 | RED STARS RED STARS MUST SEE...The Russian Air Force (Russian: Военно-воздушные cилы России, transliteration: Voyenno-vozdushnye sily Rossii) is the air force of Russia. It is currently under the command of Colonel General Aleksandr Zelin. The Russian Navy has its own air arm, the Russian Naval Aviation, which is the former Soviet Aviatsiya Voenno Morskogo Flota ("Naval Aviation"), or AV-MF.) It is claimed to be the second air force in the world in power, behind only the U.S. Air Force.Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union into its fifteen constituent republics in December of 1991, the aircraft and personnel of the Soviet Air Force - the VVS were divided among the newly independent states. Russia received the majority of these forces—approximately 40% of the aircraft, including the big majority of the ultimate fighters, and 65% of the manpower, and the major commands of the former Soviet VVS - the Long Range Aviation, Military Transport Aviation and Frontal Aviation were renamed, with few changes, Russian VVS commands. However, many regiments, aircraft, and personnel were claimed by the republics they were based in, forming the core of the new republic's air forces. Some aircraft in Belarus and Ukraine returned to Russia, as well as a long range aviation division based at Dolon in Kazakhstan. The former Soviet Air Defence Force remained independent for several years under Russian control, only merging with the Air Forces in 1998. The VVS participated in the First Chechen War (1994--1996) and the Second Chechen War (1999--2002). These campaigns also presented significant difficulties for the VVS including the terrain, lack of significant fixed targets and insurgents armed with Stinger and Strela-2M surface-to-air missiles. In 1998 the VVS was merged with the Voyska PVO (Air Defence Force). In 2003 the aviation assets of the Army—mostly helicopters—were transferred to the VVS. The former Army Aviation, was in its previous form intended for the direct support of the Ground Forces by providing their tactical air support, conducting tactical aerial reconnaissance, transporting airborne troops, providing fire support of their actions, electronic warfare, setting of minefield barriers and other tasks.The Russian Air Force has a strength of 2400 combat aircraft and a total of 3365 aircraft. In October 2004 the disbandment of the 200th and 444th Bomber Aviation Regiments with Tupolev Tu-22M3, the disbandment of the 28th, 159th, 790th, and 941st Fighter Aviation Regiments, the 302nd and 959th Regiments equipped with Sukhoi Su-24, and the 187th and 461st Assault Aviation Regiments with the Sukhoi Su-25 was announced |
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