The 37th Air Army ( rus, 37-я воздушная армия, r=37 Vozdushnaya Armiya) of the High Supreme Command (Strategic Purpose) was the strategic bomber force of the Russian Air Force from 1998 to 2009. It was equipped with Tupolev Tu-95MS and
Tu-160
The Tupolev Tu-160 (russian: Туполев Ту-160 Белый лебедь, translit=Belyj Lebeď, translation=White Swan; NATO reporting name: Blackjack) is a supersonic, variable-sweep wing heavy strategic bomber designed by the Tupolev Desi ...
armed with nuclear cruise missiles, and the intermediate range
Tu-22M3
The Tupolev Tu-22M (russian: Туполев Ту-22М; NATO reporting name: Backfire) is a supersonic, variable-sweep wing, long-range strategic and maritime strike bomber developed by the Tupolev Design Bureau in the 1960s. According to some s ...
bombers.
It was the successor to the Soviet Union's Long Range Aviation, which once had several Air Armies, including the 37th. The 37th Air Army was originally formed in 1949 by redesignating the
4th Air Army
Fourth or the fourth may refer to:
* the ordinal form of the number 4
* ''Fourth'' (album), by Soft Machine, 1971
* Fourth (angle), an ancient astronomical subdivision
* Fourth (music), a musical interval
* ''The Fourth'' (1972 film), a Sovie ...
in the
Northern Group of Forces
The Northern Group of Forces (; ) was the military formation of the Soviet Army stationed in People's Republic of Poland, Poland from the end of World War II, Second World War in 1945 until 1993 when they were withdrawn in the aftermath of the fal ...
in
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...
. 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. It appears the decree may have been put into effect and the headquarters actually reformed on 1 August 1980.Michael Holm 37th Air Army VGK SN accessed September 2011
Strategic aviation is the sole Russian Air Force component which was actually increased in the 1990s rather than being cut, as was the case with military services. Following the break-up of the Soviet Union 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
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...
and
Ukraine
Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
. 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-55 and
standoff missile
Standoff weapons are missiles or bombs which may be launched from a distance sufficient to allow attacking personnel to evade the effect of the weapon or defensive fire from the target area. Typically, they are used against land- and sea-based targ ...
s.
In 2007, for the first time in 15 years, the annual flight time of pilots of the 37th Air Army (Long-Range Aviation) exceeded 80 hours.
On September 10, 2008 two Tu-160 bombers made a flight from their airbase to an aerodrome (Libertador)in
Venezuela
Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...
, using their home airbase of Olenegorsk in the Murmansk area. On board were training rockets with which the sortie's task was fulfilled. It is the first case of use in the history of the Russian Federation by Long-Range Aviation aircraft of airbases located in the territory of the foreign state. While in Venezuela the aircraft made training flights over neutral waters in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean sea.
In 2009 the 37th Air Army of the Supreme Command was disbanded as part of a large scale reorganisation of the Air Force and has been reformed into the Long Range Aviation Command.
List of structure by year
2007
*37th Air Army –
Moscow
Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 millio ...
**43rd Centre for Combat and Flight Personnel Training –
Ryazan
Ryazan ( rus, Рязань, p=rʲɪˈzanʲ, a=ru-Ryazan.ogg) is the largest city and administrative center of Ryazan Oblast, Russia. The city is located on the banks of the Oka River in Central Russia, southeast of Moscow. As of the 2010 Cens ...
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 Twin ...
Shaykovka
Shaykovka (russian: Шайковка; State airfields index: ЬУБЙ), also given variously as Kirov Shaykovka, Anisovo Gorod, Anisovo Gorodishche, Shaykovo, Shajkovka, Gorodische, Chaikovka, is an airbase of the Russian Air Force in Kaluga Oblas ...
– Tu-22M3;
***840th Heavy Bomber Air Regiment –
Soltsy
Soltsy (russian: Сольцы́) is a town and the administrative center of Soletsky District in Novgorod Oblast, Russia, located on the left bank of the Shelon River, southwest of Veliky Novgorod, the administrative center of the oblast. Populat ...
