Air Force and Air Defense of Ukraine: what was and what was left
On March 17, 1992, according to the directive of the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Air Force of Ukraine was created. An Air Force command was formed on the basis of the headquarters of the 24th Air Army in Vinnitsa. In 1992, there were 4 air armies on the territory of Ukraine, 10 aviation divisions, 49 air regiments, 11 separate squadrons, educational and special institutions and institutions. In total, there are about 600 military units, 2800 aircraft for various purposes, more than 120 servicemen.
Three air armies (1100 combat aircraft) were transferred to the Ukrainian Air Force:
- fighters: 2 divisions (8 regiments) - 80 units MiG-23, 220 units MiG-29, 40 units Su-27;
- front-line bombers: 2 divisions (5 regiments) - 150 units Su-24;
- bombers (long-range aviation): 2 divisions (3 regiment) - 30 units Tu-16, 30 units Tu-22, 36 units Tu-22М;
- reconnaissance aviation: 3 Regiment - 30 units Tu-22, 15 units MiG-25, 30 units Su-17, 12 units Su-24;
- Aviation Regiment EW: 35 units Yak-28;
- 4 aviation center: 240 units MiG-21, 60 units Su-24, 550 units L-39 "Albatross" / L-29 "Dolphin".
The collapse of the USSR left Ukraine one of the most numerous and powerful air forces in Europe. In terms of quantity, military aviation of Ukraine in 1992 was second only to aviation of the USA, Russia and China, being the most numerous in Europe. It is also worth noting that most of the modern military airfields of the USSR were located on the territory of Ukraine, including the home sites of the Tu-160, MiG-29 and Su-27. The air defense forces of Ukraine were created 5 on April 1992 of the year on the basis of the air defense units of the USSR located in the country. In addition to air defense missile systems, they included seven fighter air regiments armed with Su-15TM, MiG-25PD / MPD interceptors and MiG-23MLD interceptors. However, these aircraft did not last long in service: in the 1993, the MiG-25, then the MiG-23 were removed from service, and by the 1997, the Su-15 was sent to the storage bases. Army aviation became part of the ground forces of Ukraine as their kind, from 3 July 1994, and in a relatively short time of its existence, it turned from auxiliary to one of the main and promising means of armed struggle. They were created on the basis of equipment and flight technical personnel of seven regiments of combat helicopters, two transport and several separate squadrons of the USSR Air Force. In service was about 900 helicopters Mi-2, Mi-6, Mi-8, Mi-26 and Mi-24 (250 units).
Command and state of the Air Force of Ukraine
The official page of the air forces of Ukraine is silent about its combat strength. Below is a list of materials from the page of Yu. V. Gontary and the project “Siloviki of Ukraine”. In 2008, the 33-th Center for combat training and retraining of flight personnel of the Ukrainian Air Force was renamed the Specialized Combat Training Center for Aviation Specialists of the Air Forces of Ukraine.
Command of the Air Force of Ukraine:
- Air Command "West";
- Air Command "Center";
- Air Command "South".
