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	Topics Soviet Air Force Topic Home The Soviet Air Force, also known under the abbreviation VVS, transliterated from Russian: ???, ??????-????????? ???? (Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily), was the official designation of one of the air forceAir Force Air Force can refer to:* A generic air force, a military or armed service that primarily conducts aerial warfare.... s of the Soviet UnionSoviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , more commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a Communist state that existed... . The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces. The VVS was founded as the "Workers' and Peasants' Air Fleet," with the status of a Main Directorate, on May 24, 1918, succeeding the Imperial Russian Air ForceImperial Russian Air Force Summary The Imperial Russian Air Force existed in the Russian Empire between 1910 and 1917.... . It became the Directorate of the USSR Air Forces on March 28, 1924, and then the Directorate of the Workers-Peasants Red Army Air Forces on January 1, 1925. Gradually its influence on aircraft design became greater. From its earliest days, the force mimicked ground forces' organisation, being made up of Air armiesAir Army (Soviet Union) An Air Army was a formation of the Soviet Air Force from 1936 until its dissolution in 1991.... , Aviation DivisionAviation Division Overview An Aviation Division was a type of formation of the Military Air Forces of the Red Army during the Second World War, the Mil... s, and Aviation RegimentAviation Regiment An Aviation Regiment was a type of unit employed to organise aircraft and their crews in air combat in the Military Air Forc... s. After the creation of the Soviet state many efforts were made in order to modernize and expand aircraft production. Domestic aircraft production increased significantly in the early years of the 1930s and towards the end of the decade the Soviet Air Force was able to introduce I-15 and I-16 fighters and SB-2, SB-2 BIS and DB-3 bombers. One of the first big tests of the VVS came in 1936 with the Spanish Civil WarSpanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War, which lasted from July 17, 1936 to April 1, 1939, was a conflict in which the Nationalists, led by Ge... , where the latest aircraft designs were put to the test by up-to-date German aircraft. Early victories by the I-16Polikarpov I-16 The Polikarpov I-16 was an advanced Soviet fighter aircraft when it was introduced in the mid-1930s, and it formed the backb... fighter were squandered because of the limited use of that fighter. German Bf-109Messerschmitt Bf 109 The Messerschmitt Bf 109 was a World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt in the early 1930s.... s arriving later in the war secured air superiorityAir superiority Air superiority is the dominance in the air power of one side's air forces over the other side's during a military campaign.... for the Spanish Nationalist cause. On November 19, 1939, its headquarters was renamed again, as the Main Directorate of the Red Army Air Forces. World War Two On 1 January 1941 the Air Forces of the Red Army had 363,900 serving personnel, and accounted for 8.65% of all military force personnel of the Soviet Union. At the outbreak of World War IIWorld War II World War II, or the Second World War, was a worldwide conflict fought between the Allied Powers and the Axis Powers ,... , the Soviet military was not yet at a level of readiness suitable for winning a war: Stalin had said in 1931 that SovietSoviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , more commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a Communist state that existed... industry was "50 to 100 years behind" the Western powers. By the end of the war, Soviet aircraft production outstripped that of the German Reich; annual Soviet production rose to 40,241 aircraft in 1944. 