TSAMTO, August 12. The Russian Air Force has turned 110 years old. The material dedicated to the anniversary date is posted on the website of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
As stated in the message of the Department of Information and Mass Communications of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the day of the formation of military aviation of Russia is August 12, 1912, when by order of the military department, the issues of aeronautics and aviation were removed from the jurisdiction of the Main Engineering Directorate and transferred to a specially created body – the Aeronautical Part of the General Staff. The Air Force has passed a long historical path from airplanes to promising aviation complexes, has repeatedly undergone changes, developing as weapons and military equipment, forms and methods of armed struggle are improved.
During the years of the Great Patriotic War, aviation carried out more than 3 million sorties. For their courage and bravery, over 200 thousand soldiers-aviators were awarded orders and medals, almost two and a half thousand (2,420) were awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union, 65 pilots were awarded this title twice, and two – three times.
Modern Air Forces are a highly maneuverable and mobile kind of Aerospace Forces designed to repel aggression in the airspace, protect against air strikes from ground and surface objects, defeat the enemy, as well as for aviation support and support of combat operations of other types and branches of the Armed Forces.
According to their purpose, they are divided into long-range, military transport, operational-tactical and army aviation, and according to the tasks to be solved, into bomber, assault, fighter, reconnaissance, transport and special aviation, which are the branches of the Air Force.
"Modern models of aviation equipment coming into service are equipped with the latest personal protection systems, much attention is paid to improving survival in the air, reducing radar visibility, automating aircraft control processes and the use of weapons. All samples have already been tested during the fighting. Today, we see the effectiveness of the use of aviation, its high flight performance characteristics, established by us during the design and creation of aircraft samples, every day," said the Commander of the Air Force - Deputy Commander–in-Chief of the Aerospace Forces, Lieutenant General Sergey Dronov.
"The combat experience gained during a special military operation is thoroughly studied in the command of the Air Force and military scientific organizations. The main attention is paid to achieving a high level of individual skill of flight personnel in the combat use of new types of aviation equipment and aviation weapons, the development of new tactical techniques for combat use, especially ways to effectively counter enemy air defense and electronic warfare. Based on the analysis of experience, changes are being made to training programs and plans that allow training aviation personnel taking into account the actual conditions of combat operations, recommendations are being developed that will be implemented in the practice of combat training of the armies of the Air Force and air defense of military districts," Sergey Dronov stressed.
The Russian Defense Minister congratulated servicemen and veterans on the Day of the Air Force.
Sergei Shoigu noted that "over the years of its existence, the Air Force has made an invaluable contribution to the protection of the air borders of our Fatherland.
We are rightfully proud of the feats of pilots, navigators and aviation specialists, we bow before their exceptional bravery, steadfastness and courage shown in the battles for freedom and independence of the Motherland.
Today, the Air Force is successfully mastering new weapons and equipment, effectively solving special tasks in Ukraine and Syria, and providing assistance in eliminating the consequences of natural disasters.
I am sure that the Russian Air Force will continue to multiply the glorious military traditions and reliably ensure the security of the country."
