The two strongest powers in the world have the most powerful air fleets. These are Russia and the United States of America. Both countries are constantly improving them. New military units are issued, if not annually, then every two to three years. Huge funds are allocated for development in this area.

If we talk about Russian strategic aviation, then do not expect that you can find accurate, statistical data on the number of attack aircraft, fighters, etc. in service somewhere. Such information is classified as top secret. Therefore, the information provided in this article may be subjective.

General overview of the Russian air fleet

It is included in the Aerospace Forces of our country. One of the important components of the WWF is aviation. It is subdivided to long-range, transport, operational-tactical and army. This includes attack aircraft, bombers, fighters, transport aircraft.

How many military aircraft does Russia have? Approximate number - 1614 units of military air equipment. These are 80 strategic bombers, and 150 long-range bombers, 241 attack aircraft, etc.

For comparison, you can give how many passenger aircraft in Russia. Total 753. Of them 547 — trunk and 206 - regional. Since 2014, the demand for passenger flights began to fall, so the number of operated cars has also decreased. 72% of them are foreign models ( and ).

The new aircraft in the Russian Air Force are advanced models of military equipment. Among them are Su-57. it 5th generation fighter with a wide range of functions. Until August 2017, it was developed under a different name - Tu-50. It began to be created as a replacement for the Su-27.

The first time he soared into the sky yet in 2010 year. Three years later, it was launched into small-scale production for testing. By 2018 batch deliveries will begin.

Another promising model is MiG-35. This is a light fighter whose characteristics are almost comparable with fifth generation aircraft. It was designed to deliver accurate strikes against targets on land and in water. Winter 2017 year, the first tests began. By 2020 first deliveries are planned.

A-100 Premier- another novelty in the Russian Air Force. Early warning aircraft. It should replace the outdated models - A50 and A50U.

From training machines can be brought Yak-152. It was developed for the selection of pilots at the first stage of training.

Among military transport models, there are IL-112 and IL-214. The first of them is a light aircraft, which should replace the An-26. The second was developed jointly with, but now they continue to design it, as a replacement for the An-12.

Of the helicopters, such new models are under development − Ka-60 and Mi-38. Ka-60 is a transport helicopter. It is designed to deliver ammunition and weapons to the zones of military conflicts. Mi-38 is a multifunctional helicopter. Its financing is provided directly by the state.

There is also a novelty among passenger models. This is IL-114. Turboprop aircraft with two engines. It accommodates 64 passengers, and flies to a distance - up to 1500 km. It is being developed to replace An-24.

If we talk about small aviation in Russia, then the situation here is extremely deplorable. There are only 2-4 thousand aircraft and helicopters. And the number of amateur pilots is declining every year. This is due to the fact that two taxes must be paid for any aircraft at once - transport and property.

Air fleets of Russia and the USA - a comparative analysis

The total number of aircraft in the United States - this is 13,513 cars. The researchers note that among them - only 2000- fighters and bombers. The rest - 11,000- these are transport vehicles and those used by NATO, the US Navy and the National Guard.

Transport aircraft are extremely important as they keep the airbases on alert and provide excellent logistics to the American forces. In this comparison, the US Air Force and the Russian Air Force clearly win the first.

The US Air Force has a large amount of equipment.

In terms of the pace of renewal of military air technology, Russia is pulling ahead. By 2020, it is planned to release another 600 units. The real power gap between the two powers will be 10-15 % . It is already noted that Russian S-27s are ahead of American F-25s.

If we talk about comparing the armed forces of Russia and the United States, then the trump card of the first is the presence of especially powerful air defense systems. They reliably protect the air latitudes of Russia. Modern Russian air defense systems S-400 have no analogues anywhere in the world.

Russian air defense is something like an “umbrella” that protects the skies of our country until 2020. By this milestone, it is planned to completely update almost all military equipment, including air.

