Fuerza Aérea de Rusia

[Giancarlo_HG.]

Fuente

Russia, 28 Noviembre del 2008

Sitio web de la agencia de noticias militares rusas

Interfax-AVN military

Text of report by corporate-owned Russian military news agency Interfax-AVN website

Moscow, 25 November: The intensity with which the Su-34 tactical bomber [NATO reporting name: Fullback] has been tested this year has virtually doubled as compared with 2007, a defence industry source has told Interfax-AVN.

Se hace referencia a que en el 2008; hasta noviembre de ese año, las "pruebas" del Su 34 se han duplicado respecto al año 2007


"This refers both to final adjustments to the aircraft and to test flights," the agency's contact said.

"Se hace referencia a los vuelos de prueba y a los ajustes finales de la aeronave"

According to him, the testing will increase even more next year. The final completion of tests on the Su-34 is scheduled for 2010. The agency's contact added that five Su-34s would be involved in the tests...................

Se hace referencia a que las pruebas operacionales y de sistemas (es obvio asumir esto) se incrementarán para este año 2009. Las pruebas se terminaran para el 2010, son 5 los Su 34 que estab participando en estas pruebas.

.....¿que se puede concluir?

Se deben de estar realizando pruebas de avionica, motrices, cualidades de vuelo, capacidad estructural, telemetría diversa, etc, etc .......formacion de nuevos pilotos, aunque por la cantidad de unidades entregadas tal vez no sea lo optimo, paralelamente se deben de estar realizando los primeros manuales de vuelo, manuales de mantenimiento y creando doctrina de uso en la VVS....lo cual llevara muchos años mas, cuando la aeronave alcance el FOC.

A esto no se le puede llamar una fase inicial de capacidad operacional..¿o si?

Para mi no, opiniones......¿?

[Vitali]

Para mi no, opiniones......¿?

Porque gasta su tiempo en él?

[Luisfer]

Un importante dato sobre nuestra discusión sin menospreciar las intenciones de adquirir 24 aparatos nuevos para la VVS (no precisa cuales)

http://armstass.su/?page=article&aid=68608&cid=25

Nos da cuenta de la voluntad de incrementar la formación de pilotos rusos, no porque no los haya como se ah estado afirmando aquí por parte de otros foristas, si porque estos tienen que amoldarse a las nuevas tecnologías.

Saludos

[Giancarlo_HG.]

Si Vitali, tienes razón es una pérdida de tiempo, hasta copia el estilo del forista Charly 15.

saludos

[Bogdan-The-Kozak]

Si Vitali, tienes razón es una pérdida de tiempo, vayan al foro portierramaryaire y verán que hasta copia el estilo del forista Charly 15.

saludos

JA! Lo sospechaba!

[Luisfer]

Pues como dice Orel, a saber si lo dices con sinceridad pero un gusto servirte

Sigamos con el tema y a ver si los impertinentes no nos lo malogran con su momento orgamisco (entiéndase TROLL ).

[Bogdan-The-Kozak]

[quote="Luisfer"]Bogdan, la verdad eso de ti ya me lo esperaba.[quote]
Era una broma... xD
Aunque se que lo tienes muy en estimacion a ese tal Charly.

Saludos!

[Luisfer]

Olvidalo Bogdan, día nuevo mente fresca y nueva también, excepto para quien me ah estado acusando y ofendiendo constantemente.

Saludos

[Giancarlo_HG.]

Hijitos! dejemos de tragar literatura oficialista y brochures por doquier....

mejor les adjunto algunos documentos de mi "pequeña" base de datos....esta lectura sera de su gusto

EL Magazine Kommersant-Vlast, preparo a fines del año pasado un excelente directorio llamado "All Russian Aviation."

Existen gráficos que no incluire.......porque no los tengo

Kommersant-Vlast, Moscow, in Russian 25 Aug 08/BBC Monitoring/(c)

Text of report by Russian newspaper Kommersant-Vlast on 25 August

Special Supplement compiled by Mikhail Lukin and Vladimir Savvin on the Russian Air Force, Air Defence and Army Aviation order of battle, leadership biographies, maps and aircraft specifications: "All Russian Aviation."

All Russian Aviation

MILITARY-PATRIOTIC PAGES

Taking into account the increasing role of the Air Force [VVS - Voyenno-vozdushnye Sily] in the life of Russian society and neighbouring states, the magazine Vlast has prepared the directory "All Russian Aviation." It includes a list of the structures of the Air Force (from the air commandant's offices to the air armies) with their basing locations and their commanders' names and military ranks. In addition, the location of military units is shown on maps. For aviation, helicopter and surface-to-air missile regiments, air bases, and squadrons, the types of combat equipment in the arsenal are listed. Moreover, the technical flight characteristics of the available Russian Air Force aircraft and helicopters are specified.

