Airborne army in which cities. Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
Designed to operate behind enemy lines, destroy nuclear attack weapons, command posts, capture and hold important areas and facilities, disrupt the command and control system and work of enemy rear lines, assist the Ground Forces in developing an offensive and forcing water barriers. They are equipped with air transportable self-propelled artillery, rocket, anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons, armored personnel carriers, combat vehicles, automatic small arms, communications and control equipment. The available parachute landing equipment makes it possible to drop troops and cargo in any weather and terrain conditions, day and night from various heights. Organizationally, the airborne troops consist of (Fig. 1) airborne formations, an airborne brigade, and military units of special forces.
Rice. 1. Structure of the Airborne Troops
The Airborne Forces are armed with airborne self-propelled guns ASU-85; self-propelled artillery guns "Octopus-SD"; 122-mm D-30 howitzers; airborne combat vehicles BMD-1/2/3/4; armored personnel carriers BTR-D.
Part of the Armed Forces Russian Federation may be part of the joint armed forces (for example, the CIS Joint Forces) or be under joint command in accordance with the international treaties of the Russian Federation (for example, as part of the UN peacekeeping forces or the CIS collective peacekeeping forces in zones of local military conflicts).
branch
The smallest military formation in - department. Department commanded Lance Sergeant or sergeant. Usually in a motorized rifle department there are 9-13 people. In the departments of other branches of the armed forces, the number of personnel of the department is from 3 to 15 people. Typically, a squad is part of a platoon, but may also exist outside of a platoon.
Platoon
Several departments make up platoon. Usually there are 2 to 4 squads in a platoon, but more are possible. At the head of the platoon is a commander in the officer rank - Ensign, lieutenant or senior lieutenant. On average, the number of personnel in a platoon ranges from 9 to 45 people. Usually in all military branches the name is the same - a platoon. Usually a platoon is part of a company, but it can also exist independently.
Company
Several platoons make up company. In addition, a company may include several independent squads that are not included in any of the platoons. For example, in a motorized rifle company there are three motorized rifle platoons, a machine-gun squad, and an anti-tank squad. Usually a company consists of 2-4 platoons, sometimes even more platoons. A company is the smallest formation of tactical value, i.e. a formation capable of independently performing small tactical tasks on the battlefield. Company commander Capt. On average, the size of a company can be from 18 to 200 people. Motorized rifle companies are usually about 130-150 people, tank companies 30-35 people. Usually the company is part of the battalion, but often the existence of companies as independent formations. In artillery, this type of formation is called a battery; in cavalry, a squadron.
Battalion consists of several companies (usually 2-4) and several platoons that are not included in any of the companies. The battalion is one of the main tactical formations. A battalion, like a company, platoon, squad, is named according to its type of troops (tank, motorized rifle, engineer-sapper, communications). But the battalion already includes formations of other types of weapons. For example, in a motorized rifle battalion, in addition to motorized rifle companies, there is a mortar battery, a material support platoon, and a communications platoon. Battalion Commander Lieutenant Colonel. The battalion already has its headquarters. Usually, on average, a battalion, depending on the type of troops, can number from 250 to 950 people. However, there are battalions of about 100 people. In artillery, this type of formation is called a division.
Regiment
Regiment- this is the main tactical formation and a completely autonomous formation in the economic sense. The regiment is commanded by a colonel. Although the regiments are named according to the branches of the military (tank, motorized rifle, communications, pontoon-bridge, etc.), but in fact this is a formation consisting of units of many branches of the military, and the name is given according to the predominant branch of the military. For example, in a motorized rifle regiment there are two or three motorized rifle battalions, one tank battalion, one artillery battalion (read battalion), one anti-aircraft missile battalion, a reconnaissance company, an engineer company, a communications company, an anti-tank battery, a chemical defense platoon , repair company, material support company, orchestra, medical center. The number of personnel of the regiment is from 900 to 2000 people.
brigade
Just like the regiment brigade is the main tactical formation. Actually, the brigade occupies an intermediate position between the regiment and the division. The structure of the brigade is most often the same as that of the regiment, but there are much more battalions and other units in the brigade. So in a motorized rifle brigade there are one and a half to two times more motorized rifle and tank battalions than in a regiment. A brigade may also consist of two regiments, plus auxiliary battalions and companies. On average, there are from 2,000 to 8,000 people in a brigade. The brigade commander, as well as in the regiment, is a colonel.
Division
Division- the main operational-tactical formation. As well as the regiment is named after the type of troops prevailing in it. However, the predominance of one or another type of troops is much less than in the regiment. A motorized rifle division and a tank division are identical in structure, with the only difference being that in a motorized rifle division there are two or three motorized rifle regiments and one tank regiment, and in tank division on the contrary, two or three tank regiments, and one motorized rifle regiment. In addition to these main regiments, the division has one or two artillery regiments, one anti-aircraft missile regiment, a jet battalion, a missile battalion, a helicopter squadron, an engineer battalion, a communications battalion, an automobile battalion, reconnaissance battalion, an electronic warfare battalion, a material support battalion, a repair and restoration battalion, a medical battalion, a chemical protection company, and several different auxiliary companies and platoons. Divisions can be tank, motorized rifle, artillery, airborne, missile and aviation. In other military branches, as a rule, the highest formation is a regiment or brigade. On average, there are 12-24 thousand people in a division. Division Commander Major General.
Frame
Just as a brigade is an intermediate formation between a regiment and a division, so frame is an intermediate formation between the division and the army. The corps is a combined-arms formation, that is, it usually lacks the sign of one type of troops, although there may also be tank or artillery corps, that is, corps with a complete predominance of tank or artillery divisions in them. The combined arms corps is usually referred to as the "army corps". There is no single corps structure. Each time the corps is formed on the basis of a specific military or military-political situation, and may consist of two or three divisions and a different number of formations of other military branches. Usually a corps is created where it is impractical to create an army. It is impossible to talk about the structure and size of the corps, because how many corps exist or existed, so many of their structures existed. Corps Commander Lieutenant General.
Army
Army- This is a large military formation of operational purpose. The army includes divisions, regiments, battalions of all types of troops. Usually, armies are no longer subdivided according to the types of troops, although there may be tank armies, where tank divisions predominate. An army may also include one or more corps. It is impossible to talk about the structure and size of the army, because how many armies exist or have existed, so many structures existed. The soldier at the head of the army is no longer called "commander", but "commander of the army." Usually the staff rank of the army commander is Colonel General. In peacetime, armies are rarely organized as military formations. Usually divisions, regiments, battalions are directly part of the district.
Front
Front (district)- This is the highest military formation of a strategic type. Larger formations do not exist. The name "front" is used only in war time for the formation leading the fighting. For such formations in peacetime, or those located in the rear, the name "district" (military district) is used. The front includes several armies, corps, divisions, regiments, battalions of all types of troops. The composition and strength of the front may be different. Fronts are never subdivided according to the types of troops (i.e., there cannot be a tank front, an artillery front, etc.). At the head of the front (district) is the commander of the front (district) with the rank of army general.
Military art in Russia, as well as throughout the world, is divided into three levels:
- Tactics(the art of combat). Squad, platoon, company, battalion, regiment solve tactical tasks, that is, they are fighting.
- operational art(the art of waging a battle, battle). A division, a corps, an army solve operational tasks, that is, they conduct a battle.
- Strategy(the art of commanding war in general). The front solves both operational and strategic tasks, i.e., it wages major battles, as a result of which the strategic situation changes and the outcome of the war can be decided.
Airborne troops. The history of the Russian landing Alekhin Roman Viktorovich
PARATROOPERS
PARATROOPERS
In the mid-60s, due to the active development of helicopters (with their amazing ability to land and take off almost anywhere), the idea of creating special military units, which could be parachuted by helicopters into the tactical rear of the enemy in order to assist the advancing ground forces. Unlike the Airborne Forces, these new units were supposed to land only by landing, and unlike the Special Forces of the GRU, they had to operate with fairly large forces, including using armored vehicles and other heavy weapons.
To confirm (or refute) the theoretical conclusions, it was necessary to conduct large-scale practical exercises that would put everything in its place.
In 1967, during the Dnepr-67 strategic exercises, an experimental 1st air assault brigade was formed on the basis of the 51st Guards PDP. The brigade was led by the head of the combat training department of the Directorate Airborne Major General Kobzar. The brigade landed on helicopters on the bridgehead on the Dnieper and completed the task assigned to it. According to the results of the exercises, appropriate conclusions were drawn, and starting from 1968, the formation of the first air assault brigades in the Far Eastern and Trans-Baikal military districts began as part of the ground forces.
Based on the directive of the General Staff of May 22, 1968, by August 1970 in settlements Nikolaevna and Zavitinsk, Amur Region, the 13th Air Assault Brigade was formed, and in the village of Mogocha, Chita Region, the 11th Air Assault Brigade.
Again, as in the very first airborne unit (airborne assault detachment of the Leningrad Military District), the "ground" unit received aviation under its control - two helicopter regiments with an air base each, which included an airfield support battalion and a separate Division of Communications and Radio Engineering.
The structure of the air assault brigades of the first formation was as follows:
Brigade management;
Three air assault battalions;
Artillery battalion;
Anti-aircraft artillery division;
Combat helicopter regiment with an air base;
Transport Helicopter Regiment with Air Base;
The rear of the brigade.
