The Soviet Air Force, also known under the abbreviation VVS, transliterated from Russian: ВВС, Военно-воздушные силы (Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily), formed the official designation of the air force of the Soviet Union. An Air force is a military or armed service that primarily conducts aerial warfare. ...

History

The VVS was founded as the "Workers' and Peasants' Air Fleet" in 1918, succeeding the Imperial Russian Air Force. After being placed under control of the Red Army, with the official denomination VVS in 1930, its influence on aircraft design became greater. Year 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... Ilya Muromets The Imperial Russian Air Force existed in the Russian Empire between 1910 and 1917. ... The short forms Red Army and RKKA refer to the Workers and Peasants Red Army, (in Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия - Raboche-Krestyanskaya Krasnaya Armiya), the armed forces first organized by the Bolsheviks during the Russian Civil War in 1918. ... Year 1930 (MCMXXX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link is to a full 1930 calendar). ...

After the creation of the Soviet state many efforts were made in order to modernize and expand aircraft production. Domestic aircraft production increased significantly in the early years of the 1930s and towards the end of the decade the Soviet Air Force was able to introduce I-15 and I-16 fighters and SB-2, SB-2 BIS and DB-3 bombers. The 1930s (years from 1930-1939) were described as an abrupt shift to more radical and conservative lifestyles, as countries were struggling to find a solution to the Great Depression, also known in Europe as the World Depression. ...

One of first big tests of the VVS came in 1936 with the Spanish Civil War, where the latest aircraft designs were put to the test by up-to-date German aircraft. Early victories by the I-16 fighter were squandered because of the limited use of that fighter. German Bf-109s arriving later in the war secured air superiority for the Spanish Nationalist cause. 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Combatants Spanish Republic CNT-FAI UGT POUM Soviet Union International Brigades Spanish State Falangists Carlists Fascist Italy Nazi Germany Army Comrades Association Commanders Manuel Azaña Francisco Largo Caballero Juan Negrín Francisco Franco Casualties Civilians killed/wounded = hundreds of thousands The Spanish Civil War, which lasted from July 17... The Polikarpov I-16 was the worlds most advanced fighter aircraft when it was introduced in the mid-1930s, and soon formed the majority of the Soviet Air Forces units. ... The Messerschmitt Bf 109 was a World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt in the early 1930s. ... Air superiority is the dominance in the air power of one side air forces of another side during a military campaign. ...

World War Two

At the outbreak of World War II, the Russian military was not yet at a level of readiness suitable for winning a war: Stalin had said in 1931 that Russian industry was "50 to 100 years behind" ^{[citation needed]} the Western powers. By the end of the war, Russian aircraft production outstripped that of Germany- Russian aircraft production is estimated to have risen to an impressive 4,700 aircraft at this time. Combatants Major Allied powers: United Kingdom France Soviet Union United States Republic of China and others Major Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Winston Churchill Charles de Gaulle Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Chiang Kai-Shek Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tojo Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian... Iosif (usually anglicized as Joseph) Vissarionovich Stalin (Russian: Иосиф Виссарионович Сталин), original name Ioseb Jughashvili (Georgian: იოსებ ჯუღაშვი&#4314... Year 1931 (MCMXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link is to a full 1931 calendar). ...

In 1939, the VVS used its bombers to attack Finland in the Winter War, but the losses inflicted on them by the relatively small Finnish army showed the shortcomings of these forces, mainly due to the Great Purge in the 1930s. 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Combatants Finland Soviet Union Commanders Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim Kliment Voroshilov, later Semyon Timoshenko Strength 250,000 men 30 tanks 130 aircraft[1][2] 1,000,000 men 3,000 tanks 3,800 aircraft[3][4] Casualties 26,662 dead 39,886 wounded 1,000 captured[5] 126,875 dead... The Finnish Army (Finnish: Maavoimat) is one of the branches of the Finnish Defence Forces. ... The Great Purge (Russian: , transliterated Bolshaya chistka) is the name given to campaigns of political repression and persecution in the Soviet Union orchestrated by Joseph Stalin during the late 1930s. ... The 1930s (years from 1930-1939) were described as an abrupt shift to more radical and conservative lifestyles, as countries were struggling to find a solution to the Great Depression, also known in Europe as the World Depression. ...

