The Russian Military Merged Thread- Air Force

[MarkOttawa]

Tough times:

Russia Lost 5 Aircraft Last Month, Linked to Too Many Exercises and Lack of Qualified Pilots
http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/natosource/russia-lost-5-aircraft-last-month-linked-to-too-many-exercises-and-lack-of-qualified-pilots

Russian 'Bear' bombers set to be grounded again following Far East crash
http://www.janes.com/article/52962/russian-bear-bombers-set-to-be-grounded-again-following-far-east-crash

Two Pilots Killed In Russian Tu-95 Bomber Crash
http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/2015/07/14/russia-tu-95-crash/30130517/

Mark
Ottawa

 

[MarkOttawa]

More:

Op Tempo, Sustainment Flaws Hit Russian Air Force

Russia's Air Force is falling from the sky.

As the Kremlin continues to assert its air power in a bid to intimidate NATO allies in Europe and North America, its mostly Soviet-built aircraft are being pushed to their limits — a fact experts point to when attempting to explain the loss of five aircraft of different designs in just the past month...
http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/air-space/2015/07/12/russian-fleets-crashing-ukraine-nato-fighter-bomber/29962399/

Mark
Ottawa

 

[MarkOttawa]

The Backslider? Russian military-industrial complex not up to it?

Russia's future PAK DA bomber to be delayed by Tu-160M2 production

Russia’s new-generation PAK DA bomber [stealthy, more here] will be delayed past 2023 due to the development of the new-build Tupolev Tu-160M2 bomber [more here], according to Russian deputy defence minister Yury Borisov.

“According to the plans, serial production of the [Tu-160] aircraft new version [the Tu-160M2] is to be implemented starting from 2023,” Borisov said during a visit on 17 July to the Samara-based Kuznetsov Plant of the United Engine Corporation.

Answering a question about a possible shift in the PAK DA’s timeframe because of the production of Tu-160M2s, Borisov said, “The PAK DA project will be somewhat shifted beyond [2023, when it is currently to begin entering service], otherwise there is no sense in it.”

The Tu-160M2’s production programme timeline has been defined, Borisov said, with design assignment and negotiations for the first contracts with industry currently ongoing. Design work on the Tu-160M2 is scheduled to be completed by 2023. He added that the Russian Air Force (VVS) would get at least three batch-produced Tu-160M2 per year after 2023 and that the aircraft will be in service for at least 40 years…

Russia is also developing several new missiles for the Tu-160M2 and PAK DA, Borisov said. “They drastically change the aircrafts’ combat performance. The missiles are to be installed on the PAK DA in the course of time. We are developing new missiles to be integrated on board all types of strategic bombers,” he said.

Mark
Ottawa

 

[MarkOttawa]

More on new bombers:

…the decision to restart production of the Blackjack bomber was made directly by Russian President Vladimir Putin. “The supreme commander [president of Russia] and the Russian defense minister have taken a decision on reviving production of the Tu-160M aircraft,” Col. Gen. Viktor Bondarev, the commander-in-chief of Russia’s Air Force, said in late May.

The decision to restart production on the Tu-160 was made in part because of production delays in the PAK DA…

[Deputy Defense Minister Yuri] Borisov also recently told Vladimir Putin that other aspects of Russia’s military modernization program will experience delays as a result of international sanctions. “The objective reasons for the failure to meet state defense procurement orders include restrictions on the supply of imported parts and materials in connection with sanctions, discontinuation of production and the loss of an array of technologies, insufficient production facilities,” Borisov told Putin by phone, according to a transcript made available by the Kremlin…
http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/russias-stealthy-new-nuclear-bomber-big-trouble-13390

Mark
Ottawa

 

[CougarKing]

At least one source says that the above bombers posted by MarkOttawa may be cancelled, while another says they've just been delayed.

Business Insider

Russia may have to scrap its plans to build a fifth-generation stealth bomber
By Jeremy Bender | Business Insider – Thu, 23 Jul, 2015 12:22 PM EDT

Russia's new fifth-generation bomber project has been put on the back burner and the plane won't enter production for nearly a decade, Zachary Keck reports for the National Interest citing Russian officials.
The Kremlin planned on introducing its fifth-generation PAK DA bomber into service starting in 2023. However, the PAK DA project has been pushed back and Russia will instead focus on production of an updated version of the Soviet-era Tu-160 supersonic nuclear bomber. 
“According to the plans, serial production of the [Tu-160] aircraft new version [the Tu-160M2] is to be implemented starting from 2023,” Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said at a press conference on July 17. "The PAK DA project will be somewhat shifted beyond [2023], otherwise there is no sense in it."

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Diplomat

Russia’s Next-Generation Strategic Bomber Delayed
However, Moscow still plans to expand its long range strategic bomber force over the next few years.

Russia’s next-generation strategic bomber, dubbed PAK-DA (an acronym for “prospective aviation complex for long-range aviation”), will be delayed past 2023 IHS Jane’s Defense Weekly reports.

The reason behind the delay is Russian President Vladimir Putin’s May 2015 decision to revive production of the Tupolev Tu-160M2 long-range supersonic strategic bomber.

