On December 7, our country traditionally celebrates the Day of the Aviation Engineering Service of the Russian Aerospace Forces. In 2016, this service celebrated its centenary. Despite the fact that this date is not among the official holidays celebrated in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, specialists of the aviation engineering service celebrate their holiday annually on the day of the creation of this service - December 7, 1916, with reference to ours and the date of its origin.
For the armed forces, the time to test in practice new models of military equipment, theories, weapons and even new branches of the military is war. The First World War was no exception to this rule, which gave a start to life to a new branch of the military - combat aviation. The first airplanes quickly burst onto the battlefield, proving their capabilities to the military and promising even greater potential in the future, firmly taking their place among other branches and types of troops.
It was then, at the beginning of the 20th century, that the structure of the air force was formed, which included not only flight personnel, but also vital engineering and technical personnel who maintained and ensured the ability to effectively use military aircraft. The appearance of motor mechanic positions in the structure of military aviation in Russia in 1912, and then the assignment of military ranks to them at the beginning of the First World War, gave impetus to the fact that already on December 7, 1916, a separate service was formed. Initially, this service was called technical and operational. The main task of motorists was technical support of flights.
The technical service, which became the prototype of the aviation engineering service (IAS), initially consisted of a detachment mechanic, two senior motorists and ordinary motorists. Moreover, each mechanic reported directly to the pilot and was engaged in preparing the aircraft assigned to him for flight. In addition to them, the air squads also included a special economic team, which was the prototype of modern aviation rear units.
It is worth noting that by the start of the First World War, the Russian army already had 263 aircraft, which were grouped into 39 detachments. The maintenance of these detachments was carried out by the personnel of 6 companies, each of which served from 4 to 7 detachments. In addition, the units that were armed with Russian Ilya Muromets bombers from 1914 to 1917 were organized into squadrons. Subsequently, despite the civil war and its consequences, the structure and number of aviation units only increased, changing several times.
By September 1939, when World War II had already begun, the role of aviation in combat operations had increased many times over, and sometimes it played a key role in battles. It is aviation that will force the soldiers of the warring sides to peer into the sky with caution, sometimes dreaming of bad weather conditions, it is aviation that will put an end to the dominance of battleships at sea, it is aviation that will strike at communications, accumulations of enemy manpower and equipment, warehouses and bases as close to the front line , and in the deep rear, where industrial facilities will also become its targets.
With the beginning of the Great Patriotic War in June 1941, the IAS was faced with quite difficult tasks, which included, among other things, the development of new aircraft models that were beginning to enter service with the Red Army Air Force en masse, as well as their repair as a result of damage received in battles. Already in 1941, special positions of deputy senior engineer of the regiment for military repair, as well as radio engineer, were introduced. And in 1942, a mobile aircraft repair workshop (PARM) was included in the air regiment. The Air Force also created a field repair department. The chief engineers of air regiments, divisions, corps and armies were given the rights of deputy commanders for IAS. At the same time, the Main Directorate of Engineering and Aviation Service was established at the Air Force General Staff. All these changes were a clear confirmation of the increased importance of the IAS in the combat activities of the air force of the Soviet Union.
After the end of the war, the theme of the close connection between flight personnel and specialists in the aviation engineering service was reflected in art. Vivid examples were the truly cult feature films about the Great Patriotic War, “Only Old Men Go to Battle” and “Chronicles of a Dive Bomber.” And the role of mechanic Makarych in the film “Only Old Men Go to Battle” performed by actor Alexei Makarovich Smirnov became one of the best in his career. The film was loved by a huge number of viewers and remains popular today; in 2009 it was even completely colorized and restored (the original was shot on black and white film), while nothing was added or removed from the picture.
After the end of the Great Patriotic War, the work of IAS specialists did not decrease. Moreover, aviation units began a gradual transition to new jet military equipment, and the era of jet aviation began. The process of its implementation, preparation and development was actively underway. Mastering jet technology required advanced training not only for pilots, but also for all engineering and technical personnel who were preparing it for operation, creating new conditions for the technical operation and deployment of aircraft.