The air assault units mounted on helicopters were able to land in the form of a landing assault on any sector of the operational-tactical theater of operations and solve the assigned tasks on their own with fire support from combat helicopters. Experimental exercises were conducted with these brigades to develop tactics for the use of air assault units. Based on the experience gained, the General Staff gave recommendations for improving the organizational and staffing structure of such units.
It was assumed that the air assault brigades would operate in the tactical defense zone of the enemy. The range at which the battalions of air assault brigades were supposed to land did not exceed 70-100 km. In particular, as a confirmation, this is evidenced by the range of the communications equipment that entered service with the air assault formations. However, if we consider the specific theater of operations in which the brigades were deployed, it can be assumed that the purpose of the 11th and 13th brigade was to quickly close the poorly guarded section of the border with China in the event of a Chinese military invasion. Helicopters of the brigade's units could be landed anywhere, while the motorized rifle regiments of the 67th motorized rifle division located in that area (from Mogocha to Magdagachi) could only move on their own along the only road, which was very slow. Even after the helicopter regiments were withdrawn from the brigades (at the end of the 80s), the task of the brigades did not change, and the helicopter regiments were always deployed in close proximity.
In the early 70s, a new name for the brigades was adopted. From now on, they began to be called "airborne assault".
On November 5, 1972, by directive of the General Staff, and on November 16, 1972, and by order of the commander of the Transcaucasian Military District, by February 19, 1973, it was decided to form an air assault brigade in the Caucasian operational direction. In the city of Kutaisi, the 21st separate airborne assault brigade was formed.
Thus, by the mid-70s, the so-called Airborne Forces of the ground forces included three brigades:
11th brigade (military unit 21460), ZabVO (settlement of Mogocha, Chita region), consisting of: 617th, 618th, 619th brigade, 329th and 307th OVP;
13th Airborne Brigade (military unit 21463), Far Eastern Military District (settlement of Magdagachi, Amur Region), consisting of: 620th, 621st (Amazar), 622nd Airborne Brigade, 825th and 398th OVP ;
21st brigade (military unit 31571), ZakVO (Kutaisi, Georgia), consisting of: 802nd (military unit 36685, Tsulukidze), 803rd (military unit 55055), 804th (in / h 57351) odshb, 1059th oadn, 325th and 292nd ovp, 1863rd one siRTO, 303rd obo.
An interesting fact was that the battalions in these formations were separate units, while in the Airborne Forces separate part was only a regiment. From the moment of its formation and until 1983, parachute training was not provided for in these brigades and was not included in the combat training plans, and therefore the personnel of the air assault brigades wore the uniform of motorized rifle troops with the corresponding insignia. Airborne assault units received the form of the Airborne Forces only with the introduction to their combat training skydiving.
In 1973, the air assault brigades included:
Management (in the state of 326 people);
Three separate air assault battalions (according to the state, each battalion has 349 people);
Separate artillery battalion (171 staff members);
Aviation group (only 805 people in the state);
Separate division of communications and radio-technical support (190 employees);
A separate battalion of airfield technical support (410 people in the state).
New formations began active combat training. Not without accidents and disasters. In 1976, during a major exercise in the 21st brigade, a tragedy occurred: two Mi-8 helicopters collided in the air and crashed to the ground. As a result of the disaster, 36 people died. Similar tragedies occurred from time to time in all brigades - probably this was the terrible tribute that had to be paid for the possession of such highly mobile military units.
The experience gained by the new brigades turned out to be positive, and therefore, by the end of the 70s, the General Staff decided to form several more air assault brigades of front (district) subordination, as well as several separate air assault battalions of army subordination. Since the number of newly formed units and formations was quite large, in order to complete them, the General Staff went to the disbandment of one airborne division.
On the basis of the directive of the General Staff of August 3, 1979 No. 314/3/00746 by December 1, 1979, the 105th Guards Airborne Vienna Red Banner Division (111th, 345th, 351st, 383rd Guards PDP) , stationed in the city of Fergana, Uzbek SSR, was disbanded. The 345th regiment was reorganized into a separate airborne regiment and left in the southern operational direction. The personnel of the disbanded regiments and separate units went to the formation of air assault units and formations.
On the basis of the 111th Guards Infantry Regiment in the city of Osh of the Kirghiz SSR, the 14th Guards Airborne Brigade of the Western Group of Forces was formed with redeployment to the city of Cottbus of the German Democratic Republic. In December 1979, the brigade was renamed the 35th Guards Oshbr. From 1979 to November 1982, the personnel of the brigade wore the uniform of motorized rifle troops. In 1982, the brigade was awarded the Battle Banner. Prior to that, the brigade had the Battle Banner of the 111th Guards Infantry Regiment.
On the basis of the 351st Guards Infantry Regiment, the 56th Guards Airborne Brigade of the TurkVO was formed with a deployment in the village of Azadbash (a district of the city of Chirchik) of the Uzbek SSR. On the basis of the officers of the 105th Guards Airborne Division, the 38th Separate Guards Vienna Red Banner Airborne Assault Brigade was formed in the Belarusian Military District in the city of Brest. The brigade was given the Battle Banner of the disbanded 105th Guards Vienna Red Banner Airborne Division.
On the basis of the 383rd Guards Airborne Regiment in the village of Aktogay, Taldy-Kurgan Region, Kazakh SSR, the 57th Separate Air Assault Brigade was formed for the Central Asian Military District, and the 58th Brigade was formed for the Kyiv Military District in Kremenchug (however, it was decided to leave it as a framed part).
For the Leningrad Military District in the village of Garbolovo, Vsevolozhsk District, Leningrad Region, with the participation of personnel of the 234th and 237th Guards Airborne Regiments of the 76th Guards Airborne Division, the 36th Separate Airborne Assault Brigade was formed, and for the Baltic military district in the city of Chernyakhovsk, Kaliningrad region, the 37th separate airborne assault brigade was formed.
On August 3, 1979, the 80th Airborne Regiment of the 104th Guards Airborne Forces in the city of Baku was disbanded. The released personnel were turned to the formation of new brigades - in the city of Khyrov, Staro-Sambirsky district of the Lviv region, the 39th separate air assault brigade of the Order of the Red Star was formed for the Carpathian military district, and in the city of Nikolaev for the Odessa military district the 40th separate air assault brigade.
Thus, in total, in 1979, nine separate air assault brigades were formed, which became part of the Western and Asian military districts. By 1980, there were a total of twelve air assault brigades in the ground forces:
11th brigade (military unit 32364), ZabVO, Mogocha;
13th brigade (military unit 21463), Far Eastern Military District, Magdagachi, Amazar;
21st brigade (military unit 31571), ZakVO, Kutaisi;
35th brigade (military unit 16407), GSVG, Cottbus;
36th brigade (military unit 74980), LenVO, Garbolovo;
37th brigade (military unit 75193), PribVO, Chernyakhovsk;
38th brigade (military unit 92616), BelVO, Brest;
39th brigade (military unit 32351), PrikVO, Khyrov;
40th brigade (military unit 32461), OdVO, Nikolaev;
56th brigade (military unit 74507), TurkVO, Azadbash, Chirchik;
57th brigade (military unit 92618), SAVO, Aktogay, Kazakhstan;
58th detachment of the KVO frame, Kremenchug.
New brigades were formed as lightweight, 3-battalion composition, without helicopter regiments. Now these were ordinary "infantry" units that did not have their own aviation. In fact, these were tactical units, while until that time the first three brigades (11th, 13th and 21st brigade) were tactical formations. From the beginning of the 80s, the battalions of the 11th, 13th and 21st brigades ceased to be separate and lost their numbers - brigades from formations became units. However, the helicopter regiments remained under the control of these brigades until 1988, after which they were withdrawn from the control of the brigades to the control of the districts.
The structure of the new brigades was as follows:
Management (headquarters) of the brigade;
Two parachute battalions;
One air assault battalion;
Howitzer artillery battalion;
Anti-tank battery;
Anti-aircraft artillery battery;
Communication company;
Reconnaissance and landing company;
RHBZ company;
Engineering and sapper company;
Company of material support;
Medical company;
Landing Support Company.
The number of personnel in the brigades was about 2800 people.
Starting from 1982-1983, airborne training began in the airborne assault brigades, in connection with which there were some organizational changes in the structure of the formations.