125,655 aircraft were produced during the Great Patriotic War. However, much practical experience had been gained in participating in the Spanish Civil War, and against Japan in the Far-East, as well as in the Winter war against Finland in 1939. The VVS used its bomberBomber A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground targets, primarily by dropping bombs.... s to attack FinlandFinland The Republic of Finland , is one of the Nordic countries.... in the Winter WarWinter War The Winter War broke out when the Soviet Union attacked Finland on November 30, 1939, three months after the start of World... , but the losses inflicted on them by the relatively small Finnish armyFinnish Army The Finnish Army is one of the branches of the Finnish Defence Forces.... showed the shortcomings of these forces, mainly due to the Great PurgeGreat Purge The Great Purge is the name given to campaigns of political repression and persecution in the Soviet Union orchestrated by J... in the 1930s. The Soviet Air Force as well as its industry would learn from these experiences and mistakes. Shortly before the start of war with Germany a Soviet Volunteer GroupSoviet Volunteer Group The Soviet Volunteer Group was the ostensibly volunteer Soviet air force to support the Republic of China during the Second ... was sent to ChinaChina China is a cultural region and ancient civilization in East Asia.... to train the pilots from the Republic of China Air ForceRepublic of China Air Force The Republic of China Air Force is the aviation branch of the armed forces of the Republic of China, and is often viewed as ... for the continuing war with the Japanese. The main reason for the large aircraft losses in the initial period of war with Germany was not the lack of modern tacticsMilitary tactics Military tactics is the collective name for methods of engaging and defeating an enemy in battle.... , but the lack of experienced pilots and ground support crews, the destruction of many aircraft on the runways due to command failure to disperse them, and the rapid advance of the Wehrmacht ground troops, forcing the Soviet pilots on the defensive during Operation BarbarossaOperation Barbarossa Operation Barbarossa was the codename for Nazi Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that commenced on... , while being confronted with more modern German aircraft. In the first few days of Operation BarbarossaOperation Barbarossa Operation Barbarossa was the codename for Nazi Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that commenced on... the LuftwaffeLuftwaffe The Deutsche Luftwaffe or Luftwaffe is the commonly used term for the German air force.... destroyed some 2000 Soviet aircraft, at a loss of only 35 aircraft (of which 15 were non-combat-related). The principal aircraft of the VVS during World War II were the Ilyushin Il-2Ilyushin Il-2 The Ilyushin Il-2 Shturmovik was a ground attack aircraft of World War II, and was produced by the Soviet Union in huge ... Shturmovik ground assault model and the Yakovlev Yak-1Yakovlev Yak-1 The Yakovlev Yak-1 was a World War II Soviet fighter aircraft and the first among the war's many successful Yakovlev fighter... fighter in its many variants; each of which became the most produced aircraft of all time in its class, together accounting for about half the strength of the VVS for most of the Great Patriotic War. The Yak-1 was a modern 1940 design and had room for development, unlike the mature design of the Messerschmitt Bf 109Messerschmitt Bf 109 The Messerschmitt Bf 109 was a World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt in the early 1930s.... . The Yak-9 brought the VVS to parity with the Luftwaffe, eventually allowing it to gain the upper hand over the Luftwaffe until in 1944, when many Luftwaffe pilots were deliberately avoiding combat with the last and best variant, the out-of-sequence numbered Yak-3. The other main VVS aircraft types were Lavochkin fighters, mainly the Lavochkin La-5Lavochkin La-5 The Lavochkin La-5 was a Soviet fighter aircraft of World War II.... , the Petlyakov Pe-2Petlyakov Pe-2 The Petlyakov Pe-2, nicknamed *Peshka* was a Soviet medium bomber aircraft used during World War II.... twin engined attack-bombers, and a basic but functional and versatile medium bomber, the Ilyushin Il-4Ilyushin Il-4 The Ilyushin Il-4 was a Soviet World War II bomber aircraft, widely used by the VVS although not well known.... . Alone among World War II combatants, the Soviet Air Force initiated a program to bring women with existing air training into combat air groups. Marina RaskovaMarina Raskova Marina Mikhailovna Raskova was a famous Russian navigator, often referred to as the "Russian Amelia Earhart".... , one of very few women in the VVS prior to the war, used her influence with