37th Air Army
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| 37th Air Army | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1949-1968, 1980-1988, 1998-present |
| Country | Soviet Union, Russia |
| Branch | Soviet Air Force, Russian Air Force |
| Size | World War II: several air divisions Today: ~ 10 air regiments |
| Garrison/HQ | Moscow |
The 37th Air Army (37 Vozdushnaya Armiya) of the High Supreme Command (Strategic Purpose) is the strategic bomber force of the Russian Air Force, equipped with Tu-95MS Bear and Tu-160 Blackjack armed with nuclear cruise missiles, and the long range Tu-22M3 Backfire-C bombers.
It is the successor to the Soviet era Long Range Aviation, tracing its lineage to the 18th Air Army from 1946[1], which once had several Air Armies, including the 37th. The 37th Air Army was originally formed in 1949 by redesignating the 4th Air Army in the Northern Group of Forces in Poland. It was active there until 1968. It was reformed by a decree of 13 March 1980, along with the 24th, 30th, and 46th Air Armies, which together replaced the Long Range Aviation headquarters, which was disbanded. The commanding officer of the 37th VA is Major General Pavel Androsov, former Chief of Staff of the 37th Air Army, who replaced Lieutenant General Igor Khvorov.
Strategic aviation is the sole Russian Air Force component which was actually increased in the critical 1990s rather than being cut, as were the other Arms and Services. Following the break-up of the USSR in the early 1990s, only 22 Tu-95MS bombers remained on Russian territory; at that time the only Tu-160s were in test units or with the manufacturers. However, manufacture of the Tu-160 continued, and between 1992 and 1995, the Engels regiment received six Tu-160s before the production rate slowed down considerably. More aircraft, 43 Tu-95MSes and 8 Tu-160s were exchanged, or bought back from Kazakhstan and Ukraine. The Russian Air Force currently has 64 Tu-95MS and 16 Tu-160 bombers, and these are being upgraded by changing the navigation and fire-control suites and installing new weapons, including non-nuclear cruise missiles, Kh-555 and stand-off guided munitions.
Contents |
[edit] Structure 2007
- 37th Air Army - Moscow[2]
- 43rd Centre for Combat and Flight Personnel Training - Ryazan - operates the Tu-22M3, Tu-95MS, Tu-134UBL and An-26;
- 22nd Heavy Bomber Air Division - HQ at Engels;
- 326th Heavy Bomber Air Division - HQs at Ukrainka;
- 203rd Independent Air Regiment of Tanker Aircraft - HQs at Ryazan - Il-78 and Il-78M in service;
- 181st Independent Air Squadron - Irkutsk - An-12 and An-30;
- 199th Air Base - Ulan-Ude;
- 3119th Air Base - Tambov;
- Unknown Air Base - Tiksi;
[edit] Structure 1991
- Headquarters, Moscow[3]
- 364 Separate Mixed Aviation Squadron (Vorkuta, Komi ASSR)(transport aircraft, Mi-8s)
- 73rd Heavy Bomber Air Division (TBAD) at Ukrainka, Amur Oblast [activated 1957] with:
- 40th TBAP (Ukrainka) with Tu-95K and Tu-95K-22 [activated 1957 with 3M bombers; early 1980s reequipped with Tu-95K from other units that converted to Tu-95MS]
- 79th TBAP (Ukrainka) with Tu-95K and Tu-95K-22
- 79th TBAD at Dolon, Semipalatinsk area [activated 1957] with:
- 1023rd TBAP (Dolon) with Tu-95MS [activated 1957 at Uzin, Kiev region, with Tu-95 from the 1006th TBAP; 1983 relocated to Dolon; 1983 reequipped with Tu-95MS as the first unit]
- 1026th TBAP (Dolon) with Tu-95MS [activated 1957; reequipped with Tu-95 in the early 1970's, later Tu-95K; mid-1980s reequipped with Tu-95MS]
Total aircraft in division (1.1.91): 13 Tu-95MS-16 and 27 Tu-95MS-6
- 106th TBAD at Uzin, Kiev region [activated spring 1955] with:
- 409th APSZ (Uzin) with Il-78 tankers [activated 1955 with Tu-95 as TBAP; reequipped with Il-78 tankers in 1986]
- 1006th TBAP (Uzin) with 21 Tu-95MS-16 [activated 1956 with Tu-95; 1957 reequipped with Tu-95K, and the old Tu-95 were transferred to the 1023rd TBAP; reequipped with Tu-95MS in 1985]
- 201st TBAD at Engels-2, Saratov oblast
- 182nd Guards TBAP (Mozdok)(Tu-16MS-16)
- 184th Guards 'Poltava-Berlin' TBAP (Pryluky (air base), Chernigov oblast)(Tupolev Tu-160)
- 1230th Air Refuelling Regiment (Engels-2)(3M2 tankers)
[edit] Structure 1960 in Poland
May 1, 1960:[4]
- 149th Fighter Aviation Division
- 3rd Fighter Aviation Regiment
- 18th Fighter Aviation Regiment
- 42nd Fighter Aviation Regiment
- 239th Fighter Aviation Division
- 159th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment
- two other Fighter Aviation Regiments
- 172nd Fighter-Bomber Aviation Division
- three Guards Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiments
- 183rd Bomber Division
- three Bomber Aviation Regiments
- Two separate reconnaissance regiments
- other units for support and communications
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.mil.ru/940/1064/details/index.shtml?id=21629 Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation, warrior's calendar
- ^ Air Forces Monthly, July 2007.
- ^ SSM manuscript, YahooGroups TO&E group
- ^ Air International, an issue in the 1990-94 period, p.17
[edit] Sources
- Air Forces Monthly, July 2007.
- http://www.aviaport.ru/digest/2005/03/29/89476.html a report on the Army's participation in an exercise during 2005
- see also ru:22-я Гвардейская Донбасская Краснознаменная тяжелобомбардировочная авиадивизия
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