The directory is unique in the scope and completeness of the information provided, meanwhile it has been prepared in the traditional fashion exclusively on the basis of open sources: more than 7000 Russian and foreign mass-media, analytical reports and surveys, and also other publications and Internet resources.

"All Russian Aviation" continues the series of Vlast publications devoted to the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. You will recall that the directories "All Russian Army" (in 2002, 2003 and 2005), "All Russian Bases" (issue No 19, 2007) and "All Russian Navy" (issue No 7, 2008) have been published in the magazine previously.

Authors-compilers -Mikhail Lukin, Vladimir Savvin.

Where Russian Aviation Flies

At the time of the disintegration of the USSR, its air forces and air defence troops were the most numerous in the world, outnumbering the aircraft fleet of the US and China. Maintaining such enormous forces under the conditions of an economic crisis and changes in the international situation was impossible, which led to significant reductions in the Russian Air Force. Today, under the conditions of political stability in the country and in light of the increase in military spending it is possible to speak about the actual resurgence of the Russian Federation's combat aviation.

From the USSR Air Force to the Russian Air Force

By the end of 1991, the USSR Air Force numbered 211 aviation regiments and more than 14 thousand aircraft, including nearly 7 thousand warplanes. Air Defence [PVO] Aviation numbered 70 more aviation regiments and about 3 thousand warplanes. Army Aviation, which was subordinate to the Ground Troops, had about 5 thousand helicopters. After the disintegration of the USSR, some of the aviation groups went to the former Soviet republics. However, the main aircraft fleet remained under the control of the Russian Federation. The development of military aviation in modern-day Russia can be divided into three main phases.

The first phase (1992-1998) was a period of sweeping massive reductions in the number of aircraft, while leaving the structure of the Soviet-era Air Force mostly unchanged. During this period all outdated types of aircraft and surface-to-air missile complexes were phased out. The effective combat strength of the Air Force, Air Defence and Navy aviation by the end of this period 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 Defence aviation was reduced almost threefold - from 281 to 102 aviation regiments

By 1995, batch production of aircraft for the Air Force and Air Defence aviation was suspended. In 1992, deliveries of new aircraft totalled 67 aircraft and 10 helicopters, in 1993 - 48 aircraft and 18 helicopters, and in 1994 - 17 aircraft and 19 helicopters. In 1995, only 17 helicopters were purchased.

Nevertheless, attempts were made to continue the Air Force's modernization and rearmament programmes, which had begun in the late-Soviet years. Testing of modified MiG-29, MiG-31, Su-27 and Su-30 fighters and Su-25TM (Su-39) ground attack aircraft continued, and attempts were made to launch their production. Small-scale production of Tu-160 bombers was restarted. Design work on the prospective MFI [multirole fighter] fifth-generation fighter, the experimental Su-47 fighter, the Su-27IB (Su-34) frontal bomber, the An-70 military-transport aircraft (jointly with Ukraine), and the A-40 amphibious aircraft continued. In 1995, the new Ka-50 combat helicopter was nominally commissioned in Army Aviation.

During the same period, the Air Force was called upon to participate in the first war in the Chechen Republic (1994-1996), which served two purposes. On the one hand, this campaign gave the flight personnel of the Air Force and especially Army Aviation serious combat experience, and it also helped to maintain the average flight hours. On the other hand, it led to the consumption of significant financial resources, which could have been used for reforming the Air Force and maintaining its combat readiness. Moreover, this war caused serious wear and tear on the helicopter fleet.

Over the duration of the entire first period, the massive reductions of the Air Force aircraft fleet lagged behind the overwhelming yearly decrease in military spending. The share of the Air Force in the overall budget of the Ministry of Defence in 1998 amounted to just 9 per cent. This made it impossible to maintain even the forces that remained at an acceptable level. In 1998, the average flight hours of pilots in frontal aviation amounted to just 20 hours. Because of the low level of wages, poor living conditions and the lack of prospects, there was a massive exodus of trained flight personnel. The state of the aircraft deteriorated drastically in light of the lack of resources for scheduled repairs and purchases of spare parts.

