Russia celebrates Airborne Forces Day
August 2 traditionally celebrates Airborne Forces Day across Russia. Happy Birthday Airborne considered 2 August 1930 of the year. On this day, near Voronezh, during the exercises of the Moscow Military District, for the first time, a parachute landing of an entire unit as part of an 12 man was carried out. They landed from the plane Farman F.62 Goliath, the Soviet Union purchased these heavy bombers from France at the beginning of the 1920s, in our country these aircraft were used as transport and training. The landing force landed successfully at a given place and carried out the tactical mission assigned to it.
Already in 1931, in the Leningrad Military District, as part of the 1st air brigade, an experienced airborne landing detachment of 164 people was formed. This unit was intended for landing by landing method. Later, in the same air brigade, a contingent parachute and airborne squad was created. In August-September of the same year, at the exercises of the Leningrad and Ukrainian military districts, the detachment landed and solved tactical tasks in the rear of a conditional enemy. In 1932, the Revolutionary Military Council of the USSR adopted a resolution on the deployment of troops in aviation special battalions. By the end of 1933, there were already 29 airborne battalions and brigades, which became part of the Air Force. At the same time, the Leningrad Military District was entrusted with the task of training instructors in the airborne business and the development of operational and tactical standards for paratroopers.
In 1934, during the exercises of the Red Army, 600 paratroopers were already attracted, in 1935, during the exercises of the Kiev military district, about three thousand paratroopers were parachuted with parachutes, and the following year, in the Belarussian military district, about three thousand paratroopers were parachuted, and more than three thousand paratroopers were parachuted in the Belorussian military district. 1188 man with artillery and various military equipment.
The first experience of fighting paratroopers received in 1939 year. Fighters of the 212 airborne brigade took part in the rout of the grouping of Japanese troops at Khalkhin Gol. Then, for the heroism and courage of 352 shown in the battles the paratrooper was awarded various orders and medals. During the years of the Soviet-Finnish war of 1939-1940, three airborne brigades, 201, 202, and 214, fought shoulder to shoulder with the rifle divisions of the Red Army.
On the basis of the combat experience gained in 1940, in the Soviet Union new staffs of brigades were approved as part of three combat groups: parachute, glider and landing-landing. And already in March 1941, the creation of the airborne corps of brigade personnel (three brigades in each corps) began in the Airborne Forces. By the time of the beginning of World War II, manning of five airborne corps (airborne forces) was completed, but there were not enough military equipment. At that time, the main armaments of the Airborne Forces were light and heavy machine guns, 45-mm anti-tank and 76-mm mountain guns, 50-mm and 82-mm mortars, as well as light Tanks T-38, T-40 and flamethrowers. The beginning of the war was found by the airborne corps at the stage of their formation. The difficult situation prevailing at the front already in the first months of the war forced the Soviet command to use these corps that were understaffed with equipment and weapons in combat operations, and the paratroopers were used as rifle units.
4 September 1941 of the Airborne Forces Directorate was transformed into the Office of the Commander of the Airborne Forces of the Red Army, and the airborne corps were removed from the active fronts, they were transferred to the direct subordination of the Commander of the Airborne Forces. The extensive use of airborne troops with the landing of assault forces was undertaken in the winter of the year 1942 as part of the counteroffensive near Moscow. The Vyazemsky airborne operation was carried out with the participation of the 4 Vdk. In September 1943, the Soviet command used an airborne assault consisting of two brigades to assist parts of the Voronezh Front in forcing the Dnieper. In August, 1945 of the year, as part of the Manchurian strategic operation, more than four thousand personnel of rifle subunits were allocated for landing operations by landing method, which successfully coped with the tasks assigned to them. For the massive heroism shown by the Soviet paratroopers during the Great Patriotic War, all airborne units were given the honorary name of "Guards". Thousands of privates, sergeants and airborne officers were awarded various orders and medals, and 296 people became Heroes of the Soviet Union.
In 1964, the Airborne Forces were transferred to the Ground Forces with direct subordination to the Minister of Defense of the country. At the same time, along with organizational changes, there was a process of re-equipping the landing forces, which included an increase in the number of artillery, mortars, anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons, as well as automatic rifle weapons. In the post-war years, airborne units were used during the Hungarian events of the 1956 year and in the 1968 year in Czechoslovakia. After the capture of two airfields near Bratislava and Prague, the 103-I and 7-I Guards airborne divisions were landed here by landing.
From 1979 to 1989, the airborne unit took part in the fighting in Afghanistan as part of a limited contingent of Soviet troops in that country. For courage and heroism, which were shown by paratroopers, more than 30 thousand people were awarded orders and medals, another 16 people became Heroes of the Soviet Union. From 1988, airborne units were regularly engaged to perform various special operations to resolve interethnic conflicts that occurred in the territory of the USSR, and in 1992, they ensured the evacuation of the Russian embassy from Kabul.
