Army Aviation Day is a celebration of military helicopter pilots! Day of the creation of Russian army aviation.
Since then, army aviation has been separated into a separate branch of the military. At the same time, the aircraft were in service with the Russian, and then Soviet army and before. Helicopter aviation was initially called auxiliary aviation - rotary-wing aircraft transported cargo, provided communications and adjusted fire.
Subsequently military aviation repeatedly passed from control Air Force to the Ground Forces and back. Now it belongs to the Air Force, which, in turn, is part of the Aerospace Forces of the Russian Federation.
The history of military aviation is well covered by the documentary series “Battle for the Sky,” released in 2017. “The Battle for Heaven” touches on more than just history air battles after October 28, 1948, but also earlier celestial battles. The series "Battle for Heaven" shows evolution army aviation from the beginning of the twentieth century to the present day.
Russian army aviation today is one of the strongest in the world. Its fleet includes several thousand helicopters, many of which have virtually no analogues in the world. Most often, various modifications of the Mi-8, Mi-24, Mi-26, Mi-28, as well as Ka-50 and Ka-52 helicopters are used for air support of combined arms formations. New developments in this direction are constantly being carried out.
There are currently six army aviation bases in Russia. It is planned that by 2020 their number will increase to eight, and more than a thousand more will be put into service. modern models helicopters.
Army aviation is used not only to solve the problems of the Ministry of Defense, but also by other departments - the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, in the first place.
Soviet helicopters played a huge role in the war in Afghanistan in the eighties. In the nineties, they evacuated the families of Russian military personnel from Tajikistan, despite the fact that fire was fired at them from the ground. Later they participated in resolving military conflicts in the North Caucasus. Almost all military exercises are conducted with their participation.
On October 28, congratulations are accepted by everyone who protects the peace of our Motherland in the sky. This is a branch of the military that enjoys constant honor. Not only holidays, celebrations, awards and congratulations, but also summing up, analyzing problems - all this is Army Aviation Day.
There are several military aviation flight schools in Russia, where those wishing to serve in this branch of the military can enroll. There are higher flight schools in Borisoglebsk, Kach, Krasnodar, Tambov, Syzran and several other cities. Those who want to connect their lives with military aviation can choose flight school or school in different corners Russia. Although, of course, you will have to seriously prepare for admission.
Military aviation is one of the most effective branches of the military, invariably enjoying respect in the army. If you have relatives or friends serving in the Army Aviation, send them congratulations on October 28th.
The day when the first aviation squadron equipped with helicopters appeared in Serpukhov is considered the day the army aviation was founded - October 28, 1948. It was thanks to the squadron that aviation began to be considered a separate branch of the military. Initially, helicopter aviation played a auxiliary role; it transported cargo, supplied supplies, adjusted fire, reconnaissance, and was responsible for communications between other branches of the military. The fire adjustment was carried out in such a way that fighting machine was under the gun of enemy forces on the ground.
Over time, helicopters became a full-fledged powerful weapon. Since the volume and complexity of the tasks were constantly increasing, global modernization was required organizational structures aviation. This is how the transition of helicopter units from solving secondary tasks to primary army ones took place.
However, no matter how powerfully armed the army is, great importance played by people who masterfully wield weapons. These people must be organized and trained; the outcome of any military operation and solving assigned problems. Army aviation commanders have enormous ideological and organizational experience, which was gained in peaceful conditions and in combat conditions. It was the introduction of invaluable experience into military practice, as well as analysis and generalization, that contributed to a significant increase in the combat power of helicopter units and the entire Air Force.
Throughout the history of army aviation, crews have visited hot spots in Russia and other countries. In the 80s it was Afghanistan, it was then that examples of heroism and the highest level of skill were shown. In the 90s, the families of Russian military personnel were evacuated from Tajikistan. Today, standards of heroism and courage carry out combat missions in the North Caucasus. In the early 90s, aviation left the Russian Air Force and gained independence, and in 2003 it was transferred back. Since 2015, the Russian Air Force has been part of the country's Aerospace Forces.
In peaceful conditions, aviation accompanies exercises various levels, none of the Ground Forces training activities is complete without the active participation of combat as well as transport helicopters. The professional experience of the crews was useful during the liquidation of the consequences of the accident at Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Unfortunately, even then there were casualties. On the fateful day of October 2, 1986, captain V. Vorobiev and his crew died in a Mi-8 crash.
The equipment of Russian army aviation is considered one of the best in the world. It has thousands of helicopters for various missions. Some types of combat vehicles are exclusive and have no analogues in the world. Development of new models is ongoing. The helicopter fleet is constantly updated and expanded; every year the Russian troops receive several combat helicopter units as part of the state rearmament program. They are distributed according to various parts and connections.