[Luisfer]

Pues las fuentes de la que dispongo yo, no todas son las oficiales, entediendo el ministerio de defensa, al igual otros dudo mucho se valgan siempre de estas

Por ejemplo:

http://legion.wplus.net/index.shtml

[Luisfer]

Por cierto se conoció la noticia de que se venderán una veintena de Mi-17 para Irak.

Saludos

[Giancarlo_HG.]

sigue...

During the second stage (1998-2003), measures were adopted for reforming the Air Force. An important step in this direction was the 1998 merger of the Air Force and Air Defence Troops into a single branch of the armed forces. The merger was accompanied by significant reductions, while the bulk of the impact was on the former Air Defence Troops. In 1998 alone, the total number of aviation regiments was reduced from 102 to 70, and surface-to-air missile regiments - from 70 to 40. Practically all of the remaining frontal aviation regiments were transformed from three-squadron regiments to two-squadron regiments, which decreased their authorized composition from 40 to 26-28 aircraft. A large number of formation and combined formation headquarters were disbanded. In all over the course of one year, 123 billets were eliminated, and 580 units and subunits were disbanded. By the start of 1999, the manning level of the "new" Air Force totalled 192 thousand men instead of 318 thousand, which was the total manning level for the Air Force and Air Defence Troops combined prior to their merger. The aircraft fleet was cut almost by half, and there was a massive retirement of a significant number of fourth-generation MiG-29, MiG-31 and Su-27 fighters to the reserves.

The final act in the transformations was the transfer of Army Aviation to the control of the Air Force, with additional personnel reductions. The latter reform aroused fierce criticism and to this very day it is still considered a rather controversial step.

Under the conditions of drastic reductions in financing, it became apparent that it would be impossible to batch produce the warplanes and helicopters developed in the 1980s-1990s, which in addition by that time had already begun to become outdated owing to the protracted duration of research work. This brought about a mass revision of practically all of the Air Force's armaments programmes. By the end of the 90s, the MiG-29, MiG-31, and Su-27 programmes, and later the MFI programme were suspended. After 2000, the programme for the Ka-50 helicopter, which had not gone into large-scale batch production, was shut down, and in exchange work on its competitor, the Mi-28N, was resumed. Because of the high cost and political disagreements with Ukraine the programme for the creation of the An-70 transport aircraft gradually came to naught.

The joint Air Force and Air Defence leadership decided to concentrate on smaller quantities of key prospective aircraft programmes. Instead of the MFI, development of a new type of fighter, the fifth-generation PAK-FA, was launched, the tender for which was won by the company Sukhoi. The decision was made to finance the same company Sukhoi's development of the "extensively modernized" Su-35 fighter (Su-27BM), which among other things had prospects for export. In addition, the Su-34 frontal bomber programme was preserved, which, however, was to be re-equipped with new-generation electronic instrumentation. The Yak-130 was chosen for further development to be the future trainer aircraft for the Air Force. Also new projects were started for transport aircraft.

Simultaneously the Air Force chain of command for the first time seriously addressed the question of modernizing existing aircraft, finally having realized the fact that adequate numbers of replacements for them in the coming years in any case were not anticipated. After 2000, real modernization programmes for the Su-24, Su-25, Su-27, MiG-31, Tu-22M3, Tu-95MS, Tu-160, -50 and Il-76TD aircraft and Mi-8 and Mi-24P helicopters were launched. Nevertheless, because of insufficient financing implementation of the majority of them drug out, and they were conducted on a clearly insufficient scale.

Starting in 1999, the Air Force took part in the second military campaign in Chechnya. In view of the drastic shortage of financing this campaign put a heavy burden on Russian combat aviation, drawing away significant resources and considerably worsening its overall combat readiness.

The third stage began in 2004, and continues to the present. By 2004, after all of the reorganizations, re-subordinations and reductions an optimized structure and composition for the Air Force had taken shape, which has remained practically unchanged to this day. Political and economic stabilization in the country and an increase in military spending brought about improvement in the condition of combat aviation and the start of its urgent revitalization.

By 2007-2008, it became possible to speak about the beginning of a real increase in the combat potential of the Russian Air Force. In addition to the resumption of "foreign" flights of Russian strategic bombers, the intensity of Air Force and Air Defence exercises increased considerably. The pilots' total flight hours increased - for 2007 by 35 per cent, with frontal aviation reaching an average of 40 hours. Here and there the average flight hours figure was even higher, reaching as high as 80 hours in the frontal aviation units of the 4th (North Caucasus Military District) and 11th (Far East Military District) Air Force and Air Defence armies. In Long-Range Aviation the bomber commanders' flight hours amounted to as high as 80 to 100 hours. Modernization of available models of combat equipment and the delivery of new models to the troops also began.