In 1994-1996 and 1999-2004, all airborne units and units took part in hostilities in the Chechen Republic. For courage and heroism shown during the hostilities in the Caucasus, 89 Russian paratroopers were awarded the title Hero of the Russian Federation. At the same time, Russian paratroopers participated in various peacekeeping operations under the auspices of the UN, including in the Balkans.
Today, the Airborne Forces (VDV) is a highly mobile branch of the Armed Forces, which is a means of the Supreme High Command and is designed to reach the enemy by air and perform combat missions in his rear: the destruction of ground-based precision weapons; violation of command and control; violation of the rear and communications; disruption of the deployment and deployment of reserves; as well as covering (defense) of certain directions, areas, open flanks, blocking and destroying enemy airborne assault forces, as well as broken groups of his troops. In peacetime, the Airborne Forces perform the main tasks of maintaining mobilization and combat readiness at a level that ensures the successful application of these parts for their intended purpose.
1 August 2018 on the eve of the Day of the Airborne Forces in Moscow took place the opening of a monument to Army General Vasily Margelov, a monument was erected on Polikarpov Street. The Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Sergei Shoigu took part in the opening of the monument to the celebrated general. “Today, opening the monument to General of the Army Vasily Filippovich Margelov, we pay tribute to the memory and deep respect to the Hero of the Soviet Union, the legendary commander of the Airborne Forces, the real patriot and remarkable person,” noted Sergey Shoigu.
According to the Minister of Defense, Margelov personifies the whole epoch in the formation and development of the Airborne Forces. According to Shoigu, perseverance, dedication and a high level of professionalism of Margelov could not only keep the “winged guard” as an independent branch of the military, but also made the troops subordinate to him truly unique. Thanks to Vasily Margelov, the paratroopers were equipped with the most modern military equipment, tested new ways of its combat use. Organizational talent and front-line training allowed Margelov to form the invincible spirit of the “blue berets”, turning them into a formidable mobile force, noted Shoigu.
Currently, the commander of the Airborne Forces is Colonel-General Andrei Nikolayevich Serdyukov. The Airborne Forces currently have 4 divisions: two airborne and two air assault, 4 separate air assault brigades, a separate special brigade, a separate communications regiment, as well as other military units and educational institutions and training centers. According to the 2018 year, conscripts make up about 40 percent of the personnel of the existing Airborne Forces units, but their call to the winged infantry is gradually reduced. It is planned that by 2030, all airborne units can be fully staffed with contractors.
The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation pays great attention to strengthening the military power of the Airborne Forces, which are a reserve of the Supreme Commander. In March, 2018, in an interview with Krasnaya Zvezda journalists, Colonel-General Andrei Serdyukov said that since 2012, the share of modern weapons in the Airborne Forces has increased 3,5 times. "The units and military units have already received more than 42 thousands of weapons, military and special equipment, which significantly increased the ability to fire destruction - by 16%, increase the survivability level - by 20%, and maneuverability increased by 1,3 times", - noted the general. According to the commander of the Airborne Forces of Russia, the number of modern landing facilities (helicopters, airplanes, parachute systems) has increased 1,4 times, the number of armored vehicles - 2,4 times, air defense systems - 3,5 times.
According to the Ministry of Defense of Russia, the winged infantry is reequipping on the newest models of military equipment - the BMD-4М airborne combat vehicles and the BTR-MDM Rakushka armored personnel carriers, the Tigr armored vehicles, the new self-propelled artillery systems — modernized SAU 2XXNXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXmXXXXXXXXXX Four Chimetrynemotech XX-Shn XmInt Xm Chm-Xnumx armored personnel carriers. Sobolyatnik and Aistenok radar systems, as well as automated fire control systems. In 9 alone, the Airborne Forces received about 1 new BMD-2017М and BTR-MDM - three full battalion sets.
Recently, the main battle tanks appeared on the Airborne Troops. In 2016, in all six airborne assault formations in the airborne troops — four separate brigades and two divisions — tank companies were formed (one each). Until the end of 2018, three such tank companies will be reorganized into tank battalions in two airborne assault divisions and one separate airborne assault brigade. Modernized T-72B3 tanks will be supplied to the airborne battalion battalions.
Also in the 2018, the state tests of the Bakhcha-UPDS parachute system, which is intended for the landing of BMD-4М and other equipment from military transport aircraft, should be completed. This system allows you to parachute BMD-4M with seven paratroopers inside each vehicle. "Bakhcha-UPDS" will begin to flow primarily into parachute units and units of constant combat readiness, noted Andrei Serdyukov. Immediately after landing using this system, the BMD-4M will be able to carry out the assigned combat missions together with the landing force, and its ability to quickly leave the landing zone after landing substantially increases its survivability. All of these changes reflect the importance and significance of the Airborne Forces. And equipping units and subunits of the Airborne Forces with modern weapons and military equipment significantly increases their combat capabilities.