They include:
- Command of the Air Force of Ukraine: location - the city of Vinnitsa;
- Kharkov University of the Air Force named after Ivan Kozhedub, Kharkiv;
- 203-I Air Aviation Training School: 10 units L-39С, 1 unit An-26, 2 units An-26Ш, 2 units Mi-8, city of Chuguev;
- the integrated training center of the Air Force, the city of Vasilkov;
- specialized center for combat training of aviation specialists of the Air Forces of Ukraine, the city of Nikolaev;
- a separate regiment of remotely-controlled vehicles BP-2, BPPL TU-143 “Reis” and BP-3 Tu 141 “Strizh”, Khmelnitsky city;
- 25-I air transport 1 unit An-26, 7 units IL-76M, Melitopol city;
- 15-I transport brigade, 15-I transport aviation brigade, 2 units AN-30B, 2 units TU-134AK, 1 units AN-24B, 3 units AN-26, 2 Mi-8Т, -NNXX units X-NNXX, 2 units X-NUMX, 8 units X-NUMX, XNUMX units Borispol;
- 456-I transport Aviabrigada, 1 unit AN-24B, 1 unit AN-26 «Vita», 4 unit AN-26, 2 units of Mi-8MT, 1 unit Mi-8PS, 1 unit Mi-9, city Gavrishovka;
- Air Command Center, the city of Vasilkov;
- 40 Brigade of tactical aviation, 11 units MiG-29, 4 units MiG-29M1, 3 units MiG-29UB, 8 units L-39С, Vasilkov city;
- 831 brigade of tactical aviation 6 units Su-27, 5 units Su-27UB, 4 units L-39, city of Mirgorod;
- 9 tactical aviation brigade 9 brigade of tactical aviation, 6 units MiG-29, 2 units MiG-29UB, the city of Ozernoe;
- 96-a anti-aircraft missile brigade 96-I anti-aircraft missile brigade, 3 of the C-300PS division, Danilovka city;
- 120-I anti-aircraft missile brigade, C-300PT, Kharkiv;
- 301 th anti-aircraft missile regiment, 2 units C-300PT, city of Nikopol;
- 302 th anti-aircraft missile regiment, 3 of the C-300PT battalion, Kharkiv;
- 108 th anti-aircraft missile regiment, 3 of the Buk-M battalion, the city of Zolotonosha;
- 138-th anti-aircraft missile regiment, 6 divisions C-300PT, the city of Dnepropetrovsk;
- 156-th anti-aircraft missile regiment, 3 division Buk-M1, the city of Mariupol;
- 138-I radio engineering team, the city of Cornflowers;
- 164-I radio engineering team, the city of Kharkov;
- Air Command "South", the city of Odessa;
- 299-I brigade of tactical aviation. Total: 36 units Su-25, 3 units L-39М1, 4 units L-39С. Combat ready: 10 units Su-25M1, 9 units Su-25, 3 units Su-25UB, 2 units Su-25UBM, 3 unit L-39M1, 4 unit L-39S city Nikolaev (Kulbakino);
- 160-a anti-aircraft missile brigade, 4 of the C-300PT / PM division, Odessa, Nikolaev;
- 208-I anti-aircraft missile brigade, 1 division C-300PS / PT, city of Kherson;
- The 201 anti-aircraft missile regiment, 2 of the C-300PT battalion, Pervomaisk;
- 14-I radio engineering team, the city of Odessa;
- Air Command "West", the city of Lviv;
- 7-I brigade of tactical aviation. Total: 23 units Su-24М, 12 units Su-24МР, 2 units L-39С, effective: 8 units Su-24М, 5 units Su-24МР, 2 units L-39С, Starokonstantinov city;
- 114 Fighter Aviation Regiment (114 Brigade of Tactical Aviation), 5 units MiG-29, 2 units MiG-29UB, Ivano-Frankivsk;
- 11 th anti-aircraft missile regiment Buk-M1, city Shepetivka;
- 223 anti-aircraft missile regiment, 3 of the Buk-M1 division, the city of Stryi;
- 540 th anti-aircraft missile regiment, C-300, the city of Kamenka-Bug;
- 1-I radio engineering team, city Lipniki;
Restoration and modernization of the Air Force of Ukraine
Medium and overhaul of the Su-25 was able to maintain an aircraft repair plant in Evpatoria (in the Crimea, now moved to Russia). Repair of components, assemblies and systems - Chuguev aircraft repair plant. However, later the Zaporizhia Aircraft Repair Plant “MiGremont” became the main, where the modernization program of Ukrainian Su-25 in Su-25М1 and Su-25УБМ1 began.
The upgrade consisted in replacing the Su-25 analog calculator with a digital one developed by the Ukrainian company Orion-Navigation. According to the developer, this increased the accuracy of the use of weapons on 30%, providing a hit with a deviation of no more than 5 m.