Army Aviation Day involves festive events - this includes honors, presentation of awards, demonstrations, parades and reviews, concerts. Each event begins with a minute of silence.
On this day, results are also summed up, problems are brought up for discussion, and prospects for activities are checked. Guarantee of peaceful and peaceful life countries - this is loyalty to the given oath, courage, bravery and professionalism of those who are in the ranks, their faith in the common cause. High level skill and heroism evoke deep and sincere respect.
October 28 is celebrated not only by military pilots and commanders, but also by everyone who is directly related to army aviation: engineers, designers and others.
Today marks another 62nd Anniversary of the Army Aviation, which represents one of the branches of the Russian Air Force. The day of the creation of Army Aviation is considered to be October 28, 1948, when the first aviation squadron equipped with helicopters was formed in Serpukhov near Moscow. It laid the foundation for army aviation as a separate branch of the military.
Helicopter aviation was first called auxiliary aviation - its tasks included cargo transportation, fire adjustment, reconnaissance, communications. Then, in the course of technical evolution, helicopters became formidable weapon. And in the early 70s of the twentieth century, with the adoption of weapons, whose main role was to support ground forces on the battlefield, auxiliary aviation became army aviation.
Over the more than half-century history of army aviation, the crews of its winged aircraft have visited all the “hot spots” of Russia and far beyond its borders. Today they show high samples courage and heroism, performing combat missions in the North Caucasus. During the Great Patriotic War There was such a thing - mass heroism. And today in army aviation units in hot spots it manifests itself almost every day.
In a peaceful environment, army aviation provides combat training activities for the Ground Forces. None of the exercises of various sizes are carried out without aviation support, without the participation of combat and transport helicopters.
Behind last decades Army aviation switched from the Air Force to the Ground Forces and back several times. In 1990, Army Aviation became independent kind troops, and by January 2003 it was transferred to the jurisdiction of the Air Force.
Loyalty to the oath, courage and professionalism of those who are in service today are a guarantee peaceful life countries. Military skill, the Brotherhood of War, the heroism of military aviation professionals evokes sincere respect. After all, the main asset of army aviation, which we inherited from former times and is carefully preserved now, is the moral and combat qualities of Russian pilots. They are people of honor and duty.
THE BASIS OF ARMY AVIATION OF THE RUSSIAN AIR FORCE
The basis of military helicopter aviation is the Army Aviation of the Air Force (several thousand helicopters in various applications), which includes their combat options(including armed unguided weapon Mi-8 helicopters).
Currently, the tasks of aviation support for combined arms formations are carried out mainly by helicopters , Ka-50, and. These helicopters found wide application and made a great contribution to the defeat of gangs in Chechen Republic and other regions North Caucasus during counter-terrorism operations. Important role they also play in limited contingents peacekeeping forces outside of Russia.
In the interests of increasing combat capabilities (primarily survivability, mobility and usability) R&D is carried out using 24-hour and all-weather options combat helicopter Mi-28N. Military helicopter aviation is currently used in all branches and branches of the Russian Armed Forces and solves a wide range of tasks, including transportation personnel troops and logistics. For these purposes, medium transport and landing helicopters of the Mi-8 family are used ( Mi-8MT, Mi-8MTV-1, MI-8MTV-2, Mi-8MTV-3), as well as heavy helicopters Mi-26, which have no analogues in the global helicopter industry.
Based on them, created and developed new helicopter systems for various purposes (jammers, air control posts, tankers, reconnaissance helicopters in the interests of solving engineering and chemical forces, search and rescue helicopters and others).
Great value in Lately given to creation light class helicopters with a carrying capacity of about 1000 kg(light multi-purpose helicopter). These helicopters will be the basis for creating complexes based on them special purpose in the interests of species and genera Armed Forces(training, hardware reconnaissance, medical and others). New developments in this regard are training helicopters "" and Ka-60U.
In general, helicopter aviation today and in the future will be used not only in the interests of the Ministry of Defense, but also other law enforcement agencies of Russia (Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Emergency Situations). At the same time, the helicopter formations of these departments closely interact with units and divisions of the RF Ministry of Defense, thereby ensuring the successful solution of tasks during combat operations and in emergency situations.
Taking into account the possibility of dual use of helicopters to solve problems of civil departments and export supplies, their role is constantly increasing. This circumstance has a positive impact on the potential for improving the fleet of military helicopters.
Night Hunter Mi-28N will become the basis of army aviation
As stated by the head of the Army Aviation Department of the Russian Air Force, Major General Viktor Ivanov, the re-equipment of the Air Force Army Aviation with helicopters Mi-28N scheduled to be completed by 2015. " In accordance with state program weapons equipment the latest cars Mi-28N "Night Hunter" should be completed in 2015. It is planned that the Mi-28N will become the main combat vehicle for all army aviation", Ivanov emphasized.
