air defense systems are equipped with S-300V4 air defense systems (interception range - up to 400 km) and Tor-M1 (up to 15 km), Buk-M1 air defense systems (up to 45 km), Strela-10M4 (up to 8 km ), "OSA-AKM" (up to 10 km), anti-aircraft gun-missile systems "Tunguska-M1" (up to 10 km), anti-aircraft artillery systems"Shilka-M5" (up to 6 km), all-weather tactical missile systems "Tor-M2U" and others. Currently, the troops have already formed new anti-aircraft missile formations armed with the S-300V4 and the Buk-M2 complex. Re-equipment is being carried out with new Buk-MZ, Tor-M2 and Verba man-portable air defense systems.
New weapons have incorporated best qualities their predecessors and are capable of hitting both aerodynamic and ballistic targets, cruise missiles, air reconnaissance and electronic warfare systems, and combating airborne assaults. Military air defense should not be confused with the Air Defense and Missile Defense Forces (PVO-ABM), which are part of the Russian Aerospace Forces.
Progress of rearmament
S-300V4, Buk-MZ and Tor-M2 are included in the list of priority weapons and military equipment, which determine the appearance of promising weapons systems of the Russian army. As the head of the military air defense of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Lieutenant General Alexander Leonov, told the Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper, in 2017 the main efforts were focused on equipping formations and units of the Southern and Western military districts with this equipment.
As a result of this, the following were rearmed and retrained: the anti-aircraft missile brigade - with the Buk-MZ medium-range air defense system; anti-aircraft missile regiments of combined arms formations - on the short-range air defense system "Tor-M2"; air defense units of combined arms formations - on the Verba MANPADS
Alexander Leonov
The Buk-MZ air defense system was delivered to join the Western Military District, whose military personnel next year will have to undergo retraining for new systems and perform live firing in specialized training centers of the Air Defense Forces of the Ground Forces.
In 2018, it is planned to equip two military formations Air defense; air defense units operating in the Arctic and Far North, should receive the Tor-M2DT short-range air defense system; air defense units of combined arms formations - MANPADS "Verba".
Thus, the systematic and annual increase in the combat strength of troops, the implementation of complete rearmament with modern anti-aircraft missile systems will make it possible by 2020 to increase the combat capabilities of air defense forces by almost 1.3 times
Alexander Leonov
Chief of Military Air Defense of the RF Armed Forces, Lieutenant General
Compared to previous generation systems, it has a two to three times expanded area covered from air strikes and an increased range of the border of the zone of destruction of air targets. These parameters, in particular, ensure guaranteed interception of the warheads of medium-range ballistic missiles. S-300V4 - modification of the S-300VM system, which has higher performance characteristics through the introduction of modern computing tools and element base, the use of new components. New system capable of hitting ballistic and aerodynamic targets at ranges up to 400 km. The supply contract was concluded in 2012. The first set was delivered to the customer in December 2014.
Continuation
Evolution of "Thor"
According to open sources, the first modification of the Tor family of air defense systems entered service in 1986. Since 2011, the troops have been receiving a modification of the Tor-M2U complex. Fighting machine provides all-aspect destruction of air targets, including the striking elements of high-precision weapons. The air defense system allows reconnaissance on the move over any terrain and simultaneous firing of four air targets in a given sector.
The modern Tor-M2 began to enter service with the troops in 2016. Compared to previous modifications, it has improved the characteristics of the affected area, the transportable stock of anti-aircraft guided missiles, noise immunity, and others by one and a half to two times. It is capable of destroying targets flying at speeds of up to 700 m/s, at a range of up to 12 km and an altitude of up to 10 km. A battery consisting of four vehicles can simultaneously attack 16 targets.
In 2016, the Almaz-Antey concern began work on the Arctic version of the short-range air defense system - Tor-M2DT. A new version installed on the chassis of a two-link tracked tractor DT-30PM-T1 (DT - two-link tractor).