During a visit at the Samara-based Kuznetsov plant of the United Engine Corporation, Russian deputy defense minister Yuriy Borisov stated that “[a]ccording to the plans, serial production of the [Tu-160] aircraft new version [the Tu-160M2] is to be implemented starting from 2023.”

Back in February, Russian defense officials said that the resumption of the production of the Tu-160M2 will not impact the PAK-DA design and production schedule. However, during a Q&A session at the plant Borisov remarked: “The PAK DA project will be somewhat shifted beyond [2023, when it is currently to slated begin entering service], otherwise there is no sense in it.”

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[MarkOttawa]

Possible bomber escorts?  With video:

Russian MiG-31s Perform Unique Non-Stop Flight With Three Aerial Refuelings

A flight of Russian MiG-31 interceptor jets successfully performed an unprecedented operation: they covered more than 4,000 km with three air refuelings.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russian MiG-31 interceptor jet pilots performed a unique six-hour non-stop flight with three air refueling operations, head of the press service of the Russian Central Military District, Col. Yaroslav Roshchupkin, said Saturday [Aug. 1].

"The pilots from the Central Military District devoted the unique flight of MiG-31BM interceptor jets to today's opening of the International Army Games," Roshchupkin said in a statement.

The flight from Zabaikalsky Territory in Siberia to Perm Territory in Russia’s Ural is the first performed by a MiG-31 aircraft type, he added...
http://sputniknews.com/military/20150801/1025295734.html

Mark
Ottawa

 

[Good2Golf]

What would be even more impressive would be technicians changing one of the Mig-31's engines in-flight with one of the spare engines aboard the Il-76...that 4000km flight was probably getting close to the smokey Soloviev D-30's MTBF... 

 

[CougarKing]

In spite of all the recent Bear bomber incursions into North American/EU airspace, the situation for the Russian air force may be bleaker than previously thought, according to the articles below:

The Week

The Russian Air Force is falling out of the sky
Kyle Mizokami
July 10, 2015

The government of Russian President Vladimir, eager to send a message, began flying nuclear bombers on training missions around the world. Russia's overworked air force is falling out of the sky. Five Russian combat planes have crashed in the past month. Russia's attempt to demonstrate strength has backfired spectacularly and demonstrated weakness instead. Russia's Air Force has been run at a high tempo, and the pace is catching up with an already-weary aircraft fleet.

The vast majority of Russia's Air Force was built and operated by the Soviet Union, making the youngest of these planes 24 years old. Compounding the problem is the inability to replace older aircraft with new models. Since the end of the Cold War, Russia has not introduced a new fighter design in 30 years.

Russia recently announced an aggressive program to modernize its armed forces, and pledged to spend $400 billion on new armaments. But already the program is in trouble. Moscow is caught between a rock and a hard place. Russia can no longer rely on older equipment to project an image of strength and power. But increasingly it cannot afford to replace that equipment with modern designs the equal of American and Western equipment.

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Russia’s air corps is a powerful but fading force

Russia’s air corps is a powerful but fading force
By Robert Beckhusen
March 18, 2015

On March 3, seven Russian attack planes took off from Novofederovka airbase in Crimea. They flew out over the Black Sea, right toward two North Atlantic Treaty Organization warships, the U.S. guided-missile cruiser Vicksburg and the Turkish frigate Tugutreis.

Russia’s state-owned media described the mission as a reconnaissance exercise. The planes practiced tracking the ships from a distance while staying just outside the range from which the vessels could theoretically shoot back.

This sort of patrol has become ever more common since the war in Ukraine began. Russian aircraft approach NATO vessels or airspace and practice simulated combat maneuvers or engage in reconnaissance. The rate of Russian fighter and bomber patrols near NATO borders has tripled in a year, though it’s still below the weekly flights common during the Cold War.

And aren't the Bears reaching the ends of their service lives anyway? More about the crash from last month:

Defense News

Two Pilots Killed In Russian Tu-95 Bomber Crash

MOSCOW — Two pilots were killed when a strategic bomber with seven people on board crashed in far eastern Russia on Tuesday, the defense ministry said, the latest in a string of military aircraft accidents.

"The search and rescue team of the eastern military district has found where two members of the Tu-95 bomber landed," the Russian defense ministry said in a statement.

"Both pilots were killed," the defense ministry said in the statement carried by Russian news agencies.

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[MarkOttawa]

Shake-up:

Russia creates Aerospace Forces by merging military branches

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia has merged several branches of its military into the Aerospace Forces — a reorganization aimed at enhancing coordination and efficiency, officials said Monday.

Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the decision offers "the optimal way of improving the system of the nation's aerospace defense."

The new branch will include the nation's air force, air defense, anti-missile and space forces.

Shoigu said that its creation has been prompted by the increasing importance of air and space components in modern warfare.

The air force chief, Col.-Gen. Viktor Bondarev, has been put in charge of Aerospace Forces...
http://news.yahoo.com/russia-creates-aerospace-forces-merge-military-branches-102445783.html

Mark
Ottawa

 

[CougarKing]

A major organizational change for the Russian AF under way; I assume Russian naval air units remain separate.