– Tu-22M3;
** 326th Heavy Bomber Aviation Division – HQ at Ukrainka;
***182nd Heavy Bomber Air Regiment – Ukrainka – Tu-95MS;
***79th Heavy Bomber Air Regiment – Ukrainka – Tu-95MS;
***200th Heavy Bomber Air Regiment – Belaya (near Irkutsk) – Tu-22M3, Tu-22MR;
***444th Heavy Bomber Air Regiment –
Vozdvizhenka Vozdvizhenka may refer to:
*Vozdvizhenka Street, a street in Moscow, Russia
*Vozdvizhenka (air base)
Vozdvizhenka (also known as Ussuriysk and before the 1960s Voroshilov) is an air base in Primorsky Krai located close to the village of Vozdvizhen ...
(
Ussuriysk
Ussuriysk (russian: Уссури́йск) is a city in Primorsky Krai, Russia, located in the fertile valley of the Razdolnaya River, north of Vladivostok, the administrative center of the krai, and about from both the China–Russia border and ...
) – Tu-22M3;
**203rd Independent Aviation Regiment of
Tanker Aircraft
This is a list of tanker aircraft used for aerial refuelling of another aircraft whilst in powered flight.
Refueling methods
;Looped hose: The first commercial method employed a hose which was held slack in a trailing half-loop behind both air ...
– HQs at
Ryazan
Ryazan ( rus, Рязань, p=rʲɪˈzanʲ, a=ru-Ryazan.ogg) is the largest city and administrative center of Ryazan Oblast, Russia. The city is located on the banks of the Oka River in Central Russia, southeast of Moscow. As of the 2010 Cens ...
–
Il-78
The Ilyushin Il-78 (russian: Илью́шин Ил-78; NATO reporting name Midas) is a Soviet/Russian four-engined aerial refueling tanker based on the Il-76 strategic airlifter.
Design and development
The Soviet Union's first dedicated tan ...
An-12
The Antonov An-12 ( Russian: Антонов Ан-12; NATO reporting name: Cub) is a four-engined turboprop transport aircraft designed in the Soviet Union. It is the military version of the Antonov An-10 and has many variants. For more than th ...
and
An-30
The Antonov An-30 (NATO reporting name: Clank), is a development of the An-24 designed for aerial cartography.
Development
The first aerial survey version of the Antonov An-24 was designed by the Beriev OKB and designated An-24FK. The FK stoo ...
;
**199th Air Base –
Ulan-Ude
Ulan-Ude (; bua, Улаан-Үдэ, , ; russian: Улан-Удэ, p=ʊˈlan ʊˈdɛ; mn, Улаан-Үд, , ) is the capital city of the Republic of Buryatia, Russia, located about southeast of Lake Baikal on the Uda River at its confluence wi ...
;
**3119th Air Base –
Tambov
Tambov (, ; rus, Тамбов, p=tɐmˈbof) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative center of Tambov Oblast, Central Federal District, central Russia, at the confluence of the Tsna River (Moksha basin), Tsna and ...
;
**Unknown Air Base –
Tiksi
Tiksi ( rus, Ти́кси, , ˈtʲiksʲɪ; sah, Тиксии, ''Tiksii'' – lit. ''a moorage place'') is an urban locality (an urban-type settlement) and the administrative center of Bulunsky District in the Sakha Republic, Russia, located o ...
;
2000
*Headquarters, Moscow
*44th independent Communications Regiment (Moscow, Moscow Oblast)
*43rd Center for combat training and retraining of crews (
Ryazan
Ryazan ( rus, Рязань, p=rʲɪˈzanʲ, a=ru-Ryazan.ogg) is the largest city and administrative center of Ryazan Oblast, Russia. The city is located on the banks of the Oka River in Central Russia, southeast of Moscow. As of the 2010 Cens ...
, Ryazan Oblast) with Tu-22M3, Tu-134UBL and An-26
*203rd Guards Aviation Regiment of Tanker Aircraft (Dyagilevo, Ryazan Oblast) with Il-78
*6212th Aviation Technical Base for discarded aircraft (Engels, Saratov Oblast) with Tu-22
* 22nd Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Division (
Engels-2
Engels Air Force Base (russian: Энгельс, formally Engels-2) is a strategic bomber military airbase in Russia located east of Saratov. Engels is a major bomber operations base, and is Russia's sole operating location for the Tupolev Tu- ...
Amur Oblast
Amur Oblast ( rus, Аму́рская о́бласть, r=Amurskaya oblast, p=ɐˈmurskəjə ˈobləsʲtʲ) is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast), located on the banks of the Amur and Zeya Rivers in the Russian Far East. The administrative ...
