The 204th Air Brigade ( sr, 204. ваздухопловна бригада, translit=204. vazduhoplovna brigada) is a mixed (fighter, transport and training) brigade of the

Serbian Air Force and Air Defence The Serbian Air Force and Air Defence ( sr-Cyrl, Ратно ваздухопловство и противваздухопловна одбрана Војске Србије, Ratno vazduhoplovstvo i protivvazduhoplovna odbrana Vojske Srbije, Wa ...

History

The brigade was formed on 15 November 2006 as successor of 204th Fighter Aviation Regiment of the Air Force of Serbia and Montenegro from units of the former Air Force of Serbia and Montenegro: 204th Fighter Aviation Regiment, 252nd Fighter-Bomber Aviation Squadron, 890th helicopter squadron, 677th transport aviation squadron and one unit of 353rd reconnaissance squadron.

Missions

In peace time, brigade performs the following tasks: * airspace control * air reconnaissance * air transport * participation in peacekeeping operations and in international military cooperation * providing support to civil authorities in case of natural disasters, industrial and other accidents and epidemics In war time, brigade performs the following tasks: * combat for airspace control * fire support * air defence of the territory * air reconnaissance * air transport

Structure

The 204th Air Brigade is composed of the following units: * 101st

101st Fighter Squadron "Knights" (equipped with MiG-29SM) * 138 M

138th Transport Squadron (equipped with

An-26 The Antonov An-26 (NATO reporting name: Curl) is a twin-engined turboprop civilian and military transport aircraft, designed and produced in the Soviet Union from 1969 to 1986.Gordon, Yefim. Komissarov, Dmitry & Sergey. "Antonov's Turboprop Twins ...

and Mi-8T) * Kurjaci sa ušća

252nd Training Squadron 5 (five) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number, and cardinal number, following 4 and preceding 6, and is a prime number. It has attained significance throughout history in part because typical humans have five digits on eac ...

"Ušće Wolves" (equipped with G-4M and

Lasta 95 The Utva Lasta 95 is a light military trainer aircraft produced by Utva Aviation Industry, subsidiary of Yugoimport SDPR. It is a tandem two-seater low-wing trainer with a metal airframe. The aircraft is capable of basic training functions includin ...

) *

890th Mixed Helicopter Squadron "Pegasuses" (equipped with Mi-17V-5 and SA341H) * 177th Air Defence Artillery Missile Battalion * 24th Air Technical Battalion * 17th Air Base Security Battalion

Traditions

Heritage

The 204th Air Brigade continues traditions of the famous 6th Fighter Regiment of the

Royal Yugoslav Air Force The Royal Yugoslav Air Force ( sh-Latn, Jugoslovensko kraljevsko ratno vazduhoplovstvo, JKRV; sh-Cyrl, Југословенско краљевско ратно ваздухопловство, ЈКРВ; ( sl, Jugoslovansko kraljevo vojno letalstv ...

, which distinguished itself in the defense of Belgrade during the 1941 invasion of Yugoslavia in the World War II.

Anniversary

The anniversary of the unit is celebrated on December 2. On that day in 1949, the 204th Fighter Aviation Regiment was formed, which has the longest tradition of all the units that are part of today's brigade, as a continuation of the tradition of the famous 6th Fighter Regiment, which distinguished itself in the defense of Belgrade in 1941.

Patron saint

The unit's

slava Slava may refer to: Ships * ''Slava'' class cruiser, a modern Russian warship ** Soviet cruiser Slava (1979), now Russian cruiser ''Moskva'', a ''Slava'' class guided missile cruiser sunk during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine * Russian ba ...

or its patron saint is

Saint Elijah Elijah ( ; he, אֵלִיָּהוּ, ʾĒlīyyāhū, meaning "My God is Yahweh/YHWH"; Greek form: Elias, ''Elías''; syr, ܐܸܠܝܼܵܐ, ''Elyāe''; Arabic: إلياس or إليا, ''Ilyās'' or ''Ilyā''. ) was, according to the Books o ...

known as ''Ilindan''.

References

{{Reflist Brigades of Serbia Military units and formations established in 2006