In addition to the brigades, separate air assault battalions were formed in December 1979, which were supposed to act in the interests of the armies and solve tactical tasks in the enemy's near rear. In the mid-80s, an additional formation of several more battalions took place. In total, more than twenty such battalions were formed, the full list of which I have not yet been able to establish - there were several cadre battalions, the numbers of which do not come across in the open press. By the mid-80s, the combined arms and tank armies of the Armed Forces of the USSR included:
899th odshb (military unit 61139), 20th guards OA, GSVG, Burg;
900th odshb (military unit 60370), 8th Guards OA, GSVG, Leipzig;
901st odshb (military unit 49138), TsGV, Riechki, then PribVO, Aluksne;
902nd odshb (military unit 61607), South GV, Hungary, Kecskemét;
903rd odshb 28th OA, BelVO, Brest (until 1986), then in Grodno;
904th odshb (military unit 32352), 13th OA, PrikVO, Vladimir-Volynsky;
905th odshb (military unit 92617), 14th OA, OdVO, Bendery;
906th odshb (military unit 75194), 36th OA, ZabVO, Borzya, Khada-Bulak;
907th odshb (military unit 74981), 43rd AK, Far East Military District, Birobidzhan;
908th odshb 1st guards OA, KVO, Konotop, since 1984 Chernigov, Goncharovskoye settlement;
1011th odshb 5th guards TA, BelVO, Maryina Gorka;
1039th odshb 11th guards OA, PribVO, Kaliningrad;
1044th odshb (military unit 47596), 1st guards TA, GSVG, Koenigsbrück, after 1989 - PribVO, Taurage;
1048th odshb (military unit 45476), 40th OA, TurkVO, Termez;
1145th odshb 5th OA, Far Eastern Military District, Sergeevna;
1151st odshb 7th TA, BelVO, Polotsk;
1154th odshb 86th AK, ZabVO, Shelekhov;
1156th odshb 8th TA, PrikVO, Novograd-Volynsky;
1179th ODShB (military unit 73665), 6th OA, LenVO, Petrozavodsk;
1185th odshb (military unit 55342), 2nd guards TA, GSVG, Ravensbrück, then PribVO, Vyru;
1603rd odshb 38th OA, PrikVO, Nadvirna;
1604th odshb 29th OA, ZabVO, Ulan-Ude;
1605th odshb 5th OA, Far Eastern Military District, Spassk-Dalniy;
1609th odshb 39th OA, ZabVO, Kyakhta.
Also in 1982, their own air assault battalions were created in the Marine Corps of the USSR Navy. In particular, in the Pacific Fleet, such a battalion was created on the basis of the 1st Battalion marines 165th Marine Regiment, 55th Division. Then similar battalions were created in other regiments of the division and separate brigades ah on other fleets. These Marine air assault battalions received airborne training and parachute jumps. That is why I have included them in this story. The air assault battalions that were part of the 55th division did not have their own numbers and were named only according to continuous numbering within their regiment. Battalions in brigades, as separate units, received their own names:
876th odshb (military unit 81285) 61st brigade, Northern Fleet, Sputnik settlement;
879th odshb (military unit 81280) 336th guards brigade, BF, Baltiysk;
881st odshb 810th brigade, Black Sea Fleet, Sevastopol;
1st dshb 165th infantry regiment 55th dmp, Pacific Fleet, Vladivostok;
1st dshb 390th infantry regiment 55th dmp, Pacific Fleet, Slavyanka.
Based on the composition of weapons, individual air assault battalions were divided into "light", which did not have armored vehicles, and "heavy", which were armed with up to 30 infantry fighting vehicles or landing. Both types of battalions were also armed with 6 mortars with a caliber of 120 mm, six AGS-17 and several anti-tank systems.
The brigades were composed of three airborne battalions on infantry fighting vehicles, infantry fighting vehicles or GAZ-66 vehicles, an artillery battalion (18 D-30 howitzers), an anti-tank battery, an anti-aircraft missile battery, a mortar battery (six 120-mm mortars), a reconnaissance a company, a communications company, a sapper company, an airborne support company, a chemical protection company, a material support company, a repair company, an automobile company and a medical center. A separate airborne battalion of the brigade consisted of three paratrooper companies, a mortar battery (4–6 82-mm mortars), a grenade launcher platoon (6 AGS-17 grenade launchers), a communications platoon, an anti-tank platoon (4 SPG-9 and 6 ATGM) and a support platoon.
During the passage of airborne training, the parachute service of the airborne assault battalions and brigades was guided by the documents of the PDS of the Airborne Forces.
In addition to brigades and battalions, the General Staff also tried another organization of air assault units. By the mid-80s, two army corps of the new organization were formed in the USSR. These corps were created for the purpose of their use in expanding the operational breakthrough (if something happened to break through). The new corps had a brigade structure and consisted of mechanized and tank brigades, and in addition, the corps included air assault regiments two-battalion composition. The regiments were intended to be a tool for "vertical coverage", and in the corps they were used in conjunction with a helicopter regiment.
In the Belarusian Military District, the 5th Guards Combined Arms Army Corps was formed on the basis of the 120th Guards Motor Rifle Division, and in the Trans-Baikal Military District in Kyakhta, the 48th Guards Combined Arms Army Corps was formed on the basis of the 5th Guards Tank Division.
The 5th Guards AK received the 1318th air assault regiment(military unit 33508) and the 276th Helicopter Regiment, while the 48th Guards Army Corps received the 1319th Air Assault Regiment (military unit 33518) and the 373rd Helicopter Regiment. However, these parts did not last long. Already in 1989, the guards army corps were again folded into divisions, and the air assault regiments were disbanded.
In 1986, in connection with the creation of the Headquarters of the High Commands of the directions, another wave of formations of air assault brigades took place. In addition to the existing formations, four more brigades were formed - according to the number of directions. Thus, in the subordination of the reserve of the Rates of operational directions by the end of 1986, the following were formed:
23rd brigade (military unit 51170), GK of the South-Western direction, Kremenchug;
83rd Airborne Brigade (military unit 54009), Civil Code of the Western Direction, Bialogard;
128th detachment of the cadre of the Civil Code of the Southern direction, Stavropol;
130th detachment of the frame (military unit 79715), GK of the Far East direction, Abakan.
In total, by the end of the 80s, there were sixteen air assault brigades in the USSR Armed Forces, of which three (58th, 128th and 130th airborne brigade) were kept on a reduced staff or were cropped. In any case, it was a weighty addition to the existing airborne and special forces units of the GRU. No one in the world had such a large number of landing troops.
In 1986 on Far East large-scale airborne assault exercises were held, in which the personnel of the 13th airborne assault brigade were involved. In August, on 32 Mi-8 and Mi-6 helicopters, an air assault battalion with reinforcements was landed at the Burevestnik airfield on Iturup Island in the Kuril Range. In the same place, parachute landing of the reconnaissance company of the brigade was carried out from the An-12 aircraft. The disembarked subdivisions fully fulfilled the tasks assigned to them. Supporters of the entry of the Kuriles into the USSR could sleep peacefully.
In 1989, the General Staff decided to disband the separate air assault battalions of the combined arms and tank armies, and the separate air assault brigades of district subordination were reorganized into separate airborne brigades and handed over to Commander of the Airborne Forces.
By the end of 1991, all separate airborne assault battalions (with the exception of the 901st Airborne Battalion) were disbanded.
In the same period, in connection with the collapse of the USSR, strong changes affected the existing air assault formations. Part of the brigades was transferred to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and Kazakhstan, and part was simply disbanded.
The 39th Airborne Brigade (by this time already referred to as the 224th Airborne Training Center), the 58th Airborne Brigade and the 40th Airborne Brigade were transferred to Ukraine, the 35th Airborne Brigade was withdrawn from Germany to Kazakhstan, where it became part of the armed forces of the republic . The 38th brigade was transferred to Belarus.
The 83rd brigade was withdrawn from Poland, which was transferred across the country to a new point of permanent deployment - the city of Ussuriysk, Primorsky Krai. At the same time, the 13th brigade, which was part of the Far Eastern Military District, was transferred to Orenburg - again almost across the country, only in the opposite direction (a purely economic question - why?).
The 21st brigade was transferred to Stavropol, and the 128th brigade located there was disbanded. The 57th and 130th brigades were also disbanded.
Looking ahead a little, I will say that in the "Russian time" by the end of 1994, the Russian Armed Forces included the following units:
11th brigade of the Trans-Baikal Military District (Ulan-Ude);
13th brigade of the Ural Military District (Orenburg);
21st brigade of the North Caucasian military district (Stavropol);
36th brigade of the Leningrad Military District (Garbolovo);
37th brigade of the North-Western group of troops (Chernyakhovsk);
From the book 100 great aviation and astronautical records author Zigunenko Stanislav NikolaevichThe first paratroopers Since 1929, parachutes have become mandatory equipment for pilots and aeronauts. It was necessary to organize a parachute service in the country, to educate paratroopers, to break the wall of disbelief in the silk dome. One of the first to start this work in our country
From the book Encyclopedia of Delusions. Third Reich author Likhacheva Larisa BorisovnaSA. Were stormtroopers real men? Well, what can I say to you, my friend? There are still contrasts in life: There are so many girls around, And you and I are buggers. The harsh truth of life as presented by Joseph Raskin - Comrade commander, appeared in our company
Russian paratroopers are revered not only in their own country. They are respected by the whole world. It is well known that an American general said that if he had a company Russian paratroopers, then he would have conquered the entire planet. Among the legendary formations of the Russian army is the 45th Airborne Regiment. He has interesting story, central part which is occupied by heroic deeds.
We are proud of our paratroopers, honor their courage, valor and readiness to defend the interests of the Motherland at any cost. Glorious Pages military history The USSR, and then Russia, appeared, largely due to the heroic deeds of paratroopers. Soldiers serving in the Airborne Forces fearlessly performed the most difficult tasks and special operations. The airborne troops are among the most prestigious formations of the Russian army. Soldiers strive to get there, wanting to feel involved in creating the glorious military history of their country.