Stalin to form three all-female air regiments: the 586th Fighter Aviation Regiment, the 587th Bomber Aviation Regiment and the 588th Night Bomber Aviation Regiment. Because of their achievements in battle, the latter two units were honored by being renamed Guards unitGuards unit Guards units are elite units and formations in the armed forces of the former Soviet Union, Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine.... s. Beyond the three official regiments, individual Soviet women sometimes served alongside airmen in otherwise all-male groups. Women pilots, navigators, gunners, mechanics, armament specialists and other female ground personnel made up more than 3,000 fighting members of the VVS. Women pilots flew 24,000 sorties. From this effort came the world's only two female fighter aces: Lydia Litvak and Katya BudanovaKatya Budanova Yekaterina Vasylievna Budanova, also known as Katya Budanova, was a female fighter pilot in the Soviet Air Force durin... . Chief Marshal of Aviation Alexander NovikovAlexander Novikov Summary Alexander Novikov'Soviet Chief Marshal of the Air Force Novikov Alexander Alexandrovich... led the VVS from 1942 to the end of the war, and was credited with introducing several new innovations and weapons systems. For the last year of the war German military and civilians retreating towards Berlin were hounded by the presence of "low flying aircraft" strafing and bombing them, an activity in which even the ancient Polikarpov Po-2Polikarpov Po-2 The Polikarpov U-2 or Po-2 served as a general-purpose Soviet biplane, nicknamed Kukuruznik.Soviet people later us... , a much produced biplane of 1920s design, took part. However, this was but a small measure of the experience WehrmachtWehrmacht Wehrmacht was the name of the armed forces of Nazi-Germany from 1935 to 1945.... front-line s were receiving of the sophistication and superiority the Red Air Force had achieved. In one strategic operation alone, the Yassy-Kishinev Strategic Offensive, the 5th5th Air Army Overview The 5th Air Army is currently Russian Air Force's smallest Air Army, with the headquarters located in Yekaterinburg, its zo... , 17th Air Armies and the Black Sea Fleet Naval Aviation aircraft achieved a 3.3:1 superiority in aircraft over the Luftflotte 4Luftflotte 4 Luftflotte 4 was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II.... and the Royal Romanian Air ForceRoyal Romanian Air Force The Fortele Aeriene Regale ale Rom?niei , or simply Fortele Aeriene Rom?ne was the Air Arm of Royal Romanian forces i... , allowing almost complete freedom from air harassment for the ground troops of the 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian Fronts. As with many allied countries in World War IIWorld War II World War II, or the Second World War, was a worldwide conflict fought between the Allied Powers and the Axis Powers ,... the Soviet Union received western aircraft by Lend-LeaseLend-Lease ----Lend-Lease was the major United States program 1941-1945 which enabled the United States to supply Britain, the Soviet ... , mostly P-39 AiracobraP-39 Airacobra The Bell P-39 Airacobra was one of the principal fighter aircraft in service with American forces at the start of World War ... s, P-63 KingcobraP-63 Kingcobra The Bell P-63 Kingcobra was developed from the P-39 Airacobra in an attempt to correct that aircraft's deficiencies.... s, Hawker HurricaneHawker Hurricane The Hawker Hurricane is a fighter design from the 1930s.... s, Curtiss P-40Curtiss P-40 The Curtiss P-40 was a U.S. single-engine, single-seat, low-wing, all-metal fighter and ground attack aircraft which first f... Kittyhawks and A-20 Havocs. Soviets in P-39s scored the highest individual kill totals of any pilot ever to fly a U.S. aircraft. Two air regiments were equipped with Spitfire Mk. VbSupermarine Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire was a single-seat fighter used by the RAF and many Allied countries in World War II.... in early 1943 but immediately experienced unrelenting losses due to friendly fireFriendly fire *Friendly fire* is a term originally adopted by the United States military in reference to an attack on friendly forces by... as the British aircraft looked too much like its German nemesis, the Bf 109. Lend-Lease aircraft from the US and UK accounted for nearly 12% of total Soviet air power. Cold War During the