More than 100 years have passed since 1916, but the functioning of the Russian military space forces is still impossible to imagine without the presence of a developed maintenance system for the equipment in service. This work is being successfully carried out today by IAS specialists, notes the official website of the Russian Ministry of Defense. Moreover, today the IAS specialists include not only ground personnel (specialists in the technical operation of aircraft engines, airframes of aircraft/helicopters and their systems, various electronic and aviation equipment, aircraft weapons), but also members of aircraft flight crews. We are talking about on-board technicians, flight engineers, radio operators, and airborne transport equipment engineers.
Today, the main task of IAS specialists is to maintain aircraft and helicopters of the Russian armed forces in serviceable condition, ready to perform various flight missions. Such technical preparedness is achieved through the daily scheduled work of a large number of technicians, engineers and mechanics. The training of IAS officers today is carried out by the Air Force Military Training and Research Center "Air Force Academy named after N. E. Zhukovsky and Yu. A. Gagarin", located in Voronezh.
In addition to tasks related to the maintenance and preparation of aircraft at airfields, aviation engineering officers take a direct active part in all stages of the life cycle of aircraft, from setting requirements for research work to disposing of old models of military aircraft. For example, specialists from Air Force research organizations are engaged in formulating the parameters of future combat aircraft (appearance and their performance characteristics), based on an analysis of existing threats, as well as the feasibility in practice of the requirements (taking into account the achieved level of scientific and technological progress) .
The supply of all new aircraft to the aviation units of the Russian Aerospace Forces begins today with a comprehensive acceptance of combat aircraft and helicopters, which is carried out by representatives of the aviation engineering service. Recently, they have been accepting about 100 units of new aircraft per year, including Su-34 front-line bombers, Su-35S and Su-30SM fighters, Ka-52, Mi-28N and Mi-35M attack helicopters, as well as transport and combat helicopters Mi-8 of various modifications (including Arctic ones) and Mi-26T transport helicopters.
On December 7, Air Force Aviation Engineering Service Day, the Military Review team congratulates all military personnel, both former and current, related to this military profession, especially veterans of the Great Patriotic War, on their professional holiday.
Based on materials from open sources
Lieutenant General Yudin A.V. born on April 2, 1962 in the city of Armavir, Krasnodar Territory. In 1983 he graduated from the Armavir Higher Military Aviation School of Pilots. He served as a pilot, senior pilot, and flight commander of the Baltic Military District.
In 1989, he was transferred to the Western Group of Forces as a flight commander of a fighter aviation regiment. Since December 1989, deputy commander of the aviation squadron of the 16th Air Army.
In 1996 he graduated from the Air Force Academy. Yu.A. Gagarin Moscow Military District.
From 1996 to 2008, he served as an aviation squadron commander, deputy commander of a fighter aviation regiment, commander of a fighter aviation regiment, deputy division commander, and commander of an air defense division of the Far Eastern Military District.
Since 2008, student of the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
In 2010, he was appointed head of the Air Force Combat Training Directorate.
Since 2011, Deputy Commander of the Air Force and Air Defense Command of the Eastern Military District.
Since May 2012 - Commander of the Air Force and Air Defense Command of the Southern Military District.
By Decree of the President of the Russian Federation and Order of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation No. 389 dated June 11, 2014, the commander of the forces of the Air Force and Air Defense Association of the Southern Military District, Major General Andrey Vyacheslavovich Yudin, was awarded the next military rank of lieutenant general.
Since September 2015, he has been appointed to the post of Commander of the Air Force - Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces.
Married. Has three children.
Skubilin Vasily Zakharovich - chief engineer - deputy commander-in-chief of the Air Force for engineering and aviation service, colonel general-engineer.
Born on January 1, 1919 in the village of mine No. 9 “Capital”, Bakhmut district, Yekaterinoslav province (now within the city of Donetsk, Ukraine). Russian. In 1935 he graduated from the 9th grade of school in the village of Budennovka (now within the city of Donetsk), in 1936 – from the FZU school at the Stalin Machine-Building Plant (city of Donetsk). In 1936-1937 he worked as a metal turner in the mechanical workshops of the Budyonnovugol trust. In 1937-1939 he studied at the Kiev Technological Institute of the Food Industry, in 1941 he completed 4 courses at the Kyiv Aviation Institute.