)
1991
*Headquarters, Moscow
*364 Separate Mixed Aviation Squadron (
Vorkuta
Vorkuta (russian: Воркута́; kv, Вӧркута, ''Vörkuta''; Nenets for "the abundance of bears", "bear corner") is a coal-mining town in the Komi Republic, Russia, situated just north of the Arctic Circle in the Pechora coal basin at ...
,
Komi ASSR
The Komi Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (russian: Коми Автономная Советская Социалистическая Республика; kv, Коми Автономнӧй Сӧветскӧй Социалистическӧй ...
Uzyn
Uzyn () is a city in Bila Tserkva Raion of Kyiv Oblast (province) of northern Ukraine. It hosts the administration of Uzyn urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. The city and covers an area of . Population: .
The largest industrial organi ...
,
Kyiv Oblast
Kyiv Oblast ( uk, Ки́ївська о́бласть, translit=Kyïvska oblast), also called Kyivshchyna ( uk, Ки́ївщина), is an oblast (province) in central and northern Ukraine. It surrounds, but does not include, the city of Kyiv, w ...
, activated May 1955, with:
**409th Aviation Regiment of Tanker Aircraft (APSZ) (Uzyn) with
Ilyushin Il-78
The Ilyushin Il-78 (russian: Илью́шин Ил-78; NATO reporting name Midas) is a Soviet/Russian four-engined aerial refueling tanker based on the Il-76 strategic airlifter.
Design and development
The Soviet Union's first dedicated t ...
Engels-2
Engels Air Force Base (russian: Энгельс, formally Engels-2) is a strategic bomber military airbase in Russia located east of Saratov. Engels is a major bomber operations base, and is Russia's sole operating location for the Tupolev Tu- ...
,
Saratov Oblast
Saratov Oblast (russian: Сара́товская о́бласть, ''Saratovskaya oblast'') is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (an oblast), located in the Volga Federal District. Its administrative center is the types of ...
Priluki
Pryluky ( uk, Прилу́ки ) is a List of cities in Ukraine, city and List of hromadas of Ukraine, municipality located on the Udai River in Chernihiv Oblast, north-central Ukraine. It serves as the administrative center of Pryluky Raion (Ra ...
Tupolev Tu-160
The Tupolev Tu-160 (russian: Туполев Ту-160 Белый лебедь, translit=Belyj Lebeď, translation= White Swan; NATO reporting name: Blackjack) is a supersonic, variable-sweep wing heavy strategic bomber designed by the Tupolev Des ...
Engels-2
Engels Air Force Base (russian: Энгельс, formally Engels-2) is a strategic bomber military airbase in Russia located east of Saratov. Engels is a major bomber operations base, and is Russia's sole operating location for the Tupolev Tu- ...
Vorkuta
Vorkuta (russian: Воркута́; kv, Вӧркута, ''Vörkuta''; Nenets for "the abundance of bears", "bear corner") is a coal-mining town in the Komi Republic, Russia, situated just north of the Arctic Circle in the Pechora coal basin at ...
Engels-2
Engels Air Force Base (russian: Энгельс, formally Engels-2) is a strategic bomber military airbase in Russia located east of Saratov. Engels is a major bomber operations base, and is Russia's sole operating location for the Tupolev Tu- ...
, Saratov Oblast)
1960 – 1992 in Poland
Source: Web Site
37th Air Army (July 1964 renamed VVS Northern Group of Forces; February 22, 1968 awarded the Red Banner; April 4, 1968 renamed 4th Air Army; August 1980 renamed 4th Air Army VGK ON; October 1992 withdrawn from Legnica, Poland)
* 19th independent Communications Regiment and Automated Control Regiment (Legnica) – October 1992 withdrawn from Legnica, Poland
* 245th independent Mixed Aviation Squadron (Legnica) with Mi-4 (1960–1989), An-12, An-26, and Mi-8 – October 1992 withdrawn from Legnica, Poland
* 164th independent Guards Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment (Brzeg) with Il-28R (1960–1989), MiG-25 and Su-24 – October 1992 withdrawn from Legnica, Poland
* 330th independent Reconnaissance Regiment (Chojna) with MiG-15R – activated the 215th independent Aviation Squadron for Tactical Reconnaissance in 1960 and was disbanded
* 215th independent Aviation Squadron for Tactical Reconnaissance – activated from 330th independent Reconnaissance Regiment in 1960 (Brzeg) with MiG-21R (1960–1981), Yak-28PP (1981–1993), MiG-25BM (1989–1993), MiG-25RU (1989–1993), August 1984 renamed 151st independent Aviation Regiment for Electronic Warfare), 1992 taken over by Belorussia, disbanded January 1993
* 149th Fighter-Bomber Aviation Division (
Szprotawa
Szprotawa (german: Sprottau) is a town in western Poland, in Żagań County, Lubusz Voivodeship. It has 11,820 inhabitants (2019).