45th Airborne Regiment: key facts
The 45th Special Forces Regiment of the Airborne Forces was formed in early 1994. Its base was separate battalions number 218 and 901. By the middle of the year, the regiment was equipped with weapons and fighters. The 45th regiment began its first combat operation in December 1994 in Chechnya. The paratroopers participated in the battles until February 1995, and then returned to the Moscow region, to the base of their deployment on a permanent basis. In 2005, the regiment received the Battle Flag of the Guards Regiment No. 119
From the moment of its foundation, the military formation became known as the 45th reconnaissance regiment of the Airborne Forces. But in early 2008, it was renamed the Special Forces Regiment. In August of the same year, it participated in a special operation to force Georgia to peace. In 2010, Regiment 45 tactical group ensured the safety of Russian citizens during the riots in Kyrgyzstan.
background
The basis for the formation of the 45th separate guards regiment was the 218th and 901st special forces battalions. The fighters of the first battalion had taken part in three combat operations by that time. In the summer of 1992, the battalion served in Transnistria, in September - in the territories where the conflict between Ossetian and Ingush military groups took place, in December - in Abkhazia.
Since 1979, battalion number 901 has been part of the Soviet troops on the territory of Czechoslovakia, in 1989 it was redeployed to Latvia and transferred to the structure of the Baltic Military District. In 1991, the 901st Special Forces Battalion was relocated to the Abkhaz ASSR. In 1992, it was renamed the paratrooper battalion. In 1993, the formation performed tasks related to the protection of state and military facilities. In the fall of 1993, the battalion was redeployed to the Moscow region. Then came the 45th regiment Airborne Forces of Russia.
Awards
In 1995, the 45th Airborne Regiment received the Diploma of the President of Russia for services to the country. In July 1997, the formation was awarded the banner of the airborne regiment number 5, which participated in the hostilities during the Great Patriotic War. In 2001, the regiment received Vympel from the Minister of Defense of Russia - for courage, high combat skills and real valor when participating in hostilities on the territory of Chechnya. 45 guards regiment The Airborne Forces owns the Order of Kutuzov - the corresponding decree was signed by the President of Russia. The military formation was awarded this award for the success in the heroic performance of military operations, the heroism and courage shown by the soldiers and the command. The regiment became the first carrier in recent history our country. In July 2009, the formation received the St. George banner.
The title of Hero of Russia was given to ten fighters, whose duty station was the 45th Airborne Regiment. The Order of Courage was awarded to 79 paratroopers. Ten military personnel of the regiment were awarded the medal of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" of the second degree. Seventeen and three paratroopers received the Orders "For Military Merit" and "For Merit to the Fatherland", respectively. Medals "For Courage" were received by 174 servicemen, the medal of Suvorov - 166. Seven people were awarded the Zhukov medal.
Anniversary
Kubinka near Moscow - the 45th Airborne Regiment is based there - in July 2014 was the place where the anniversary celebrations dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the formation took place. The event was held in the format open doors- the paratroopers showed their combat skills to the guests, the parachute units descended from the sky flag of the Airborne Forces, and the famous pilots from the Russian Knights team showed the wonders of aerobatics on fighter jets.
The legendary regiment as part of the Airborne Forces
Which includes the 45th regiment - Airborne Forces (airborne troops) of Russia. Their history dates back to August 2, 1930. Then the first paratroopers of the Air Force of the Moscow District made a parachute landing in our country. It was a kind of experiment that showed military theorists how promising the landing of parachute units could be from the point of view of combat operations. The first official unit of the airborne troops of the USSR appeared only the following year in the Leningrad Military District. The formation included 164 people, all of them were servicemen of the airborne assault detachment. By the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, there were five airborne corps in the USSR, each of which served 10,000 fighters.
Airborne Forces during the Great Patriotic War
With the outbreak of war, all Soviet airborne corps entered into battles taking place on the territory of the Ukrainian, Belarusian, Lithuanian Republics. The largest operation involving paratroopers during the war years is considered to be the battle with a group of Germans near Moscow in early 1942. Then 10 thousand paratroopers won the most important victory for the front. Parts of the Airborne Forces were connected to the battles near Stalingrad.
The paratroopers of the Soviet army honorably fulfilled their duty to defend the city. Airborne Army The USSR also took part in the battles after the defeat of Nazi Germany - in August 1945 they fought in the Far East against the imperial armed forces of Japan. Over 4,000 paratroopers helped the Soviet troops win important victories in this sector of the front.
After the war
Particular attention, according to military analysts, in the post-war strategy for the development of the USSR Airborne Forces was given to the organization of hostilities behind enemy lines, increasing the combat capability of soldiers, and interacting with army units, subject to the possible use atomic weapons. The troops began to be equipped with new aircraft of the AN-12 and AN-22 type, which, thanks to their large carrying capacity, could deliver vehicles, armored vehicles, artillery and other means of warfare behind enemy lines.
Every year, an increasing number of military exercises were conducted with the participation of airborne soldiers. Among the largest - held in the spring of 1970 in the Byelorussian ASSR. As part of the Dvina exercises, more than 7 thousand soldiers and more than 150 guns were parachuted. In 1971, exercises "South" of a comparable scale took place. In the late 1970s, the use of new Il-76 aircraft in landing operations was first tested. Until the collapse of the USSR, the soldiers of the Airborne Forces at each of the exercises repeatedly showed the highest combat skills.
Airborne troops of the Russian Federation today
Now the Airborne Forces are considered a structure that is called upon to independently (or as part of it) perform combat missions in conflicts of various scales - from local to global. About 95% of the Airborne Forces are in a state of constant combat readiness. are also called upon to perform the functions of conducting combat operations behind enemy lines.
As part of the Russian Airborne Forces - four divisions, own Training Center, an institute, as well as a large number of structures that perform work on providing, supplying and servicing.
The motto of the Russian Airborne Forces is "No one but us!" The service of a paratrooper is considered by many to be one of the most prestigious and at the same time difficult. As of 2010, 4,000 officers, 7,000 contract soldiers, and 24,000 conscripts served in the Airborne Forces. Another 28,000 are civilian personnel of the formation.
Paratroopers and operation in Afghanistan
The largest participation of the Airborne Forces in hostilities after the Great Patriotic War took place in Afghanistan. The 103rd division, the 345th airborne regiment, two battalions, motorized rifle brigades participated in the battles. A number of military analysts believe that the specifics of the conduct of hostilities in Afghanistan did not imply the expediency of using parachute landing as a method of transferring army combat personnel. This, according to analysts, is due to the mountainous terrain of the country, as well as high level the cost of such operations. The personnel of the Airborne Forces, as a rule, were transferred using helicopters.
the largest airborne operation The USSR in Afghanistan became the Battle of Panjera in 1982. More than 4 thousand paratroopers took part in it (with a total number of soldiers involved in the operation of 12 thousand people). as a result of the fighting, she was able to take the main part of the Panjer Gorge under her control.
Combat operations of the Airborne Forces after the collapse of the USSR
The paratroopers, despite the difficult times that came after the collapse of the superpower, continued to defend the interests of their country. They were often peacekeepers in the territories of the former Soviet republics. Russian paratroopers made themselves known to the whole world during the conflict in Yugoslavia in 1999. Soldiers of the Airborne Forces of the Russian Federation made the famous throw at Pristina, having managed to get ahead of the military from NATO.
Throw on Pristina
On the night of June 11-12, 1999, Russian paratroopers appeared on the territory of Yugoslavia, starting from neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina. They managed to occupy an airfield located near the city of Pristina. There, a few hours later, NATO soldiers appeared. Some details of those events are known. In particular, US Army General Clark ordered his colleague from the British armed forces to prevent the Russians from seizing the airfield. He replied that he did not want to provoke a third world war. However, the main part of the information on the essence of the operation in Pristina is not available - it is all classified.
Russian paratroopers in Chechnya
Troops of the Airborne Forces of the Russian Federation took part in both Chechen wars. Regarding the first - most of data is still secret. It is known, for example, that among the most famous operations of the second campaign with participation of the Airborne Forces- Battle of Argun. The Russian army received the task of blocking a strategically significant section of the transport highways passing through the Argun Gorge. According to him, the separatists received food, weapons and medicines. The paratroopers joined the operation in December as part of the 56th Airborne Regiment.
The heroic feat of the paratroopers participating in the battles for 776 heights near the Chechen Ulus-Kert is known. In February 2000, the 6th company of the Airborne Forces from Pskov entered the battle with the grouping of Khattab and Basaev, ten times larger in number. During the day, the militants were blocked inside the Argun Gorge. Performing the task, the soldiers of the Pskov company of the Airborne Forces did not spare themselves. Only 6 soldiers survived.
Russian paratroopers and the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict
In the 1990s, units of the Airborne Forces of the Russian Federation performed in the territories where the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict took place, mainly peacekeeping functions. But in 2008, the paratroopers participated in combat operations. When the Georgian army attacked South Ossetia, units were sent to the war area. Russian army, including the 76th division of the Russian Airborne Forces from Pskov. According to a number of military analysts, there were no major amphibious landings in this special operation. However, according to experts, the participation of Russian paratroopers had a psychological effect - primarily on the political leadership of Georgia.
45th regiment: renaming
AT recent times there is information that the 45th Airborne Regiment can receive the honorary name of the Preobrazhensky regiment. A military formation with this name was founded by Peter the Great and became legendary. There is a version that the initiative regarding the fact that the 45th regiment of the Airborne Forces of the Russian Federation should be renamed comes from a statement by the President of Russia, who expressed the opinion that formations named after famous regiments, such as Semenovsky, Preobrazhensky, should appear in the Russian army. At one of the military councils of the Russian Airborne Forces, as indicated in some sources, the proposal of the President was considered, and as a result, responsible persons were instructed to prepare information on the start of work on the creation of historical army regiments. It is quite possible that the 45th Special Forces Regiment of the Airborne Forces of the Russian Federation will receive the title of Preobrazhensky.
