6th Army Air Force and Air Defense

Background

The 6th separate air defense army originates on April 5, 1942, when the Leningrad Air Defense Army was created by the Decree of the State Defense Committee.

On November 10, 1942, the Leningrad Front Air Force was transformed into the 13th VA (subsequently 76 VA).

The formation of 16 VA was initiated by the order of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR on August 8, 1942.

During the Great Patriotic War, the personnel of the 6th separate army (OA) of air defense and the 13th VA took part in the defense of Leningrad, and the personnel of the 16th VA - in the battles of Moscow , Kursk, crossing the Dnieper, the liberation of Belarus and Poland, and capture of Berlin .

With the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, air defense pilots and anti-aircraft gunners engaged in mortal combat with Nazi troops rushing to Leningrad. Already in the early days of the war, fighter pilots and anti-aircraft gunners opened a combat account for downed enemy aircraft. Air fighters, protecting the sky over Leningrad, used a technique unprecedented for the enemy - an air ram. In September 1941, the air defense forces of the Leningrad Front frustrated an attempt by fascist aviation to destroy the ships of the Baltic Fleet .

Together with men, 9,000 female volunteers fought in the union. Many of them served in the calculation of anti-aircraft batteries. In the 115th anti-aircraft artillery regiment was the 8th battery, where all the guns were female.

The task of special importance for aviation and air defense forces of the Leningrad Front was to cover the " Road of Life ", which played an extremely important role in the defense of the besieged Leningrad. Thanks to the courage and courage of the pilots and anti-aircraft gunners, the "Road of Life" acted continuously, despite the attempts of the Nazis to destroy it.

Pilots of 16 VA successfully coped with the task of destroying the large Nazi group surrounded near Stalingrad . In the battles near Kursk they managed to exhaust, weaken enemy aircraft, and ensure the conquest of air supremacy, which served as one of the important prerequisites for the complete collapse of the German offensive. In September - October 1943, personnel of 16 VA took part in the battles to force the Dnieper , marking the beginning of the liberation of Ukraine and Belarus .

In the battles near Kursk, an illustrious ace was opened the account of downed enemy planes, subsequently three times Hero of the Soviet Union Ivan Kozhedub, who brought this score to 62 by April 1945. Having made 330 sorties, he participated in 120 air battles.

Over the next 10 months (from October 1, 1943 to August 1944), units and formations of 16 VA participated in the liberation of Belarus. The pilots were especially distinguished by their fearless, crushing blows to the Bobruisk Cauldron, in which 8 enemy divisions were surrounded. The entire operation was carried out within 2 hours. As a result of air strikes, the enemy’s ability and will to resist were broken.

Aviation 16 VA in the Berlin offensive operation played a large role in the defeat of the Wehrmacht . In commemoration of an outstanding victory in the final operation of the Great Patriotic War, the entire personnel of the army was awarded the medal “ For the capture of Berlin ”.

About 28 thousand North-West air defense soldiers were awarded medals “For the Defense of Leningrad”. For courage and bravery, 377 pilots and navigators were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, 11 of them - twice, and Ivan Nikitovich Kozhedub - three times.

In total, during the war years, formations and military units of the association destroyed 11 thousand 151 enemy aircraft, 5435 tanks and armored vehicles, about 5 thousand artillery and anti-aircraft guns, more than 1.5 thousand railway trains, and about 230 thousand enemy manpower.

After the Victory 16 VA was part of the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany . New weapons and military equipment enter the Air Force and Air Defense Forces. The flight and engineering personnel of aviation are retraining for new high-speed aircraft with powerful weapons and modern avionics.

At the end of the 50s, three pilots served in the North-West Air Force, who in the early 60s of the last century became the first cosmonauts of the USSR: Yu. Gagarin, G. Titov and P. Popovich.

Post-war warriors, aviators, rocket men, signalmen, and representatives of other specialties of the associations conducted combat operations in China, Korea, Vietnam, Egypt, Syria, Cuba, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and the North Caucasus. Hundreds of soldiers of the association participated in the aftermath of the Chernobyl accident .

The 1st Red Banner Air Force and Air Defense Command is the continuation of the traditions of the 6th Air Defense OA, 76th and 16th VA. By the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of September 13, 2005 No. 1069 to the Red Banner Air Force and Air Defense Association for the mass heroism and courage, stamina and courage shown by personnel during the Great Patriotic War to protect the sky of the heroic city of Leningrad, and taking into account its merits in peacetime , awarded the honorary name "Leningrad". ^[one]

Formation

The army was formed on June 1, 1998 by the merger of the formations of the 76th Air Red Banner Army and the 6th separate Red Banner Air Defense Army . All awards are handed over to the newly formed army.

