Yeysk air base , also Yeysk Airport ( IATA : EIK , ICAO : URKE ), is a military air base and civilian airport located near the city of Yeysk , Russia .
83-431: The base is home to the 859th Centre for Combat Application and Crew Training for Naval Aviation of Russian Naval Aviation . It was the location of the 959th Bomber Air Regiment, part of the 4th Air and Air Defence Forces Army . The regiment has now been reorganised as an aviation base, part of the new 4th Command of Air Forces and Air Defence. Yeysk was a mixed military/civilian airfield ( ru:Ейск (аэропорт) ), home to
166-402: A de facto fifth military district a new 45th Air Forces and Air Defence Army was formed under it. Its aviation units belong to the naval aviation unlike the other four air armies, which consist of air force units. The air force also started transforming its fighter aviation from air bases into fighter aviation regiments belonging to composite aviation divisions. The naval aviation also reverted
249-440: A 3-level one (Military District — Operational Command (Army) — Brigade). The Air Force transitioned correspondingly to Military District — Operational Command — Air Base chain of command. The air bases combined geographically closely located flying units of various arms with ground support units. As the naval aviation followed the air force organizational practice it too adopted the air base organization. The separate air commands of
332-594: A Tu-142 Bear-F and Bear-J were intercepted again by RAF Typhoons north of Shetland . On 7 November 2009 , eleven crew were killed when their Tu-142 crashed on the Northwest Pacific coast of Russia over the Strait of Tartary between the island of Sakhalin and Khabarovsk region during a training flight. Flights of aircraft belonging to the Pacific Fleet were suspended pending an investigation into
415-569: A Tu-142 managed to trail a Soviet submarine for 3 hours and 16 minutes. On 10 October 1977 , a group of five Tu-142s tracked a US submarine in the Philippine Sea ; one of the Tu-142s reportedly trailed the submarine for 4 hours and 5 minutes. Soviet Tu-142s, besides operating domestically, were sent to friendly overseas bases in Angola , Cuba , Ethiopia , Vietnam , and South Yemen . In
498-474: A Tu-22 naval missile-carrying aviation regiment flying 1-2 missile-carrying aviation squadrons and a squadron of reconnaissance or EW variants). The 2008 Russian military reform planned during the term of Anatoly Serdyukov changed that. The main organizational change in the Ground Forces was the transition from a 4-level operational chain of command (Military District — Army — Division — Regiment) to
581-515: A civilian airport. Russian Naval Aviation The Russian Naval Aviation (Russian: Авиация Военно-морского флота России , romanized : Aviatsiya Voenno-morskovo Flota Rossii ) 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 . The air forces of
664-650: A directive issued on 19 November 1980 cleared the Tu-142MK for operational service. Even as the Tu-142MK entered service, its Korshun-K STS was already becoming obsolete. Work began on yet another improved Tu-142, resulting in the Tu-142MZ ("Bear F" Mod. 4) with the Korshun-KN-N STS. This consisted of Nashatyr-Nefrit (Ammonia/Jade) ASW avionics, which included the Zarechye sonar system. As well as
747-522: A long-range ASW aircraft. The resultant design was named Tu-142 and had features in common with the Tu-95RT. The ventral and dorsal gun turrets were removed, as was the large dielectric radome housing the Uspeh radar system, which was replaced by a thermal imaging system located in a smaller fairing. This left the tail turret with twin 23-mm AM-23 cannons, along with electronic countermeasures , as
830-457: A reinforced undercarriage to support rough-field capability, improved avionics and weapons, and enhancements to general performance. The Tu-142's capability was incrementally improved while the type was in service, eventually resulting in the Tu-142MZ, the final long-range Tu-142 with highly sophisticated combat avionics and a large payload . Tupolev also converted a number of Tu-142s as avionics (Tu-142MP) and engine (Tu-142LL) testbeds. In
913-541: A result of the 2008 Russian military reforms , the units of the Russian Naval Aviation were reorganized into 13 new Naval Air Bases. Each new naval air base consists of an HQ, support units and one or more aviation groups/wings (the former air bases). In a second stage, the air bases were merged into territorially integrated structures. Only the 279th Regiment retained its status. The planned transfer of Naval Aviation assets (Su-24, Su-27, Tu-22M3, MiG-31) to
SECTION 10
