Imperial Russian Air Force (Rossyiah)
| Russian Aerospace Forces | |
|---|---|
| Императорские ВВС России Imperatorskiye VVS Rossii | |
| Founded | 12 August 1912 |
| Type | Air force Space force |
| Role | Aerial warfare Space warfare |
| Size | 323,000 personnel (2020) |
| Part of | Imperial Russian Armed Forces |
| Headquarters | Moscow |
| Patron | Saint Elijah the Prophet |
| Colors | Blue Gold Grey |
| March | "Air March" |
| Anniversaries | Air Force Day (12 August) |
| Engagements | Intervention in the Syrian Civil War |
| Commanders | |
| Commander-in-Chief | General Sergei Surovjev |
| First Deputy Commander-in-Chief | Lieutenant General Gennady Afzalov |
| Insignia | |
| Flag |  |
| Identification symbol |  |
The Imperial Russian Air Force (Russian: Императорские Воздушные Cилы России Imperatorskiye Vozdushnyye Sily Rossii) or I-VVS-R (И-ВВС-R) is the aerospace branch of the Imperial Russian Armed Forces. The VVS has its headquarters in Moscow.
History
The origins of Russian aviation go back to theoretical projects of the 1880s by pioneer Russian scientists. In 1902–1903 during military maneuvers in the Kiev Military District, the Imperial Russian Army used several aerostats for reconnaissance and coordination of artillery fire. The aerostats were grouped within an Aeronautical company. One aeronautical battalion (учебный Восточно-Сибирский воздухоплавательный батальон) with 4 aerostats took part in the Russo-Japanese War.
On 12 August 1912 the Imperial Russian Air Service, formerly part of the Engineer Corps, became a separate branch of the army.
At the beginning of World War I, Russia's air service was second only to that of France (263 aeroplanes and 14 airships), although the bulk of its aircraft were too outdated to be of much use.
Initially, Russia used aviation only for reconnaissance and coordination of artillery fire.[5] Later, several aeroplanes were armed with steel flechettes to attack ground targets (columns of enemy infantry and cavalry, campsites, etc.).[14] Later, aeroplanes were armed with air-dropped bombs.[7]
In March 1915 naval aviation was established. The Imperial Russian Navy received two vessels and six seaplanes. The naval aviation section was not merged into the IRAS, but became a part of Black Sea Fleet.
In 1915 the Imperial Russian Air Service became a separate branch of the army directly under the command of the Stavka. In the ensuing civil war, the Imperial Russian Air Service split between revolutionaries and Tsar's loyalists. The Collegium for Direction of the Air Forces (translation is uncertain) was formed on 20 January 1918 as air force headquarters in order to deal with the new sittuation.
A new beginning
After the War, the air force was in complete disarray. The Collegium was reorganized as the Russian Air Force "Command" in order to ensure its independence within the military.
Gradually, its influence on aircraft design became greater. From its earliest days, the force mimicked ground forces' organization especially in the 1930s, by which time it was made up of air armies, aviation corps, aviation divisions, and aviation regiments (composed of air squadrons, flights, and fireteams, respectively).
Its most famous commander of the time was Count Evgeny Alkiniev, killed in an air accident in 1937. Due his political stances, his death was attributed to a plot orchestrated by Prime Minister dzе Jughashvili. Domestic aircraft production increased significantly in the early 1930s.
Positive heroism
Instead of glorifying collectivism as a means of societal advancement, the Imperial Revolutionary Organization began uplifting individuals who committed heroic actions that advanced the cause of Loyalism. In the case of aviation, the government began glorifying people who utilized aviation technology as opposed to glorifying the technology itself.
Prime Minister dzе Jughashvili and IRO propagandists connected aviation achievements to Russian heritage, making aviation seem more accessible to the general population. Furthermore, the narratives emphasize the aviators' selflessness and devotion to a higher socialist ideal, pointing to the Tsar as inspirers and role models.
Paternalism was also a theme that propagandists exploited in aviation culture. The media presented Nicholas II as an example and inspiration, a father figure and role model to the most prominent Russian pilots of the period. The use of familial metaphors not only evoked traditional hereditary pride and historic Russian patriotism, they boosted Nicholas II's image as a benevolent leader. Most importantly, paternalism served to promote the message of individual subordination to authority. Through his paternal relationships with Russian pilots, Nicholas II developed an ethos of deference and obedience for Russian society to emulate.
The first three Air Armies were created between 1936 and 1938.
World War II
By 1938, the Russian Empire had the largest air force in the world, but aeronautical design distinctly lagged behind Western technological advances. The Russian government's focus on showy stunts and phenomenal record-breaking missions drained resources needed for defence. When Germany attacked Russia in June 1941, the Russian Air Force was not prepared for war. Poor planning and lack of organization left planes sitting on the tarmac at airbases, allowing the Luftwaffe to destroy 4,000 planes within the first week.
By the end of the war, Russian annual aircraft production had risen sharply, reaching 40,241 in 1944. Some 157,261 machines were produced during the Great Patriotic War, 125,655 being of combat types. The 31st Bomber Air Regiment, commanded by Colonel Fyodor Ivanovich Dobysh, was one of the first Guards bomber units in the Air Force as the 4th Guards Bomber Air Regiment. The title was conferred on the regiment for its actions on the Petrograd Front in November–December 1941 during defensive operations and the counterattack near Tikhvin.