Names

• 2nd Air Defense Corps (since 1937 )
• Leningrad Air Defense Army (p. 7.4 . 1942 ) ^[2]
• 6th Separate Air Defense Army (from February 1961 )
• 6th Separate Red Banner Air Defense Army (p. 22.2 . 1968 )
• Military unit 20032 (before 15.3 . 1980 )
• Air Defense Forces of the Order of Lenin of the Leningrad Military District (from 15.3 . 1980 )
• 6th Separate Red Banner Air Defense Army (since April 1986 )
• 6th Red Banner Army of the Air Force and Air Defense (since 1.6 . 1998 )
• 6th Leningrad Red Banner Army Air Force and Air Defense (from 13.9 . 2005 )
• 1st Leningrad Red Banner Command of the Air Force and Air Defense (from 1.12 . 2009 )
• 6th Leningrad Red Banner Air Force and Air Defense Army (from 1.8 . 2015 )

Reformation

• The 6th Air Force and Air Defense Army on December 1, 2009, in connection with the ongoing reform of the Russian Armed Forces, was reorganized into the 1st Air Force and Air Defense Command , to which all regalia were transferred. The 1st Air Force and Air Defense Command was named the 1st Red Banner Air Force and Air Defense Command of the Western Military District.
• On August 1, 2015, the 1st Leningrad Red Banner Command of the Air Force and Air Defense was reorganized into the 6th Leningrad Red Banner Army of the Air Force and Air Defense ^[3] .

By the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of September 13, 2005 for the mass heroism and courage, stamina and courage shown by the army personnel during the Great Patriotic War to protect the sky of Leningrad, and taking into account its merits in peacetime, the army was given the honorary name "Leningradskaya".

• Lieutenant General of Aviation ^[4] Anatoly Ivanovich Basov ( .07 . 1998 - .04 . 2000 )
• Lieutenant General Gennady Andreyevich Torbov (2004 - .06 . 2005 )
• Lieutenant General Vladimir Georgievich Sviridov ( .06 . 2005 - .12 . 2009 ) ^[5]
• Lieutenant General Alexander Vasilievich Duplinsky (p .08 . 2015 )

The army is located on the territory of the Western Military District . Headquarters - in St. Petersburg .