A branch of the Armed Forces, which is a reserve of the Supreme High Command and is specially designed to cover the enemy by air and perform tasks in his rear to disrupt command and control, capture and destroy ground elements of high-precision weapons, disrupt the advancement and deployment of reserves, disrupt the rear and communications, as well as covering (defending) certain areas, areas, open flanks, blocking and destroying airborne assault forces, enemy groupings that have broken through, and performing many other tasks.
In peacetime, the Airborne Forces perform the main tasks of maintaining combat and mobilization readiness at a level that ensures their successful use as intended.
In the Russian Armed Forces they are a separate branch of the military.
Also, the Airborne Forces are often used as rapid reaction forces.
The main method of delivery of the Airborne Forces is parachute landing, they can also be delivered by helicopter; during World War II, glider delivery was practiced.
Airborne Forces of the USSR
pre-war period
At the end of 1930, near Voronezh, in the 11th Infantry Division, a Soviet airborne unit was created - an airborne assault detachment. In December 1932, he was deployed to the 3rd Special Purpose Aviation Brigade (OsNaz), which since 1938 became known as the 201st Airborne Brigade.
The very first use of airborne assault in the history of military affairs took place in the spring of 1929. In the city of Garm besieged by the Basmachi, a group of armed Red Army soldiers was landed from the air, and with the support of local residents, they completely defeated the gang that had invaded the territory of Tajikistan from abroad. But still, the Day of the Airborne Forces in Russia and a number of other countries is considered to be August 2, in honor of the parachute landing at the military exercise of the Moscow Military District near Voronezh on August 2, 1930.
in 1931, on the basis of an order dated March 18, a non-standard, experienced aviation motorized landing detachment (airborne landing detachment) was formed in the Leningrad Military District. It was intended to study issues of operational-tactical use and the most advantageous organizational forms of airborne landing (airborne) units, units and formations. The detachment consisted of 164 personnel and consisted of:
One rifle company;
-individual platoons: sapper, communications and light vehicles;
- heavy bomber aviation squadron (air squadron) (12 aircraft - TB-1);
- one corps aviation detachment (air detachment) (10 aircraft - R-5).
The detachment was armed with:
Two 76-mm Kurchevsky dynamo-reactive cannons (DRP);
-two wedges - T-27;
-4 grenade launchers;
-3 light armored vehicles (armored vehicles);
-14 light and 4 heavy machine guns;
-10 trucks and 16 cars;
-4 motorcycles and one scooter
E. D. Lukin was appointed commander of the detachment. Subsequently, a non-standard paratrooper detachment was formed in the same air brigade.
In 1932, the Revolutionary Military Council of the USSR issued a decree on the deployment of detachments into special aviation battalions (bOSNAZ). By the end of 1933, there were already 29 airborne battalions and brigades that were part of the Air Force. The LenVO (Leningrad Military District) was entrusted with the task of training airborne instructors and developing operational and tactical standards.
By the standards of that time, the airborne units were an effective means of disorganizing the control and rear of the enemy. They were to be used where other types of troops (infantry, artillery, cavalry, armored troops) cannot currently solve this problem, and were also intended to be used by the high command in cooperation with troops advancing from the front, airborne assault forces were supposed to help encircle and defeat the enemy in this direction.
Staff No. 015/890 of 1936 of the "Airborne Brigade" (Adbr) of wartime and peacetime. Name of units, number of wartime personnel (number of peacetime personnel in parentheses):
Management, 49 (50);
- communications company, 56 (46);
-musician platoon, 11 (11);
-3 airborne battalions, each, 521 (381);
- school of junior officers, 0 (115);
-services, 144 (135);
Total: in the brigade, 1823 (1500); Personnel:
Command staff, 107 (118);
- Commanding staff, 69 (60);
- Junior command and command staff, 330 (264);
- Privates, 1317 (1058);
-Total: 1823 (1500);
Material part:
45 mm anti-tank gun, 18 (19);
-Light machine guns, 90 (69);
-Radio stations, 20 (20);
-Automatic carbines, 1286 (1005);
-Light mortars, 27 (20);
- Cars, 6 (6);
- Trucks, 63 (51);
-Special vehicles, 14 (14);
- Cars "Pickup", 9 (8);
-Motorcycles, 31 (31);
- Tractors ChTZ, 2 (2);
- Tractor trailers, 4 (4);
In the prewar years, a lot of forces and funds were allocated for the development of airborne troops, the development of the theory of their combat use, as well as practical training. In 1934, 600 paratroopers were involved in the exercises of the Red Army. In 1935, during the maneuvers of the Kyiv Military District, 1,188 paratroopers were parachuted and a landing force consisting of 2,500 people landed along with military equipment.
In 1936, 3,000 paratroopers were parachuted into the Belarusian Military District, 8,200 people with artillery and other military equipment were landed by landing method. The invited foreign military delegations present at these exercises were amazed by the size of the landings and the skill of landing.
"31. Airborne units, as a new type of airborne infantry, are a means of disorganizing the enemy's command and rear. They are used by the high command.
In cooperation with the troops advancing from the front, the air infantry helps encircle and defeat the enemy in a given direction.
The use of air infantry must be strictly in accordance with the conditions of the situation and requires reliable provision and observance of measures of secrecy and surprise.
- Chapter two "Organization of the troops of the Red Army" 1. Types of troops and their combat use, Field Charter of the Red Army (PU-39)
The paratroopers gained experience in real battles. In 1939, the 212th Airborne Brigade took part in the defeat of the Japanese at Khalkhin Gol. For their courage and heroism, 352 paratroopers were awarded orders and medals. In 1939-1940, during the Soviet-Finnish war, the 201st, 202nd and 214th airborne brigades fought together with rifle units.
Based on the experience gained in 1940, new staffs of brigades were approved as part of three combat groups: parachute, glider and landing.
In preparation for the operation to annex Bessarabia to the USSR, occupied by Romania, as well as Northern Bukovina, the command of the Red Army enlisted the 201st, 204th and 214th airborne brigades in the Southern Front. During the operation, combat missions were received by the 204th and 201st adbrs and landings were thrown into the area of Bolgrad and the city of Izmail, and after the closure of the state border to organize Soviet governments in settlements.
The Great Patriotic War
By the beginning of 1941, on the basis of the existing airborne brigades, airborne corps were deployed, numbering more than 10 thousand people each.
On September 4, 1941, by order of the People's Commissar, the Office of the Airborne Forces was transformed into the Office of the Commander of the Airborne Forces of the Red Army, and the formations and units of the Airborne Forces were removed from the subordination of the commanders of the active fronts and transferred to the direct subordination of the commander of the Airborne Forces. In accordance with this order, ten airborne corps, five maneuverable airborne brigades, five reserve airborne regiments and airborne school(Kuibyshev). At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the Airborne Forces were an independent branch of the forces (troops) of the Red Army Air Force.
In the counteroffensive near Moscow, conditions appeared for a wide use of the Airborne Forces. In the winter of 1942, the Vyazemsky airborne operation was carried out with the participation of the 4th airborne corps. In September 1943, an airborne assault consisting of two brigades was used to help the troops of the Voronezh Front in forcing the Dnieper River. In the Manchurian strategic operation in August 1945, more than 4 thousand people of the personnel of rifle units were landed for landing operations by landing method, who quite successfully completed their tasks.
In October 1944, the Airborne Forces were transformed into a separate Guards Airborne Army, which became part of the long-range aviation. In December 1944, this army was, on the basis of the order of the Headquarters of the Supreme Command of December 18, 1944, transformed into the 9th Guards Army, on the basis of the command of the 7th Army and formations of a separate guards airborne army with direct subordination to the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command. Airborne divisions were reorganized into infantry divisions.
At the same time, the Airborne Forces Directorate was created with direct subordination to the Air Force Commander. Three airborne brigades, a training airborne regiment, advanced training courses for officers and an aeronautical division remained in the Airborne Forces. At the end of the winter of 1945, the 9th Guards Army, consisting of the 37th, 38th, 39th Guards rifle corps was concentrated in Hungary southeast of Budapest; February 27, she became part of the 2nd Ukrainian front, March 9 was reassigned to the 3rd Ukrainian Front. In March - April 1945, the army took part in the Vienna strategic operation (March 16 - April 15), advancing in the direction of the front's main attack. In early May 1945, the army, as part of the 2nd Ukrainian Front, took part in the Prague operation (May 6-11). The 9th Guards Army ended its combat path with an exit to the Elbe. The army was disbanded on May 11, 1945. The army commander was Colonel General Glagolev VV (December 1944 - until the end of the war). On June 10, 1945, in accordance with the order of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command of May 29, 1945, the Central Group of Forces was formed, which included 9 Guards Army. Later it was withdrawn to the Moscow District, where in 1946 its department was transformed into the Directorate of the Airborne Forces, and all its formations again became guards airborne - the 37th, 38th, 39th corps and 98, 99, 100, 103, 104 , 105, 106, 107, 114 airborne division (airborne division).
post-war period
Since 1946, they were transferred to the ground forces of the Armed Forces of the USSR, were directly subordinate to the Minister of Defense of the USSR, being the reserve of the Supreme Commander.
In 1956, two airborne divisions took part in the Hungarian events. In 1968, after the capture of two airfields near Prague and Bratislava, the 7th and 103rd Guards Airborne Divisions were landed, which ensured the successful completion of the task by formations and units of the United Armed Forces of the countries participating in the Warsaw Pact during the Czechoslovak events.