The main reason of the great number of aircraft lost was the lack of modern tactics, but time to improve them was short, because the German offensive of 1941 (Operation Barbarossa) pushed the air force into a defensive position, while being confronted with more modern German aircraft.^{[citation needed]} In the early days of Operation Barbarossa the Luftwaffe destroyed some 2000 Soviet aircraft against a German loss of only 35 planes (of which 15 were non-combat-related).^[1] Military tactics (Greek: TaktikÄ“, the art of organizing an army) is the collective name for methods of engaging and defeating an enemy in battle. ... For the movie, see 1941 (film). ... Combatants Germany Romania Finland Italy Hungary Slovakia Soviet Union Commanders Adolf Hitler General (later MareÅŸal) Ion Antonescu Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim Joseph Stalin Strength ~ 3. ... Combatants Germany Romania Finland Italy Hungary Slovakia Soviet Union Commanders Adolf Hitler General (later MareÅŸal) Ion Antonescu Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim Joseph Stalin Strength ~ 3. ... The Deutsche Luftwaffe or   (German: air force, literally Air Weapon, IPA: ) is the commonly used term for the German air force. ...

As with many allied countries in the Second World War the Soviet Union received western aircraft by lend-lease. Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... The Lend-Lease program was a program of the United States during World War II that allowed the United States to provide the Allied Powers with war material without becoming directly involved in the war. ...

Cold War

During the Cold War, the Soviet Air Force was rearmed, strengthened and modern air doctrines were introduced. At its peak in the 1980s, it could deploy approximately 10,000 aircraft, and at the beginning of the 1990s the Soviet Union had an air force that in terms of quantity and quality fulfilled superpower standards. For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ... 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... Germans dancing on the Berlin Wall in late 1989, the symbol of the cold war divide falls down as the world unites in the 1990s. ...

During the Cold War the VVS was divided into three segments: Soviet Strategic Aviation (Dal'naya Aviatsiya or 'DA'), focused on long-range bombers; Frontal Aviation (Frontovaya Aviatsiya or 'FA'), focused on battlefield air defense, close air support, and interdiction; and Military Transport Aviation (Voenno-Transportnaya Aviatsiya or 'VTA'), which controlled all transport aircraft. The Air Defense Forces (Voyska protivovozdushnoy oborony or Voyska PVO), which focused on air defense and interceptor aircraft, was then a separate and distinct service within the Soviet military organization. A list of units and bases can be found here. For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ... Long Range Aviation (in Russian, Dalnaya Aviatsiya, or DA) was the branch of the Soviet Air Force tasked with long-range bombardment of strategic targets with nuclear weapons. ... A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground targets, primarily by dropping bombs. ... Battlefield may refer to: the location of a battle, the Battlefield televised documentary series, shown on the Discovery Channel, which explores battles of World War 2, the Battlefield Vietnam televised documentary series, shown on the Military Channel, which gives detail explanations of Vietnam War, (1945-1975), battles. ... Close air support (often abbreviated CAS) is the use of military aircraft in a ground attack role against targets in close proximity to friendly troops, in support of ground combat operations. ... Voyska PVO (Russian: Войска ПВО, or PVO Strany until 1981) was the air defense branch of the Soviet military. ... The MiG-25 is a Russian interceptor that was the mainstay of the Soviet air defence. ... List of Soviet Air Force bases shows the state of the Soviet Air Force during the last decade of the Cold War to present. ...