2 August "Military Review" congratulates the entire staff and all the veterans of the Airborne Forces on their professional holiday!
Based on materials from open sources
Already in 1931, in the Leningrad Military District, as part of the 1st air brigade, an experienced airborne landing detachment of 164 people was formed. This unit was intended for landing by landing method. Later, in the same air brigade, a contingent parachute and airborne squad was created. In August-September of the same year, at the exercises of the Leningrad and Ukrainian military districts, the detachment landed and solved tactical tasks in the rear of a conditional enemy. In 1932, the Revolutionary Military Council of the USSR adopted a resolution on the deployment of troops in aviation special battalions. By the end of 1933, there were already 29 airborne battalions and brigades, which became part of the Air Force. At the same time, the Leningrad Military District was entrusted with the task of training instructors in the airborne business and the development of operational and tactical standards for paratroopers.
In 1934, during the exercises of the Red Army, 600 paratroopers were already attracted, in 1935, during the exercises of the Kiev military district, about three thousand paratroopers were parachuted with parachutes, and the following year, in the Belarussian military district, about three thousand paratroopers were parachuted, and more than three thousand paratroopers were parachuted in the Belorussian military district. 1188 man with artillery and various military equipment.
The first experience of fighting paratroopers received in 1939 year. Fighters of the 212 airborne brigade took part in the rout of the grouping of Japanese troops at Khalkhin Gol. Then, for the heroism and courage of 352 shown in the battles the paratrooper was awarded various orders and medals. During the years of the Soviet-Finnish war of 1939-1940, three airborne brigades, 201, 202, and 214, fought shoulder to shoulder with the rifle divisions of the Red Army.
On the basis of the combat experience gained in 1940, in the Soviet Union new staffs of brigades were approved as part of three combat groups: parachute, glider and landing-landing. And already in March 1941, the creation of the airborne corps of brigade personnel (three brigades in each corps) began in the Airborne Forces. By the time of the beginning of World War II, manning of five airborne corps (airborne forces) was completed, but there were not enough military equipment. At that time, the main armaments of the Airborne Forces were light and heavy machine guns, 45-mm anti-tank and 76-mm mountain guns, 50-mm and 82-mm mortars, as well as light Tanks T-38, T-40 and flamethrowers. The beginning of the war was found by the airborne corps at the stage of their formation. The difficult situation prevailing at the front already in the first months of the war forced the Soviet command to use these corps that were understaffed with equipment and weapons in combat operations, and the paratroopers were used as rifle units.
4 September 1941 of the Airborne Forces Directorate was transformed into the Office of the Commander of the Airborne Forces of the Red Army, and the airborne corps were removed from the active fronts, they were transferred to the direct subordination of the Commander of the Airborne Forces. The extensive use of airborne troops with the landing of assault forces was undertaken in the winter of the year 1942 as part of the counteroffensive near Moscow. The Vyazemsky airborne operation was carried out with the participation of the 4 Vdk. In September 1943, the Soviet command used an airborne assault consisting of two brigades to assist parts of the Voronezh Front in forcing the Dnieper. In August, 1945 of the year, as part of the Manchurian strategic operation, more than four thousand personnel of rifle subunits were allocated for landing operations by landing method, which successfully coped with the tasks assigned to them. For the massive heroism shown by the Soviet paratroopers during the Great Patriotic War, all airborne units were given the honorary name of "Guards". Thousands of privates, sergeants and airborne officers were awarded various orders and medals, and 296 people became Heroes of the Soviet Union.
In 1964, the Airborne Forces were transferred to the Ground Forces with direct subordination to the Minister of Defense of the country. At the same time, along with organizational changes, there was a process of re-equipping the landing forces, which included an increase in the number of artillery, mortars, anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons, as well as automatic rifle weapons. In the post-war years, airborne units were used during the Hungarian events of the 1956 year and in the 1968 year in Czechoslovakia. After the capture of two airfields near Bratislava and Prague, the 103-I and 7-I Guards airborne divisions were landed here by landing.
From 1979 to 1989, the airborne unit took part in the fighting in Afghanistan as part of a limited contingent of Soviet troops in that country. For courage and heroism, which were shown by paratroopers, more than 30 thousand people were awarded orders and medals, another 16 people became Heroes of the Soviet Union. From 1988, airborne units were regularly engaged to perform various special operations to resolve interethnic conflicts that occurred in the territory of the USSR, and in 1992, they ensured the evacuation of the Russian embassy from Kabul.
In 1994-1996 and 1999-2004, all airborne units and units took part in hostilities in the Chechen Republic. For courage and heroism shown during the hostilities in the Caucasus, 89 Russian paratroopers were awarded the title Hero of the Russian Federation. At the same time, Russian paratroopers participated in various peacekeeping operations under the auspices of the UN, including in the Balkans.
