The Soviet Air Forces (Russian: Военно-Воздушные Силы Союза Советских Социалистических Республик, romanized:Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily Soyuza Sovetskih Sotsialisticheskih Respublik, VVS SSSR; literally "Military Air Forces of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics"; initialism VVS, sometimes referred to as the "Red Air Force", were one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces. The Air Forces were formed from components of the Imperial Russian Air Service in 1917, and faced their greatest test during World War II. The groups were also involved in the Korean War, and dissolved along with the Soviet Union itself in 1991–92. Former Soviet Air Forces' assets were subsequently divided into several air forces of former Soviet republics, including the new Russian Air Force. The "March of the Pilots" was its marching song.
The Russian Air Force is a branch of the Russian Aerospace Forces, the latter being formed on 1 August 2015 with the merging of the Russian Air Force and the Russian Aerospace Defence Forces. The modern VVS was originally established on 7 May 1992 following Boris Yeltsin's creation of the Ministry of Defence. However, the Russian Federation's air force can trace its lineage and traditions back to the Imperial Russian Air Service (1912–1917) and the Soviet Air Forces (1918–1991).
The Air Force and Air Defence, was one of three branches of the Yugoslav People's Army, the Yugoslav military. Commonly referred-to as the Yugoslav Air Force, at its height it was among the largest in Europe. The branch was disbanded in 1992 after the Breakup of Yugoslavia. In the year 1990, the Air Force had more than 32,000 personnel, but as a result of its more technical requirements, the Air Force had less than 4,000 conscripts.
The Russian Naval Aviation is the air arm of the Russian Navy, a successor of Soviet Naval Aviation. The Russian Navy is divided into four fleets and one flotilla: Northern Fleet, Pacific Fleet, Baltic Fleet, Black Sea Fleet, and Caspian Flotilla.
Elizovo Airport, also known as Yelizovo Airport or Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky Airport, is located in the Russian Far East city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Kamchatka Krai. Its main runway is 3,400 m (11,155 ft) long.
The Order of Lenin Moscow Military District is a military district of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Originally it was a district of the Imperial Russian Army until the Russian Empire's collapse in 1917. It was then part of the Soviet Armed Forces. The district was awarded the Order of Lenin in 1968. In 2010 it was merged with the Leningrad Military District to form the new Western Military District.
Levashovo is an air base located to the southwest of Levashovo, within the northern limits of the federal subject of Saint Petersburg, Russia.
Migalovo is an air base in Tver Oblast, Russia located 10 km west of Tver. It is a large military airlift base. It currently houses all of Russia's remaining Antonov An-22 fleet. It is an Ilyushin Il-76 base, with some Antonov An-12 aircraft stored.
Smolensk North Airport is a decommissioned military airbase in Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located 4 km north of the city of Smolensk. It is now used as Smolensk's sole airport for civil and military flights. It has a remote revetment area with 8 pads and a Yakovlev factory at the southeast side of the airfield, the Smolensk Aviation Plant.
Orenburg is a Military Transport Aviation base in Russia located 9 km southwest of Orenburg. It has a large tarmac and revetments for 35 large transports. It is sometimes erroneously referred to as Chalovskiy Airport..
Erebuni Airport is a military airport serving Yerevan and the country of Armenia. It is located 7.3 kilometres (4.5 mi) south of the center of Yerevan. At present, the airport is mostly operated by the military and is host to the Russian 3624th Air Base and hosts a squadron of MiG-29s and Mi-24 attack helicopters. Private firms do on occasion operate chartered helicopter flights inside the country and to the CIS. The airport is also home to a single Diamond DA40 aircraft used by the local flying school.
The Military Transport Aviation Command was a major component of the former Soviet Air Forces, active from the Cold War period, through the dissolution of the Soviet Union, to 1998–1999. In 1999–2009 it was reduced in status to the 61st Air Army of the Supreme High Command. The 61st Air Army itself was initially formed on 10 January 1949 by renaming the 3rd Air Army. In 2009 the 61st Air Army was renamed the Command of Military Transport Aviation. Its headquarters is located in Moscow.
Rheine-Bentlage Air Base was an air base of the German Armed Forces and located near the village of Bentlage, 2 km northwest of the city of Rheine, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
The Forces of central subordination of the Russian Air Force report directly to the Headquarters of the Air Force. This listing is believed to be as of August 2008.
The 17th Air Army was an Air army of the Red Air Force and Soviet Air Forces from 1942.
The 12th Mginskaya Red Banner Military Transport Aviation Division is a formation of the 61st Air Army of the Supreme Command of the Russian Aerospace Forces.
On 6 December 1997 a Russian Air Force Antonov An-124-100, en route from Irkutsk Northwest Airport to Cam Ranh Air Base in Vietnam, crashed in a residential area after takeoff from the airport.
The Air and Air Defence Forces are the aerial arm of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Uzbekistan. It was formed following the collapse of the Soviet Union, in 1991, though the military was not created by the Uzbek government until 1992. The Air Force consists of 10,000 to 15,000 personnel in 2006, with most of them being Russians as of 1995.
The 4th Aviation Division is a formation of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). Initially established in 1950, it served in Korea under Commander Fang Ziyi and Commissar Ye Songsheng, flying Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15s. It ended its third combat tour in July 1953. It was soon redesignated the 1st Fighter Division.