#1732791389672996-408: A result of those strikes, including 3 field commanders, among them Abul Baha al-Asfari, leader of Al-Nusra reserves in the provinces of Homs and Aleppo . Al-Asfari had also planned and led several insurgent attacks on the city of Aleppo itself. The Su-33s reportedly used 500 kg (1,100 lb) precision bombs. On 3 December 2016, an Su-33 crashed into the sea after attempting to land on
1079-642: Is a Soviet/Russian maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft derived from the Tu-95 turboprop strategic bomber . A specialised communications variant designated Tu-142MR was tasked with long-range communications duties with Soviet ballistic missile submarines . The Tu-142 was designed by the Tupolev design bureau, and manufactured by the Kuibyshev Aviation and Taganrog Machinery Plants from 1968 to 1994. Formerly operated by
1162-595: Is following the air force in the resurrection of the air divisions as an operational level of command and control. It is yet undecided whether the naval aviation air bases will become air divisions, reforming their fixed wing, helicopter and UAV assets in aviation regiments and squadrons or new composite naval aviation divisions will be formed and the NAABs will be subordinated to them next to the fighter aviation regiments. Naval High Command ( Главное командование Военно-Морского Флота ) — Saint Petersburg The Northern Fleet
1245-660: Is the Russian Navy's only carrier leaving the Russian Navy without an operational aircraft carrier. Further, reports that the Admiral Kuznetsov' s crew of ca. 1500 has been reassigned to the Russian Army for combat duty in Ukraine indicates that there is no plan to make the Russian Navy a carrier navy again. The 100th Shipborne Fighter Aviation Regiment ( Military Unit Number 45782) was formed at Saki in
1328-400: The Admiral Kuznetsov . The plane crashed on its second attempt to land on the aircraft carrier in good weather conditions. The pilot was safely recovered by a search and rescue helicopter. Initially it was suspected that the plane missed the wires and failed to go around, falling short of the bow of the warship, but later it was revealed that the arresting cable failed to hold the aircraft, and
1411-778: The Air Force has been delayed due to their importance to the service, but was finally implemented by the end of 2011. As of 2012, the only fixed wing strike and fighter aircraft of Russian Naval Aviation are the Su-33 fighters and Su-25UTG attack aircraft of the 279th Regiment (forming the Admiral Kuznetsov 's carrier air wing), plus the Su-24 bombers based in the Crimea. This sole bomber unit remained part of Naval Aviation as an exception to satisfy treaty requirements governing Russian forces deployments on Ukrainian territory (these must be part of
1494-627: The George Washington left Charleston , South Carolina , with a complement of nuclear-armed Polaris missiles. The Soviet government consequently ordered Tupolev and other aircraft design bureaus to study possible dedicated anti-submarine warfare (ASW) designs. Tupolev initially designed the Tu-95PLO ( protivolodochnaya oborona , or ASW), a development of the Tu-95 equipped with sonobuoys , anti-submarine mines and torpedoes . It
1577-534: The Mediterranean . This deployment to Syria also marked the naval aviation's combat debut. On 15 November 2016, Admiral Kuznetsov , took part in "a large-scale operation against the positions of terrorist groups Islamic State and Al-Nusra , in the provinces of Idlib and Homs " in Syria by launching Su-33 fighter strikes. Russian Defence Ministry later reported that at least 30 militants had been killed as
1660-649: The Soviet Navy and Ukrainian Air Force , the Tu-142 currently serves with the Russian Navy . Developed in response to the American Polaris programme , the Tu-142 grew out of the need for a viable Soviet ASW platform. It succeeded the failed Tu-95PLO project, Tupolev's first attempt at modifying the Tu-95 for maritime use. The Tu-142 differed from the Tu-95 in having a stretched fuselage to accommodate specialised equipment for its ASW and surveillance roles,
1743-494: The Tu-114 airliner ; consequently, the wheel-wells in the engine nacelle were made slimmer. These changes, along with the deletion of the thermal imaging system and parts of the electronic countermeasure (ECM) equipment, reduced the empty weight by 4,000 kg (8,818 lb) . The modified aircraft also introduced a crew rest area for long-duration missions, and was assigned the codename ("Bear F" Mod 1); from 1968 to 1972
SECTION 20