Also installed a new system of SVS (air signal system), an upgraded radio station and satellite navigation system Glonass / GPS / Galileo; at the expense of the latter, the Su-25М1 allegedly became just an all-weather bomber capable of operating ground targets day and night, in poor visibility conditions, and without leaving the clouds. Three times (to 5000 m) the height of the use of weapons has been increased, and the time spent by the aircraft over the objects of impact has been significantly reduced. The attack aircraft has become inaccessible to the enemy's MANPADS, and the possibility of its destruction by anti-aircraft artillery is sharply reduced.
The cost of modernization was less than one million USD and was carried out exclusively by Ukrainian enterprises. However, this amount does not include the cost of overhauling the aircraft.
The first three aircraft - two combat single Su-25М1 and one combat training double Su-25UBM1 - became part of the 299 tactical air brigade in March 2010 of the year.
Two more Su-25М1 joined the combat squadron of the 29 November 2011.
28 September 2012 of the year The 299 Tactical Aviation Brigade received the first digital camouflage camouflaged after upgrading the Su-25М1 attack aircraft. Subsequently, all the upgraded board began to paint the same: 07, 08, 38 and 40.
In total, plans should be upgraded 16 (according to other sources, to 30) of these machines by the end of 2015 year.
The war in the Donbass
The first flights of Ukrainian combat aircraft to the “intimidation of Donbass” took place in April, but oddly enough, the main role in them was played not by the Su-25, but by the MiG-29 and Su-27 fighters that were no longer suitable for strikes on the ground. I got only one Su-25 snapshot over Kramatorsk 15 in April.
As is known, 2 began active hostilities in the Donbas by assault on Slavyansk, but the main role in this assault was played by army helicopters. In the second attack, May 5, the Ukrainian Mi-24 "29 Red" was shot down and sat "on a forced" in the marshland near Raygorodok. Since the Ukrainians could not pull the damaged side in the area controlled by the militia, in the evening the combat debut of the Su-25 took place. The attack aircraft launches NURS turned the Mi-24 into a pile of debris.
The next episode of combat use is associated with a bloody battle for the Donetsk 26 airport in May. The militiamen tried to “wring out” the airport relatively peacefully, but they faced a massive use of enemy aviation: at least three Mi-24 and a pair of MiG-29 cleared the airport area from the Vostok battalion, one of the militiamen who were shot down by KamAZ was probably destroyed by aviation. As is known, the defeat was completed by the 3 th regiment of special forces from Kirovograd, which was ambushed by KamAZ with the wounded, who were all finished off. In the evening Su-25 also appeared over Donetsk, struck by NURS, but the goals of these strikes are unknown.
The next "noticeable success" of the Ukrainian Su-25 was the famous airstrike on the administration building of Lugansk, June 2, at which 8 civilians were killed by NURS. What caused this idiotic airstrike, is still not clear, and the ridiculous “excuses” of the Kiev authorities about the “exploded air conditioner” became the talk of the town.
After this, reports on the use of Su-25 began to appear almost daily.
And after that there were repeated statements about the "knocking down" of the "Dryers", one of which (June 14 over Gorlovka). However, we must admit that so far there has been no objective confirmation of the loss of the Su-25. They deny the losses of the “Sushchek” and on the “other side”, only one unverified source reported damage to the attack aircraft by a man-portable air defense missile.
According to the scant information of the Ministry of Defense, the so-called “Reserve Aviation and Assault Group” operates against the Donbass. It was also stated that X-29 missiles were used for its “point-to-point destruction of militia facilities”. However, given the previous style of use of "artillery and assault aviation" by ATO forces, the use of missiles with a powerful warhead does not promise anything good and to civilians.
However, it must be admitted that so far no facts have been recorded of the use of the Su-25 main armament, free-fall bombs. Given their "accuracy" and the destructive effect, the NURS C-8 used today may seem to the rebellious population as childish pranks "Sokolov Poroshenko".