The crew of the combat vehicle is 2 people. The helicopter is armed with a 30-mm cannon, Sturm or Ataka-V anti-tank guided missiles, as well as machine guns and grenade launchers. Maximum speed in horizontal flight - about 324 km per hour, the combat load of the helicopter is 1600 kg.
Mi-28N "Night Hunter" has special system protection for pilots and can “see” the enemy at a distance of up to 35 kilometers even in the dark. Test pilots call it a “fighter helicopter,” and people have already dubbed it a “flying tank.” " This the whole complex, which allows the pilot to fight at night, these are thermal imagers. In this helicopter they are implemented in two versions - for the pilot and the operator, there are night vision goggles“- said Dmitry Sergeev, deputy chief designer of the Moscow helicopter plant, in an interview with RIA Novosti.
As the creators note, the Mi-28N helicopter is equipped with an impressive supply of weapons. Built-in movable cannon installation with ten shots can literally destroy an enemy armored personnel carrier; complex guided missiles“Igla” is designed to destroy enemy helicopters and unmanned aircraft.
However main strength"Night Stalker" is anti-tank missiles"Attack-B", against which not a single enemy tank can withstand. The Mi-28N is equipped with a special survivability system. The rotorcraft is designed in such a way as to protect the crew as much as possible - the fully armored cabin can withstand even a direct hit from 12.7 mm caliber bullets.
The crew is positioned in a special way - the pilot's seat is higher than the gunner's, thus making the vehicle flatter and therefore less vulnerable in battle. Mi-28N Night Hunter helicopters are already entering service Russian army. First of all, they will be equipped with military districts in the Caucasus and the Far East.
(The article uses materials and photographs from rian.ru, arms-expo.ru, warfare.ru and narod.ru)
October 28 marks the 70th anniversary of the army aviation of the Russian Air Force (VVS, since August 1, 2015, part of the Aerospace Forces, VKS). It was on this day in 1948 in the city of Serpukhov (Moscow region) that an aviation squadron was formed, which was the first to be equipped with Mi-1 helicopters. Subsequently, it was from this military unit that the entire helicopter military aviation of Russia grew (ground forces aviation, helicopter units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, naval aviation and border troops).
Therefore, in fact, October 28 is the Day of All Military Helicopter Pilots. This is a holiday for pilots, navigators, flight engineers, ground specialists and for all those associated with army aviation.
Initially in tasks helicopter aviation included cargo transportation, fire adjustment, reconnaissance and maintaining communications on the battlefield. Already in 1970, helicopters became an independent means of air fire support for troops. In addition, they were also used for the transport of troops, search and rescue operations, etc. Thus, Soviet and later Russian army aviation successfully showed themselves in combat operations in Afghanistan in the 1980s and in the “hot spots” of the North Caucasus in the 1990s. x years.
Photo from the archive of the “Afghans” of the State Institution “MAC”
In 1990, army aviation became an independent branch of the military within the Ground Forces of the USSR Armed Forces. Later, in January 2003, it was returned to the Russian Air Force, becoming one of the types of aviation - on a par with front-line, transport and long-range.
The Army Aviation flight training program includes fire reconnaissance and fire suppression. Military helicopters are used to directly combat forest fires and take part in rescue operations. Thus, in the spring of 2016, army aviation extinguished fires forest fires in Transbaikalia, in the summer - monitored the fire situation in 26 regions of the Russian Federation and participated in eliminating the consequences of the outbreak anthrax in Yamal, in September - delivered heat guns And humanitarian cargo V settlements Primorye, which suffered from floods.
Photo from personal archive pilots of the State Institution “MAC”
Currently time is running re-equipping army aviation units with new and modernized helicopters
At the Moscow Aviation Center, most workers celebrate Army Aviation Day every year. After all, it’s no secret that 90 percent of the flight personnel of the State Institution “MAC” are former military helicopter pilots. And those who have not flown for a long time also once served in helicopter aviation. Many went through “hot spots”, reached the military pension and found themselves in civil aviation, having invested all your rich past experience to work at MAC.
Today, those who have gone through thick and thin, participating in rescue operations in Afghanistan, in the mountains of the North Caucasus, etc. operate ambulance and firefighting helicopters of the Moscow Aviation Center. They fly out every day to save people in need of emergency medical care; on call they rush to help cope with major fires in Moscow; During the seasons, they fly out to investigate fire or flood conditions.
Among the former army helicopter pilots at the Moscow Aviation Center and those who provide flights to rescue people on the ground, which is equally important.