The air force has long been the backbone of the armed forces of any army. Aircraft are becoming not just a means of delivering bombs and missiles to the enemy camp, modern aviation is multifunctional combat systems with wings. The latest F-22 and F-35 fighters, as well as their modifications, have already been put into service with the US Army, and here we mean "army" as ground forces. This means that the infantry is now on a par with tanks and infantry fighting vehicles have fighters in their composition. This highlights the role of aviation in modern warfare. This shift towards multifunctionality made possible new developments in the field of aircraft construction and a change in the principles of war. A modern fighter can fight without approaching a target closer than 400 km, launch missiles at 30 targets and turn around and fly to the base at the same second. The case is of course a private one, but it describes the picture more than. Not quite what we are used to seeing in Hollywood blockbusters in which, no matter how far you look into the future, fighters in the air and in space are fighting the classic "dog fights" of the Great Patriotic War. Some time ago, a couple of news sites were full of news that in the simulation of the battle of "drying" and the F-22, the domestic machine emerged victorious due to superiority in maneuverability, of course, it was about superiority in close combat. All articles noted that in long-range combat, the Raptor is superior to the Su-35 due to more advanced weapons and guidance systems. What distinguishes 4 ++ and 5 generations.

At the moment, the Russian Air Force is armed with combat aircraft of the so-called 4 ++ generation, the same Su-35s. This is a product of a deep modernization of the Su-27, MiG-29, which have been available since the 80s, it is planned to begin a similar modernization of the Tu-160 soon. 4 ++ means as close as possible to the fifth generation, in general, modern "drying" differs from PAK FA in the absence of "stealth" and AFAR. Nevertheless, the possibilities for modernizing this design have been exhausted in principle, so the issue of creating a new generation of fighters has been standing for a long time.

Fifth generation

Fifth generation of fighters. We often hear this term in the news about modern weapons and at aviation shows. What is it? "Generation" is, in general terms, a list of requirements that modern military doctrine imposes on a combat vehicle. The 5th generation vehicle should be stealthy, have supersonic cruising speed, advanced target detection systems and electronic warfare, but the most important thing is versatility. No wonder the projects have the word "complex" in their name. The ability to fight equally well in the air and hit ground targets largely determines the appearance of the fifth generation. These are the tasks that were set before the future designers of the new symbol of domestic aviation.

The development of a new generation began in the USSR and the USA almost simultaneously, back in the 80s, and in the States in the 90s they already chose a prototype. Due to events known to the whole world, the Soviet program found itself in stagnation for many years, this is the reason for the backlog in our days. As you know, the 5th generation fighter F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning are already in service with the United States and a number of other countries. Remarkably, the Raptors have not yet been supplied even to the allies, having significant advantages over the Lightnings, the exclusive presence of the Raptors in the US Army makes their Air Force the most advanced in the world.

Our response to the Raptors is still being prepared, the deadlines have been repeatedly postponed, from 2016 to 2017 2019, now it’s 2020, but experts say that another postponement is possible, although they note that the new Russian fighter every day more and more takes the form of a product ready for serial production.

Su-47 Berkut

In Russia, the fifth generation has a long-suffering history. As you know, PAK FA, also known as the T-50, and more recently the Su-57, is not the first attempt to get an ultra-modern multi-role fighter into service. One of these attempts was the Su-47, also known as the Berkut. The test of a new aircraft with reverse swept wings took place back in the 90s. The car is very memorable and has been in sight and heard for a long time. "Reverse" wings partly played a cruel joke with him. Such a design brought the aircraft to a new level of maneuverability, however, to solve all the problems of a similar design of forces, neither in Russia nor in the States, where in the 80s there was the X-29 project, a fighter with a similar wing sweep. Also, this prototype did not meet all the requirements of the fifth generation, for example, it could overcome supersonic sound only in afterburner.

Only one fighter was built and now it is used only as a prototype. Perhaps the Su-47 will be the last attempt to create an aircraft with a reverse swept wing.