Despite loud statements in May of 2014 of the year that aviation will be used until the end of the ATO, due to the poor technical condition of most of the aviation technology and tangible losses, Ukrainian military aviation in combat operations in the territories of self-proclaimed DPR and LPR in the winter of 2014-2015 of the year is almost not applied.
Currently, Ukrainian fighter aviation is permanently based on the following airfields: Vasilkov, Kiev Oblast (40 Brigade of Tactical Aviation), Myrgorod, Poltava Oblast (831 Brigade of Tactical Aviation), Ozerny, Zhytomyr Oblast (9 Tactical Brigade Aviation), Ivano-Frankivsk, Ivano-Frankivsk region (114-I Brigade of tactical aviation).
Briefly about RTV and ZRV
In addition to the 6 IAP, which was armed with fighter interceptors, it also included parts of radio engineering (RTV) and anti-aircraft missile forces (ZRV).
In Sevastopol, Odessa, Vasilkov, Lviv and Kharkov, radio-technical brigades were deployed, which included radio-engineering battalions and separate radio-technical companies.
RTV were equipped with radar stations and complexes of various types and modifications:
- meter range: П-14, П-12, П-18, 5Н84Ф;
- decimeter range: П-15, П-19, П-35, П-37, П-40, П-80, 5Н87;
- radio altimeters: PRV-9, -11, -13, -16, -17.
In 1991, units of the ZNVS of the 8 Air Defense Army stationed in Ukraine included 18 anti-aircraft missile regiments and anti-aircraft missile brigades that included the 132 anti-aircraft missile division (ZRDN). It is a lot or a little, it can be judged by the fact that it approximately corresponds to the modern number of ZRDN in the air defense missile defense system and the Russian Air Force.
In the Ukrainian air defense network inherited from the Soviet Union after its collapse, the means of detection and the air defense system were organized so that they could protect strategic objects and geographic regions. Among them are industrial and administrative centers: Kiev, Dnepropetrovsk, Kharkov, Nikolaev, Odessa and, until recently, the Crimean peninsula. During Soviet times, the air defense system was scattered throughout Ukraine and along the western border. Ukraine as of 2010 year had almost full radar coverage of its territory. However, this situation has now changed significantly. Due to wear and lack of spare parts, the number of operational radars has decreased. Part of the RTV equipment deployed in the east of the country was destroyed during the hostilities. Thus, in the morning of May 6, 2014, as a result of an attack on a radio engineering unit in the Luhansk region, one radar station was destroyed. The following losses of PTB suffered 21 on June 2014 of the year when, as a result of the shelling, the radar stations of the air defense unit in Avdeevka were destroyed from mortar shells.
Ukraine inherited from the Soviet air defense a significant number of medium-range and long-range air defense systems: C-125, C-75, C-200A, B and D, C-300PT and PS. In the air defense of the most modern anti-aircraft systems there were several divisions of C-300В missiles, near the 20 divisions of the Buk air defense system.
The C-75 SAMs were decommissioned in the middle of the 90's, then it was the turn of the C-125 low-altitude systems that served until the start of the 2000's. Long-range air defense systems C-200В and D were operated until 2013 year.
The most modern anti-aircraft systems inherited by Ukraine from the air defense missile defense system of the USSR were the C-300PT and C-300PS air defense systems in the number of 30 divisions. As of 2010, the air defense units had 16 С-300ПТ and 11 С-300ПС.
The lack of quality service and repair during the “independence” period led to the fact that a significant part of Ukrainian C-300PS turned out to be inefficient. Currently, the number of C-300PS missiles capable of carrying combat duty is estimated at the 7-8 divisions.
At the beginning of 2000-x, consultations were held with Russia on the possibility of acquiring new C-300PMU-2 airplanes. However, Ukraine’s chronic insolvency and Russia's unwillingness to supply modern weapon in debt is not allowed to update the Ukrainian air defense. Subsequently, the supply of Ukrainian weapons to Georgia made it impossible at all.