#17327913896721826-619: The Yeysk Higher Military Order of Lenin Aviation School during the Cold War and the 10th Mixed Aviation Division ( 4th Air Army ) during the 1990s. After the disbandment of the 10th Mixed Aviation Division the headquarters of the 1st Guards Stalingrad, Svirsky Composite Air Division arrived. Also at the airport based aviation group Yeysk Higher Military Institute, equipped with L-39 aircraft. In addition,
1909-530: The fleets (except for the Pacific Fleet) had a total of 1,445 aircraft. At the end of June 1941, three air squadrons of the Civil Air Fleet (Baltic, Black Sea, Northern) were formed from civil aviation units (Baltic, Black Sea, Northern), which were operatively subordinate to the command of the air forces of the respective fleets. Their task was to provide transport services in the interests of
1992-407: The fuselage needed to be lengthened by at least 1.5 m (4.9 ft) to accommodate new combat equipment. Therefore, the second prototype (c/n 4201) joined the flight-test programme on 3 September with a 1.7-metre (5.6 ft) front fuselage stretch, a modification found on all subsequent Tu-142s. The third and final development Tu-142 entered flight test on 31 October , complete with
2075-651: The sea lines of communication across the North Atlantic Ocean between Europe and North America, the primary role of these aircraft was to protect the Soviet mainland from attacks by U.S. carrier task forces. Russian naval aviation participated in the Russian military intervention in the War in Syria for a few months from November 2016 to January 2017 with the deployment of Russian Admiral Kuznetsov carrier to
2158-486: The 100th and 279th Regiments at the Severomorsk-3 NAB has been altered by removal of the 100 KIAP. Naval air bases of the Russian Naval Aviation include: Baltic Fleet air bases - HQ at Kaliningrad: Black Sea Fleet air bases - HQ at Sevastopol: Northern Fleet air bases - HQ at Severomorsk: Pacific Fleet air bases - HQ at Vladivostok: The Soviet and its successor the Russian Naval Aviation follow
2241-470: The 190th Mixed Aviation Regiment was reported to be active at the base while the 859th Naval Aviation Combat Training and Retraining Center continued to be hosted there. Waves of Ukrainian drones struck Yeysk airbase early in the morning of 29 September 2024, resulting in fires and explosions. Early reports do not clarify the battle damage, and official reports from the two militaries have not yet been released. The Yeysk airfield has at some times been used as
2324-431: The 279th Shipborne Fighter Aviation Regiment. The 279th Independent Shipborne Assault Aviation Regiment was established in 1973. In 1990 it became a Maritime Assault Aviation Regiment. On 22 February 1993 it was renamed the 279th Shipborne Fighter Aviation Regiment as it absorbed the remaining elements of the 100th Shipborne Fighter Aviation Regiment. This is the structure of the Russian Naval Aviation, as reproduced from
2407-592: The 76th Naval Aviation Regiment from Kipelovo . Other developments of the Tu-142 include the one-off Tu-142MRT maritime reconnaissance variant, and the unbuilt Tu-142MS missile -carrying variant. Russian maritime patrol aircraft (MPAs) Tupolev Tu-142MZ/MR ('Bear F/J') of the Northern Fleet are being equipped with datalinks to enable them to receive targeting feeds from Russian Naval Aviation Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Forpost unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). To prepare for Tu-142 operations, on 22 June 1960
2490-511: The 859th Naval Aviation Training Center under the leadership of Major-General Alexei Serdyuk opened at the airfield. To ensure the educational process, training units were to be relocated from the Ostrov (air base) ( Pskov Oblast ) and the village of Kacha. For service center from the previously disbanded and civilian staff will be involved in more than one thousand people. By December 2018 the 726th Army Air Defense Training Center located next to
2573-591: The 959th Bomber Regiment was previously based at the airfield, which was part of the 1st Guards Composite Air Division. The 959th Bomber Aviation Regiment was previously the 959th Training Aviation Regiment. In September 2009, due to the transfer of the airfield from the Air Force to the Navy, the regiment was disbanded, and its members were part of the aircraft Su-24 relocated to Morozovsk airfield (6970th Air Base, 7th Brigade of Aerospace Defence). On 1 February 2010,
Yeysk air base - Misplaced Pages Continue
2656-645: The ASW Tu-142s in having less-sophisticated avionics, but had a long trailing wire radio aerial to relay messages to submerged Soviet submarines in times of nuclear war . This was among the many distinctive features of the Tu-142MR that allows it to communicate with satellites , airborne and ground-based command posts , and submarines. The aircraft replaced the Ilyushin Il-80 in the airborne command and control role. Tu-142s are currently operated by