Su-57 (PAK FA)

PAK FA (Perspective Aviation Complex of Frontal Aviation) is a new Russian aircraft. Became the first successful attempt to bring to life the fifth generation of aircraft. At the moment, there is little information about its characteristics in the public domain. From the obvious, it has all the characteristics of the fifth generation, namely supersonic cruising speed, "stealth" technologies, active phased array antenna (AFAR) and so on. Outwardly, it looks like the F-22 Raptor. And now everyone who is not too lazy is already starting to compare these machines, no wonder, because the Su-57 will become the main “protagonist” in the fight against the Raptors and Lightnings. It is worth noting that in the new realities, the improvement of missiles will also occupy a special place, as already mentioned, entry into battle takes place at gigantic distances, so how much a fighter will be maneuverable and how well it feels in close combat is the tenth thing.

In Russia, the “arrows” for the latest aviation technology are the R-73 rocket and its modifications, which rightfully bear the glory of a formidable weapon. But the designers, according to the good Russian tradition, "just in case" provided for the installation of a 30-mm air gun on the Su-57.

In developing

Another transition to the "five" is planned for another 4 ++ aircraft - MiG-35. Sketches of the "face" of the future interceptor have already been shown, but it is not yet clear whether there will be a need for it or whether the Su-57 will cope with its functions. Not only would a light fighter meet all the requirements of a new generation, it is necessary to develop a fundamentally new engine and solve the problem with the installation of "stealth". Which is impossible for machines of this class in modern realities. As mentioned earlier, the fifth generation assumes multifunctionality, which, in theory, the Su-57 should have, so what tasks will be assigned to the MiG is still not clear.

Another promising machine for the aviation forces of the Russian Federation is the PAK DA, which is being developed within the walls of the Tupolev design bureau. From the abbreviation it is clear that we are talking about long-range aviation. According to the plan in 2025 - the first flight, but given the craving for postponing the release of anything, you can immediately throw on a couple of three, or even five years. Therefore, most likely we will not soon see how the new "Tupolev" takes off into the sky, obviously long-range aviation will get by with the Tu-160 and in the near future its modification.

sixth generation

On the Internet, no, no, yes, a yellow article about the sixth generation of fighter jets slips through. That development is already in full swing somewhere. This is certainly not the case, because we recall that the latest fifth generation is in service only with the United States. Therefore, it is too early to talk about “development in full swing”. Here we would finish with the fifth. As for the speculation about what the weapons of the future will look like, there is room for discussion. What will be the new generation of aircraft?

From the sixth generation, we should expect that all standard characteristics will increase. Speed, agility. Most likely, the weight will decrease, thanks to new materials of the future, electronics will reach a new level. In the coming decades, we can expect breakthroughs in the creation of quantum computers, this will allow us to move to an unprecedented level of computing speed, which in turn will allow us to seriously modernize the modern aircraft AI, which in the future may rightfully be called a “co-pilot”. Presumably, there will be a complete rejection of the vertical tail, which is absolutely useless already in modern realities, since fighters operate mainly at the limiting and prohibitive angles of attack. From this, interesting forms of the airframe may follow, perhaps again an attempt to change the sweep of the wing.

The most important question that the designers of the future will decide is whether a pilot is needed at all? That is, whether the fighter will be controlled by AI or by a pilot, and if by a pilot, whether the pilot will control the aircraft remotely or still in the old fashioned way from the cockpit. Imagine an airplane without a pilot. This is a huge “relief” for the car, because in addition to the weight of the pilot himself and his equipment, a decent load is created by the pilot’s seat, which should save lives, which makes it difficult for a car stuffed with electronics and mechanisms for pilot ejection. Not to mention the redesign of the airframe, which does not have to allocate a huge space for a person and puzzle over the ergonomic design of the cockpit to make it easier to control the machine in the air. The absence of a pilot leads to the fact that you no longer need to worry about overloads, which means that the car can be accelerated to any speed that the structure will pull, the same goes for maneuvers in the sky. It will also facilitate the training of pilots. And this is not only about reducing the requirements for the health of the pilot. Now the pilot is the most valuable thing in fighters. Colossal amounts of time and resources are spent on preparation, the loss of a pilot is irreplaceable. If the pilot controls the fighter from a comfortable chair deep in a bunker at a military base, then this will change the face of war no less than a "transplant" from horses to tanks and infantry fighting vehicles.