On September 1, 1983 the Soviet Air Force shot down Korean Air Flight 007 after they correctly believed^{[citation needed]} that the civilian airliner had illegally crossed into restricted Soviet airspace but mistook it for a spy plane. Previously Korean Airlines had once crossed into Kamchatka airspace,^{[citation needed]} and had to make a emergency landing when a Soviet Air Force Su-15 fired on it. Soviet government officials finally admitted their mistake much to the anger of the South Korean and the United States governments. September 1 is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Korean Air Lines Flight 007, also known as KAL 007 or KE007, was a Korean Air Lines civilian airliner shot down by Soviet jet interceptors on September 1, 1983 just west of Sakhalin island. ... Anthem: Aegukga (Patriots Hymn) Capital (and largest city) Seoul Official languages Korean Government Republic  - President Roh Moo-hyun  - Prime Minister Han Myung-sook Establishment    - Gojoseon October 3, 2333 BCa   - Liberation declared March 1, 1919 (de jure)   - Liberation August 15, 1945   - First Republic August 15, 1948   - United Nations Recognition December 12...

The Russian Navy has its own independent air arm as well, Naval Aviation (Aviatsiya Voenno Morskogo Flota or 'AV-MF'). The Russian Navy (Russian: Военно Морской Флот (ВМФ) - Voyenno- Morskoy Flot (VMF) or Military Maritime Fleet) is the naval arm of the Russian armed forces. ... Soviet Naval Aviation (Авиация военно-морского флота in Russian, or Aviatsiya Voenno-Morskogo Flota, literally aviation of the military sea fleet) was a part of the Soviet Navy. ...

1980s Fighter Programs

In the 1980s the Soviet Union acknowledged the development of the Advanced Tactical Fighter in the USA and began the development of an equivalent fighter in order to maintain its position as a superpower. 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... The F-22 Raptor is a stealth fighter aircraft. ...

Two programs were initiated, one of which was proposed to directly confront the United States' then-projected Advanced Tactical Fighter (that was to lead to the development of the F-22 Raptor/YF-23). This future fighter was designated as Mnogofounksionalni Frontovoi Istrebitel (MFI) (Multifunctional Frontline Fighter) and designed as a heavy multirole aircraft, with air-supremacy utmost in the minds of the designers. The F-22 Raptor is a stealth fighter aircraft. ... The Northrop/McDonnell Douglas YF-23 Black Widow II — unofficially named by Northrop after its P-61 Black Widow — was a prototype fighter aircraft designed for the United States Air Force. ...

In response to the American X-32/F-35 project, Russia began the LFI program, which would develop a fighter reminiscent of the X-32/F-35 with a single engine, without the capabilities of a true multirole aircraft. The Boeing X-32 was a multi-purpose jet fighter in the Joint Strike Fighter contest. ... The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is a military fighter aircraft designed by the United States and the United Kingdom. ...

Russia would later change the designation of the LFI project to LFS, making it a multirole aircraft, primarily emphasising ground attack capability. During the 1990s the Russian military cancelled the LFS projects and continued with the MFI project, with minimal funding, believing that it was more important than the production of a light fighter-aircraft. Most recently the 'PAK FA' was planned, no advanced fighter successor to the Su-27 and MiG-29 family has entered service. Sukhoi won the latest PAK FA competition in 2002. This article is about the year. ... Sukhoi (Сухой) is a major Russian military fighter aircraft manufacturer. ... PAK FA (or PAK-FA) is a Russian fifth-generation fighter jet which is being developed by a consortia of companies, including Mikoyan, Yakovlev and spearheaded by Sukhoi. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ...

Breakup of the Soviet Union

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in December 1991 the aircraft and personnel of the Soviet VVS were divided among the newly independent states. Russia received the majority of these forces, approximately 40% of the aircraft and 65% of the manpower, with these forming the basis for the new Russian Air Force. The Russian Air Force (Russian: Военно-воздушные cилы России, transliteration: Voyenno-vozdushnye sily Rossii) is the air force of Russia. ...

Inventory 1987

Air force star

Image File history File links Red_star. ... Image File history File links Red_star. ...