2739-604: The Admiral Kuznetsov air wing), transferring them to the Air Force. The re-organization of the Air Force was later reverted on the grounds of being counter-productive. The four Air Forces and Air Defence Operational Commands (1st through 4th) were reverted to Air Forces and Air Defence Armies (6th, 14th, 11th and 4th respectively), one per military district each. With the establishment of the Northern Fleet Joint Strategic Command as
2822-726: The August 2007 issue of the Air Forces Monthly . Given the new data from 2015 to 2016 about the two shipborne fighter aviation regiments above, the 100th Shipborne Fighter Aviation Regiment, listed at Severomorsk-3 with the MiG-29K , has been removed from the Northern Fleet listing. NAVAL HIGH COMMAND – Saint Petersburg Northern Fleet Air Force – HQ Severomorsk Pacific Fleet Air Force – HQ Vladivostok Baltic Fleet Air Force – HQ Kaliningrad Black Sea Fleet Air Arm – HQ Sevastopol (status in 2010) As
2905-693: The Baltic, and 30 seaplanes in the Black Sea. They were served by 78 officers and 859 lower ranks. As of 1 January 1917, the Russian Naval Aviation was an impressive force and included 264 airplanes of various types. Of these, 152 aircraft and 4 small controlled balloons were in the Black Sea Fleet , 88 aircraft in the Baltic. Another 29 aircraft were available in the Petrograd and Baku officer aviation schools. From September 1916 to May 1917 alone,
2988-660: The Black Sea Fleet). Buying brand new multirole Sukhoi Su-30SM for the Black Sea Fleet to replace Su-24 was in the planning stages and it has been completed as of December 2016. Naval aviation also retains the anti-submarine aircraft of the forces (the Tu-142 and the Il-38) and the helicopter arm. Given the new data from 2015 to 2016 from Russian sources regarding the 100th Shipborne Fighter Aviation Regiment's disbandment in 1993, Air Force's Monthly's listing of both
3071-738: The Black Sea. In the spring of 1914, by the decision of the Minister of the Navy, an aviation department was introduced into the staff of the Naval General Staff, consisting of three people. The beginning of the World War I found the Russian Naval Aviation at the stage of organizational formation. In total, by 1 August 1914, the Naval Ministry had about three dozen aircraft of various types and about 20 certified pilots. About 10 more officers underwent flight training directly in
3154-581: The Crimea on 10 March 1986. In January 1992 its personnel refused to take the oath of loyalty to Ukraine , which would have presumably made them part of the Ukrainian Navy or Ukrainian Air Force , and instead its personnel left for Russia, leaving their aircraft and equipment behind. The unit regrouped at Severomorsk-3 as part of the Northern Fleet. However, in February 1993 the regiment was disbanded and its personnel and equipment incorporated into
3237-640: The Kuibyshev Plant produced a total of 18 Tu-142s. In the early 1970s, production of Tu-142s was switched to the Taganrog Machinery Plant near the Black Sea . It has been speculated that the change to the idle plant was to give employment to the workers there. The move required many improvements to the plant and the surrounding area, including the establishment of new assembly shops, the installation of new machinery and tooling,
3320-617: The NK-32 for the Tu-160 . The first Tu-142MK was converted for an airborne laboratory role, setting several altitude-in-horizontal and time-to-climb records in its class. In 1981 the Indian Navy began considering a long-range maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft for its Naval Air Arm . The Soviet Union initially offered to refurbish some of its own Tu-142s for India, rather than construct new aircraft. The Indian Navy
3403-655: The Naval Aviation, after the end of hostilities, assault aviation was completely eliminated, however, three more aviation divisions were formed: the 17th SAD and the 18th SAD of the Pacific Fleet Air Force, as well as the 19th MTAD of the Navy's Main Command. To attack surface ships at long ranges, the Soviet Navy was unique in deploying large numbers of bombers in a maritime role for use by Naval Aviation. The Kiev class of Soviet aircraft carriers
Yeysk air base - Misplaced Pages Continue