The critical situation with mid-range and long-range anti-aircraft complexes in Ukraine led to the fact that the C-300В and Buk-М1 medium-range long-range air defense systems were included in the centralized air defense system of the country.
However, this is also a temporary measure, as the equipment of the two C-300В divisions that are in combat duty is heavily worn out. The same fully applies to the Buk-М1 air defense system, which the troops have less than 60 PU.
They could have been more, but during the time of Yushchenko’s presidency, the two divisions of these complexes were generously supplied to Georgia. Where one division managed to take part in hostilities, shooting down Russian Tu-22М3 and Su-24М bombers.
By the beginning of the hostilities in August 2008, the Georgians did not really have time to master the complex technology, and part of the calculations of "Bukov" was staffed by Ukrainian specialists. Another division of the Buk-M1 air defense system was unable to take part in hostilities and was captured by Russian troops in the Georgian port of Poti.
Anyway, while maintaining the current state of affairs by the 2020, Ukraine’s air defense will remain without long-range and medium-range anti-aircraft systems. Obviously, the Ukrainian authorities are seriously relying on the supply of modern weapons from the United States and Western Europe, but it is unlikely that under current conditions “Western partners” will go on further worsening relations with Russia.
In this situation, in strengthening its air defense system, Ukraine can only count on internal reserves. In April, 2015, there were reports that Ukraine would adopt the C-125-2D Pechora-2D anti-aircraft missile system based on the late modification of the Soviet C-125X1 low-altitude air defense missile system.
In general, the Ukrainian version of the modernization of the C-125-2-DMS is ideologically similar to the Russian project GSKB Almaz-Antey C-125-2А (Pechora-2A), firing range - 3,5-28 km, height of defeat - 0,02-20 km) , since the modernization is aimed at a radical update of the UNV-2 command post and the SNR-125 missile guidance station.
The C-125-2D-based air defense system is designed to attack tactical and naval aircraft, as well as air-based cruise missiles operating at low and medium altitudes in passive and active interference, day and night. LAW C-125-2D passed the full range of tests, including live firing. During the modernization of the С-125-М1 air defense system to the С-125-2 level, all the fixed assets of the complex were completed. According to the developers, in the course of the improvement, the tasks of increasing the reliability, mobility, complex survivability, radar resistance to radio-electronic interference were solved, and the air defense system was increased by 15 years.
However, there is no doubt that the upgraded Ukrainian C-125 complex, even with increased combat capabilities, will not be able to replace the C-300П family to be decommissioned.
The Ukrainian C-125-2D “Pechora-2D” air defense system would be good as an addition to the existing multi-channel long-range anti-aircraft systems, could be used for the air defense system of airfields, communication centers, headquarters, supply bases, etc.
To solve the problems of air defense in the anti-terrorist operation zone (for some reason, it was so stated from television channels during the Pechora show to the political and military leadership of Ukraine) all components of the C-125-2Д system (including the UNV-2D antenna post and 5P73- XNUMHD) must be placed on a mobile base. Although it seems more logical to use this air defense missile system for object defense - at delivery distance from enemy ground weapons. That, however, still does not remove from the developers the solution of the problem of mobility of the S-2-125-DMS.
From the above, we can conclude about the systemic degradation of the air defense of Ukraine. Currently, it is no longer up to date and has a focal character. Deliveries in a significant number of modern fighters, air defense system, means of monitoring the air situation and control in the near future is not expected. This means that in the next few years, the Ukrainian air defense, as a force capable of influencing the course of hostilities, will cease to exist. An indirect confirmation of the degradation of the Air Force and Air Defense of Ukraine is that the Air Force soldiers began to be used as “cannon fodder”. Thus, in January 2015, a consolidated detachment was formed from the military personnel of the Ukrainian Air Force, which was sent to the combat zone in eastern Ukraine and took part in the battles in the Avdeevka area as an infantry unit.
Total
Over the past year, Ukraine has lost half of its military aviation.