Soviet Air Force

165 strategic bombers, 

150 Tu-95 Bear

15 M-4 Bison

550 medium bombers 

155 Tu-22M Backfire

260 Tu-16 Badger

135 Tu-22 Blinder

2780 fighters 

490 MiG-21 Fishbed

1570 MiG-23 Flogger

105 MiG-25 Foxbat

260 Su-15 Flagon

20 Tu-128 Fiddler

20 Yak-28 Firebar

275 MiG-29 Fulcrum

30 MiG-31 Foxhound

10 Su-27 Flanker

2835 attack aircraft 

130 MiG-21 Fishbed

830 MiG-27 Flogger

895 Su-7/Su-17 Fitter

770 Su-24 Fencer

210 Su-25 Frogfoot

50 tankers 

30 M-4 Bison

20 Tu-16 Badger

658 tactical reconnaissance and ECM aircraft 

65 MiG-21 Fishbed

195 MiG-25 Foxbat

165 Su-17 Fitter

65 Su-24 Fencer

195 Yak-28 Brewer

260 strategic reconnaissance and ECM aircraft 

115 Tu-16 Badger

15 Tu-22 Blinder

4 Tu-95 Bear

102 Yak-28 Brewer

24 MiG-25 Foxbat

3050 helicopters The Tupolev Tu-95 (NATO reporting name Bear) is the most successful Tupolev strategic bomber and missile carrier from the times of the Soviet Union. ... The Myasishchev M-4 Molot (Russian: Hammer, NATO reporting name Bison) is a four-engined strategic bomber, designed by Vladimir Myasishchev and developed by the Soviet Union in the 1950s to provide a bomber capable of attacking targets in North America. ... A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground targets, primarily by dropping bombs. ... The Tupolev Tu-22M (NATO reporting name Backfire) is a supersonic, swing-wing, long-range strategic bomber developed by the Soviet Union. ... Tupolev Tu-16 3-view The Tupolev Tu-16 (NATO codename: Badger) was a twin-engine jet bomber used by the Soviet Union. ... The Tupolev Tu-22 (NATO reporting name Blinder) is a Soviet jet supersonic bomber and reconnaissance aircraft. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 (NATO reporting name Fishbed) is a fighter aircraft, originally built by the Mikoyan and Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. ... Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 (Flogger). ... MiG 25 Foxbat The MiG-25 (NATO reporting name Foxbat) is a high-speed interceptor and reconnaissance aircraft produced by the Soviet Unions Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau. ... The Sukhoi Su-15 (NATO reporting name Flagon) was a twin engined interceptor aircraft developed by the Soviet Union in the 1960s to replace the Sukhoi Su-11. ... Tu-28 The Tupolev Tu-28 (NATO reporting name Fiddler) was developed by the Soviet Union in the 1960s as a long-range interceptor aircraft. ... The Yakovlev Yak-28 was a swept wing, turbojet-powered combat aircraft used by the Soviet Union. ... The Mikoyan MiG-29 (NATO reporting name Fulcrum) is a Russian fighter aircraft used in the air superiority role. ... Mikoyan MiG-31 Foxhound The Mikoyan MiG-31 (NATO reporting name Foxhound) is a high-speed interceptor developed to replace the MiG-25. ... The Sukhoi Su-27 (NATO reporting name Flanker) is a Russian fighter aircraft designed by the Sukhoi Design Bureau (SDB). ... The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-27 (NATO reporting name Flogger) is a ground attack aircraft, originally built by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union and later licence-produced in India by Hindustan Aeronautics as the Bahadur (Valiant). It is based on the MiG-23 fighter aircraft, but optimized... The Sukhoi Su-7 (NATO designation Fitter) was a swept wing, turbojet-powered fighter-bomber used by the Soviet Union and its allies. ... Two aircraft share the designation Su-17. ... Su-24 Fencer of the Russian Air Force Sukhoi Su-24 (NATO reporting name Fencer) was the Soviet Unions most advanced all-weather interdiction and attack aircraft in the 1970s and 1980s. ... Su-25 of the Russian Air Force The Su-25 (NATO reporting name Frogfoot) is a battlefield attack, close air support, and anti-tank aircraft designed by the Soviet Union. ... The Myasishchev M-4 Molot (Russian: Hammer, NATO reporting name Bison) is a four-engined strategic bomber, designed by Vladimir Myasishchev and developed by the Soviet Union in the 1950s to provide a bomber capable of attacking targets in North America. ... Tupolev Tu-16 3-view The Tupolev Tu-16 (NATO codename: Badger) was a twin-engine jet bomber used by the Soviet Union. ... Mixed reconnaissance patrol of the Polish Home Army and the Soviet Red Army during Operation Tempest, 1944 Reconnaissance is the military term for the active gathering of information about an enemy, or other conditions, by physical observation. ... ECM is an abbreviation of: Electret condenser microphone Electro chemical machining Electronic countermeasures Electronic contract manufacturing Electronic control module Elliptic curve method (integer factorization) Electron Cloud Model Enterprise content management Entitlement control message - in secure data transfer Error correction mode (fax protocol) Essentials of Clinical Medicine Extracellular matrix See also... Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 (NATO reporting name Fishbed) is a fighter aircraft, originally built by the Mikoyan and Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. ... MiG 25 Foxbat The MiG-25 (NATO reporting name Foxbat) is a high-speed interceptor and reconnaissance aircraft produced by the Soviet Unions Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau. ... Two aircraft share the designation Su-17. ... Su-24 Fencer of the Russian Air Force Sukhoi Su-24 (NATO reporting name Fencer) was the Soviet Unions most advanced all-weather interdiction and attack aircraft in the 1970s and 1980s. ... The Yakovlev Yak-28 was a swept wing, turbojet-powered combat aircraft used by the Soviet Union. ... Tupolev Tu-16 3-view The Tupolev Tu-16 (NATO codename: Badger) was a twin-engine jet bomber used by the Soviet Union. ... The Tupolev Tu-22 (NATO reporting name Blinder) is a Soviet jet supersonic bomber and reconnaissance aircraft. ... The Tupolev Tu-95 (NATO reporting name Bear) is the most successful Tupolev strategic bomber and missile carrier from the times of the Soviet Union. ... The Yakovlev Yak-28 was a swept wing, turbojet-powered combat aircraft used by the Soviet Union. ... MiG 25 Foxbat The MiG-25 (NATO reporting name Foxbat) is a high-speed interceptor and reconnaissance aircraft produced by the Soviet Unions Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau. ... Robinson Helicopter Company (USA) R44, a four seat development of the R22 A helicopter is an aircraft which is lifted and propelled by one or more horizontal rotors, each having two or more rotor blades. ...