3486-554: The Naval Department received 61 Grigorovich M-11 and M-12 seaplanes . 26 of them flew in the Black Sea, about 20 entered the Baltic. In the Black Sea and Baltic aviation units, respectively, 115 and 96 officers, 1039 and 1339 conductors, non-commissioned officers and privates served. The regular Soviet naval aviation units were created in 1918. They participated in the Russian Civil War , cooperating with
3569-595: The Naval Minister Vice Admiral Ivan Grigorovich , acquired the character of an order for the Naval Ministry. The logical continuation of the report was a letter from MGSh No. 1706/272 dated 06/02/1912 to the head of the General Staff School on the formation of the infrastructure of aviation units in 1913. As of 1 January 1913, there was one seaplane and two wheeled airplanes in the Baltic, and five seaplanes on
3652-670: The RGB-1A and RGB-2 buoys of the Berkut , the Tu-142MZ was compatible with the RGB-16 and RGB-26 buoys. When working with the ASW avionics, these buoys provided 50% greater coverage. The Kuznetsov NK-12MV were replaced by the more-powerful NK-12MP engines, and for the first time, the Tu-142 had an independent engine-starting capability with the addition of the TA-12 auxiliary power unit . This variant
3735-663: The Russian Navy Deputy Commander-in-Chief for Naval Aviation and Air Defense/Commander, Naval Air and Air Defense Forces is Major General Igor Kozhin . On 30 May 1912, the Vice-Admiral of the Imperial Russian Navy , Vice-Admiral Alexander Karl Nikolai von Lieven submitted a written report No. 127 on the plan for the creation of aviation detachments in the fleets . This document, approved with some reservations by
3818-487: The Soviet Navy began selecting personnel for conversion training. The first group began its three-month training period on 4 March 1970 at the seaside town of Nikolayev (since renamed Mykolaiv). Meanwhile, the first Tu-142s were delivered to the Northern Fleet at Kipelovo AB, where they were initially tasked with tracking and monitoring nuclear-powered submarines as part of the type's operational trials. Throughout
3901-537: The TOE of the Soviet (Russian Air Force respectively). This practice was formally established with Order No. 0036 of the Navy Chief-of-Staff (issued on 7 October and implemented on 15 December 1947). Therefore, it followed air force unit convention (air army (air corps) - aviation division - aviation regiment) and its personnel held air force type ranks (generals, colonels, majors etc.). A major divergence from
3984-542: The Taganrog production line the following year, bringing an end to a 26-year production run during which 100 Tu-142s were produced. A communications variant designated Tu-142MR ("Bear J") was the last production version of the Tu-142. It was tasked with long-range communications duties with Soviet ballistic missile submarines , a role similar to that of the Boeing E-6 Mercury . The Tu-142MR differed from
4067-617: The Tu-142 to operate from semi-prepared runways, the Tu-95's four-wheel main undercarriage bogies were replaced with 12-wheel units; the main undercarriage fairings were also modified. The first Tu-142 (construction number 4200) was built at the Kuibyshev Aviation Plant in Samara . It performed its first flight on 18 June 1968 , with test pilot I. K. Vedernikov at the controls, taking off from Zhukovsky Airfield southeast of Moscow . Early testing indicated that
4150-619: The Tu-142's military applications, a one-off Tu-142MP was used to test a new ASW suite. Another Tu-142 was converted to replace the Tu-95LL for the testing of turbojet engines . Designated Tu-142LL , the ASW equipment and armament were removed to allow an engine test bed to be carried under the belly. Some of the engines installed were the NK-25 for the Tu-22MZ , RD36-51A for the Tu-144D , and
4233-430: The air base had received their first Tor-M2DT surface-to-air missile systems. Planet Labs satellite imagery from 26 June 2023 of the air base showed decoy fighter jets painted on the hardstand in an apparent deception tactic against Ukrainian attacks. Similar painted decoys have been seen at Kirovske and Primorsko-Akhtarsk air base . On the night of 4-5 April 2024, Ukrainian drones are reported to have attacked
SECTION 50
#17327913896724316-553: The air field battalion and the other support units servicing the air field reported to their air division. Another difference is that Soviet military air arms did not bring aviation units of different branches (fighter, transport, helicopter) together. The only exceptions were Mixed Aviation Regiments, (which performed liaison and transport tasks for armies, military districts etc. and had a fleet of An-24/ An-26 planes and Mi-8/ Mi-9 helicopters) or rarely air regiments, which flew one single type in different variants and tasks (for example