“The conflict was a heavy blow to the Ukrainian forces, many aircraft were shot down or destroyed on the ground. Calculations show that its (Ukraine) military registries were reduced from 400 operating units to 222 during 12 months of the reporting period. It is noted that military aviation has 222 units. Among them - more than 60 fighters, bombers and attack aircraft, about 30 military transport aircraft and more 90 helicopters. 22 aircraft and helicopter were shot down in ATO. The prospects for the Ukrainian Air Force, as you can guess, are very vague. Now the most rational decision seems to be the modernization of a part of combat vehicles. Some combat-ready airplanes and helicopters can still be upgraded, but the majority of resources have almost been exhausted. Given the fact that they are not always repaired and had proper maintenance, a deep modernization of the entire fleet may be a waste of money.
In the context of difficult relations with the Russian Federation, Ukraine is deprived of the opportunity to purchase a new relatively inexpensive aircraft. China can be the way out, although the combat aircraft of the Middle Kingdom lose in quality not only to Western, but also to Russian counterparts. From European / American cars you can pay attention to lightweight multifunctional fighter jas 39 Gripen, which are the cheapest of the fourth-generation fighter jets. True, by the time these aircraft are delivered to the Ukrainian Air Force (if this happens, of course), Russia will already have a fifth-generation T-50 fighter in service, and Turkey and Poland can have at their disposal the latest American F-35. So the purchase of JAS 39 with its limited capabilities is perhaps a temporary measure. Ukraine can also take part in the creation of a fifth-generation Turkish fighter TF-X. Provided, of course, that the Turks will agree and that this project will receive a start in life. Still, for Turkey, which has never built combat aircraft from scratch, this project is a big risk. In Ukraine, there is also no complete cycle for assembling combat aircraft and helicopters. There is, of course, the Antonov enterprise, which can build individual copies of military transport vehicles. There is also Motor Sich, which specializes in the creation of engines and periodically offers its own options for upgrading old equipment. Recently, for example, the company presented a multi-purpose helicopter Mi-2MSB-B, made on the basis of the old Soviet Mi-2. The same base (or rather, its Polish version of the PZL W-3 Sokół) served as the basis for another development of Motor Sich - the Ataman helicopter MSB-6. But the Odessa company "UMIK Aerospace", developing light helicopters, training aircraft and UAVs, according to unconfirmed reports, moved to Russia. So, it is unreasonable for the country's leadership to place high hopes on the Ukrainian military industrial complex.
The first place in the number of military aviation is occupied by the United States - almost 14 thousand cars (27% of the total in the world). RF ranks second with almost 3,5 thousands of machines. China - in third place with almost 2,8 thousands of cars; India - 1,9 thousands of cars; Japan - 1,6 thousands of cars.
Ukrainian Private Military Corporation has published a list of military aviation, which is in service with the Ukrainian army.
Bird-Eye 400 (Bird's Eye).
Specialization: reconnaissance UAV.
In service - 1 machine.
Su-27.
Specialization: heavy multipurpose fighter.
In service - 20 machines.
There are several dozen Su-27 in storage.
Ukraine received about 70 Su-27, which were in service:
1) 831-iap (Mirgorod);
2) 100-th Kiap (Saki);
3) 62-iap air defense (Belbek);
4) 136-iap air defense (Kirov).
MiG-29.
Specification: multipurpose front-line fighter. In service - 80 machines.
There are several dozen MiG-29 in storage.
A number of aircraft have been upgraded to the MiG-29MU1.
In 1992, the Ukrainian Air Force had the 240 MiG-29.
Su-Xnumx.
Specification: front bomber.
In service - 22 machines.
There are several dozen Su-24M in storage.
In 1992, the Ukrainian Air Force had 120 Su-24М and 90 Su-24, which were in service:
1) 230 th bap (Cherlyana);
2) 69 th bap (Ovruch);
3) 806 th bap (Lutsk);
4) 727 (b) (Kanatovo);
5) 7 Bap (Starokonstantinov).