The Contemporary Russian Air Force

At this time the Russian Air Force is still an impressive force. Based on the number of aircraft it is second only to the aircraft fleets of the US and China, and in combat potential (in view of Long-Range Aviation's large numbers) - it is second only to the US Air Force. By the beginning of 2008, the number of personnel in the Russian Federation Air Force totalled 183 thousand, and about 2800 aircraft and helicopters were in use. Structurally the composition of the Air Force includes:

aviation (bomber, air defence fighter, ground attack, reconnaissance, transport, special);

surface-to-air missile troops;

radiotechnical troops;

special troops;

rear services units and institutions.

The operational structure of the Air Force has been built on a combination of functional and territorial principles. Organizationally, the composition of the Air Force includes nine main combined formations (armies), four of which - the Special Purpose Command (including one Air Force and Air Defence army each), and two air armies (Long-Range Aviation and Military-Transport Aviation) are subordinate to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

In addition, the five combined Air Force and Air Defence armies are operationally subordinate to the corresponding territorial military districts. They bring together all combat and auxiliary aviation, surface-to-air missile and radiotechnical units on the district's territory. These armies have a complex hierarchy and consist of corps, divisions and separate regiments. Their composition differs greatly depending on the assigned missions, zones of responsibility and the extent of the threat.

The basic tactical element of the Air Force is the regiment. The aviation regiment at this time consists, as a rule, of command and control and two aviation squadrons (usually the standard composition of a squadron includes 12 aircraft or up to 24 helicopters). An Air Defence surface-to-air missile regiment includes from two to four battalions of S-300P or S-400 surface-to-air missile complexes (one complex equals one battalion).

Owing to a shortage of funds for conducting repairs and purchasing spare parts, the technical condition of Air Force aircraft fleet is rather low, which is aggravated by the significant age of the aircraft. Nominally the percentage of combat-ready aircraft in an aviation regiment varies from 40 up to 60, but in some cases is actually at a lower level. At this time, it is the short remaining service life and lack of spare parts (though there is no shortage of fuel as before) that are the major factors limiting the flight hours of Air Force personnel. On the whole the technical condition of the aircraft fleet is the main on-going problem facing the Air Force.

The composition of Long-Range Aviation includes 16 Tu-160 strategic bombers, 68 Tu-95MS (four of which are training aircraft) and as many as 120 Tu-22M3 long-range bombers (including a few training aircraft and aircraft converted into reconnaissance aircraft). In addition, as many as 90 Tu-22M2 and Tu-22M3 aircraft are in storage, and four Tu-160 and seven Tu-95MS aircraft are being used for testing purposes. The primary weapon of the Tu-95MS and Tu-160 is the Kh-55 strategic nuclear cruise missile.

Assembly continues on two or three additional Tu-160s. Work has begun on the modernization of available Tu-160, Tu-95MS and Tu-22M3 aircraft (to include giving the Tu-160 the ability to use non-nuclear weapons like precision and conventional bombs). In total the state armaments programme for 2007-2015 provides for the modernization of 159 Long-Range Aviation aircraft.

The Kh-555 non-nuclear cruise missile has been commissioned (it is being manufactured from already available Kh-55 missiles), testing of the new-generation Kh-101 and Kh-102 cruise missiles is coming to an end. A new strategic bomber, the PAK DA, is being designed, however it is possible that it will not make an appearance before 2020.

[Giancarlo_HG.]

A serious deficiency of Russia's Long-Range Aviation (as well as the Air Force as a whole) is the insufficient number of refueling aircraft (20 Il-78). It has been reported that there are plans to acquire as many as 30 new refueling aircraft based on the Il-96 airliner, however, it is not known just how implementable that plan is from a financial perspective.

Frontal aviation includes tactical combat aircraft -frontal bombers, ground attack aircraft, fighters and reconnaissance aircraft. In all the Russian Federation Air Force has about 1400 such aircraft - as many as 300 Su-24s, as many as 100 Su-24MRs, about 200 Su-25s, as many as 300 Su-27s, about 30 MiG-25BRs, as many as 270 MiG-29s, and about 200 MiG-31s. As many as 900 aircraft are in storage (as many as 200 Su-24s, 100 Su-25s, 100 Su-27s, 300 MiG-29s, and 200 MiG-31s).

