Army Aviation of the Russian Federation

 Army aviation — an integral part of aviation Aerospace Forces of the Russian Federation, a type of aviation intended for direct air support and support of combat operations of troops and other tasks. It consists of aviation brigades and regiments, equipped mainly with helicopters for various purposes.

Abbreviated name — AA of the Russian Aerospace Forces.

History

Army aviation originated before the First World War in 1914-18 and was called land aviation (as opposed to naval aviation). During the Civil War, most of the air detachments operated as part of combined-arms armies. During the interwar period, it consisted of mixed aviation divisions and brigades. With the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the dispersion of aviation led to a decrease in its influence on the outcome of operations, so in 1942 all aviation operating as part of the frontswas consolidated into air armies.

In 1948, the army aviation was recreated when the first Mi-1 helicopter squadron was formed in Moscow.Serpukhov. Initially, the helicopters performed only auxiliary tasks — delivery of mail, reports, correction of artillery fire, aerial reconnaissance. In the future, with the improvement of tactics, methods of warfare, helicopters and aircraft weapons, the tasks of army aviation expanded.

In 1962, it was transformed into a military aviation unit. As an independent branch of aviation within the Air Force, Army aviation was formed in 1972. In 1989, the post of commander (chief) of Army Aviation was introduced. At the end of 1990, the Army aviation was transferred from the Air Force toLand Forces as a branch of the Armed Forces and transformed into the Aviation of the Land Forces. In 1998, it was again renamed Army Aviation and subordinated to the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Since the end of 2002, it has been part of the Russian AirForce.

For the first time, the Soviet army aviation received large-scale combat experience in the Afghan War. There, the army aviation participated in 416 major combat operations, its losses amounted to 333 helicopters. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russian army aviation participated in combat operations in numerous local conflicts.

Tasks

Army aviation, in addition to fire, amphibious transport, reconnaissance and special tasks, solves problems related to the elimination of the consequences of natural and man-made disasters.

The aircrew of army aviation solves a wide range of tasks. The crews of Mi-24/Mi-28/Ka-52 attack helicopters provide air support to ground units, performing tasks of aerial reconnaissance, covering and delivering fire damage to the enemy in any weather conditions, day and night. Mi-8 transport and combat pilots ensure the landing of tactical groups on the front line and in the rear of the enemy, as well as the rapid transfer of military equipment and weapons to firing positions. Military equipment is transported by Mi-26 helicopter crews

In addition, the variety of tasks performed by army aviation is expanding due to participation in ensuring launches and landings of spacecraft, as well as in eliminating the consequences of natural and man-made disasters, including in hard-to-reach areas.

Professional training

The Syzran branch trains helicopter pilotsAir Force Academy named after Professor N. E. Zhukovsky and Yu. A. Gagarin. The branch was formed on the basis of the Higher Military Aviation School of Pilots, which specializes in training army aviation pilots.

Additional professional training and retraining of state aviation aviation personnel is provided by the 344th Center for Combat Use and Retraining of Army Aviation Flight Personnel in the city Torzhok in the Tver region.

Army Aviation Day

October 28 — Russian Army Aviation Day.

Line-up for 2020

Military unit number	Name	Place of deployment
4th Air Force and Air Defense Army
12628	16th Army Aviation Brigade	Zernograd, Rostov region
46453	39th helicopter regiment	Dzhankoy, Republic of Crimea
44936	487th separate helicopter regiment	Budyonnovsk, Stavropol Territory
35666	55th separate helicopter Sevastopol Order of Kutuzov Regiment	Korenovsk, Krasnodar Krai
6th Air Force and Air Defense Army
44440	15th Army Aviation Brigade	Veretye, Pskov region
12633	332nd separate guards helicopter regiment	Pribylovo, Pushkin, Leningrad region
41687	440th separate helicopter regiment	Vyazma, Smolensk region
14th Air Force and Air Defense Army
45123	17th Army Aviation Brigade	Kamensk-Uralsk, Sverdlovsk region
12739	337th separate helicopter regiment	Tolmachevo, Novosibirsk region
11th Air Force and Air Defense Army
42838	18th Army Aviation Brigade	Bolshoy, Khabarovsk Krai
78081	112th separate helicopter regiment	Cheryomushki, Trans-Baikal Territory
78018	319th separate helicopter regiment	Chernihiv, Primorsky Krai[6]