History
The region was part of Poland after the emergence of the Piast monarchy in the 10th century. The first me ...
) (July 1982 renamed 149th Bomber Aviation Division) – July 1992 withdrawn from Poland
** 3rd Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiment (Krzywa) with Su-7B and MiG-17 (1965–1980), MiG-27 (1980–1988), Su-24M (1988–1992) – 1990 transferred to Lebyashe (Volgograd oblast), disbanded 1992
** 18th Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiment (Szprotawa) (1981 renamed 89th Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiment) with MiG-17 (1965–1980), Su-17 (1980–1988), Su-24 (1988–1993) – 1992 transferred to Siverskaya (Novgorod oblast), disbanded 1993
**42nd Guards Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiment (Zagan) with MiG-15F/PF (1965–1970), MiG-17 (1970–1980, MiG-21 (1980–1988), Su-24M (1988–1992) – disbanded 1992
* 239th Fighter Aviation Division (Kluczewo) – July 1992 withdrawn from Poland, disbanded May 1, 1998
** 159th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment (Kluczewo) with MiG-17 and Yak-25M (1960–1990), Su-27 (1990–1998) – 1992 transferred to Besovets (Karelskaja ASSR), disbanded 1998
** 582nd Fighter Aviation Regiment (Chojna) with MiG-15 (1960–1990), Su-27 (1990–1992) – 1992 transferred to Smolensk, disbanded 1992
** 871st Fighter Aviation Regiment ( Kolobrzeg) with MiG-15, MiG-17, MiG-19, and MiG-21 (1960–1973), MiG-23MLD (1990–1992) – Brzheg, Poland, 1.9.89 - 10.6.91; June 1991 transferred to
Smolensk
Smolensk ( rus, Смоленск, p=smɐˈlʲensk, a=smolensk_ru.ogg) is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River, west-southwest of Moscow. First mentioned in 863, it is one of the oldest c ...
, disbanded 1992
* 172nd Fighter-Bomber Aviation Division (Legnica), disbanded July 1961https://www.ww2.dk/new/air%20force/division/adib/172ibad.htm
** 189th Guards Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiment (Olawa) with MiG-15, MiG-17, disbanded July 1961
** 669th Guards Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiment (Szprotawa) with MiG-15, MiG-17, disbanded July 1961
** 756th Guards Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiment (Krzywa) with MiG-15, MiG-17, disbanded July 1961
* 183rd Bomber Aviation Division (Brzeg), disbanded July 1960
** 131st Bomber Aviation Regiment (Poland), disbanded July 1960
** 1101st Bomber Aviation Regiment (Brzeg), disbanded July 1960
** 1107th Bomber Aviation Regiment (Brzeg), disbanded July 1960
Commanders
Source: Michael Holm
*Lieutenant-General I. V. Gorbunov, 1980–1985
*Lieutenant-General Pyotr Stepanovich Deynekin, 1985–May 1988 (later Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Air Force)
*Lieutenant-General Igor Mikhailovich Kalugin, 1988–November 1997
*Lieutenant-General Mikhail Mikhailovich Oparin, 11.97 – 11.02
*Lieutenant-General Igor Ivanovich Khvorov, 15.11.02 – May 2007
*General-Major Pavel Androsov ( :ru:Андросов,_Павел_Васильевич), 2007 - August 2009
Later commanders: Major General Anatoly Zhiharev, former Chief of Staff of the 37th Air Army.
References
Sources
*
Air Forces Monthly
''Air Forces Monthly'' is a military aviation magazine published by Key Publishing, and based in Stamford, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom. It was established in 1988. It provides news and analysis on military aviation, technology and related topics ...