Baku Air Defence Army
Encyclopedia
The Baku Air Defence Army was formed on the Eastern Front of World War II, following the decree of the USSR State Defense Committee
of April 5, 1942. Previously known as the Baku Air Defence Corps, its main objective became sheltering the Baku
oil fields from German
raids. The Wehrmacht
had been planning the capture of the oil field under the codename Operation Edelweiss
. During the intense German air reconnaissance in May-October, 1942 the Army included the 8th Air Defence Fighter
Corps
, seven anti-aircraft regiment
s, one anti-aircraft machine-gun regiment, a searchlight
regiment, a barrage balloon
regiment and some other units. During its actions, the Army downed eight aircraft.
Successor Soviet air defence formations in the Transcaucasus region included the Baku Air Defense District of the Soviet Air Defence Forces (PVO), which was founded in 1945 on the basis of the Baku Air Defense Army. In 1948 the District was transformed into a zone/area. From 1954 it was redesignated a District again, until it was abolished on 5 January 1980. It was intended to cover from air attack in Baku and Absheron peninsula oil districts.
After the abolition of the Baku District, the main PVO formation in the Trancaucasus became the 19th Army of PVO headquartered in Tblisi. 19th PVO Army consisted a number of different units and formations. There were two Corps of Air Defence Forces (14 and 51) three divisions of air defence forces (96th, 97th, and 10th). Smaller units included three SAM brigades, a separate SA-2 regiment near Gudauta
, Abkhazia
, a separate SA-5 regiment near Tblisi, at least two radar units, and a number of fighter aviation regiments (see List of Soviet Air Force bases).
In the late 1980s, fighter regiments assigned to the army included:
19th PVO Army was disbanded 1 April 1993, with some equipment handed over to Georgian Ministry of Defence, but most equipment being withdrawn to be disposed of in Russia. Some of the fighter regiments were withdrawn to Russia and disbanded. Georgia was able to seize at least one battalion of S-75 SAMs, two divizions (batteries(?)) of P-125Ms, as well as several P-18 (Spoon Rest) radars.
USSR State Defense Committee
The State Defense Committee was an extraordinary organ of state power in the USSR during the German-Soviet War which held complete state power in the country.-General scope:...
of April 5, 1942. Previously known as the Baku Air Defence Corps, its main objective became sheltering the Baku
Baku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
oil fields from German
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
raids. The Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
had been planning the capture of the oil field under the codename Operation Edelweiss
Operation Edelweiss
Operation Edelweiss , named after the mountain flower, was a German plan to gain control over the Caucasus and capture the oil fields of Baku during the Soviet-German War. The operation was authorised by Hitler on 23 July 1942...
. During the intense German air reconnaissance in May-October, 1942 the Army included the 8th Air Defence Fighter
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
Corps
Corps
A corps is either a large formation, or an administrative grouping of troops within an armed force with a common function such as Artillery or Signals representing an arm of service...
, seven anti-aircraft regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
s, one anti-aircraft machine-gun regiment, a searchlight
Searchlight
A searchlight is an apparatus that combines a bright light source with some form of curved reflector or other optics to project a powerful beam of light of approximately parallel rays in a particular direction, usually constructed so that it can be swiveled about.-Military use:The Royal Navy used...
regiment, a barrage balloon
Barrage balloon
A barrage balloon is a large balloon tethered with metal cables, used to defend against low-level aircraft attack by damaging the aircraft on collision with the cables, or at least making the attacker's approach more difficult. Some versions carried small explosive charges that would be pulled up...
regiment and some other units. During its actions, the Army downed eight aircraft.
Successor Soviet air defence formations in the Transcaucasus region included the Baku Air Defense District of the Soviet Air Defence Forces (PVO), which was founded in 1945 on the basis of the Baku Air Defense Army. In 1948 the District was transformed into a zone/area. From 1954 it was redesignated a District again, until it was abolished on 5 January 1980. It was intended to cover from air attack in Baku and Absheron peninsula oil districts.
After the abolition of the Baku District, the main PVO formation in the Trancaucasus became the 19th Army of PVO headquartered in Tblisi. 19th PVO Army consisted a number of different units and formations. There were two Corps of Air Defence Forces (14 and 51) three divisions of air defence forces (96th, 97th, and 10th). Smaller units included three SAM brigades, a separate SA-2 regiment near Gudauta
Gudauta
Gudauta is a town in Abkhazia and a centre of the eponymous district. It is situated on the Black Sea, 37 km northwest to Sukhumi, the capital of Abkhazia....
, Abkhazia
Abkhazia
Abkhazia is a disputed political entity on the eastern coast of the Black Sea and the south-western flank of the Caucasus.Abkhazia considers itself an independent state, called the Republic of Abkhazia or Apsny...
, a separate SA-5 regiment near Tblisi, at least two radar units, and a number of fighter aviation regiments (see List of Soviet Air Force bases).
In the late 1980s, fighter regiments assigned to the army included:
- 50th Fighter Aviation Regiment, Nasosnaya (air base), Baku, MiG-25PDS
- 82nd Fighter Aviation Regiment (иап), Nasosnaya (air base), Baku, 38 МиГ-25
- 83rd иап, Rostov-on-DonRostov-on-Don-History:The mouth of the Don River has been of great commercial and cultural importance since the ancient times. It was the site of the Greek colony Tanais, of the Genoese fort Tana, and of the Turkish fortress Azak...
, 40 МиГ-25 (51 кПВО, потом МиГ-31) - 171st гв иап, Бомбора (GudautaGudautaGudauta is a town in Abkhazia and a centre of the eponymous district. It is situated on the Black Sea, 37 km northwest to Sukhumi, the capital of Abkhazia....
), Su-27 (96th Division of PVO) - 166th гв иап, Sandar (Сандар), в районе Тбилиси, 40 Су-15ТМ (12 кПВО)
- 209th иап, Privolzhskiy (Astrakhan Northwest), Astrakhan Oblast, Su-27, MiG-23 http://www.weathergraphics.com/tim/russia/Privolzhskiy.htm
- 393rd гв иап, AstrakhanAstrakhanAstrakhan is a major city in southern European Russia and the administrative center of Astrakhan Oblast. The city lies on the left bank of the Volga River, close to where it discharges into the Caspian Sea at an altitude of below the sea level. Population:...
, 38 МиГ-23 - 529th иап, GudautaGudautaGudauta is a town in Abkhazia and a centre of the eponymous district. It is situated on the Black Sea, 37 km northwest to Sukhumi, the capital of Abkhazia....
, 34 Су-27 - 562nd Fighter Aviation Regiment (562 IAP), KrymskKrymskKrymsk is a town in Krasnodar Krai, Russia. Population: It was founded in 1858 as the fortress and stanitsa of Krymskaya , named after the Crimean Cossack Regiment. The stanitsa was granted town status and given its present name a century later, in 1958...
, Krasnodar Kray, 35 Su-27
19th PVO Army was disbanded 1 April 1993, with some equipment handed over to Georgian Ministry of Defence, but most equipment being withdrawn to be disposed of in Russia. Some of the fighter regiments were withdrawn to Russia and disbanded. Georgia was able to seize at least one battalion of S-75 SAMs, two divizions (batteries(?)) of P-125Ms, as well as several P-18 (Spoon Rest) radars.
Further reading
- Bakinskii okrug protivovozdushnoi oborony: Istoricheskii ocherk 1920-. 1974 gg. [Baku Anti-air Defense District: An historical outline 1920-1974], Baku, 1974