Modernization programmes for frontal aviation aircraft are being conducted slowly in view of a shortage of resources. By the beginning of 2008, the Air Force had received 36 modernized Su-27M fighters, 11 Su-24M2 frontal bombers, 10 Su-25SM ground attack aircraft, and two MiG-31BM fighter-interceptors. Under the state armaments programme for 2007-2015, a total of 408 frontal aviation aircraft are supposed to undergo modernization.

The state programme also stipulates the delivery of 116 new aircraft by 2015, including 56 Su-34 frontal bombers. It is possible that a few Su-35 fighters will be purchased. Production of the Su-34 is experiencing delays (in 2007, the plan was to manufacture 6 aircraft, but not a single one was made), and the prototype of the Su-35 did not make its first flight until 2008. Clearly, even in the event of the complete fulfilment of the state armaments programme, by 2015, of the 39 currently available frontal aviation regiments, a maximum of 4 will be armed with the newest aircraft, and a maximum of 18 with modernized aircraft.

The main research programme is still the creation of the PAK-FA fifth-generation fighter by the company Sukhoi under the -50 (I-21) project. The first prototype is supposed to take flight in 2009. As of 2012, the plan is to test the PAK-FA with fifth-generation engines. The deadline for the start of batch production of the T-50 is optimistically set for 2015, but most likely it will not happen any earlier than 2020.

The Russian Federation's frontal aviation lags seriously behind the air forces of western countries in being outfitted with state-of-the-art guided weapons. State testing of the first guided bombs with satellite correction has only recently been completed. Russian fighters in reality are not armed with "over-the-horizon" air-to-air class missiles with active radar homing heads. The Air Force is also lacking precision operational-tactical aviation cruise missiles. A new generation of arms probably will emerge no earlier than 2010.

The Air Defence forces number about 100 active divisions of S-300P surface-to-air missile complexes of state-of-the-art modifications, and also one S-400 complex. As many as another 50 divisions of S-300P systems (mainly old versions) are in storage. A modernization programme has been launched for existing S-300P complexes. Starting in 2006, the Air Force began receiving a new fourth-generation surface-to-air missile complex, the S-400 "Triumf." The first S-400 division entered experimental combat alert duty near Moscow in the summer of 2007. In 2007-2015, the plan is to deliver 18 more divisions of S-400s, which will be used in another 9 regiments jointly with the S-300P complexes. At the same time, the S-400 complex until now has been using only missiles from the "old" S-300PM complex, and the 9M96 missiles and the long-range 40N6 missiles, which were specially developed for the S-400, apparently will begin arriving in the arsenal no earlier than 2010.

In order to cover the positions of S-300P and S-400 complexes, radars and airfields, the plan is to purchase the short-range "Pantsir" antiaircraft missile and gun complex starting in 2010 (requirements are estimated at 400 such systems).

For the radiotechnical troops, work is being conducted on the creation of a new standardized radar station for detecting air targets, which is supposed to replace all of the older types of radars. Its testing should begin in 2008. In addition, the air defence company Almaz-Antey is engaged in the creation of the fifth-generation surface-to-air missile complex "Samoderzhets," which will be capable of accomplishing both missile and space defence missions.

As regards military-transport aviation, after the rejection of the programme for the creation of the An-70 military-transport aircraft, the Russian Air Force has been relying on maintaining and developing its pool of Il-76 primary transport aircraft (right now there are 210 such aircraft in the Russian Federation Air Force). there are plans to start batch production of modified Il-76MF aircraft with PS-90A engines in Voronezh. In addition, work has begun for reoutfitting the Air Force's existing Il-76MD aircraft with these engines. For replacing the An-12 fleet, there are plans for the joint development with India of a prospective medium military-transport aircraft under the MTA programme, but its prospects are still unclear, although the Russian Air Force has expressed the need for approximately 100 such aircraft. In place of the An-24 and An-26, the Il-112V light transport aircraft is being created, with a target date of 2009 for its first flight. In all, under the State armaments programme for 2007-2015, the proposal is to purchase 4 Il-76MF aircraft, 18 Il-112V aircraft and 10 Tu-204/Tu-214 aircraft, and 14 Il-76MD aircraft are supposed to undergo modernization.