Cold WarCold War The Cold War was the protracted geopolitical, ideological, and economic struggle that emerged after World War II between dem... , the Soviet Air Force was rearmed, strengthened and modern air doctrines were introduced. At its peak in the 1980s, it could deploy approximately 10,000 aircraft, and at the beginning of the 1990s the Soviet Union had an air force that in terms of quantity and quality fulfilled superpower standards.. During the Cold WarFacts About Cold War The Cold War was the protracted geopolitical, ideological, and economic struggle that emerged after World War II between dem... the VVS was divided into three main branches (equivalent to commands in Western air forces): Long Range AviationLong Range Aviation Summary Long Range Aviation was the branch of the Soviet Air Force tasked with long-range bombardment of strategic targets with nuc... (Dal'naya Aviatsiya or 'DA'), focused on long-range bomberBomber A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground targets, primarily by dropping bombs.... s; Frontal Aviation (Frontovaya Aviatsiya or 'FA'), focused on battlefield air defense, close air supportClose air support Close air support is the use of military aircraft in a ground-attack role against targets in close proximity to friendly for... , and interdictionAir interdiction Air interdiction is the use of aircraft to attack tactical ground targets that are not in close proximity to friendly ground... ; and Military Transport Aviation (Voenno-Transportnaya Aviatsiya or 'VTA'), which controlled all transport aircraft. The Air Defense Forces (Voyska protivovozdushnoy oborony or Voyska PVO), which focused on air defense and interceptor aircraftInterceptor aircraft An interceptor aircraft is a type of fighter aircraft designed specifically to intercept and destroy enemy aircraft, particu... , was then a separate and distinct service within the Soviet military organization. It was this force that shot down KAL 007 on September 1, 1983. A list of units and bases can be found hereList of Soviet Air Force bases List of Soviet Air Force bases shows the state of the Soviet Air Force during the last decade of the Cold War to present.... . The Russian NavyRussian Navy The Russian Navy is the naval arm of the Russian armed forces.... has its own independent air arm, Naval Aviation (Aviatsiya Voenno Morskogo FlotaSoviet Naval Aviation Soviet Naval Aviation was a part of the Soviet Navy.... or 'AV-MF'). Soviet Air Armies in the last years of the Soviet Union included: Aviation formation directly subordinated to HQ Command VVS air defense forces 37th Air Army37th Air Army The 37th Air Army of the High Supreme Command is the strategic bomber force of the Russian Air Force, equipped with Tu-95M... VGK (Special subordination) (Moscow, Long Range AviationLong Range Aviation Long Range Aviation was the branch of the Soviet Air Force tasked with long-range bombardment of strategic targets with nuc... ) Long-range aviation 30th Air Army VGK 46th Air Army VGK VVS Aviation in groups of forces 16th Air Army 4th Air Army VGK (Special purpose) 36th Air Army 131st mixed air divion Aviation VVS and PVO (Air Defense) on the territory of the RSFSR and republics of the USSR Aviation VVS and PVO (Air Defense) on the territory of Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia 15th Air Army 6th Separate Army of PVO (Air Defense) (part) (see below in Leningrad) Formations of military transport aviation Aviation VVS and PVO (Air Defense) on the territory of Belorussia 26th Air Army On 15 June 1992, by decree ? 05 of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Belarus, the 26th Air Army headquarters became the command of the Air Forces of the Republic of BelarusBelarusian Air Force The Belarusian Air Force is the air force of the Armed Forces of Belarus, formed in 1942 from the 26th Air Army of the Sovie... . 2nd Separate Army of PVO Air Defence ForceSoviet Anti-Air Defense Voyska PVO was the air defense branch of the Soviet military.... (part) Formations of military transport aviation Aviation VVS and PVO (Air Defense) on the territory of the Ukraine 5th Air Army (Frontal Aviation) (Odessa Military DistrictMilitary district Military districts are territorial entities used for the purposes of military planning and strategizing.... ) 8th Separate Army of PVO (Soviet Air Defence Force) 14th Air Army (see below in Siberia) 17th Air Army (primarily a training force) 24th Air Army VGK (Special purpose) (South-Western Strategic Direction) At the dissolution of the Soviet Union this Army had forces in Belarus and Ukraine. In Ukraine forces consisted of the 32nd Bomber Aviation Division, at Starokonstantinov, the 56th Bomber Aviation Division at Cherlyany, and the 138th Fighter Aviation Division at Mirgorod. In the Ukraine in 1991-92, this Army had available over 140 Su-24 Fencer, over 35 Yak-28 electronic warfare aircraft, and 40 MiG-27 Floggers and 40 Su-27 Flankers for strike escort. Formations of military transport aviation Aviation VVS and PVO (Air Defense) on the territory of Moldavia Aviation VVS and PVO (Air Defense) on the territory of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia 34th Air Army 19th Separate Army of PVO Aviation VVS and PVO (Air Defense) on the territory of the Central Asian republics 73rd Air Army (Alma-Ata, Central Asian Military District) 12th Separate Army of PVO Aviation VVS and PVO (Air Defense) on the territory of RSFSR Aviation VVS and PVO (Air Defense) on the territory of Leningrad military district 76th Air Army (Leningrad, Leningrad Military DistrictLeningrad Military District Summary The Leningrad Military District is a military district of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.... ) 6th Separate Army of PVO6th Air Army The 6th Red Banner Leningrad Army of Military-Air Forces and Air Defence is an Air Army of the Russian Air Force, which trac... (part) 10th Separate Army of PVO Aviation VVS and PVO (Air Defense) on the territory of the Moscow military district VVS MVO Moscow air defense district Aviation VVS and PVO (Air Defense) on the territory of the North-Caucasian military district VVS SKVO Aviation of air defense forces Aviation VVS and PVO (Air Defense) in territory of the Volga-Ural military district VVS Of Volga-Ural 4th Separate Army of PVO4th Air Army The 4th Air Army was a Soviet Air Force formation and is now part of the Russian Air Force as the 4th Army of Air Forces... (Air Defense) (Frontal Aviation) Aviation VVS and PVO (Air Defense) in Siberia 14th Separate Army of PVO14th Air Army The 14th Air Army of the Russian Air Force, was first formed in World War II as part of the Soviet Air Force.... Aviation VVS and PVO (Air Defense) in territory of Transbaikal military district and Mongolia 23rd Air Army Aviation VVS and PVO (Air Defense) in territory of Far-Eastern military district 1st Separate Army of PVO (Frontal Aviation) Far East Military District 11th Separate Army of PVOFacts About 11th Air Army The 11th Air Army of the Russian Air Force, is located in the Russian Far East and Pacific Coast area, and its zone of resp... Formations of military transport aviation in territory of the RSFSR 1980s Fighter Programs In the 1980s the Soviet UnionSoviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , more commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a Communist state that existed... acknowledged the development of the Advanced Tactical FighterF-22 Raptor The F-22 Raptor is a stealth fighter aircraft.... in the USA and began the development of an equivalent fighter in order to maintain its position as a superpower. Two programs were initiated, one of which was proposed to directly confront the United States' then-projected Advanced Tactical Fighter (that was to lead to the development of the F-22 RaptorF-22 Raptor The F-22 Raptor is a stealth fighter aircraft.... /YF-23YF-23 Black Widow II The Northrop/McDonnell Douglas YF-23 Black Widow II named after the P-61 Black Widow was a prototype fighter aircraft desi... ). This future fighter was designated as Mnogofounksionalni Frontovoi Istrebitel (MFI) (Multifunctional Frontline Fighter) and designed as a heavy multirole aircraft, with air-supremacy utmost in the minds of the designers. In response to the American X-32Boeing X-32 Summary The Boeing X-32 was a multi-purpose jet fighter in the Joint Strike Fighter contest.... /F-35 project, Russia began the LFI program, which would develop a fighter reminiscent of the X-32/F-35 with a single engine, without the capabilities of a true multirole aircraft. Russia would later change the designation of the LFI project to LFS, making it a multirole aircraft, primarily emphasising ground attack capability. During the 1990s the Russian