The prospect of completely abandoning the pilot still looks like a task for the more distant future. Scientists warn about the consequences of using AI, and the very philosophical and ethical component of replacing a person with a robot in war is still being studied. Still, we do not yet have the computing power to create a full-fledged replacement for the pilot, but in the coming decades a technological revolution in this area is possible. On the other hand, the flair and military ingenuity of the pilot cannot be recreated by zeros and ones. So far, all these are hypotheses, so the appearance of modern aviation and the air force of the near future will still have a human face.

The latest best military aircraft of the Air Force of Russia and the world photos, pictures, videos about the value of a fighter aircraft as a combat weapon capable of providing "air supremacy" was recognized by the military circles of all states by the spring of 1916. This required the creation of a special combat aircraft that surpasses all others in terms of speed, maneuverability, altitude and the use of offensive small arms. In November 1915, Nieuport II Webe biplanes arrived at the front. This is the first aircraft built in France, which was intended for air combat.

The most modern domestic military aircraft in Russia and the world owe their appearance to the popularization and development of aviation in Russia, which was facilitated by the flights of Russian pilots M. Efimov, N. Popov, G. Alekhnovich, A. Shiukov, B. Rossiysky, S. Utochkin. The first domestic machines of designers J. Gakkel, I. Sikorsky, D. Grigorovich, V. Slesarev, I. Steglau began to appear. In 1913, the heavy aircraft "Russian Knight" made its first flight. But one cannot fail to recall the first aircraft creator in the world - Captain 1st Rank Alexander Fedorovich Mozhaisky.

Soviet military aircraft of the USSR of the Great Patriotic War sought to hit the enemy troops, his communications and other objects in the rear with air strikes, which led to the creation of bomber aircraft capable of carrying a large bomb load over considerable distances. The variety of combat missions for bombing enemy forces in the tactical and operational depth of the fronts led to the understanding of the fact that their performance should be commensurate with the tactical and technical capabilities of a particular aircraft. Therefore, the design teams had to resolve the issue of specialization of bomber aircraft, which led to the emergence of several classes of these machines.

Types and classification, the latest models of military aircraft in Russia and the world. It was obvious that it would take time to create a specialized fighter aircraft, so the first step in this direction was to try to equip existing aircraft with small arms offensive weapons. Mobile machine-gun mounts, which began to equip the aircraft, required excessive efforts from the pilots, since the control of the machine in a maneuverable battle and the simultaneous firing of an unstable weapon reduced the effectiveness of firing. The use of a two-seat aircraft as a fighter, where one of the crew members played the role of a gunner, also created certain problems, because an increase in the weight and drag of the machine led to a decrease in its flight qualities.

What are the planes. In our years, aviation has made a big qualitative leap, expressed in a significant increase in flight speed. This was facilitated by progress in the field of aerodynamics, the creation of new more powerful engines, structural materials, and electronic equipment. computerization of calculation methods, etc. Supersonic speeds have become the main modes of fighter flight. However, the race for speed also had its negative sides - the takeoff and landing characteristics and the maneuverability of aircraft deteriorated sharply. During these years, the level of aircraft construction reached such a level that it was possible to start creating aircraft with a variable sweep wing.

In order to further increase the flight speeds of jet fighters exceeding the speed of sound, Russian combat aircraft required an increase in their power-to-weight ratio, an increase in the specific characteristics of turbojet engines, and also an improvement in the aerodynamic shape of the aircraft. For this purpose, engines with an axial compressor were developed, which had smaller frontal dimensions, higher efficiency and better weight characteristics. For a significant increase in thrust, and hence the flight speed, afterburners were introduced into the engine design. The improvement of the aerodynamic forms of the aircraft consisted in the use of wings and empennage with large sweep angles (in the transition to thin delta wings), as well as supersonic air intakes.

The history of military aviation began almost immediately after the first flight of the Wright brothers' American aircraft, which took place in 1903 - after a few years, the military of most armies of the world realized that the aircraft could become an excellent weapon. With the outbreak of the First World War, military aviation as a branch of service was already quite a serious force - first, reconnaissance aviation was used, which made it possible to obtain complete and operational data on the movements of enemy troops, followed by bombers, first improvised, and then specially built. Finally, fighter aviation was created to counter enemy aircraft. Air aces appeared, about the success of which films were made and newspapers wrote with admiration. Soon the fleet also acquired its own Air Force - naval aviation was born, the first air transports and aircraft carriers began to be built.