In the post-war period, a lot of work was done in the Airborne Forces to increase the firepower and mobility of personnel. Numerous samples of airborne armored vehicles (BMD, BTR-D), automotive equipment (TPK, GAZ-66), artillery systems (ASU-57, ASU-85, 2S9 Nona, 107-mm B-11 recoilless rifle) were made. Complex parachute systems were created for landing all types of weapons - "Centaur", "Reaktaur" and others. The fleet of military transport aviation, called for the mass transfer of landing formations in the event of large-scale hostilities, was also greatly increased. Large-body transport aircraft were made capable of parachute landing of military equipment (An-12, An-22, Il-76).
In the USSR, for the first time in the world, airborne troops were created, which had their own armored vehicles and self-propelled artillery. At large army exercises (like Shield-82 or Druzhba-82), personnel were landed with standard equipment numbering no more than two parachute regiments. The state of the military transport aviation of the USSR Armed Forces at the end of the 1980s allowed 75% of the personnel and standard military equipment of one airborne division to be dropped by parachute in just one general sortie.
By the fall of 1979, the 105th Guards Vienna Red Banner Airborne Division was disbanded, specially designed for combat operations in mountainous desert areas. Parts of the 105th Guards Airborne Division were deployed in the cities of Ferghana, Namangan and Chirchik of the Uzbek SSR and in the city of Osh of the Kirghiz SSR. As a result of the disbandment of the 105th Guards Airborne Division, the 4th separate airborne assault brigades (35th Guards, 38th Guards and 56th Guards), 40th (without the status of "Guards") and 345th Guards Separate Parachute Regiment.
The entry of Soviet troops into Afghanistan, which followed the disbandment of the 105th Guards Airborne Division in 1979, showed the profound fallacy of the decision made by the leadership of the USSR Armed Forces - an airborne formation specially adapted for combat operations in mountainous desert areas was thoughtlessly and rather hastily was disbanded, and the 103rd Guards Airborne Division was eventually sent to Afghanistan, the personnel of which had no training at all for combat operations in such a theater of operations:
105th Guards Airborne Vienna Red Banner Division (mountain and desert).:
“... in 1986, the Commander of the Airborne Forces, Army General Sukhorukov D.F., arrived, he then said what fools we were, having disbanded the 105th airborne division, because it was specially designed for combat operations in mountainous desert areas. And we had to spend huge amounts of money to deliver the 103rd airborne division to Kabul by air ... "
By the mid-80s, the airborne troops of the USSR Armed Forces included 7 airborne divisions and three individual regiment with the following names and locations:
7th Guards Red Banner Order of Kutuzov II degree airborne division. Based in Kaunas, Lithuanian SSR, Baltic Military District.
-76th Guards Red Banner Order of Kutuzov II degree Chernihiv Airborne Division. It was stationed in Pskov, RSFSR, Leningrad Military District.
-98th Guards Red Banner Order of Kutuzov II degree Svir airborne division. It was based in the city of Bolgrad, Ukrainian SSR, KOdVO and in the city of Chisinau, Moldavian SSR, KOdVO.
-103rd Guards Red Banner Order of Lenin Order of Kutuzov II degree airborne division named after the 60th anniversary of the USSR. It was stationed in the city of Kabul (Afghanistan) as part of OKSVA. Until December 1979 and after February 1989, it was stationed in the city of Vitebsk, Byelorussian SSR, Belorussian Military District.
-104th Guards Red Banner Order of Kutuzov II degree airborne division, specially designed for combat operations in mountainous areas. It was stationed in the city of Kirovabad of the Azerbaijan SSR, Transcaucasian Military District.
-106th Guards Red Banner Order of Kutuzov II degree airborne division. It was stationed in the city of Tula and in the city of Ryazan of the RSFSR, Moscow Military District.
-44th Training Red Banner Order of Suvorov II degree and Bogdan Khmelnitsky II degree Ovruch airborne division. Located in the village Gayzhyunay of the Lithuanian SSR, Baltic VO.
-345th Guards Vienna Red Banner Order of Suvorov III degree Airborne Regiment named after the 70th anniversary of the Lenin Komsomol. It was located in the city of Bagram (Afghanistan) as part of OKSVA. Until December 1979, it was based in the city of Fergana, Uzbek SSR, after February 1989 - in Kirovabad, Azerbaijan SSR, Transcaucasian Military District.
-387th training separate parachute regiment (387th oopdp). Until 1982, he was part of the 104th Guards Airborne Division. In the period from 1982 to 1988, young recruits were trained in the 387th opdp to be sent to the airborne and airborne assault units as part of the OKSVA. In the cinema, in the film "9th Company" under educational part the 387th oopdp is meant. Based in the city of Fergana, Uzbek SSR, Turkestan Military District.
-196th Separate Communications Regiment of the Airborne Troops. Settled in the village. Bear Lakes, Moscow Region, RSFSR.
Each of these divisions included: a directorate (headquarters), three parachute regiment, one self-propelled artillery regiment and combat support units and logistic support.
In addition to parachute units and formations, the airborne troops also had air assault units and formations, but they were directly subordinate to the commanders of military districts (groups of forces), armies or corps. They practically did not differ in anything, except for tasks, subordination and OShS (organizational staff structure). Methods of combat use, combat training programs for personnel, weapons and uniforms for military personnel were the same as for paratrooper units and formations of the Airborne Forces (central subordination). Air assault formations were represented by separate air assault brigades (ODSHBR), separate air assault regiments (ODSHP) and separate air assault battalions (ODSHB).
The reason for the creation of air assault units in the late 60s was the revision of tactics in the fight against the enemy in the event of a full-scale war. The stake was placed on the concept of using massive landings in the near rear of the enemy, capable of disorganizing the defense. The technical possibility for such a landing was provided by the fleet of transport helicopters in army aviation, which had significantly increased by this time.
By the mid-80s, the USSR Armed Forces included 14 separate brigades, two separate regiments and about 20 separate battalions. The brigades were based on the territory of the USSR according to the principle - one brigade per one military district, which has land access to the State border of the USSR, one brigade in the inner Kiev Military District (23rd brigade in Kremenchug, subordinate to the High Command of the southwestern direction) and two brigades for the group Soviet troops abroad (35gv.odshbr in the GSVG in the city of Cottbus and 83odshbr in the SGV in the city of Bialogard). 56ogdshbr in OKSVA, located in the city of Gardez of the Republic of Afghanistan, belonged to the Turkestan Military District, in which it was created.
Individual air assault regiments were subordinate to the commanders of individual army corps.
The difference between the parachute and airborne assault formations of the Airborne Forces was as follows:
In the presence of standard airborne armored vehicles (BMD, BTR-D, self-propelled guns "Nona", etc.). In the airborne assault units, only a quarter of all units were equipped with it - in contrast to 100% of its staffing in the paratrooper units.
- In the subordination of the troops. Airborne assault units, operationally, were directly subordinate to the command of military districts (groups of troops), armies, and corps. The parachute units were subordinate only to the command of the Airborne Forces, whose headquarters was in Moscow.
- In assigned tasks. It was assumed that the air assault units, in the event of the start of large-scale hostilities, would be used to land in the near rear of the enemy, mainly by landing from helicopters. Parachute units were supposed to be used in a deeper rear of the enemy with a parachute landing from VTA aircraft (military transport aviation). At the same time, airborne training with planned training parachute landings of personnel and military equipment was mandatory for both types of airborne forces.
-Unlike the guards airborne units of the Airborne Forces deployed along full staff, some air assault brigades were cadre (incomplete) and were not guards. The exception was three brigades that received the names of the Guards, created on the basis of the Guards parachute regiments, disbanded in 1979 by the 105th Vienna Red Banner Guards Airborne Division - the 35th, 38th and 56th. The 40th air assault brigade, created on the basis of the 612th separate airborne support battalion and the 100th separate reconnaissance company of the same division, did not receive the status of "guards".
In the mid-80s, the following brigades and regiments were part of the Airborne Forces of the USSR Armed Forces:
11th separate airborne assault brigade in the Trans-Baikal Military District (Chita region, Mogocha and Amazar),
-13th separate airborne assault brigade in the Far Eastern Military District (Amur Region, Magdagachi and Zavitinsk),
-21st separate airborne assault brigade in the Transcaucasian Military District (Georgian SSR, Kutaisi),
-23rd separate air assault brigade of the South-Western direction (on the territory of the Kyiv Military District), (Ukrainian SSR, Kremenchug),
-35th Separate Guards Airborne Assault Brigade in the Group Soviet troops in Germany (German Democratic Republic, Cottbus),
-36th separate airborne assault brigade in the Leningrad Military District ( Leningrad region, village Garbolovo),
-37th separate airborne assault brigade in the Baltic Military District (Kaliningrad region, Chernyakhovsk),
-38th Separate Guards Airborne Assault Brigade in the Belarusian Military District (Belarusian SSR, Brest),
-39th separate airborne assault brigade in the Carpathian Military District (Ukrainian SSR, Khyriv),
-40th separate airborne assault brigade in the Odessa Military District (Ukrainian SSR, village Bolshaya Korenikha, Nikolaev region),
-56th Guards Separate Air Assault Brigade in the Turkestan Military District (created in the city of Chirchik, Uzbek SSR and introduced into Afghanistan),
-57th separate airborne assault brigade in the Central Asian Military District (Kazakh SSR, Aktogay township),
-58th separate airborne assault brigade in the Kiev Military District (Ukrainian SSR, Kremenchug),
-83rd separate airborne assault brigade in North Group Troops, (Polish People's Republic, Bialogard),
-1318th separate airborne assault regiment in the Belarusian Military District (Belarusian SSR, Polotsk) subordinate to the 5th separate army corps(5oak)
-1319th separate airborne assault regiment in the Trans-Baikal Military District (Buryat ASSR, Kyakhta) subordinate to the 48th separate army corps (48oak)
These brigades had in their composition management, 3 or 4 air assault battalions, one artillery battalion and combat support and logistics support units. The personnel of fully deployed brigades ranged from 2,500 to 3,000 troops.