In the army since August 1941. In January 1942 he graduated from the Air Force Engineering Academy named after N.E. Zhukovsky, which was evacuated in the city of Sverdlovsk (now Yekaterinburg). He served as a teacher on engines (1941-1942), a teacher on aircraft (1942-1944) and a senior teacher on the material part of aircraft and engines (May-August 1944) in the 13th reserve fighter aviation regiment (city of Kuznetsk, Penza region). In 1944-1946 - operation engineer of the 3rd reserve aviation brigade (in the Volga Military District), in March-September 1946 - senior operation engineer of a fighter aviation regiment (in the Transcaucasian Military District).
Then he served in the Ministry of State Control of the USSR: in 1946-1947 - controller for the 21st Air Fighter Army Air Defense (city of Kharkov), in 1947-1950 - controller for the 17th (from February 1949 - 69th) Air Army (city Kiev). In 1950-1953 - engineer-inspector and senior engineer-inspector for the operation of aircraft and engines of the aviation engineering service of the 69th Air Army (Kiev Military District), in 1953-1958 - senior engineer-inspector for operation and military repair of the Office of the Chief Engineer Air Force.
From 1958 - chief engineer for the operation of aircraft and aircraft engines of the aviation engineering service, in 1960-1961 - deputy chief engineer, and in 1961-1967 - chief engineer - deputy commander of the 48th Air Army for aviation engineering service (Odessa Military District) . From December 1967 to November 1968, he was on assignment abroad in Egypt as a senior adviser to the chief engineer of the Air Force.
From November 1968 - deputy chief engineer, and in January 1971 - April 1986 - chief engineer - deputy commander-in-chief of the Air Force for engineering and aviation service. Under his leadership, new Air Force Directorates were created for the first time, work was carried out to increase the technical service life of many types of aircraft and aircraft engines, as well as to increase the efficiency of aircraft engines.
For his great contribution to increasing the combat capability of the Air Force, by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated December 21, 1982, to Colonel General-Engineer Skubilin Vasily Zakharovich awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor with the Order of Lenin and the Hammer and Sickle gold medal.
Since April 1986, Colonel General of Aviation V.Z.Skubilin has been retired. He worked as a consultant at the Air Force Engineering Academy named after N.E. Zhukovsky.
Colonel General-Engineer (1976; Colonel General of Aviation - 1984), Candidate of Technical Sciences (1984). Awarded 2 Orders of Lenin (02/21/1978; 12/21/1982), Orders of the Red Banner (01/31/1967), Red Banner of Labor (02/11/1974), Red Star (12/30/1956), Russian Order of Honor (11/22/1995), medal “For military merit” (02/19/1951), other medals, the Order of the Polar Star (Mongolia, 07/6/1971), the Renaissance of Poland, 5th degree (10/12/1973), and other foreign awards.
Military ranks:
Military technician 1st rank (12/19/1941)
Senior technician-lieutenant (01/26/1942)
Engineer-Captain (11/25/1944)
Engineer Major (04/28/1949)
Engineer-Lieutenant Colonel (04/14/1952)
Engineer-Colonel (11/25/1958)
Major General of Engineering and Technical Service (06/16/1965)
Lieutenant General of Engineering and Technical Service (11/08/1971)
Lieutenant General Engineer (11/18/1971; recertification)
Colonel General-Engineer (28.10.1976)
Colonel General of Aviation (04/26/1984; recertification)
The importance of air power in modern warfare is enormous, and the conflicts of recent decades clearly confirm this. The Russian Air Force is second only to the American Air Force in the number of aircraft. Russian military aviation has a long and glorious history; until recently, the Russian Air Force was a separate branch of the military; in August last year, the Russian Air Force became part of the Aerospace Forces of the Russian Federation.
Russia is undoubtedly a great aviation power. In addition to its glorious history, our country can boast of a significant technological base, which allows us to independently produce military aircraft of any type.
Today, Russian military aviation is going through a difficult period of its development: its structure is changing, new aircraft are entering service, and a generational change is taking place. However, the events of recent months in Syria have shown that the Russian Air Force can successfully carry out its combat missions in any conditions.
History of the Russian Air Force
The history of Russian military aviation began more than a century ago. In 1904, an aerodynamic institute was created in Kuchino, and one of the creators of aerodynamics, Zhukovsky, became its director. Within its walls, scientific and theoretical work was carried out aimed at improving aviation technology.