A naval version of the Thor may already appear in 2018–2019. This was reported by the press service of the Almaz-Antey concern during the KADEX 2016 exhibition. At the same time, in a number of parameters, the ship version of the complex will be superior to existing representatives of the Thor family.
This issue has been studied by the concern, and taking into account the experience of cooperation enterprises in the production and installation of complexes such as "Osa", "Dagger" and others on Navy ships, as well as the possibility of using components of mass-produced land-based air defense systems "Tor", we can conclude that the creation of a "marine" "Tor version in the shortest possible time (the first samples of air defense systems may appear in 2018-2019), and at minimal cost
press service of the concern VKO "Almaz-Antey"
In 2016, the chief designer of anti-aircraft missile systems Izhevsk electromechanical plant "Kupol" (part of the Almaz-Antey concern) Joseph Drize (creator of a series modern means Air defense, died in November 2016 - approx. TASS) stated that in the future "Thor" will become completely robotic and will be able to shoot down targets without human intervention. As Drize said, the air defense system can still operate without human intervention, but in some cases an operator is needed in conditions of strong interference. In addition, the company is working on increasing the Thor's capabilities to destroy cruise missiles created using stealth technologies.
New military "Gadfly"
"Buk-M2" (according to NATO codification - SA-11 Gadfly, "Gadfly") is considered one of the most effective representatives of its class. Its development was completed back in 1988, but serial production was launched only 15 years later.
In 2016, the military received the first brigade kit of the new Buk - Buk-M3. The characteristics of the complex are unknown, but its predecessor is capable of hitting air targets with solid fuel missiles at a range of 3 km to 45 km and at an altitude of up to 15 m to 25 km. In addition, it can destroy ballistic missiles with a launch range of up to 150–200 km. Thanks to the new Buk-M3 missile, it is almost twice as powerful as previous models and has no analogues in the world. In addition, due to the smaller mass of the rocket, it was possible to increase the ammunition load by one and a half times. Another feature of the complex is the placement of the missile in a launch container.
The transport and launch containers (complex) contain six missiles on each self-propelled firing unit. Rockets have become more compact, but nevertheless they fly faster, further and more accurately. That is, a new unique missile has been created that will make it more likely to destroy air targets
Alexander Leonov
Chief of Military Air Defense of the RF Armed Forces, Lieutenant General
In 2015, it was reported that in a number of parameters the new product surpassed the S-300 long-range system. "First of all we're talking about about the probability of hitting targets, which for the Buk-M3 is 0.9999, which the S-300 does not have,” a TASS source said. In addition, the maximum range of destruction of the complex has been increased by 25 km compared to its predecessor and increased to 70 km.
"Verba" for landing
The supply of Verba MANPADS to the troops continues. In August of this year, it became known that all airborne and airborne assault divisions of the Airborne Forces had already been re-equipped with Verba. According to the commander of the Airborne Forces, Colonel General Andrei Serdyukov, "Verba" is capable of hitting tactical aircraft, attack helicopters, cruise missiles and remotely piloted aircraft on oncoming and catch-up courses, in day and night conditions with visual visibility of the target, including in conditions of background and artificial interference.
Among the advantages of the Verba is the ability to fire on a collision course at targets with low infrared radiation on the far border of the affected area at extremely low altitudes. The new short-range systems, unlike their predecessors (Igla MANPADS), have expanded combat capabilities and provide high efficiency in hitting targets, despite powerful optical countermeasures.
Compared to previous MANPADS, the Verba has a several-fold increased firing zone for targets with low thermal radiation and tens of times increased immunity from powerful pyrotechnic interference. While the procedure for the combat use of new MANPADS is similar to the procedure for using the previous generation systems, Verba has reduced the consumption of missiles to hit one target and expanded the temperature range of use to minus 50 degrees. MANPADS are capable of hitting stealth targets of a mock enemy at altitudes from 10 m to 4.5 km and at ranges from 500 m to 6.5 km.
Roman Azanov