• Management, military unit 09436 (St. Petersburg);
• 105th Guards Mixed Aviation Borisov Pomeranian twice Red Banner, Order of the Suvorov Division ( Voronezh ):
  • The 14th Guards Leningrad Red Banner Order of Suvorov III degree fighter aviation regiment, military unit 23243 (Kursk region, Halino).
    technique: 24 units. Su-30SM (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82). In 2017-2018, the regiment was converted to the Su-30SM. STORAGE: 24 units. MiG-29SMT and 4 units. MiG-29UBM. MiG-29 transfer to Astrakhan is possible.
  • 47th Separate Mixed Aviation Regiment (Voronezh): 24 units Su-34 (01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32).
  • 159th Guards Fighter Aviation Novorossiysk Red Banner Regiment, military unit 52906 (Petrozavodsk, Besovets).
    technique: 24 units. Su-35 (21, 22, 23, 24, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 61, 62, 63, 64, 67, 68, 70, 71, 72, 73), 2 units Su-27UB (65.66)
  • The 790th fighter order of Kutuzov, 3rd class, aviation regiment, military unit 32926 (Tverskaya oblast, Khotilovo).
    technique: 19 units MiG-31BSM (30, 31, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 50, 52, 53, 55, 57, 59, 61, 62), 5 units. MiG-31BM (32, 40, 51, 54.56), 10 units. Su-27SM (01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 27), 6 units. Su-35 (11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17), 1 unit. Su-27UB (10), 1 unit. Su-27UBP (52).
  • 4th Separate Reconnaissance Squadron (aer. Shatalovo, Smolensk Region): 12 units Su-24MR, 4 units. An-30. Until the end of 2018 it is planned to reorganize into a mixed aviation regiment with the addition of a squadron of Su-24M front-line bombers.
• The 899th Guards Assault Aviation Orshansky twice Red Banner, Order of Suvorov III degree regiment named after F. E. Dzerzhinsky (aero. Buturlinovka).
  The regiment was disbanded in 2009. Recovery plans announced shortly
• 33rd separate transport mixed aviation regiment of military unit 49719 (St. Petersburg, Vyborgsky district, Levashovo airfield).
  technique: 8 units. An-12, 12 units An-26, 2 units An-30, 6 units An-72, 2 units An-148, 2 units Tu-134, 2 units. L-410UVP-E20, 16 units Mi-8, 1 unit Mi-26
  • mixed aviation squadron 33rd detachment (Vladimir, Semyazino airdrome ) Previously, the 98th osae of the Strategic Missile Forces, transferred to the Air Force in 2011
    technique: 6 units. An-26 (01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 07), 7 units. Mi-8MTV-5 (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
  • Aviation Commandant's Office 33rd Detachment (Leningrad Region, Priozersky District, Gromovo Village). Formerly 1080th air base.
• 15th Army Aviation Brigade, military unit 44440 ( Ostrov, Pskov Region , aer. Veretye ).
  technique: 18 units. Ka-52 (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 69, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76), 16 units. Mi-28N (01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 70, 71),
  10 units Mi-35M (16, 17, 18, 67, 68, 69, 83 ...), 20 units. Mi-8MTV-5, 6 units Mi-26 (53, 54, 55, 56, 79, 80)
• The 440th Separate Helicopter Regiment of the Army Aviation, military unit 41687 ( Vyazma, Smolensk Region , aero. Dvoevka ).
  technique: 12 units. Ka-52, 16 units. Mi-24P, 20 units. Mi-8MTV-5, 3 units. Mi-8MTPR-1.
• 549th separate helicopter regiment of the army aviation, military unit 12633 (St. Petersburg, Pushkin airfield ). technique: 12 units. Mi-28N, 10 units. Mi-35M, 12 units. Mi-8MTV-5
  • Army Aviation Group 549th Separate Helicopter Regiment, military unit 12633-2 (Leningrad Region, Vyborgsky District, Glebychevo Settlement, aer. Pribylova).
    technique: 5 units. Mi-24P, 12 units. Mi-8MT, 5 units. Mi-8MTV-5.
• 83rd Separate Communication Regiment, military unit 54164 (Moscow Region, Kubinka).
• 565th support center (Voronezh).
• 15th aviation technical warehouse, military unit 53963 (St. Petersburg).
• 143rd aviation technical warehouse, military unit 83557 (Pskov region, Porkhov).
• 99th commandant of security and service, military unit 23709 (Saint-Petersburg).
• 2nd Red Banner Air Defense Division , military unit 10953 (v. Khvoyny ):
  • 500th Guards anti-aircraft missile missile Leningrad Red Banner Orders of the Suvorov and Kutuzov Regiment, military unit 90450 (Leningrad Region, Lomonosov District, Gostilitsy Village): 2 S-300PM air defense divisions, 2 S-400 air defense battalions, 96K6 96K6 battery Shell-C1 ";
  • 1544th anti-aircraft missile regiment, military unit 55584 (Leningrad region, Vsevolozhsk district, Vaskelovo-1 settlement, in fact: Pskov region, Vladimir camp settlement): 1 battalion of the 9K37M1 Buk missile defense system and 2 S-300V air defense divisions ;
  • 1488th anti-aircraft missile Red Banner Regiment, military unit 03216 (Zelenogorsk, St. Petersburg): 4 S-300PS air defense divisions;
  • 1489th guards anti-aircraft missile guards of the Rechitsa-Brandenburg Red Banner Order of the Suvorov and Bogdan Khmelnitsky Regiment Leningrad Region, Vsevolozhsky District, pos. Vaganovo
  • 1490th guards anti-aircraft missile Kiev-Lodz Red Banner Order of Kutuzov and Bogdan Khmelnytsky Regiment, military unit 28037 (Leningrad Region, Tosnensky District, Ulyanovka town): 4 air defense divisions S-300PS;
  • 334th Radio Engineering Red Banner Regiment, military unit 96848 (Republic of Karelia, Petrozavodsk);
  • 333rd radio engineering regiment, military unit 17646 (St. Petersburg, Krasnoselsky district, Khvoiny settlement).
• 32nd Air Defense Division , military unit 40963 ( Rzhev ) ;
  • 42nd Guards Putilov-Kirov Anti-aircraft Missile Regiment - Valdai
  • 108th Tula anti-aircraft missile regiment - Shilovo (Voronezh) - S-300PS
  • 335 Red Banner Radio Engineering Regiment - Yaroslavl
  • 336th Radio Regiment - Oryol
  • 337th Radio Technical Regiment - Rzhev
• 2488 separate engineering and combat engineer battalion (d. More, Leningrad region)

• History reference.
• Kommersant-Vlast. 6th Army Air Force and Air Defense.
• Aerospace Forces. 6th Army Air Force and Air Defense. (inaccessible link)
• Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. 6th Army Air Force and Air Defense.