The placement of army aviation in the Air Force has been and continues to be criticized, as it is now considered to be playing the role of stepchild. Nevertheless, in recent years efforts have been made to make real progress in the much delayed (since the 1980s) programme for the creation of a new generation of combat helicopters. Starting in 2003, testing of the Mi-28N has been conducted actively, it has now been selected in the capacity of the primary combat helicopter, and it has been finished up to the stage of batch production. To date, 11 aircraft of this type have been built already, and under the armament programme 67 helicopters are expected to be purchased (the total needs of the Air Force are estimated to be 300 Mi-28Ns). Meanwhile, the decision has been made to finish construction on three Ka-50 combat helicopters and 12 two-seat Ka-52s. In addition, since 2003, work has been underway to modernize the available Mi-24P and Mi-8MTV helicopters into Mi-24PN and Mi-8 variants respectively, which are equipped for night operations. In all, during the period 2007-2015, 156 new and 372 modernized helicopters are supposed to be delivered. With as many as 500 helicopters currently available in the Air Force's arsenal (about 240 combat Mi-24s, several combat Ka-50s and Mi-28Ns, 25 Mi-26 transports, and the rest - transports like the Mi-8), in principle it will be possible to maintain army aviation's current numbers. In the long-term future, army aviation is planning on receiving Ka-60 lightweight helicopters and Mi-38 transport helicopters, and also prospective heavy transport helicopters, however, at this time there has been no final decision on the status of all these programmes.

It is generally accepted that the Russian Armed Forces (including the Air Force) are considerably behind the global level in the development and employment of unmanned aerial vehicles (BLA) [UAVs]. The Russian Air Force's arsenal currently includes only bulky, outdated reconnaissance UAVs like the Tu-141, Tu-143 and Tu-243.

At this time, considerable efforts are being made to overcome this lag. In several Russian design bureaus simultaneously, development is underway on a broad spectrum of various UAVs (mainly for reconnaissance), and contacts have been established in this sphere with Israeli companies. RSK MiG under an order from the Air Force is working on the creation of the Skat stealth unmanned combat aerial vehicle [UCAV], a model of which was demonstrated in 2007, and flight testing is expected to begin in 2009.

Mikhail Barabanov, Editor-in-chief of the magazine Moscow Defence Brief

[Luisfer]

Si Gicarlo, sin menospreciar tu interés pro informar pero y...algo nuevo del que no sepamos

Hombre es que esos datos muchos ya lo saben, pero de allí podemos sacar una conclusión general y acertada, la FR afronta dificultades y muchas de ellas que se mencionan en dichos artículos han sido superadas o siguen en el camino de hacerlo, por ello vemos los avances según las ultimas noticias.

Saludos

[Giancarlo_HG.]

sigue...

Who Commands the Russian Air Force

Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Air Force Aleksandr Zelin

Zelin, Aleksandr Nikolayevich

Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force (since May 2007). Colonel-General

Born on 06 May 1953, in Perevalsk, Voroshilovgrad Oblast. In 1976, he graduated from the Kharkov Higher Military Aviation School for Pilots (with honours), in 1988 - from the Yu. A. Gagarin Air Force Academy, and in 1997 - the General Staff Academy. He began his service as a pilot in the 787th Fighter Aviation Regiment of the group of Soviet troops in Germany (Eberswalde-Finow air base). Then he served as flight commander, deputy commander, and squadron commander. In 1980 he served as deputy commander of the 115th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment deployed in the Turkmenistan Military District (Kokaydy). Subsequently he commanded an aviation group, an air base, a fighter aviation regiment, and a fighter aviation division. In the mid 1990s, he became the first deputy commanding officer of the 23d Air Army (Chita). In 1998, after the conversion of the army into a separate corps of the Air Force and Air Defence, he became its commander. Later he served as the chief of staff and commanding officer of the 14th Air Force and Air Defence Army (Novosibirsk). In June 2001, he became the commanding officer of the 4th Air Force and Air Defence Army (Rostov-na-Donu). In August 2002, he became deputy commander-in-chief of the Air Force for aviation. He is a candidate of military sciences and a distinguished military pilot. He has been awarded orders "For Service to the Fatherland" IV Degree and "For Military Merit," and an Order of the Red Star.

Khvorov, Igor Ivanovich

Chief of the Main Staff of the Air Force (since May 2007). Lieutenant-General

Born on 08 March 1953, in the village of Belomstnaya Kriusha, Tambov Oblast. In 1975, he graduated from the Tambov Higher Military Aviation School for Pilots, in 1986 - the Yu. A. Gagarin Air Force Academy, and in 1999 - the General Staff Academy. He has served in Long-Range Aviation units in the following capacities: deputy ship commander in the Baltic Military District; ship commander; group commander; deputy commander; squadron commander in Transbaikal Military District. In 1986, he became chief of staff, and in 1987, commander of the 200th Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment (Bobruysk, Belarus). In 1992, he became commander of the 326th Heavy Bomber Aviation Division (Soltsy, Novgorod Oblast). In 1999, within the chain of command of the 37th Air Army of the Supreme High Command he served as the chief of combat training, the chief of staff, and in November 2002 - commanding officer. Candidate of military sciences. Distinguished military pilot and sniper pilot.