During the same period, the Russian designer Grigorovich worked on the creation of the world's first seaplanes. The first flight schools were opened in the country.
In 1910, the Imperial Air Force was organized, which existed until 1917.
Russian aviation took an active part in the First World War, although the domestic industry of that time lagged significantly behind other countries participating in this conflict. Most of the combat aircraft flown by Russian pilots of that time were manufactured at foreign factories.
But still, domestic designers also had interesting discoveries. The first multi-engine bomber, the Ilya Muromets, was created in Russia (1915).
The Russian air force was divided into air squads, which included 6-7 aircraft. The detachments were united into air groups. The army and navy had their own aviation.
At the beginning of the war, aircraft were used for reconnaissance or adjusting artillery fire, but very quickly they began to be used for bombing the enemy. Soon fighters appeared and air battles began.
Russian pilot Nesterov made the first aerial ram, and a little earlier he performed the famous “dead loop”.
The Imperial Air Force was disbanded after the Bolsheviks came to power. Many pilots served in the Civil War on different sides of the conflict.
In 1918, the new government created its own Air Force, which took part in the civil war. After its completion, the country's leadership paid great attention to the development of military aviation. This allowed the USSR in the 30s, after large-scale industrialization, to return to the club of the world's leading aviation powers.
New aircraft factories were built, design bureaus were created, and flight schools were opened. A whole galaxy of talented aircraft designers appeared in the country: Polyakov, Tupolev, Ilyushin, Petlyakov, Lavochnikov and others.
In the pre-war period, the armed forces received a large number of new types of aircraft, which were not inferior to their foreign counterparts: MiG-3, Yak-1, LaGG-3 fighters, TB-3 long-range bomber.
By the beginning of the war, Soviet industry had produced more than 20 thousand military aircraft of various modifications. In the summer of 1941, USSR factories produced 50 combat vehicles per day, three months later the production of equipment doubled (up to 100 vehicles).
The war for the USSR Air Force began with a series of crushing defeats - a huge number of aircraft were destroyed at border airfields and in air battles. For almost two years, German aviation had air supremacy. The Soviet pilots did not have the proper experience, their tactics were outdated, like most of the Soviet aviation equipment.
The situation began to change only in 1943, when the USSR industry mastered the production of modern combat vehicles, and the Germans had to send their best forces to protect Germany from Allied air raids.
By the end of the war, the quantitative superiority of the USSR Air Force became overwhelming. During the war, more than 27 thousand Soviet pilots died.
On July 16, 1997, by decree of the President of Russia, a new type of military force was formed - the Air Force of the Russian Federation. The new structure included air defense troops and the air force. In 1998, the necessary structural changes were completed, the Main Headquarters of the Russian Air Force was formed, and a new commander-in-chief appeared.
Russian military aviation participated in all conflicts in the North Caucasus, in the Georgian war of 2008, in 2019, Russian Aerospace Forces were introduced into Syria, where they are currently located.
Around the middle of the last decade, active modernization of the Russian air force began.
Old aircraft are being modernized, units are receiving new equipment, new ones are being built and old air bases are being restored. The fifth generation fighter T-50 is being developed and is in its final stages.
The pay of military personnel has been significantly increased, today pilots have the opportunity to spend enough time in the air and hone their skills, and exercises have become regular.
In 2008, the reform of the air force began. The structure of the Air Force was divided into commands, air bases and brigades. The commands were created on a territorial basis and replaced the air defense and air force armies.
Structure of the air force of the Russian Air Force
Today, the Russian Air Force is part of the military space forces, the decree on the creation of which was published in August 2019. The leadership of the Russian Aerospace Forces is exercised by the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, and direct command is exercised by the Main Command of the Aerospace Forces. The commander-in-chief of the Russian military space forces is Colonel General Sergei Surovikin.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Air Force is Lieutenant General Yudin, he holds the position of Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces.
In addition to the air force, the Aerospace Forces include space forces, air defense and missile defense units.
The Russian Air Force includes long-range, military transport and army aviation. In addition, the Air Force includes anti-aircraft, missile and radio technical troops. The Russian Air Force also has its own special troops, which perform many important functions: provide reconnaissance and communications, engage in electronic warfare, rescue operations and protection against weapons of mass destruction. The Air Force also includes meteorological and medical services, engineering units, support units and logistics services.