Diplomat

Russia Creates Powerful New Military Branch to Counter NATO
Moscow just merged its air force and aerospace defense forces.

By Franz-Stefan Gady

Russia has created a new military branch, the Aerospace Forces, by merging the Russian Air Force with the Russian Aerospace Defense Forces, TASS reports. The $60 billion reorganization appears to be a direct response to the perceived increased risk of NATO air and missile attacks on Russian soil — in particular, the United States military’s Global Strike program has the Kremlin worried.

The new service branch, officially called the Aerospace Forces of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, became operational on August 1, according to Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu.

“On August 1, the Russian president signed decree No. 394 on appointing the Colonel-General [Viktor Bondarev] as the commander-in-chief of the Aerospace Forces, Lieutenant-General [Pavel] Kurachenko as chief of the Main Staff and first deputy commander-in-chief of the Aerospace Forces, Lieutenant-General [Alexander] Golovko as deputy commander-in-chief of the Aerospace Forces and commander of the Space Forces,” Shoigu said.

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[CougarKing]

More on the above update:

Defense News

Russia Merges AF With Missile Defense, Space Commands
By Matthew Bodner 11:12 a.m. EDT August 8, 2015

MOSCOW — In a bid to streamline Russia's air and space defenses in the face of what Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu characterized as “a shift in the combat 'center of gravity' toward the aerospace theater,” the Defense Ministry has merged several branches of the military into a new Aerospace Force.

“Air forces, anti-air and anti-missile defenses, and space forces will now be under a unified command structure,” Shoigu was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying, two days after President Vladimir Putin authorized the merger of the three military branches Aug. 1.

The merger represents an evolution in Russian military thinking, as the Soviets historically treated air and space as separate theaters of war, and separated command authority for the Air Force, air defenses and space assets among different command structures with little, if any, overlap.

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[CougarKing]

Should this really be that surprising? Putin is trying to resurrect the Soviet bear.

Aviationist

Russian warplanes used practice bombs with “To Berlin!” and “For Stalin” slogans during Baltic drills
Aug 14 2015 -

By David Cenciotti
Transport planes of the Russian Baltic Fleet used practice bombs signed “To Berlin!” and “For Stalin!” during recent drills in the Baltic Region.
At the beginning of August, the Russian Navy Baltic Fleet held an exercise at Chernyakhovsk airbase, in Kaliningrad Oblast.

Attended by aircrews from the Baltic, North, Black Sea and Pacific fleets, the drills saw live firing activity conducted by Su-24 and An-26 and Mi-24 and Ka-27: noteworthy, it was the first time the An-26 transport plane practiced in the bomber role in 20 years.

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[vonGarvin]

Should this really be that surprising? Putin is trying to resurrect the Soviet bear.

It's a throw back to the Glory Days of old Mother Russia (and those other pesky "republics").  I highly suspect that Mr. Putin wasn't signing those bombs, nor that he gave instruction that they must be done so:

Tanks, planes, etc. had such slogans on them in the "Great Patriotic War"

 

[CougarKing]

Would have preferred a picture of a KV-2 tank instead (not a KV-1 like the one you posted above) with its huge 152mm gun turret that had even larger slogans stencilled, to make your point.  ;D

 

[vonGarvin]

Would have preferred a picture of a KV-2 tank instead (not a KV-1 like the one you posted above) with its huge 152mm gun turret that had even larger slogans stencilled, to make your point.  ;D

Ask and it shall be yours:

 

[The Bread Guy]

It's a throw back to the Glory Days of old Mother Russia (and those other pesky "republics").

And not JUST on military hardware ....

 

[CougarKing]

The advertised arsenal for Russia's PAK-FA: (infographic at the link below)

Aviationist

This cool infographic shows all weapons carried by Russia’s next generation fighter
By David Cenciotti
All the PAK FA armament in a single infographic.
Not only does the Sukhoi T-50 PAK FA feature stunning maneuverability. As this interesting infographic shows, the fifth generation stealth multi-role combat plane will carry a wide variety of weapons, including air-to-air, air-to-surface and anti-ship missiles.

Among those that the PAK FA will be able to carry (internally or externally – hence “stealthy” or not), there are: the Izdelie 810, a derivative of the R-37M designed to kill High Value Targets and AWACS at a distance of 400 km; the K-77M air-to-air missile fitted with an AESA seeker; the KH-35UE anti-ship cruise missile; the KH-58UShKE stand-off anti-radiation missile; the Brahmos-NG supersonic cruise missile produced with India; and the KAB bombs.

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[Lumber]

The advertised arsenal for Russia's PAK-FA: (infographic at the link below)

Aviationist

As a MARS Bar, the BRHAMOS scares the shit out of me.

 

[YZT580]

Now that looks like a fighter.  Its performance, at least in a staged airshow, matches its design.

 

[Good2Golf]

Now that looks like a fighter.  Its performance, at least in a staged airshow, matches its design.

You mean like at MAKS 2011 where it puked up an engine trying to take off for the demo flight? That was pretty impressive.  :nod: