Belarusian Air Force
The Air Force and Air Defence Forces of the Republic of Belarus is a branch of Armed Forces of Belarus tasked with conduction and countering air warfare. It was formed in 2001 by merging separate air force and air defense branches.
Belarus formed its air force in 1992 from the 26th Air Army of the Soviet Air Forces which had been serving in the Byelorussian SSR.
History
Soviet era
On 5 May 1942, on the basis of the Air Forces of the Western Front, the 1st Air Army was created. In January 1949, the Army became the 26th Air Army. In 1980, the 26th Air Army was redesignated the Air Forces of the Belorussian Military District.In May 1988 the Air Forces of the District were again renamed the 26th Air Army. In June 1992, the headquarters of the 26th Air Army became the headquarters of the Air Forces of the Republic of Belarus.
Aircraft operated by the 26th Air Army and 2nd Air Defence Army, prior to the collapse of the USSR, included the MiG-23, MiG-25, and the Sukhoi Su-22.
Independence and establishment
The Armed Forces of Belarus came into existence on September 20, 1991, when the Supreme Soviet of Belarus voted an order "On the Formation of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus" through the transformation of the Belorussian Military District of the Soviet Union. The order of the Supreme Soviet was followed by the Law "On the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus" a year later on November 3, 1992. In line with those transformations the 26th Air Army of the Belorussian MD became the Air Forces of Belarus and the Soviet Air Defence Troops' 2nd Air Defence Army became the Air Defence Troops of Belarus, continuing the Soviet practice of two separate air arms.The Belarusian air force was established on June 15, 1992, when the Minister of Defence issued Order #05/15.06.1992 for the transformation of the 26th Air Army into the Air Forces of the Republic of Belarus. The Belarusian Air Force took over all the assets of the 26th AA, except for the 1st Guards Bomber Aviation Division, which was transferred to the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. At that time the composition of the 26th Red Banner Air Army was:
- 1st Guards Stalingradskaya, awarded the Order of Lenin and twice awarded the Order of the Red Banner Bomber Aviation Division, Lida
- 927th Fighter Air Regiment at Osovtsy-Beryoza AB, flying MiG-29 and MiG-21
- 10th Separate Reconnaissance Air Regiment at Shtuchin AB, flying MiG-25RB/BM, Su-24MR and MiG-21R
- 151st Separate Air Regiment for Electronic Warfare also at Shtuchin AB, flying MiG-25RB and Yak-28PP
- 378th Separate Ground Attack Air Regiment also at Postavy-Ozerki AB, flying Su-25
- 397th Separate Ground Attack Air Regiment at Kobrin AB, flying Su-25
- 206th Separate Ground Attack Air Regiment at Pruzhany-West AB, flying Su-25 and L-39
- 50th Separate Mixed Air Regiment at Lipki AB, flying Tu-134, An-12, An-26 and Il-22 aircraft, Mi-6, Mi-8 and Mi-24R helicopters. In May 1989 it absorbed the 66th Separate Mixed Air Squadron and the 248th Separate Helicopter Squadron, gaining their Mi-26, Mi-24К, Mi-8/MTYa/Mi-9.
- 266th Separate Helicopter Squadron for Electronic Warfare at Minsk-Stepnyanka AB, flying Mi-8PPA/SMV
- 302nd Separate Helicopter Squadron for Electronic Warfare also at Kobrin AB, flying Mi-8PPA/SMV
From the Air Defence Troops:
- 25th Separate Mixed Squadron, 2nd Separate Army of the ADT at Machulishti AB, flying 10 Mi-8
- 65th Separate Heavy Combat Helicopter Regiment, Red Banner Belarusian Military District at Kobrin AB, flying 20 each of Mi-26, Mi-6 and Mi-8
- 181st Separate Combat Helicopter Regiment, 28th Combined Arms Army at Zasimovichi AB, flying 40 Mi-24V/P and 20 Mi-8MT/TV
- 95th Separate Tilzitskaya, Red Banner Mixed Helicopter Squadron, 28th Combined Arms Army at Chekhovshchizna-Grodno AB, flying a total of 20 Mi-24R/K, Mi-8/9 and Mi-2
- 276th Separate Combat Helicopter Regiment, 5th Guards Tank Army at Borovtsy AB, flying 40 Mi-24V/P and 20 Mi-8MT/TV
- 46th Separate Mixed Helicopter Squadron, 5th Guards Tank Army at Zaslonovo-Chashnik AB, flying a total of 20 Mi-24R/K, Mi-8/9 and Mi-2
- 13th Separate Mixed Helicopter Squadron, 7th Tank Army at Kiselevichi-Bobruysk AB, flying a total of 20 Mi-22VKP, Mi-6, Mi-9VzPU and Mi-8
- 206th Separate Helicopter Squadron, 32nd Ballistic Missile Division, 50th Red Banner Ballistic Missile Army at Postavy AB, flying 8 Mi-8T and 2 Mi-9VzPU
- 212th Separate Helicopter Squadron, 33rd Guards Ballistic Missile Division, 50th Red Banner Ballistic Missile Army at Mozyr' AB, flying 7 Mi-8T and 2 Mi-9VzPU
- 257th Separate Helicopter Squadron, 49th Guards Ballistic Missile Division, 43rd Ballistic Missile Army at Lida AB, flying 7 Mi-8T and 2 Mi-9VzPU
In January 1992, the 927th Koenigsberg Red Banner Order of Alexander Nevsky Fighter Regiment at Bereza-Osovitsy, Brest Oblast became part of the Air Force of Belarus. In 1993 or 1994, it was renamed as the 927th Koenigsberg Red Banner Order of Alexander Nevsky Fighter Air Base.