As of 2 July 2014, the losses of the Ukrainian Air Force during the armed conflict in the east of Ukraine, according to the Aviation Safety Network, amounted to 1 heavily damaged Su-24М.
Su-24MR.
Specification: scout.
In service - 11 machines.
In 1992, 12 Su-24МР were based at Kolomyya air base (48-th ogre). Subsequently transferred to the 7 th tactical aviation brigade (Starokonstantinov).
Also 23 Su-24MR were in service with the 511-th orap (Buyalyk) before its disbandment in the 2003 year.
21 March 2014 of the year 1 Su-24MR was damaged during an approach and was decommissioned.
Su-25.
Specification: attack aircraft.
In service - 33 machines.
14 Su-25 upgraded to Su-25М1.
As of 2 July, 2014, the loss of the Ukrainian Air Force during the armed conflict in the east of Ukraine, according to the Aviation Safety Network, amounted to one damaged and one crashed Su-25.
16 July 2014 of the year 1 Su-25М1 was shot down by a Russian fighter near the town of Amvrosiyivka, Donetsk region, the pilot ejected, the plane fell on the territory of Ukraine.
A-39.
Specification: training.
In service - 38 machines.
Some part upgraded to the level of L-39M1.
In 1992, in the Ukrainian Air Force there were about 480 L-39, which were in service:
1) 443-th Training Aviation Regiment (Great Krucha);
2) 809-th Training Aviation Regiment (Akhtyrka);
3) 105-th Training Aviation Regiment (Konotop);
4) 701-th Training Aviation Regiment (Chernihiv);
5) 703-th Training Aviation Regiment (Gorodnya);
6) 33-th pulp and paper industry and the Air Force of Ukraine.
Be-12.
Specification: anti-submarine aircraft.
In service - 4 machines.
3 machines are stored.
As of 2012 year
Ka-25.
Specification: anti-submarine / search and rescue helicopter.
Quantity: 26-28 machines.
Technical condition - no data.
Ka-27PL / Ka-27PS.
Specification: anti-submarine / search and rescue helicopter.
Quantity: 16 machines.
Technical condition - no data.
Ka-29.
Specification: transport and combat helicopter.
Quantity: 12 machines.
Technical condition - no data.
Mi-8MT.
Specification: multipurpose.
In service - 8-10 machines.
11 machines are in storage.
Mi-14.
Specification: anti-submarine / search and rescue helicopter.
In service - 14-17 machines.
15 machines are in storage.
Quantity: 3 Mi-14PL, 1 Mi-14PS.
In 1992, the Ukrainian Air Force had about 42 machines.
IL-76MD.
Specification: medium transport aircraft.
In service - 6 machines.
In storage is - 14 machines.
In 1992, the 190 IL-76 was on the territory of Ukraine, of which the 22 units were adopted by the Ukrainian Air Force.
On the night of 13 on 14 June, 2014 was shot down (one of three), landing at Luhansk IL-76MD airport (w / o 76777) with Ukrainian military and equipment.
An-24B.
Specification: VIP transport.
Board commander of the Air Force of Ukraine.
In storage - 4 machines.
An-26.
Specification: transport aircraft.
In service - 17 machines.
In storage is - 15 machines.
In 1992, the Ukrainian Air Force was armed with 55 An-26.
One was shot down by 14 on July 2014, near Izvarino.
An-30B.
Specification: aircraft aerial photography and aerial reconnaissance.
In service - 1 machine.
4 machines are stored.
One aircraft was shot down over the Slavic 6 June 2014 of the year.
Tu-Xnumhak.
Specification: VIP transport.
In service - 2 machines.
1 Tu-134Sh is stored.
Time will show whether Ukrainian aviation will be used for a military solution in the Donbas. However, it is clear that its use is still “cost-effective” for this. But for unleashing a big war, the Ukrainian Air Force is not ready for sure, and it is unlikely that something can change.
- Andrey Grebenyuk
- Ukrainian Air Force (Wikipedia)
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