4399-403: The aircraft at first proceeded slowly; as more Tu-142s were produced, the type was allocated to the Pacific Fleet . Throughout its operational history, the Tu-142 demonstrated significant capabilities. On 19–22 August 1974 , four Tu-142s shadowed a foreign submarine in the Barents Sea ; one of the aircraft was reported to have maintained continuous contact for 2 hours and 55 minutes. In 1975,
4482-427: The airport. According to Ukrainian intelligence they destroyed two Su-25s and killed four base personnel. Russia denied these claims. On 21 June 2024, Ukrainian drones attacked the 726th Army Air Defense Training Center next to the air base causing an extensive fire detected by NASA 's FIRMS . The attack reportedly destroyed facilities and personnel used for the launch of Shahed drones . As of September 2024,
4565-492: The commissioning of INAS 312 , the operator of Indian Tu-142s; by the end of October the fleet of eight Tu-142s was delivered. In May 1992 , the squadron was relocated to its current operating base at INS Rajali on the Indian east coast. The Tu-142s were replaced by twelve smaller Boeing P-8Is . The Indian Navy retired the last three operational aircraft on 29 March 2017. In 2020, two Tupolev Tu-142s were intercepted by RAF Typhoons near British Airspace. In August 2023,
4648-418: The cornerstone of which was the Korshun ( Kite ) radar, was installed on all subsequent Tu-142s. This system was used for detecting surfaced and submerged submarines, communicating with other ASW aircraft and ground bases, and performing navigational and tactical tasks. The first three Tu-142Ms were the first aircraft to be equipped with this system, and thus were redesignated Tu-142MK ("Bear F" Mod. 3) . It
4731-422: The crash. There was no indication that the crew made use of emergency equipment, although a lifeboat on board the plane was fitted with a device that transmits a signal in the event of an accident. Chief of the General Staff Nikolay Makarov believed an engine failure could have caused the crash. A memorial service was held for the crew on 16 December 2009 . A search for the bodies of the eleven crew members
4814-497: The decision to divest its fighter air arm (but not its bomber aircraft, which remain with the Air Force). MiG-31 were transferred back to the Navy and new Su-30SM heavy multirole fighters were ordered. These aircraft were grouped into fighter aviation regiments independent from the air bases. As of 2019 the naval aviation air bases consist of maritime patrol and ASW aircraft, transport aircraft, ASW helicopters, combat and assault helicopters, transport helicopters and UAVs. Naval aviation
4897-413: The early 1990s, with the dissolution of the Soviet Union , the Soviet fleet of Tu-142s was handed to the Russian Navy , although the Ukrainian Air Force gained a few Tu-142s that had been left in its territory. Ukrainian Tu-142s were later dismantled as a result of the bilateral START I treaty signed between the United States and the Soviet Union in 1991, which came into effect in late 1994. Besides
4980-410: The fleets (Air Force of the Northern Fleet, Air Force of the Pacific Fleet, Air Force of the Baltic Fleet and Air Force of the Black Sea Fleet) were disbanded and naval aviation assets adopted a three level operational chain of command including Military District — Fleet — Air Base. Concerning its inventory, it was decided that the naval aviation divest its heavy bombers and fighter aircraft (except for
5063-418: The fleets. By the beginning of the war, there were only 10 seaplanes in the Baltic, based in Libau , and 8 seaplanes in the Black Sea , in Sevastopol , and Kilen Bay. It was planned to deploy air detachments in the Pacific Ocean only by the summer of 1915, but this was not implemented due to the outbreak of the war. At the beginning of March 1915, the Naval Aviation already had 77 aircraft, including 47 in
SECTION 60
#17327913896725146-403: The fleets. In addition, from the first days of the war, some aviation units of the NKVD Border Troops were transferred to the Naval Aviation. At the same time, the first assault aviation units appeared in the Navy's Air Force: a squadron of the 57th BAP in the Baltic and the 46th OSHAE in the Black Sea Fleet. In the Great Patriotic War , the Naval Aviation turned out to be the most effective of
5229-416: The forces of the fleet - the destruction of 407 enemy ships by aviation was officially confirmed, which is 66% of losses, with a total number of losses - 614 units (however, there is information that official data on the effectiveness of the work of mine and torpedo aviation, for a number of reasons, they are greatly overestimated). In the end of World War II, a reduction in the Soviet Armed Forces began. In