military cancelled the LFS projects and continued with the MFI project, with minimal funding, believing that it was more important than the production of a light fighter-aircraft. Most recently the 'PAK FA' was planned, no advanced fighter successor to the Su-27 and MiG-29 family has entered service. SukhoiSukhoi Sukhoi is a major Russian military fighter aircraft manufacturer.... won the latest PAK FASukhoi PAK FA PAK FA is a Russian fifth-generation fighter jet which is being developed by a consortia of companies, including Mikoyan, Ya... competition in 2002. Breakup of the Soviet Union Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in December 1991 the aircraft and personnel of the Soviet VVS were divided among the newly independent states. Russia received the plurality of these forces, approximately 40% of the aircraft and 65% of the manpower, with these forming the basis for the new Russian Air ForceRussian Air Force The Russian Air Force or VVS is the air force of the Russian Federation..... . Commanders-in-Chief Vershinin Konstantin Andreyevich (1946-1949, 1957-1969) Zhigarev Pavel Fedorovich (1949-1957) Kutakhov Pavel Stepanovich (1969-1984) Yefimov Aleksandr Nikolayevich (1984-1990) Chief Marshal of AviationChief Marshal The ranks of Chief Marshal of an arm and Marshal of an arm were senior military ranks of the Soviet Army.... Yevgeny ShaposhnikovYevgeny Shaposhnikov Overview Yevgeny Ivanovich Shaposhnikov is a Russian military leader and business figure, Chief Marshal of Aviation.... (1990-1991) Soviet Air Force Inventory as of 1991 200 strategic bombers, : 150 Tupolev Tu-95 BearTupolev Tu-95 Overview The Tupolev Tu-95 is the most successful Tupolev strategic bomber and missile carrier from the times of the Soviet Union, st... 35 Tupolev Tu-160 BlackjackTupolev Tu-160 The Tupolev Tu-160 is a supersonic, variable-geometry heavy bomber designed by the Soviet Union.... 15 Myasishchev M-4 BisonMyasishchev M-4 Overview The Myasishchev M-4 Molot is a four-engined strategic bomber, designed by Vladimir Myasishchev and developed by the Soviet U... 550 medium bomberBomber A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground targets, primarily by dropping bombs.... s : 155 Tupolev Tu-22M BackfireTupolev Tu-22M The Tupolev Tu-22M is a supersonic, swing-wing, long-range strategic bomber developed by the Soviet Union.... 260 Tupolev Tu-16 BadgerTupolev Tu-16 Overview The Tupolev Tu-16 was a twin-engine jet bomber used by the Soviet Union.... 135 Tupolev Tu-22 BlinderTupolev Tu-22 The Tupolev Tu-22 was a Soviet jet supersonic bomber and reconnaissance aircraft.... 2830 fighterFighter aircraft A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for attacking other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is ... s :610 Sukhoi Su-27 FlankerSukhoi Su-27 The Sukhoi Su-27 is originally a Soviet fighter aircraft designed by the Sukhoi Design Bureau .... 790 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29 Fulcrum 450 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-31 Foxhound 570 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 FloggerMikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 is a variable geometry, swept-wing fighter aircraft, originally built by the Mikoyan-Gurevich de... 260 Sukhoi Su-15 FlagonSukhoi Su-15 The Sukhoi Su-15 was a twin-engined interceptor aircraft developed by the Soviet Union in the 1960s to replace the Sukhoi Su... 105 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 FoxbatMikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 is a very high-speed interceptor and reconnaissance aircraft designed by the Soviet Union's Miko... 20 Tupolev Tu-128 RiddlerTupolev Tu-28 The Tupolev Tu-28 was developed by the Soviet Union in the 1960s as a long-range interceptor aircraft.... 20 Yakovlev Yak-28 FirebarYakovlev Yak-28 The Yakovlev Yak-28 was a swept wing, turbojet-powered combat aircraft used by the Soviet Union.... 2705 attack aircraft : 770 Sukhoi Su-24 FencerSukhoi Su-24 The Sukhoi Su-24 was the Soviet Union's most advanced all-weather interdiction and attack aircraft in the 1970s and 1980s.... 210 Sukhoi Su-25 FrogfootSukhoi Su-25 The Su-25 is a battlefield attack, close air support, and anti-tank aircraft designed by the Soviet Union.... 