Indeed, military aviation proved to be one of the main branches of the military with the outbreak of World War II. Luftwaffe bombers and fighters became one of the main instruments of the German blitzkrieg, which predetermined the success of Germany in the first years of the war on all fronts, and Japanese naval aviation, as the main strike force of the navy, set the course of hostilities in the Pacific Ocean with an attack on Pearl Harbor. British fighter aircraft were the decisive factor in preventing the invasion of the islands, and Allied strategic bombers brought Germany and Japan to the brink of disaster. The legend of the Soviet-German front was the Soviet attack aircraft.
Not a single modern armed conflict can do without military aviation. So, even in the event of the slightest tension, military transport aircraft carry out the transfer of military equipment and manpower, and army aviation, armed with attack helicopters, provides support to ground troops. Modern aviation technology is developing in several directions. UAVs are increasingly being used - unmanned aerial vehicles, which, like 100 years ago, first became reconnaissance aircraft, and now more and more often perform strike missions, demonstrating spectacular training and combat firing. However, so far, drones are not able to completely replace traditional manned combat aircraft, the design of which is now focused on reducing radar signature, increasing maneuverability and the ability to fly at supersonic cruising speed. However, the situation is changing so rapidly that only the most daring science fiction writers can predict in which direction military aviation will develop in the coming years.
On the Warspot portal, you can always read articles and news on aviation topics, watch videos or photo reviews on the history of military aviation from its inception to the present - about airplanes and helicopters, about the combat use of the air force, about pilots and aircraft designers, about auxiliary military equipment and equipment used in the Air Force of different armies of the world.

Main Structure Armed Forces of the Russian Federation Air Force Structure Aviation

Aviation

Air Force Aviation (Av VVS) according to its purpose and tasks to be solved, it is divided into long-range, military transport, operational-tactical and army aviation, which include: bomber, attack, fighter, reconnaissance, transport and special aviation.

Organizationally, the Air Force aviation consists of air bases that are part of the Air Force formations, as well as other units and organizations directly subordinate to the Air Force Commander-in-Chief.

Long Range Aviation (YES) is a means of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and is designed to solve strategic (operational-strategic) and operational tasks in theaters of military operations (strategic directions).

The formations and units of the DA are armed with strategic and long-range bombers, tanker aircraft and reconnaissance aircraft. Operating primarily in strategic depth, DA formations and units perform the following main tasks: destroying air bases (airfields), ground-based missile systems, aircraft carriers and other surface ships, objects from enemy reserves, military-industrial facilities, administrative and political centers, energy objects and hydraulic structures, naval bases and ports, command posts of formations of the armed forces and operational air defense control centers in the theater of operations, land communications facilities, landing units and convoys; mining from the air. Part of the DA forces may be involved in conducting aerial reconnaissance and performing special tasks.

Long-range aviation is a component of strategic nuclear forces.

DA formations and units are based taking into account its operational-strategic purpose and tasks from Novgorod in the west of the country to Anadyr and Ussuriysk in the east, from Tiksi in the north to Blagoveshchensk in the south of the country.

The basis of the aircraft fleet is made up of Tu-160 and Tu-95MS strategic missile carriers, Tu-22M3 long-range missile carrier bombers, Il-78 tanker aircraft and Tu-22MR reconnaissance aircraft.

The main armament of the aircraft: long-range aviation cruise missiles and operational-tactical missiles in nuclear and conventional warheads, as well as aviation bombs of various purposes and calibers.

A practical demonstration of the spatial indicators of the combat capabilities of the DA command is air patrol flights of Tu-95MS and Tu-160 aircraft in the area of ​​the island of Iceland and the waters of the Norwegian Sea; to the North Pole and to the area of ​​the Aleutian Islands; along the east coast of South America.

