10th Composite Aviation Corps


The 10th Composite Aviation Corps was a military formation of the Bulgarian Air Force. Its headquarters was in Plovdiv, and it was active from 1961 to the late 1980s.
It was established in September 1961 and its first commander was Major-General. The new corps headquarters was mainly composed of officers from the command of 2nd Air Defence Corps and from the command of the just disbanded in Graf Ignatievo, hence the number. It was decided that Plovdiv Airport was to be the headquarters of the new formation. Parallel to the formation of the corps commenced the formation of 44th Helicopter Air Regiment, also at the Plovdiv airport. In 1961 the air corps included:
  • two fighter air regiments, flying MiG-15s, 17s and 19s
  • two fighter-bomber air regiments, flying MiG-15s and 17s
  • 26th Reconnaissance Air Regiment, flying MiG-15bis and Il-28s
  • one transport air regiment, flying Li-2s and Il-14s
  • 44th Helicopter air regiment, initially flying three Mi-4s and 4 Mi-1s
  • signals battalion
  • 10th Radiotechnical Battalion
  • 19th Fighter Air Regiment was included temporarily at Graf Ignatievo, flying MiG-19S/PMs
The Corps was still active as of 1 June 1995. However, it was disestablished over the next year or two to become the Tactical Aviation Command.

List of units and formations 1988

  • Headquarters, Plovdiv airfield
  • Command Post, Plovdiv Airfield
  • Kolyu Ganchevo Air Base
  • *13th Helicopter Air Regiment of Combat Helicopters
  • ** 1/13th Attack Helicopter Air Squadron, flying Mil Mi-24D
  • ** 2/13th Attack Helicopter Air Squadron, flying Mi-24D/V
  • * 42nd Independent Aviation Technical Battalion
  • * 21st Independent Battalion for Signals and Radio- and Lighting Technical Support
  • Graf Ignatievo Airfield
  • *19th Fighter Air Regiment
  • **1/19th Fighter Air Squadron, flying MiG-21bis/UM
  • **2/19th Fighter Air Squadron, flying MiG-21bis/UM
  • *39th Independent Aviation Technical Battalion
  • * 19th Independent Battalion for Signals and Radio- and Lighting Technical Support
  • Uzundzhovo Airfield
  • *21st Fighter Air Regiment
  • ** 1/21st Fighter Air Squadron, flying MiG-21MF/UM
  • ** 2/21st Fighter Air Squadron, flying MiG-21MF/UM
  • *81st Independent Aviation Technical Battalion
  • * 21st Independent Battalion for Signals and Radio- and Lighting Technical Support
  • Bezmer Airfield
  • 22nd Fighter-Bomber Air Regiment
  • * 1/22nd Fighter-Bomber Air Squadron, flying Su-25K/UBK
  • * 2/22nd Fighter-Bomber Air Squadron, flying Su-25K/UBK
  • ? Independent Aviation Technical Battalion
  • 22nd Independent Battalion for Signals and Radio- and Lighting Technical Support
  • Cheshnegirovo Airfield
  • *25th Fighter-Bomber Air Regiment
  • ** 1/25th Fighter-Bomber Air Squadron, flying MiG-23BN/UB
  • ** 2/25th Fighter-Bomber Air Squadron, flying MiG-23BN/UB
  • * ? Independent Aviation Technical Battalion
  • * 25th Independent Battalion for Signals and Radio- and Lighting Technical Support
  • Tolbukhin Airfield
  • * 26th Reconnaissance Air Regiment
  • ** 1/26th Reconnaissance Air Squadron, flying MiG-21R/F-13 (R)/US
  • ** 2/26th Reconnaissance Air Squadron, flying Su-22M4, Su-22UM3K
  • ** Independent Air Flight for Operational Reconnaissance, flying MiG-25RBT, MiG-25RU
  • * 30th Independent Aviation Technical Battalion
  • * 26th Independent Battalion for Signals and Radio- and Lighting Technical Support
  • Krumovo Airfield
  • * 44th Helicopter Air Regiment
  • ** 1/44th Helicopter Air Squadron, flying Mil Mi-8T
  • ** 2/44th Helicopter Air Squadron, flying Mi-17
  • ** 3/44th Helicopter Air Squadron, flying Mi-2
  • *? Independent Aviation Technical Battalion
  • * 44th Independent Battalion for Signals and Radio- and Lighting Technical Support
  • Troops Aviation Repair Workshop Graf Ignatievo
  • Troops Aviation Repair Workshop Bezmer
  • Troops Aviation Missile Repair Workshop
  • 10th Signals Regiment, in Plovdiv
  • 10th Radio-Technical Battalion, in Plovdiv