On 8 November 2001, the Air Forces and Air Defence Troops were merged into the Air Forces and Air Defence of the Armed Forces of Belarus.
In 2002 two Operational-Tactical Air Force Commands were formed parallel to the two territorial commands of the ground forces. The Western OTAFC had its HQ at the Baranovichi AB, Brest Oblast and was composed of one combat air base, five missile air defence brigades, one radar brigade, four aviation command posts and other support units. The Southwestern OTAFC had its HQ at the Machulishchi AB in Minsk Oblast and was composed of one combat air base, three missile air defence brigades and one missile air defence regiment, one radar brigade, an aviation command post and other support units. The 50th Separate Transport Air Base, the reserve airfields and other support units were kept under Air Force HQ. In the end of 2014 the Chief of the Air Force and Air Defence Major-General Oleh Dvihalyov has informed the media, that the two OTAFCs were disbanded due to the increased automatisation in the command and control of the forces.
The new 56th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment was formed at Luninets air base in early 2023, equipped with the S-300PS. Previously, the 56th Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade was based at Slutsk, equipped with the Buk missile system, but disbanded in late 2014.
Air Defence Forces
The armed forces of the Soviet Union kept the air defence assets responsible for the air cover of the territory separate from the Air Force. The 2nd Separate Air Defence Army provided air defence for the Byelorussian SSR and had its HQ in the capital Minsk. It had two air defence corps - the 11th Corps of Air Defence had its HQ in Baranovichi an AOR covering Belarus and the 28th Corps of Air Defence had its HQ in Lviv, Ukrainian SSR and AOR over Western Ukraine. At the time of its takeover by the military of Belarus the 11th Corps AD had the following structure:- 28th Separate Mixed Aviation Squadron, Minsk-Machulishchy, flying An-26, Mi-8 and Mi-9
- 11th Corps of Air Defence, Baranovichi
- * 56th Signals Regiment, Urechye
- * 10th Separate Battalion for Electronic Warfare
- * 61st Fighter Aviation Regiment AD, Baranovichi, 1st Sqn flying 13 MiG-25P/PDS, 2nd and 3rd Sqn flying 25 MiG-23
- * 201st Fighter Aviation Regiment AD, Machulishchy, flying 38 MiG-23
- *
- * 15th Missile Air Defence Brigade, Fanipol'
- * 115th Missile Air Defence Brigade, Brest
- * 127th Missile Air Defence Brigade, Lida
- * 147th Missile Air Defence Brigade, Bobruysk
- * 377th Guards Air Defence Missile Regiment, Polotsk
- * 1146th Guards Air Defence Missile Regiment, Orsha
- * 360th Missile Air Defence Regiment, Beryoza
- * 8th Radiotechnical Brigade, Baranovichy
- * 49th Radiotechnical Regiment, Urechye
Mission and functions
The VVS and Air Defence Forces were intended to protect population centres such as cities and regions, as well as the administrative, industrial, economic interests of the Republic. They are also intended to defend troops from the impacts of enemy air attacks, and also against the attacks of hostile troops, as well as fire support and the guarantee of combat operations of ground forces.In peacetime, VVS and Air Defense forces are on standby to protect the state boundary in the air and also control of Belarusian airspace. The Air Force is responsible for all military aviation, as the Army maintains no aircraft of its own.