Today, October 28, marks the annual holiday - the day of the creation of army aviation. It was on this day in 1948 that the formation of the first aviation squadron equipped exclusively with helicopters was completed. The squadron was based in the city of Serpukhov near Moscow, and its full name was the 26th separate training aviation squadron). The pilots for the squadron were selected from experienced pilots who participated in the Great Patriotic War.
At first the squadron was called “auxiliary”. The tasks of army aviation included:
- Transportation of people and goods
- Ensuring communication between departments
- Reconnaissance missions
- Artillery fire coordination
The first aircraft in the army aviation arsenal were the G-3 (designed by I. Bratukhin). By 1951, Mi-1 helicopters entered service, which were the first in the USSR to enter service. mass production.
Combat use of army aviation
In the mid-60s, army aviation received Mi-8 military transport helicopters. These vehicles are capable of performing not only the role of transporters and reconnaissance personnel. It is with the entry of these vehicles into mass production that army aviation from the auxiliary category becomes a full-fledged combat unit.
Over its history, army aviation has been involved in many local and international conflicts. Helicopters Russian aviation visited Afghanistan, Chechnya, Georgia, Syria and other hot spots. Today, almost no ground forces operation takes place without the support and cover of military helicopters.
Army aviation in Afghanistan
During the Afghan conflict, the USSR Army Aviation used the following helicopters:
- Mi-24 - to destroy enemy ground targets and provide support to ground forces, reconnaissance and mining of territory.
- Mi-8 - for transporting cargo up to 12 tons and landing troops, as well as, if necessary, for destroying ground targets.
- Mi-26 - for transporting cargo and troops total mass up to 56 tons, both inside the cabin and on an external sling.
One of the main tasks of army aviation brigades in Afghanistan, in addition to participating in ground forces operations, was independent sorties to destroy enemy bases and strongholds. Such flights were carried out almost daily. In them, the helicopters were actively supported by bombers and attack aircraft.
Russian Army Aviation in Chechnya
4 squadrons of army aviation were involved in the Chechen conflict. 2 of them were equipped with Mi-24 helicopters, and the other 2 were equipped with Mi-8 and Mi-26 heavy transport aircraft. The main tasks were reconnaissance, striking positions and strategic targets of militants. In the battles for Argun, helicopters carried out airstrike guidance. Helicopters were also used to evacuate the wounded from the battlefield, deliver food, weapons and other cargo to hard-to-reach combat areas.
Army aviation helicopters
Currently, army aviation is armed with many modifications of Mi helicopters and Ka helicopters. In addition, light aircraft from the Kazan Ansat Helicopter Plant have recently become available. Many of them have been widely used in the Syrian conflict.
Ka-52 "Alligator"
One of the main attack units of army aviation is the Ka-52 Alligator combat helicopter. Initially it was planned to be used as a gunner for aviation, artillery and missile strikes. But as a result, the Ka-52 became a universal combat vehicle with unique flight characteristics and enormous firepower. Today, the army aviation forces have about 80 such helicopters, but in the near future this figure is planned to almost double.
Helicopter "Black Shark" Ka-50
Ka-50 is a single-seat military helicopter. Considered one of the most efficient machines of its class all over the world. Despite the fact that the first tests " Black shark" were carried out back in 1982; this vehicle entered service with army aviation only in 1995.
The helicopter is equipped with controlled and unguided missiles, built-in and suspended small arms and cannon weapons, as well as ZB-500, FAB-500, KMGU-500 and RBK-500 bombs.
The cabin of the Akula helicopter is made of armor capable of withstanding a hit from a 23-mm projectile, and the windshield is designed to withstand a direct hit from small arms. All important systems and elements are also protected by armor and separated from each other by special partitions that prevent the spread of fire in the event of a fire.
Mi-26 helicopter
Mi-26 transport helicopter of army aviation. He has the most high lifting capacity among mass-produced helicopters around the world. His maximum load capacity is 56 tons, and the normal take-off weight is 49.5 tons.
Mi-26 helicopters are used to eliminate disasters and evacuate people in emergency situations. In particular, Mi-26s were actively involved in the liquidation of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
Mi-26s were widely used in Afghanistan during the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, during the first and second Chechen wars, Syrian operation. Famous interesting fact: during the Afghan conflict, the Mi-26 external sling carried out the simultaneous evacuation of two damaged coalition helicopters - the Chinook and the Cougar.
Army Aviation Day
Army Aviation Day 2018 will mark the seventieth anniversary of its formation. A special award was issued for this date - the medal “70 Years of the Army Aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces.” You can purchase a copy of this medal in our online store. It will be an excellent gift for the holiday of October 28 - Army Aviation Day or just an interesting souvenir for your collection. Congratulate your loved ones on Russian Army Aviation Day.