For example headcount personnel 56ogdshbr on December 1, 1986 was 2452 military personnel (261 officers, 109 ensigns, 416 sergeants, 1666 soldiers).
The regiments differed from the brigades in the presence of only two battalions: one paratrooper and one air assault (on the BMD), as well as a slightly reduced composition of the regimental units.
Participation of the Airborne Forces in the Afghan War
In the Afghan war, from the airborne and airborne assault formations of the USSR Armed Forces, one airborne division (103 guards airborne division), one separate airborne assault brigade (56gdshbr), one separate airborne regiment (345gv.opdp) and two air assault battalions as part of separate motorized rifle brigades(in 66th brigade and in 70th brigade). In total, for 1987, these were 18 "linear" battalions (13 parachute and 5 air assault), which amounted to a fifth of total number all the "line" OKSVA battalions (which included another 18 tank and 43 motorized rifle battalions).
In virtually the entire history of the Afghan war, not a single situation has arisen that would justify the use of parachute landing for the transfer of personnel. The main reasons here were the complexity of the mountainous terrain, as well as the unjustified material costs in using such methods in the counter-guerrilla war. The delivery of the personnel of the parachute and airborne assault units to the mountainous areas of hostilities, impassable for armored vehicles, was carried out only by the landing method using helicopters. Therefore, the separation of linear airborne battalions in OKSVA for air assault and airborne assault should be considered conditional. Both types of battalions operated in the same way.
As in all motorized rifle, tank and artillery units as part of the OKSVA, up to half of all units of the airborne and airborne assault formations were assigned to guard outposts, which made it possible to control roads, mountain passes and the vast territory of the country, significantly restricting the the very actions of the enemy. For example, battalions of the 350th Guards RAP were often based in various parts of Afghanistan (in Kunar, Girishka, Surubi), controlling the situation in these areas. The 2nd Airborne Battalion from the 345th Guards Opdp was distributed to 20 outposts in the Panjshir Gorge near the village of Anava. By this very 2pdb 345opdp (together with the 682nd motorized rifle regiment of the 108th motorized rifle division stationed in the village of Rukha) completely blocked the western exit from the gorge, which was the main transport artery of the enemy from Pakistan to the strategically important Charikar Valley.
The most massive combat airborne operation in the USSR Armed Forces, in the period after the Great Patriotic War, must be considered the 5th Panjshir Operation in May-June 1982, during which the first mass landing of the 103rd Guards Airborne Forces in Afghanistan was carried out: only during the first three days, over 4 thousand people were parachuted from helicopters. In total, about 12 thousand military personnel participated in this operation. different kinds troops. The operation took place simultaneously for all 120 km deep into the gorge. As a result of the operation, most of the Panjshir Gorge was taken under control.
In the period from 1982 to 1986, in all airborne divisions of OKSVA, a systematic replacement of regular airborne armored vehicles (BMD-1, BTR-D) with armored vehicles, standard for motorized rifle units (BMP-2D, BTR-70) was carried out. First of all, this was due to the rather low security and low motor resource of the structurally lightweight armored vehicles of the Airborne Forces, as well as the nature of the hostilities, where combat missions performed by paratroopers will not differ much from the tasks assigned to motorized rifles.
Also, to increase the firepower of the landing units, additional artillery and tank units will be introduced into their composition. For example, 345opdp according to the model motorized rifle regiment will be supplemented with an artillery howitzer battalion and a tank company, in the 56th brigade the artillery battalion was deployed up to 5 fire batteries (instead of the prescribed 3 batteries), and the 103rd Guards Airborne Division will be given to reinforce the 62nd separate tank battalion, which was unusual for the organizational and staff structure units of the Airborne Forces on the territory of the USSR.
Training of officers for the airborne troops
Officers were trained by the following military educational institutions in the following military specialties:
Ryazan Higher Airborne command school- commander of an airborne (airborne assault) platoon, commander of a reconnaissance platoon.
- Landing Department of the Ryazan Military Automobile Institute - commander of an automobile / transport platoon.
- Landing Department of the Ryazan Higher Military Command School of Communications - commander of a communications platoon.
-Airborne faculty of the Novosibirsk Higher Military Command School - deputy company commander for political affairs (educational work).
-Airborne Department of the Kolomna Higher Artillery Command School - commander of an artillery platoon.
- Poltava Higher Anti-Aircraft Missile Command Red Banner School- commander of an anti-aircraft artillery, anti-aircraft missile platoon.
- Landing department of the Kamenetz-Podolsky Higher Military Engineering Command School - commander of an engineering platoon.
Except data graduates educational institutions, in the Airborne Forces were often appointed to the positions of platoon commanders, graduates of higher combined arms schools(VOKU) and military departments that trained commanders of a motorized rifle platoon. This was due to the fact that the profile Ryazan Higher Airborne Command School, which produced an average of about 300 lieutenants every year, was simply not able to fully meet the needs of the Airborne Forces (at the end of the 80s they had about 60,000 personnel) in platoon leaders. For example, the former commander of 247gv.pdp (7gv.vdd), Hero of the Russian Federation Em Yuri Pavlovich, who began his service in the Airborne Forces as a platoon commander in 111gv.pdp 105gv.vdd, graduated from the Alma-Ata Higher Combined Arms Command School.
For quite a long time, military units and units of the Special Forces (the so-called now army special forces) were erroneously and / or deliberately called paratroopers. This circumstance is related to the fact that Soviet period, as now, in the Russian Armed Forces there were and are no special forces, but there were and are units and units of the Special Purpose (SpN) of the GRU of the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces. In the press and in the media, the phrases “special forces” or “commandos” were mentioned only in relation to the troops of a potential enemy (“Green Berets”, “Rangers”, “Commandos”).
Starting from the formation of these units in the USSR Armed Forces in 1950 until the end of the 80s, the existence of such units and units was completely denied. It got to the point that conscripts learned about their existence only when they were accepted into the personnel of these units and units. Officially in the Soviet press and on television, units and units of the Special Forces of the GRU General Staff The USSR Armed Forces declared either parts of the Airborne Forces- as in the case of the GSVG (officially there were no special forces units in the GDR), or, as in the case of OKSVA, separate motorized rifle battalions (omsb). For example, the 173rd separate detachment special purpose (173ooSpN), based near the city of Kandahar, was called the 3rd separate motorized rifle battalion (3omsb)
AT Everyday life military personnel of subdivisions and units of the Special Forces wore full dress and field uniforms adopted in the Airborne Forces, although they did not belong to the Airborne Forces either in terms of subordination or in terms of the assigned tasks of reconnaissance and sabotage activities. The only thing that united the Airborne Forces and units and units of the Special Forces was most of the officers - RVVDKU graduates, airborne training and possible combat use behind enemy lines.
Airborne Forces of Russia
The decisive role in the formation of the theory of combat use and the development of weapons of the airborne troops belongs to Soviet commander Vasily Filippovich Margelov, commander of the Airborne Forces from 1954 to 1979. The name of Margelov is also associated with the positioning of airborne formations as highly maneuverable, covered with armor and having sufficient fire efficiency units to participate in modern strategic operations in various theaters of military operations. On his initiative, the technical re-equipment of the Airborne Forces was launched: serial production of landing equipment was launched at defense production enterprises, modifications were made small arms designed specifically for paratroopers, new military equipment was modernized and created (including the first BMD-1 tracked combat vehicle), new military transport aircraft were put into service and entered the troops, and finally, their own symbols of the Airborne Forces were created - vests and blue berets. His personal contribution to formation of the Airborne Forces in their modern form, General Pavel Fedoseevich Pavlenko formulated:
"In the history of the Airborne Forces, and in the Armed Forces of Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union his name will remain forever. He personified a whole era in the development and formation of the Airborne Forces, their authority and popularity are associated with his name, not only in our country, but also abroad ...
…AT. F. Margelov realized that in modern operations, only highly mobile, capable of wide maneuver landing forces would be able to successfully operate deep behind enemy lines. He categorically rejected the installation of holding the area captured by the landing until the approach of the troops advancing from the front by the method of tough defense as disastrous, because in this case the landing would be quickly destroyed.
During the Second World War, the largest operational-tactical formations of the airborne troops (forces) - the army - were formed. The Airborne Army (VDA) was specially designed to carry out major operational and strategic tasks behind enemy lines. It was first created at the end of 1943 in Nazi Germany as part of several airborne divisions. In 1944, the Anglo-American command also created such an army, consisting of two airborne corps (a total of five airborne divisions) and several military transport aviation formations. These armies never took part in hostilities in full strength.