830 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-27 Flogger 895 Sukhoi Su-7 Fitter-ASukhoi Su-7 The Sukhoi Su-7 was a swept wing, turbojet-powered fighter-bomber used by the Soviet Union and its allies.... and Sukhoi Su-17 Fitter-CSukhoi Su-17 Two aircraft share the designation *Su-17.... 84 tankers : 34 Ilyushin Il-76 MidasIlyushin Il-78 The Ilyushin Il-78* is a four-engined inflight refuelling tanker based on the Il-76.... 30 Myasishchev M-4 'Molot' BisonMyasishchev M-4 Summary The Myasishchev M-4 Molot is a four-engined strategic bomber, designed by Vladimir Myasishchev and developed by the Soviet U... 20 Tupolev Tu-16 BadgerTupolev Tu-16 The Tupolev Tu-16 was a twin-engine jet bomber used by the Soviet Union.... 40 AWACS: 40 Beriev A-50 MainstayBeriev A-50 The Beriev A-50 is a Russian airborne early warning aircraft based on the Ilyushin Il-76 transport.... 658 tactical reconnaissanceReconnaissance Reconnaissance is the military term for the active gathering of information about an enemy, or other conditions, by physical... and ECMElectronic countermeasures Electronic countermeasures are a subsection of electronic warfare which includes any sort of electrical or electronic device... aircraft : 65 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 FishbedMikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 is a fighter aircraft, originally built by the Mikoyan and Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Un... 195 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 FoxbatMikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 is a very high-speed interceptor and reconnaissance aircraft designed by the Soviet Union's Miko... 65 Sukhoi Su-24 FencerSukhoi Su-24 The Sukhoi Su-24 was the Soviet Union's most advanced all-weather interdiction and attack aircraft in the 1970s and 1980s.... 195 Yakovlev Yak-28 BrewerYakovlev Yak-28 The Yakovlev Yak-28 was a swept wing, turbojet-powered combat aircraft used by the Soviet Union.... 260 strategic reconnaissance and ECM aircraft : 115 Tupolev Tu-16 BadgerTupolev Tu-16 The Tupolev Tu-16 was a twin-engine jet bomber used by the Soviet Union.... 15 Tupolev Tu-22 BlinderTupolev Tu-22 The Tupolev Tu-22 was a Soviet jet supersonic bomber and reconnaissance aircraft.... 4 Tupolev Tu-95 BearTupolev Tu-95 The Tupolev Tu-95 is the most successful Tupolev strategic bomber and missile carrier from the times of the Soviet Union, st... 102 Yakovlev Yak-28 BrewerYakovlev Yak-28 The Yakovlev Yak-28 was a swept wing, turbojet-powered combat aircraft used by the Soviet Union.... 24 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 FoxbatMikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 is a very high-speed interceptor and reconnaissance aircraft designed by the Soviet Union's Miko... 3050 helicopterHelicopter A helicopter is an aircraft which is lifted and propelled by one or more horizontal rotors, Helicopters are classified as ... s 1500 trainers and training helicopters 615 transport aircraft : 40 Antonov An-124 'Ruslan' CondorAntonov An-124 The Antonov An-124 Ruslan is the largest aircraft ever mass produced, and was, until the advent of the An-225 Mriya,... 55 Antonov An-22 'Antey' CockAntonov An-22 Antonov An-22 Antey was the world's largest aircraft, until the advent of the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy.... 210 Antonov An-12 CubAntonov An-12 Summary The Antonov An-12 is a four-engined turboprop transport aircraft.... 310 Ilyushin Il-76 CandidIlyushin Il-76 The Ilyushin Il-76 is a 4-engined strategic airlifter in widespread use in eastern Europe, Asia and Africa.... 2,935 civilian and other transport aircraft, usually AeroflotAeroflot irline=Aeroflot - Russian Airlines\|logo=Aeroflot.png\|... aircraft which were easily converted Further Reading Boyd, Alexander. The Soviet Air Force Since 1918. Stein and Day, 1977. Palmer, Scott W. Dictatorship of the Air: Aviation Culture and the Fate of Modern Russia. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2006. ISBN 0521859573 World War Two Hardesty, Von. Red Phoenix. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1991. ISBN1560980710 Loza, D. F. Attack of the Airacobras: Soviet Aces, American P-39s, and the Air War Against Germany. Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas, 2001. ISBN 0700611401 Pennington, Reina. Wings, Women, and War: Soviet Airwomen in World War II Combat. Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas, 2002. ISBN 0700611452