The basis of the structure of the Russian air force are brigades, air bases and commands of the Russian Air Force.
Four commands are located in St. Petersburg, Rostov-on-Don, Khabarovsk and Novosibirsk. In addition, the Russian Air Force includes a separate command that manages long-range and military transport aviation.
As mentioned above, the Russian Air Force is second only to the US Air Force in size. In 2010, the strength of the Russian air force was 148 thousand people, about 3.6 thousand different pieces of aircraft were in operation, and about 1 thousand more were in storage.
After the 2008 reform, air regiments turned into air bases; in 2010, there were 60-70 such bases.
The Russian Air Force is assigned the following tasks:
- repelling enemy aggression in the air and outer space;
- protection from air strikes of military and government control points, administrative and industrial centers, and other important infrastructure facilities of the state;
- defeating enemy troops using various types of ammunition, including nuclear;
- conducting intelligence operations;
- direct support for other branches and branches of the Russian Armed Forces.
Military aviation of the Russian Air Force
The Russian Air Force includes strategic and long-range aviation, military transport and army aviation, which, in turn, is divided into fighter, attack, bomber, and reconnaissance.
Strategic and long-range aviation is part of the Russian nuclear triad and is capable of carrying various types of nuclear weapons.
. These machines were designed and built back in the Soviet Union. The impetus for the creation of this aircraft was the development by the Americans of the B-1 strategist. Today, the Russian Air Force has 16 Tu-160 aircraft in service. These military aircraft can be armed with cruise missiles and free-fall bombs. Whether Russian industry will be able to establish serial production of these machines is an open question.
. This is a turboprop aircraft that made its first flight during Stalin’s lifetime. This vehicle has undergone deep modernization; it can be armed with cruise missiles and free-falling bombs with both conventional and nuclear warheads. Currently, the number of operating machines is about 30.
. This machine is called a long-range supersonic missile-carrying bomber. Tu-22M was developed in the late 60s of the last century. The aircraft has variable wing geometry. Can carry cruise missiles and nuclear bombs. The total number of combat-ready vehicles is about 50, another 100 are in storage.
The fighter aviation of the Russian Air Force is currently represented by the Su-27, MiG-29, Su-30, Su-35, MiG-31, Su-34 (fighter-bomber) aircraft.
. This machine is the result of a deep modernization of the Su-27; it can be classified as generation 4++. The fighter has increased maneuverability and is equipped with advanced electronic equipment. Commencement of operation of the Su-35 - 2014. The total number of aircraft is 48 aircraft.
. The famous attack aircraft, created back in the mid-70s of the last century. One of the best aircraft in its class in the world, the Su-25 has participated in dozens of conflicts. Today there are about 200 Rooks in service, with another 100 in storage. This aircraft is being modernized and will be completed in 2020.
. A front-line bomber with variable wing geometry, designed to overcome enemy air defenses at low altitude and supersonic speed. The Su-24 is an obsolete aircraft; it is planned to be written off by 2020. 111 units remain in service.
. The newest fighter-bomber. There are currently 75 such aircraft in service with the Russian Air Force.
Transport aviation of the Russian Air Force is represented by several hundred different aircraft, the vast majority developed in the USSR: An-22, An-124 Ruslan, Il-86, An-26, An-72, An-140, An-148 and others models.
Training aviation includes: Yak-130, Czech aircraft L-39 Albatros and Tu-134UBL.
The largest helicopters remaining in service are the Mi-24 (620 units) and Mi-8 (570 units). These are reliable, but old Soviet cars, which can be used for some time after minimal modernization.
Prospects for the Russian Air Force
Work is currently underway on the creation of several aircraft, some of them are in the final stages.
The main new product, which should soon enter service with the Russian Air Force and significantly strengthen it, is the Russian T-50 fifth-generation front-line aviation complex (PAK FA). The aircraft has already been shown to the general public several times, and prototypes are currently being tested. Information appeared in the media about problems with the T-50 engine, but there was no official confirmation of this. The first T-50 aircraft should enter service in 2019.
Among the promising projects, it is also worth noting the Il-214 and Il-112 transport aircraft, which should replace the outdated Anas, as well as the new MiG-35 fighter, they plan to begin delivering it to the troops this year.
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