Androsov, Pavel Vasilyevich

Commanding Officer of the 37th Air Army of the Supreme High Command (Strategic) (since May 2007). Major-General

Born on 06 September 1954, in Tambov Oblast. In 1975 he graduated from the Tambov Higher Military Aviation School for Pilots, in 1988 - the Yu. A. Gagarin Air Force Academy, and in 2000 - the General Staff Academy. He began his service in Long-Range Aviation as an assistant ship commander. He commanded a squadron, then he served in the post of deputy commander of the 185th Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment (Poltava, Ukrainian SSR), and he participated in operations in Afghanistan. He was commander of an aviation regiment in the Kiev Military District, the commanding officer of the 55th Heavy Bomber Aviation Division (Vozdvizhenka, Maritime Kray), and the chief of flight safety of the 37th Air Army. In November 2002, he became chief of staff - first deputy commanding officer of the 37th Air Army. Distinguished military pilot and sniper pilot.

Kachalkin, Viktor Timofeyevich

Commanding Officer of the 61st Air Army of the Supreme High Command (Military-Transport Aviation) since February 2007. Major-General

Born on 29 March 1963, in village of Kachalin, Tatsinskiy Rayon, Rostov Oblast. In 1984, he graduated from the Balasovskoye Higher Military Aviation School for Pilots, in 1993 - the Yu. A. Gagarin Air Force Academy, and in 2003 - the General Staff Academy. He has served in a variety of flight positions, and in 1987, he participated in operations in Angola. In 1997, he became commander of the 708th Guards Kerchensk Military-Transport Aviation Regiment (Taganrog, Rostov Oblast). In 2003, he became deputy commander, and then commander of the 12th Mginsk Military-Transport Aviation Division (Migalovo, Tver Oblast). In 2005, he became deputy commanding officer of the 61st Air Army. Distinguished military pilot. Awarded the order "For Military Merit" and other medals.

Razygrayev, Sergey Nikolayevich

Troop Commander of the Special Purpose Command (since July 2008). Lieutenant-General

Born on 23 February 1952, in Kaliningrad. In 1974, he graduated from the Minsk Higher Engineering Surface-to-Air Missile Air Defence School, in 1981 - the G. K. Zhukov Military Air Defence Command Academy, and in 1995 - the General Staff Academy. He served in the troops of the Moscow Air Defence District in the following capacities: launch battery technical unit deputy commander; battery commander; and surface-to-air missile battalion chief of staff. Starting in 1981, he served as the commander of a surface-to-air missile battalion and regiment, and deputy commander of an air defence battalion. In 1992, he commanded the 4th Air Defence Division (Novaya Zemlya), and in 1995, he became the Air Defence Troops' combat training division chief. In December 1998, he became commander of the 21st Air Defence Corps (Severomorsk). He has been awarded orders "For Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR" III Degree, "For military merit," and various medals.

Miroshnichenko, Igor Vladimirovich

Commanding Officer of the 4th Air Force and Air Defence Army (since January 2007). Lieutenant-General

Born on 15 December 1957, in Kiev. A graduate of Moscow's Suvorov Academy, in 1979, he graduated from the Chernigov Higher Military Aviation School for Pilots, in 1991 - the Yu. A. Gagarin Air Force Academy (with honours), and in 2004 - the General Staff Academy (with honours). He was a pilot in the 787th Fighter Aviation Regiment of the group of Soviet troops in Germany (Eberswalde-Finow). In 1982-1988, he served in the Turkmenistan Military District in the following capacities: pilot; flight commander of the 179th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment (Nebit-Dag), deputy commander, squadron commander of 156th Fighter and Bomber Aviation Regiment (Mary-2). In 1991-1992, he served as deputy commander of the 378th Separate Ground Attack Aviation Regiment (Belarus). Then he served in the Far East Military District: as a ground attack aviation regiment deputy commander, in 1996, as commander of the 404th Fighter Aviation Regiment, and in 2001, commander of a combined aviation division. In 2004, he became commander of the 51st Air Defence Corps (Rostov-na-Donu). He participated in operations in Afghanistan (44 combat flights) and Tajikistan (21 combat and 5 special combat flights). Distinguished military pilot and sniper pilot. He has been awarded a medal "For Services in Combat," and orders "For Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR" III Degree, and "For Military Merit."