Organization
Prior to August 2010, there were six primary airbases:- Minsk - Machulishchy
- Lida
- Baranovichi,
- Ross
- Pruzhany
- Bereza
The Mikoyan MiG-29 "Fulcrum" aircraft and personnel of the 927th Fighter Base became part of the 61st Fighter Base at Baranovichi. Shortly after the move of MiG-29s to Baranovichi, on 23 September 2010, a MiG-29 crashed during a reported low-altitude flying exercise at the new location. On 24 August 2010, the 927th Konigsberg Red Banner Order of Alexander Nevsky Fighter Air Base at Bereza was renamed the 927th Koenigsberg Red Banner Order of Alexander Nevsky Training Center and the use of unmanned aircraft systems.
The air force consists of more than 18,170 personnel, though this number is being reduced. There are now four active airbases:
- 61st Fighter Air Base, flying the MiG-29. The Su-27 aircraft previously flown here were being retired in 2014.
- 116th Red Banner Guards Assault Air Base
- *206th Training Centre for Aircrew
- 50th Composite Air Base
- 927th Red Banner Center for the Preparation and use of Unmanned Aerial Systems, Irkut-3, Irkut-10
The Air Force and Air Defence has three arms and several support services:
- Air forces
- Missile air defence troops
- Radiotechnical troops
- Special troops and services
Air Force and Air Defence Command
Air Force and Air Defence Command in Minsk- 483rd Security, Support and Supply Base in Minsk
- 56th Til'zitskiy Separate Signals Regiment in Minsk
- 570th Air Traffic Control Center at Minsk Airport
- 61st Fighter Air Base at Baranovichi AB, flying Su-30SM and MiG-29
- 50th Mixed Air Base at Machulishchi AB, flying Il-76, An-26, Mi-24 and Mi-8
- 116th Guards Radomskaya Red Banner Ground Attack Air Base at Lida AB, flying Su-25
- * 206th Pilot Training Center at Lida, flying Yak-130 and L-39
- 927th Kyonigsbergskiy, awarded the Order of the Red Banner and the Order of Alexander Nevsky Center for Preparation and Operations of UAVs at Byaryoza, flying Irkut-3 and Irkut-10 UAVs
- 15th Missile Air Defence Brigade at Fanipol', armed with S-300PS
- 115th Missile Air Defence Brigade at Brest, armed with S-300PS
- 147th Missile Air Defence Brigade at Bobruysk, armed with S-300V
- 120th Yaroslavskaya Missile Air Defence Brigade at Baranovichi, armed with Buk and Tor-M2
- 377th Missile Air Defence Brigade at Polotsk, armed with S-200 and S-300
- 740th Missile Air Defence Brigade at Borisov, armed with Osa-AKM
- 825th Missile Air Defence Regiment at Polotsk, armed with S-200
- 1146th Guards Missile Air Defence Regiment at Ostrovetskiy Rayon, armed with Tor-М2Ye
- 8th Radiotechnical Brigade at Baranovichi
- 49th Radiotechnical Brigade at Machulishchi
- 16th Separate Electronic Warfare Regiment at Byaryoza
- 276th Separate Airfield Security and Service Battalion in Borovukha
- 83rd Separate Airfield Engineer Regiment in Bobruysk
- 210th Aviation Fire Range in Ruzhany
- 174th Training Range in Domanovo, Ivatsevichskiy Rayon
- 223rd Center of Aviation Medicine at Machulishchi AB
- 3666th Aviation Technical Storage in Slutsk
Incidents and accidents
On 30 August 2009, an Su-27 UBM aircraft crashed on the second day of the Air Show 2009 in Radom killing both pilots. On 21 April 2010, two MiG-29 aircraft were performing an exercise when they both collided. One managed to land safely, while the other crashed.On 23 September 2010, a MiG-29 aircraft crashed. On 29 November 2011, a Mi-24 helicopter crashed in a small forest near the village of Novye Zasimovichi. The crew of three people was killed on impact. According to eyewitnesses, there was "A thick fog... the previous evening".
On 12 June 2012, a Sukhoi Su-25 aircraft crashed near a small village in Belarus. The pilot, Lieutenant Colonel Nikolai Gridnyov, lost control of the aircraft when maneuvering at low-altitude.
He was ordered to eject, but instead remained on board to make sure the aircraft did not crash into the village. Gridnyov died in the crash.
On 11 November 2014, a MiG-29 aircraft crashed. On 23 February 2017, another MiG-29 aircraft crashed. The engine caught fire during takeoff, but the pilot ejected safely at Bobruisk, Mogilev Region. On 19 May 2021, a Yakovlev Yak-130 aircraft crashed in Baranavichy, causing minor damage to one house in the city. Two pilots ejected but died.