Aviation Army General Alexander Novikov led the VVS from 1942 to the end of the war, and introduced several innovations and weapons systems. The Russian Empire received American aircraft through Lend-Lease.
Cold War
The Imperial Russian Air Force became one of the best services of the Imperial Russian Armed Forces due to the various types of aircraft being flown and their capabilities and the strength and training of its pilots. During the Cold War, the Imperial Russian Air Force was rearmed, strengthened and modern air doctrines were introduced. At its peak in 1980, it could deploy approximately 10,000 aircraft, making it the world's largest air force of the time.
Russian non-Slavs, including Jews, Armenians, and Asians were generally barred from senior ranks and from joining elite or strategic positions in the Air Force. During the Cold War the VVS was divided into three main commands:
- Long Range Aviation (Dal'naya Aviatsiya – DA ), focused on long-range bombers;
- Frontal Aviation (Frontovaya Aviatsiya – FA), focused on battlefield air defence, close air support, and interdiction;
- Military Transport Aviation (Voenno-Transportnaya Aviatsiya – VTA), which controlled all transport aircraft;
- Air Defence Forces (Voyska protivovozdushnoy oborony – Voyska PVO), which focused on air defence and interceptor aircraft.
Another independent service was the Naval Aviation (Aviatsiya Voenno Morskogo Flota – "AV-MF"), under the Navy Headquarters.
Organisation
The Imperial Russian Air Force consist of three Commands:
- Air Force Command
- Air and Missile Defence Forces Command
- Space Forces Command
| Command Staff | ||
|---|---|---|
| Commander-in-Chief Aerospace Forces (Главнокомандующий Воздушно-космическими силами) |
Army general | |
| Chief of the Main Staff - First Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Aerospace Forces (Начальник Главного штаба — первый заместитель Главнокомандующего Воздушно-космическими силами) |
Colonel general | |
| Deputy Commander-in-Chief Aerospace Forces (Заместитель Главнокомандующего Воздушно-космическими силами) |
Colonel general/Lieutenant general | |
| Chiefs of branches, deputy commanders: | ||
| Commander of the Air Force Command
(Командующий Военно-воздушными силами — заместитель Главнокомандующего Воздушно-космическими силами) Colonel general |
Commander of the Aerospace and Missile Defense Forces Command
(Командующий Войсками противовоздушной и противоракетной обороны — заместитель Главнокомандующего Воздушно-космическими силами) Colonel general |
Commander of the Space Forces Command
(Командующий Космическими войсками — заместитель Главнокомандующего Воздушно-космическими силами) Colonel general |
| Functional deputy commanders: | ||
| Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Aerospace Forces for Military-Political Work (Заместитель Главнокомандующего Воздушно-космическими силами по военно-политической работе)
Major general |
Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Aerospace Forces for Logistics (Заместитель Главнокомандующего Воздушно-космическими силами по материально-техническому обеспечению)
Major general |
Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Aerospace Forces for Armaments (Заместитель Главнокомандующего Воздушно-космическими силами по вооружению)
Major general |
Air Force Command
The Air Force Command is the surface branch of the VVS. It is the largest branch and the premier organization of the I-VVS-R. The Air Force Command is further subdivided into units directly dependent on the Air Force Command and units operationally subordinated to the Military Districts:
Units directly under the Air Force Command are the strategic arms of the air power projection strategy:
- Military Transport Aviation Command
- Long-Range Aviation Command: responsible for delivering long-range nuclear or conventional strikes.
Operationally subordinated to the Western Military District:
- 11th Air Army (Saint Petersburg)
Operationally subordinated to the Caucasus Military District:
- 20th Air Army (Tbilisi)
Operationally subordinated to the Central Military District:
- 39th Air Army (Ekaterinburg)
Operationally subordinated to the Eastern Military District:
- 15h Air Army (Khabarovsk)
Operationally subordinated to the Northern Military District:
- 45th Air Army (Severomorsk-2)
Operationally subordinated to the Turkestan Military District:
- 6th Air Army (Pishpek)
Air and Missile Defence Forces Command
The Air and Missile Defence Forces Command is a branch of the Imperial Russian Air Forces responsible for air and missile defence.
Units directly under the Air and Missile Defence Forces Command:
- 1st Air Defence Army (Moscow): Air cover of the Moscow area.
Operationally subordinated to the Western Military District:
- 2nd Air Defence Army (Saint Petersburg)
Operationally subordinated to the Caucasus Military District:
- 3rd Air Defence Army (Tbilisi)
Operationally subordinated to the Central Military District:
- 4th Air Defence Army (Ekaterinburg)
Operationally subordinated to the Eastern Military District:
- 5th Air Defence Army (Khabarovsk)
Operationally subordinated to the Northern Military District:
- 6th Air Defence Army (Severomorsk-2)
Operationally subordinated to the Turkestan Military District:
- 7th Air Defence Army (Pishpek)
Space Forces Command
The Space Forces Command deals with satellite operations.
- 151st Space Forces Army (Krasnoznamensk)
- 1st State Test Cosmodrome "Plesetsk" (1-й Государственный испытательный космодром Министерства обороны Российской Федерации «Плесецк»)
- Space Forces Arsenal (Znamenka)