Kucheryavyy, Mikhail Mikhaylovich

Commanding Officer of the 5th Air Force and Air Defence Army (since June 2007). Lieutenant-General

Born on 25 March 1955, in Klimovich, Mogilyev Oblast, Byelorussian SSR. In 1976, he graduated from the Pushkin Air Defence Higher Command School of Radio Electronics, in 1988 - the G. K. Zhukov Air Defence Military Command Academy, and in 1998 - the General Staff Academy. He has served in the Air Defence Troops as a senior technician, division chief, battery commander, battalion commander, and deputy brigade commander. In 1989, he became commander of a surface-to-air missile regiment in the North Caucasus Military District. In 1990-1992, he served as commander of a surface-to-air missile brigade in the Transcaucasus Military District. Later, he served as chief of staff of an air defence division in the North Caucasus Military District. In 1998, he became deputy commander, then the chief of staff of 54th Air Defence Corps (Khvoynyy, Leningrad Oblast). In 2002, he was appointed commander of the 54th Air Defence Corps. He has been awarded an order "For Military Merit," a medal "For Service in Combat," other medals, and an engraved sidearm.

Sviridov, Vladimir Georgievich

Commanding Officer of the 6th Air Force and Air Defence Army (since June 2005). Lieutenant-General

Born on 13 October 1955, in Mineralnye Vody, Stavropol Kray. In 1979, he graduated from the Stavropol Air Defence Higher Military Aviation School for Pilots and Navigators, in 1992 - the Yu. A. Gagarin Air Force Academy, and in 2002 - the General Staff Academy. He began his service in the Far East Military District and served in the capacities of pilot and commander. In 1987, he became deputy commander, then squadron commander in the group of the Soviet troops in Germany. He served in the Transcaucasus and North Caucasus military districts in the following capacities: deputy commander; bomber aviation regiment commander; bomber aviation division deputy commander. Later he commanded a bomber aviation division in the Far East Military District. In 2002, he became deputy commanding officer of the 4th Air Force and Air Defence Army (Rostov-na-Donu). Distinguished military pilot and sniper pilot. He has been awarded the Order of the Red Star, the order "For Military Merit," and various medals.

Bondarev ,Viktor Nikolayevich

Commanding Officer of the 14th Air Force and Air Defence Army (since June 2008). Major-General

Born on 07 December 1959, in the village of Novobogoroditskoye, Voronezh Oblast. In 1981, he graduated from the Borisoglebsk Higher Military Aviation School for Pilots, in 1992 - the Yu. A. Gagarin Air Force Academy, and in 2004 - the General Staff Academy. He was an instructor pilot and flight commander at the Barnaul Pilots' School. Subsequently, he served as an aviation regiment senior navigation officer, squadron commander at a flight personnel training centre, squadron commander, deputy commander, and commander of the 899th Guards Ground Attack Aviation Regiment (Buturlinovka, Voronezh Oblast). He participated in operations in Afghanistan and in both wars in Chechnya. In early 2000, he became deputy commander, and in 2004, commander of the 105th Combined Aviation Division (Voronezh). In November 2005, he became deputy commanding officer of the 14th Air Force and Air Defence Army (Novosibirsk). Hero of Russia (rank awarded April 2000, for participation in operations in Chechnya). Sniper pilot.

Ivanov, Valery Mikhaylovich

Commanding Officer of the 11th Air Force and Air Defence Army (since May 2007). Lieutenant-General

Born on 21 December 1960, in Opochka, Pskov Oblast. He was a pupil in a children's home. In 1982, he graduated from the Dnepropetrovsk Air Defence Higher Surface-to-Air Missile Command School, in 1994 - the G. K. Zhukov Air Defence Military Command Academy, and in 2002 - the General Staff Academy. In 1982, he served in various air defence units of the Far East Military District as an interception control officer and deputy battery commander. In 1987, he served in the Transcaucasus military district as a deputy commander and battalion commander. Later he became the deputy commander of a surface-to-air missile regiment, air defence corps surface-to-air missile troops chief, air defence formation chief of staff, and air force and air defence combined formation operations section chief. In 1998-2000, he served as chief of staff of the 8th Air Defence Corps (Komsomolsk-na-Amurye). In 2002-2003, he commanded the 76th Air Defence Division (Samara). In 2003, he became commander of the 1st Air Defence Corps (Balashikha, Moscow Oblast). He has been awarded two orders and various medals.