The Soviet Air Force (Russian: Военно-воздушные силы, Voenno-vozdushnye sily, literally "Military Air Forces") is the aerial warfare service branch of the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union. It is currently under the command of Colonel General Aleksandr Zelin. The Soviet Navy has its own air arm, the Soviet Aviatsiya Voyenno Morskogo Flota ("Naval Aviation" or AV-MF).
The Air Force was formed from components of the Imperial Russian Air Force in 1917. Since World War II, the Air Force has suffered severe setbacks due to lack of resources, and has constantly shrunk in size. Recently, much more money has been allocated to the Armed Forces as a whole.
Aircraft inventory[]
Combat Aircraft[]
- Sukhoi Su-27 x 585
- Sukhoi Su-30 x 68 - another 66 on order
- Sukhoi Su-35 x 60 - another 72 on order
- Sukhoi Su-34 x 80 - another 218 on order
- Sukhoi Su-37 x 381 - another 319 on order
Bombers[]
- Tupolev Tu-22 x 116
- Tupolev Tu-95 x 63
- Tupolev Tu-160 x 36
Transports[]
- Antonov An-22 x 6
- Antonov An-124 x 14
- Ilyushin Il-76 x 218
- Antonov An-12 x 57
- Antonov An-72 x 39
- Antonov An-24 x 78
- Tupolev Tu-134 x 3
- Antonov An-26 x 92
Special[]
- Ilyushin Il-20 x 20
- Ilyushin Il-62 x 3
- Tupolev Tu-154 x 19
- Ilyushin Il-78 x 20
- Beriev Be-50 x 27
- Ilyushin Il-80 x 4
- Yakovlev Yak-40 x 2
- LET L-410 Turbolet x 8
- Antonov An-140 x 5
- Ilyushin Il-96 x 3
- Tupolev Tu-204 x 6
Trainers[]
- Yakovlev Yak-130 x 32
- Aero L-39 Albatros x 398
- Tupolev Tu-134 x 31
- Yakovlev Yak-52 x 10
- Yakovlev Yak-18 x 1
Helicopters[]
- Kamov Ka-50 x 8
- Kamov Ka-52 x 35
- Mil Mi-24 x 565
- Mil Mi-28 x 84
- Mil Mi-8 x 806
- Mil Mi-26 x 51
- Kamov Ka-226 x 10
- Kazan Ansat x 19
- Mil Mi-2 x 296
- Kamov Ka-28 x 2
- Kamov Ka-29 x 21
- Mil Mi-6 x 27