Regardless of the organizational structure in which long-range aviation exists and will exist, the combat strength, the characteristics of the aircraft and weapons in service, the main task of long-range aviation on the scale of the Air Force should be considered both nuclear and non-nuclear deterrence of potential adversaries. In the event of a war, the DA will carry out tasks to reduce the military and economic potential of the enemy, destroy important military facilities, and disrupt state and military control.

An analysis of modern views on the purpose of the aircraft, the tasks assigned to it, and the predicted conditions for their fulfillment show that, at present and in the future, long-range aviation continues to be the main strike force of the Air Force.

The main directions of development of long-range aviation:

• maintaining and building up operational capabilities to fulfill the assigned tasks as part of the strategic deterrence forces and general-purpose forces through the modernization of Tu-160, Tu-95MS, Tu-22MZ bombers with service life extension;
• creation of a promising long-range aviation complex (PAK DA).

Military transport aviation (VTA) is a means of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and is designed to solve strategic (operational-strategic), operational and operational-tactical tasks in theaters of military operations (strategic directions).

The military transport aircraft Il-76MD, An-26, An-22, An-124, An-12PP, transport helicopters Mi-8MTV are in service with the formations and units of the VTA. The main tasks of formations and units of the VTA are: landing of units (subunits) of the Airborne Troops from the composition of operational (operational-tactical) airborne assault forces; delivery of weapons, ammunition and materiel to troops operating behind enemy lines; ensuring the maneuver of aviation formations and units; transportation of troops, weapons, ammunition and materiel; evacuation of the wounded and sick, participation in peacekeeping operations. Includes air bases, units and subunits of special forces.

Part of the VTA forces may be involved in the performance of special tasks.

The main directions for the development of military transport aviation: maintaining and building up the capabilities to ensure the deployment of the Armed Forces in various theaters of operations, airborne landings, transportation of troops and materiel by air through the purchase of new Il-76MD-90A and An-70, Il-112V aircraft and modernization of the Il-76 MD and An-124 aircraft.

Operational-tactical aviation designed to solve operational (operational-tactical) and tactical tasks in operations (combat actions) of groupings of troops (forces) in theaters of military operations (strategic directions).

Army Aviation (AA) designed to solve operational-tactical and tactical tasks in the course of army operations (combat actions).

Bomber Aviation (BA) armed with strategic, long-range and operational-tactical bombers, is the main strike weapon of the Air Force and is designed to destroy enemy groupings of troops, aviation, naval forces, destroy its important military, military-industrial, energy facilities, communication centers, conduct air reconnaissance and mining from the air, mainly in the strategic and operational depths.

Assault Aviation (ShA), armed with attack aircraft, is a means of aviation support for troops (forces) and is designed to destroy troops, ground (sea) objects, as well as enemy aircraft (helicopters) at airfields (sites) based, conducting aerial reconnaissance and mining from the air mainly at the forefront, in tactical and operational-tactical depth.

Fighter Aviation (IA), armed with fighter planes, is designed to destroy enemy aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles in the air and ground (sea) targets of the enemy.

Reconnaissance aviation (RzA), armed with reconnaissance aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles, is designed to conduct aerial reconnaissance of objects, the enemy, terrain, weather, air and ground radiation and chemical conditions.

Transport aviation (TrA), being armed with transport aircraft, is intended for landing airborne assaults, transporting troops, weapons, military and special equipment and other materiel by air, ensuring maneuver and combat operations of troops (forces), and performing special tasks.

Formations, units, subunits of bomber, attack, fighter, reconnaissance and transport aviation can also be involved in other tasks.

Special Aviation (SpA), armed with aircraft and helicopters, is designed to perform special tasks. Special aviation units and subunits are directly or operationally subordinate to the commander of an Air Force formation and are involved in: conducting radar reconnaissance and guiding aviation to air and ground (sea) targets; setting of electronic interference and aerosol curtains; search and rescue of flight crews and passengers; refueling aircraft in the air; evacuation of the wounded and sick; providing management and communications; conducting aerial radiation, chemical, biological, engineering reconnaissance and performing other tasks.