-During the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945, tens of thousands of soldiers, sergeants, officers of the airborne units of the Red Army Air Force were awarded orders and medals, and 126 people were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
-After the end of the Great Patriotic War and for several decades, the Airborne Forces of the USSR (Russia) were and probably remain the most massive airborne troops on Earth.
-Only Soviet paratroopers in full combat gear were able to land on North Pole back in the late 40s
- Only Soviet paratroopers dared to jump from many kilometers in airborne combat vehicles.
-The abbreviation of the Airborne Forces is sometimes deciphered as "Two hundred options are possible", "Uncle Vasya's troops", "Your girls are widows", "It is unlikely that I will return home", "The paratrooper will withstand everything", "Everything for you", "Troops for the war", etc. d.
Serve in the Airborne Forces
Serve in the Airborne Forces prestigious and honorable, and the desire of the guys to get into these elite troops is manifesting more and more. How to get into the service in the Airborne Forces, what is needed for this, we will analyze in detail.
Airborne Troops
The motto of the Airborne Forces: "No one but us"
Many take their breath away when the paratroopers walk along Red Square. The faces of the guys, in whose eyes every minting step reflects pride in the troops, whose representatives they are walking along the Main Square of the Motherland. They visited the Sky under the domes of parachutes, the exercises were held, many of them participated in military operations, protecting the interests and security of the Motherland. To serve Russia, to serve one's Motherland is worthy of the honor of everyone, because behind this is security and a peaceful Sky above the heads of relatives and friends.
Airborne Troops consist of formations, units and subdivisions of parachute, tank, artillery ... engineering troops, communications ... squadron ... Everything is in the Airborne Forces. The Airborne Troops are the reserve of the Supreme Commander of the Russian Armed Forces and the basis of the mobile rapid reaction forces. And there are no impossible tasks where there are Airborne Troops.
I want to serve in the Airborne Forces
More and more often heard from the guys: “I want to serve in the Airborne Forces. What is needed for this. How to get into the service in the Airborne Forces. Good wishes and good questions.
You need to prepare for service in the Airborne Forces.
Preference is given not only to the strong, but also to the smart.
1. Study, get an education.
2. Sports development. The main thing is running in the morning for 3-5 km. Crossbar - pulling up with a normal grip, not reverse. Snatch pull-ups are for speed, and power pull-ups are a must and work on the flip-up bar. Hang on the bar with a normal grip and work your feet to the bar. Push-ups from the floor on the hands, on the fists and on the fingers. Push-ups on the bars.
Swim, play volleyball, basketball, football. It's all physical development.
3. At all commissions in the military registration and enlistment office, declare your desire. And if you didn’t have time to declare at the medical commissions, go to the military registration and enlistment office in the conscription department and say that you want to serve in the Airborne Forces. Speak and convince until you are marked on the registration card.
If there is an airborne unit in the city, go to the commander, be able to prove to him your desire to serve in the Airborne Forces. Be bold from the outset, and if you get your hands on an attitude (this is the basis for a military registration and enlistment office for conscription in certain part) will be great.
4. If you serve in the Airborne Forces, it is to be ready for landing. Do skydiving. Three independent skydiving is the third sports category, it is assigned to everyone after the third jump.
During the period of service in the Airborne Forces, according to the mandatory program, all paratroopers make 12 parachute jumps. Now the D-10 parachute systems are in all landing formations and divisions.
5. Health. Train your heart by running and swimming. Height 175 - 190 cm, weight 75 - 90 kg ... These are the standards for admission to parachuting. With low weight they do not take to the Airborne Forces.
Service in the Airborne Forces is interesting, and if available physical training, it will be easier to get involved ... And after serving military service, many guys remain to serve further under the contract. 70% contract workers, 30% conscripts. Under the contract, after training, sergeants are placed in positions that officers previously held. So, guys, study, get an education, try military service, and if there is a desire to stay in the Airborne Forces, then there are two ways - contract service or landing school in Ryazan.
They say that real paratroopers become after the first jump from the IL-76.
Paratroopers are not born, they become paratroopers.
Where do they serve in the Airborne Forces
To the question where they serve in the Airborne Forces I will answer briefly.
The Airborne Forces include:
4 divisions - 7th in Novorossiysk, 76th in Pskov, 98th in Ivanovo, 106th in Tula;
31st Air Assault Brigade in Ulyanovsk
The 45th separate special-purpose regiment was formed in February 1994 on the basis of 218 and 901 separate special-purpose battalions. Location Kubinka Moscow region.
By the end of 2015, the 345th Separate Airborne Assault Brigade will be formed in Voronezh. This is the revival of the 345th Guards OPDP.
The Airborne Training Center is located in Omsk.
7th Guards Air Assault (Mountain) Division- connection of the Airborne Forces Soviet army and the Russian armed forces. Formed October 15, 1948.
Divisions:
- 108th Guards Airborne Assault Kuban Cossack Regiment of the Order of the Red Star (Novorossiysk)
- 247th Guards Air Assault Caucasian Cossack Regiment. (Stavropol)
- 1141st Guards Artillery Regiment (Anapa)
- 3rd anti-aircraft missile regiment
- 743rd Separate Guards Communications Battalion
- 629th separate engineer-sapper battalion (Starotitarovskaya station, Krasnodar Territory)
- 1681st Separate Logistics Battalion (Novorossiysk)
- 32nd Separate Medical Detachment
76th Guards Chernihiv Red Banner Air Assault Division (76 guards.dshd, until March 1, 1943 157th Rifle Division)- the oldest of the existing units of the Airborne Forces of the Russian Armed Forces.
Formed September 1, 1939. Stationed in the city of Pskov, hence the nickname - "Pskovskaya", one of the airborne assault regiments is located in the suburban village of Cheryokha.
Compound
- management (headquarters)
- 104th Guards Air Assault Red Banner Regiment of the Order of Peter the Great
- 234th Guards Airborne Assault Black Sea Order of Kutuzov 3rd Class Alexander Nevsky Regiment
- 237th Guards Airborne Torunsky Red Banner Regiment (disbanded in 2001). The regiment can be deployed after receiving the order, the replenishment of assigned personnel.
- 1140th Guards Artillery twice Red Banner Regiment
- 4th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment (former 165th Separate Guards Anti-Aircraft Missile Battalion)
- 656th Guards Separate Engineer and Sapper Order of Bohdan Khmelnitsky, 3rd Class Battalion
- 728th Guards separate communications battalion
- 7th Guards Separate Repair and Restoration Battalion
- 3996th military hospital (airmobile). All personnel have parachute training, from 3 jumps.
- 242nd separate military transport aviation squadron (An-2,An-3). Serves for direct landing training of personnel of units without the involvement of the VTA of the Russian Air Force
- 1682nd Guards Separate Logistics Battalion
- 175th Guards Separate Reconnaissance Company
- 968th Guards separate company landing support
- separate company RKhBZ
- commandant's company
98th Guards Svirskaya Red Banner Order of Kutuzov 2nd Class Airborne Division- airborne formation in the composition Armed forces of the USSR and Russia.
Line-up in 2012
- 98th Guards Airborne Division (Ivanovo) 217th Guards Airborne Regiment (Ivanovo)
- 331st Guards Airborne Regiment (Kostroma)
- 1065th Guards Red Banner Artillery Regiment (Kostroma)
- 5th Guards Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment (formerly 318th Separate Guards Anti-Aircraft Rocket and Artillery Battalion; Ivanovo)
- 243rd Separate Military Transport Aviation Squadron (Ivanovo)
- 36th separate medical detachment (airmobile) (Ivanovo)
- 674th Separate Guards Signal Battalion (Ivanovo)
- 661st Separate Engineer Battalion (Ivanovo)
- 15th separate repair and restoration battalion (Ivanovo)
- 1683rd Separate Logistics Battalion (Ivanovo)
- 969th separate airborne support company (Ivanovo)
- 215th Separate Guards Reconnaissance Company (Ivanovo)
- 728th courier-postal communication station (Ivanovo)
- educational and training complex (Pesochnoe, Yaroslavl region).
106th Guards Airborne Red Banner Order of Kutuzov Division- connection of the Airborne Forces of the Armed Forces of the USSR, and then the Russian Federation. Parts of the division are deployed in Tula, Ryazan and Naro-Fominsk, the division headquarters is in Tula.
The composition of the division in 2009:
- 51st Guards Airborne Red Banner Order of Suvorov Regiment named after Dmitry Donskoy
- 137th Guards Airborne Order of the Red Star Regiment
- 1182nd Guards Artillery Novgorod Red Banner Orders of Suvorov 3rd Class, Kutuzov 3rd Class, Bogdan Khmelnitsky 2nd Class and Alexander Nevsky Regiment (Naro-Fominsk, Moscow Region)
- 173rd Guards Separate Reconnaissance Company
- 388th Separate Guards Engineer Battalion
- 731st Separate Guards Communications Battalion
- 970th separate airborne support company
- 43rd Guards Separate Repair and Restoration Battalion
- 1060th Separate Logistics Battalion
- 39th separate medical detachment (airmobile)
- 1883rd courier-postal communication station
- 1st Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment (formerly 107th Separate Guards Anti-Aircraft Rocket and Artillery Battalion (military unit 71298, Naro-Fominsk, Moscow Region)
Information on airborne divisions - Wikipedia source
Reconnaissance in the Airborne Forces has wings - a parachute Crossbow. A unique system designed for scouts, there are no analogues in the world.