5312-423: The full equipment suite. In May 1970, the Soviet Naval Aviation (AV-MF) – the air arm of the Soviet Navy – began receiving production Tu-142s for operational trials. During early operations, the Tu-142 revealed several shortcomings. The aircraft's rough-field capability was found to be of limited use, so the 12-wheel bogies used on the first 12 of 36 aircraft were replaced with four-wheel reinforced bogies from
5395-663: The largest and most important fleets, the Northern and Pacific fleets, operate long range Tu-142 anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft, Il-38 medium-range ASW aircraft, and Ka-27 shipborne ASW and search-and-rescue (SAR) helicopters. Formations operating supersonic Tu-22M3 bombers were transferred to the Russian Air Force's Long Range Aviation in 2011. The relatively small fleets, the Baltic and Black Sea, currently have only tactical Su-24 bombers and ASW helicopters in service. The small Caspian Flotilla operates An-26 and Mi-8 transports, Ka-27 PS rescue helicopters, as well as some Ka-29 and Mi-24 armed helicopters. In 2011,
5478-413: The late 1950s the US Navy developed the UGM-27 Polaris , a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) with a range of more of than 1,800 kilometres ( 1,000 nm ). They had test-fired rocket boosters to perfect the design, culminating in the first underwater launch of a ballistic missile by USS George Washington on 20 July 1960 . Polaris became operational on 15 November that year, when
5561-410: The mid-1930s, the Soviets created the Naval Air Force in the Baltic Fleet , the Black Sea Fleet and the Soviet Pacific Fleet . The importance of naval aviation had grown significantly by 1938–1940, to become one of the main components of the Soviet Navy. By this time, the Soviets had created formations and units of the torpedo and bomb aviation. At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War , all of
5644-450: The name Udar (Blow). In 1965, work had started on sonobuoy systems using ESS to be integrated with the Berkut radar. The programme was postponed when one of the aircraft intended to carry it, the Ilyushin Il-38 , was found to be incompatible. The developments instead resulted in the Udar-75 , which was featured in a new search and targeting system (STS) of the Taganrog-built Tu-142Ms. A new target acquisition system dubbed Korshun-K ,
5727-478: The only defensive armament. The aircraft's search-and-targeting system featured Berkut (Golden Eagle) 360° radar . A complex navigation system was integrated with the weapons targeting system . Structural differences included an airfoil change to the wing, expanding its area to 295 m ( 3,172 ft ). The area of the elevators was increased by 14%, and improved hydraulic actuators were fitted. Metal fuel tanks replaced rubber bladders. To allow
5810-426: The practice in the NATO member states and the countries, which follow US air force traditions is that the Soviet Union, its Warsaw Pact and other Socialist allies (such as Vietnam, North Korea, Cuba etc.) kept flying units and the ground support units separate (radar, signals, engineer units) subordinated separately to higher command and control level. For example, an aviation regiment and the radar and signals battalion,
5893-437: The re-training of the workforce, and the building of a new airfield. Preparation took place until 1975, when production of the first Tu-142 began. The Tu-142s built by Taganrog incorporated the changes found on the last of the Kuibyshev aircraft. Differences included a 30-centimetre (12 in) stretch to the front fuselage and a redesigned cockpit . Additional changes included new two-axle main undercarriage bogies. This version
5976-718: The ships and the army during the combats at Petrograd , on the Baltic Sea , the Black Sea, the Volga , the Kama River , Northern Dvina and on the Lake Onega . The newborn Soviet Naval Air Force consisted of 76 obsolete hydroplanes. Scanty and technically imperfect, it was mostly used for resupplying the ships and the army. In the second half of the 1920s, the Naval Aviation order of battle began to grow. It received new reconnaissance hydroplanes, bombers , and fighters . In
6059-515: The test programme, effort focused on the verification of the ASW avionics, notably the Berkut-95 radar, as the airframe itself was not a major concern. The Tu-142 reached initial operational capability in December 1972 after a successful flight-test programme. Prior to that, in December 1971 , the second group selected for Tu-142 operations started its own conversion training. Deliveries of