1500 trainers and training helicopters

576 transport aircraft 

55 An-22 Cock

210 An-12 Cub

310 Il-76 Candid

2935 civilian and other transport aircraft, usually Aeroflot aircraft which were easily converted

An-22, the largest propeller-driven aircraft The Antonov An-22 Antei (Antheus) is a transport aircraft powered by 4 turboprop engines. ... The Antonov An-12 (NATO reporting name: Cub) is a four-engined turboprop transport aircraft. ... An Il-76 serving Aeroflot The Ilyushin Il-76, NATO codename Candid, is a 4-engined heavy transport aircraft in widespread use in eastern Europe and Africa. ... Aeroflot Airbus A319 at Berlin Aeroflot — Russian Airlines (Russian:Аэрофлот — Российские авиалинии), or Aeroflot (Аэрофло́т; literally air fleet), is the Russian national airline and the biggest carrier in Russia. ...

See Also

• List of military aircraft of the Soviet Union and the CIS

• Russian Air Force

Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker Attack Ilyushin Ilyushin Il-2 Sturmovik Ilyushin Il-10 Sukhoi Sukhoi Su-2 Sukhoi Su-7 Sukhoi Su-24 Sukhoi Su-25 Yakovlev Yakovlev Yak-38 Bomber Ilyushin Ilyushin DB-3 Ilyushin Il-4 Ilyushin Il-28 Myasishchev Myasishchev M-4 Myasishchev M-50/M-52... The Russian Air Force (Russian: Военно-воздушные cилы России, transliteration: Voyenno-vozdushnye sily Rossii) is the air force of Russia. ...

References