Today, the Airborne Forces (VDV) is a highly mobile branch of the Armed Forces, which is a means of the Supreme High Command and is designed to reach the enemy by air and perform combat missions in his rear: the destruction of ground-based precision weapons; violation of command and control; violation of the rear and communications; disruption of the deployment and deployment of reserves; as well as covering (defense) of certain directions, areas, open flanks, blocking and destroying enemy airborne assault forces, as well as broken groups of his troops. In peacetime, the Airborne Forces perform the main tasks of maintaining mobilization and combat readiness at a level that ensures the successful application of these parts for their intended purpose.
1 August 2018 on the eve of the Day of the Airborne Forces in Moscow took place the opening of a monument to Army General Vasily Margelov, a monument was erected on Polikarpov Street. The Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Sergei Shoigu took part in the opening of the monument to the celebrated general. “Today, opening the monument to General of the Army Vasily Filippovich Margelov, we pay tribute to the memory and deep respect to the Hero of the Soviet Union, the legendary commander of the Airborne Forces, the real patriot and remarkable person,” noted Sergey Shoigu.
According to the Minister of Defense, Margelov personifies the whole epoch in the formation and development of the Airborne Forces. According to Shoigu, perseverance, dedication and a high level of professionalism of Margelov could not only keep the “winged guard” as an independent branch of the military, but also made the troops subordinate to him truly unique. Thanks to Vasily Margelov, the paratroopers were equipped with the most modern military equipment, tested new ways of its combat use. Organizational talent and front-line training allowed Margelov to form the invincible spirit of the “blue berets”, turning them into a formidable mobile force, noted Shoigu.
Currently, the commander of the Airborne Forces is Colonel-General Andrei Nikolayevich Serdyukov. The Airborne Forces currently have 4 divisions: two airborne and two air assault, 4 separate air assault brigades, a separate special brigade, a separate communications regiment, as well as other military units and educational institutions and training centers. According to the 2018 year, conscripts make up about 40 percent of the personnel of the existing Airborne Forces units, but their call to the winged infantry is gradually reduced. It is planned that by 2030, all airborne units can be fully staffed with contractors.
The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation pays great attention to strengthening the military power of the Airborne Forces, which are a reserve of the Supreme Commander. In March, 2018, in an interview with Krasnaya Zvezda journalists, Colonel-General Andrei Serdyukov said that since 2012, the share of modern weapons in the Airborne Forces has increased 3,5 times. "The units and military units have already received more than 42 thousands of weapons, military and special equipment, which significantly increased the ability to fire destruction - by 16%, increase the survivability level - by 20%, and maneuverability increased by 1,3 times", - noted the general. According to the commander of the Airborne Forces of Russia, the number of modern landing facilities (helicopters, airplanes, parachute systems) has increased 1,4 times, the number of armored vehicles - 2,4 times, air defense systems - 3,5 times.
According to the Ministry of Defense of Russia, the winged infantry is reequipping on the newest models of military equipment - the BMD-4М airborne combat vehicles and the BTR-MDM Rakushka armored personnel carriers, the Tigr armored vehicles, the new self-propelled artillery systems — modernized SAU 2XXNXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXmXXXXXXXXXX Four Chimetrynemotech XX-Shn XmInt Xm Chm-Xnumx armored personnel carriers. Sobolyatnik and Aistenok radar systems, as well as automated fire control systems. In 9 alone, the Airborne Forces received about 1 new BMD-2017М and BTR-MDM - three full battalion sets.
Recently, the main battle tanks appeared on the Airborne Troops. In 2016, in all six airborne assault formations in the airborne troops — four separate brigades and two divisions — tank companies were formed (one each). Until the end of 2018, three such tank companies will be reorganized into tank battalions in two airborne assault divisions and one separate airborne assault brigade. Modernized T-72B3 tanks will be supplied to the airborne battalion battalions.
Also in the 2018, the state tests of the Bakhcha-UPDS parachute system, which is intended for the landing of BMD-4М and other equipment from military transport aircraft, should be completed. This system allows you to parachute BMD-4M with seven paratroopers inside each vehicle. "Bakhcha-UPDS" will begin to flow primarily into parachute units and units of constant combat readiness, noted Andrei Serdyukov. Immediately after landing using this system, the BMD-4M will be able to carry out the assigned combat missions together with the landing force, and its ability to quickly leave the landing zone after landing substantially increases its survivability. All of these changes reflect the importance and significance of the Airborne Forces. And equipping units and subunits of the Airborne Forces with modern weapons and military equipment significantly increases their combat capabilities.
2 August "Military Review" congratulates the entire staff and all the veterans of the Airborne Forces on their professional holiday!
Based on materials from open sources
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