6142-456: Was at first hesitant about the large Tu-142, which was heavy and thus would require runways to be reinforced and lengthened at potential operating bases. Consequently, the service requested three Ilyushin Il-38s – then being phased out of service with the Soviet Navy – be refurbished for Indian operations. This request fell through, and so in December 1984 an agreement to purchase eight Tu-142s
6225-466: Was conducting live-fire training exercises in the Mediterranean off the coast of Libya . The Russian defence ministry announced that on 11 January, Admiral Kuznetsov was visited by Libya's military leader Khalifa Haftar , who had a video conference with Russian defence minister Sergey Shoygu while on board. As of September 2024 the non-operational aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov
6308-404: Was damaged in the attempt. Following the two incidents, the air wing was transferred to shore at Khmeimim Air Base near Latakia , Syria to continue military operations while the carrier's arresting gear issues were addressed. During her deployment off Syria, aircraft from Admiral Kuznetsov carried out 420 combat missions, hitting 1,252 hostile targets. On 11 January 2017, Admiral Kuznetsov
6391-659: Was deployed in the late 1970s and carried up to 30 aircraft including Yak-38 VTOL fighters . The next class of Soviet aircraft carriers, named the Admiral Kuznetsov class , supported more conventional aircraft such as the Su-33 "Flanker-D" and the MiG-29 "Fulcrum" . Land-based aircraft such as the Tupolev Tu-16 "Badger" and Tu-22M "Backfire" bombers were deployed with high-speed anti-ship missiles . Previously believed to be interceptors of NATO supply convoys traveling
6474-561: Was distinguished from earlier "Bear Fs" by the chin fairings housing several antennas. The flight test programme started in 1985 with the maiden flight of a converted Tu-142M fitted with the advanced avionics; state acceptance trials began within two years. Test results proved excellent, as the aircraft successfully tracked nuclear-powered submarines of the Northern and Pacific Fleets . The aircraft became operational with Russian Naval Aviation (AV-MP) in 1993. The last Tu-142MZ rolled off
6557-472: Was given the factory designation Tu-142M , which was not adopted by the Soviet Navy; NATO codenamed it "Bear-F" Mod 2. As the 1970s progressed, silencing technology in submarines rendered acoustic-band sonobuoys and trigger devices ineffective. During 1961 and 1962, the Soviet Union conducted research and development into an explosive sound system (ESS) – used to locate deep-diving submarines – under
6640-588: Was signed. For the twelve-month period starting from May 1987 , the Indian Navy sent 40 pilots and observers, 16 technical officers and 128 sailors to Riga for training. On 30 March 1988 , the first three Tu-142s arrived at the Indian naval air station of INS Hansa , Goa , after a flight from Simferopol (Gvardeyskoye Air Base) in the Crimean peninsula . On 13 April two more aircraft arrived, prior to
6723-1038: Was subordinated to the Western Military District, but with the re-vitalization of Russia's interests in the High Arctic it was decided to make it part of the core of a new, fifth, military district - the Northern Fleet Joint Strategic Command . Northern Fleet Joint Strategic Command ( Объединённое стратегическое командование «Северный флот» ) — Severomorsk Order of Lenin Western Military District ( Западный военный округ ( ЗВО )) — Saint Petersburg Red Banner and Order of Suvorov Southern Military District ( Краснознамённый ордена Суворова Южный военный округ ( ЮВО )) – Rostov-on-Don Tu-142 The Tupolev Tu-142 ( Russian : Туполев Ту- 142; NATO reporting name : Bear F/J )
6806-504: Was the first Tu-142 to feature a MAD, its MMS-106 Ladoga system being mounted in an aft-facing fairing atop the vertical stabiliser . The first of three Tu-142MKs that underwent Stage A of the trials programme made its first flight on 4 November 1975 ; despite the dismal performance figures, a production go-ahead was given. Stage B , conducted during April–October 1978 , found that the aircraft's avionics were extremely unreliable; like Stage A , these problems were apparently ignored when
6889-544: Was to carry a 9,000 kg ( 19,841 lb ) payload with a maximum loiter time of 10.5 hours . The design was dropped, however, because it lacked a powerful radar , thermal imaging (infrared) system and magnetic anomaly detector (MAD). On 28 February 1963 , the Council of Ministers (the highest executive and administrative body of the Soviet Union) issued a directive to Tupolev requiring his bureau to develop
#671328