Military Transport Aviation Command is part of the

Russian Air Force " Air March" , mascot = , anniversaries = 12 August , equipment = , equipment_label = , battles = , decorations = , bat ...

. Military Transport Aviation Command (russian: Кома́ндование вое́нно-тра́нспортной авиа́ции (ВТА) — '' Komandovaniye voyenno-transportnoy aviatsii (VTA)'') was a major component of the former

Soviet Air Forces The Soviet Air Forces ( rus, Военно-воздушные силы, r=Voyenno-vozdushnyye sily, VVS; literally "Military Air Forces") were one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces. The Air Forces ...

, active from the Cold War period, through the dissolution of the Soviet Union, to 1998–1999. In 1999–2009 it was reduced in status to the 61st Air Army of the Supreme High Command (''61 Vozdushnaya Armiya VGK''). The 61st Air Army itself was initially formed on 10 January 1949 by renaming the 3rd Air Army. In 2009 the 61st Air Army was renamed the Command of Military Transport Aviation. Its headquarters is located in

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 million ...

. The VTA traces its history to the formation of the first transport aviation unit in the

Leningrad Military District The Leningrad Military District was a military district of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. In 2010 it was merged with the Moscow Military District, the Northern Fleet and the Baltic Fleet to form the new Western Military District. Hi ...

on 1 June 1931. In 1955–56 air transport units were removed from the

Soviet Airborne Troops The Soviet Airborne Forces or VDV (from ''Vozdushno- desantnye voyska SSSR'', Russian: Воздушно-десантные войска СССР, ВДВ; Air-landing Forces) was a separate troops branch of the Soviet Armed Forces. First formed be ...

and the VTA itself was created. In 1988 the VTA included six separate regiments (194th Guards Bryanskiy Red Banner Military-Transport Aviation Regiment im. N.F. Gastello at

Fergana Fergana ( uz, Fargʻona/Фарғона, ), or Ferghana, is a district-level city and the capital of Fergana Region in eastern Uzbekistan. Fergana is about 420 km east of Tashkent, about 75 km west of Andijan, and less than 20 km fr ...

, probably associated with the 105th Guards Vienna Airborne Division, 334, 374 OVTAP at

Klokovo Klokovo (russian: Клоково) is an air base in Russia on north fringe of Tula. It has been home to 374 OVTAP (374th Independent Military Transport Aviation Regiment) flying Ilyushin Il-76 (NATO: Candid) and Antonov An-22 (NATO: Cock) large ...

, 566 VTAP, and unidentified regiments at Ulyanovsk and

Kirovakan Vanadzor ( hy, Վանաձոր) is an urban municipal community and the third-largest city in Armenia, serving as the capital of Lori Province in the northern part of the country. It is located about north of the capital Yerevan. As of the 2011 cen ...

) and six divisions with a total of 18 military transport aviation regiments. Holm and Feskov ''et al.'' 2004 disagree on multiple regiments' identity and stationing. The divisions were the

3rd Guards Military Transport Aviation Division Third or 3rd may refer to: Numbers * 3rd, the ordinal form of the cardinal number 3 * , a fraction of one third * Second#Sexagesimal divisions of calendar time and day, 1⁄60 of a ''second'', or 1⁄3600 of a ''minute'' Places * 3rd Street (d ...

(VTAD) at

Vitebsk Vitebsk or Viciebsk (russian: Витебск, ; be, Ві́цебск, ; , ''Vitebsk'', lt, Vitebskas, pl, Witebsk), is a city in Belarus. The capital of the Vitebsk Region, it has 366,299 inhabitants, making it the country's fourth-largest ci ...

(103rd Guards, 110, 235, 239th Regiments), the 6th Military Transport Aviation Division at

Kryvyi Rih Kryvyi Rih ( uk, Криви́й Ріг , lit. "Curved Bend" or "Crooked Horn"), also known as Krivoy Rog (Russian: Кривой Рог) is the largest city in central Ukraine, the 7th most populous city in Ukraine and the 2nd largest by area. Kr ...

(Krivoy Rog) (37th, 338th Regiments), the 7th Division at

Melitopol Melitopol ( uk, Меліто́поль, translit=Melitópol’, ; russian: Мелитополь; based on el, Μελιτόπολις - "honey city") is a List of cities in Ukraine, city and List of hromadas of Ukraine, municipality in Zaporizhz ...

with the 25th Guards, 369th (

Dzhankoy Dzhankoi or Jankoy is a town of regional significance in the northern part of Crimea, an internationally recognized ''de jure'' part of Ukraine, but since 2014 a ''de facto'' federal subject of the Russian Federation. It also serves as administrat ...

), and 708th Regiments, the 8th Division at Chkalovsky,

Shchyolkovo Shchyolkovo ( rus, Щёлково, p=ˈɕːɵlkəvə) is a city and the administrative center of Shchyolkovsky District in Moscow Oblast, Russia, located on the Klyazma River (Oka's tributary), northeast of Moscow. Population: 112,865 ( 2002 ...

Moscow Oblast Moscow Oblast ( rus, Моско́вская о́бласть, r=Moskovskaya oblast', p=mɐˈskofskəjə ˈobləsʲtʲ), or Podmoskovye ( rus, Подмоско́вье, p=pədmɐˈskovʲjə, literally "under Moscow"), is a federal subject of Rus ...

, (70th, 353rd, and 354th OSNAZ regiments), the

12th Military Transport Aviation Division The 12th Mginskaya Red Banner Military Transport Aviation Division (''12-я Мгинская Краснознаменная военно-транспортная авиационная дивизия'') is a formation of the 61st Air Army of the ...

Migalovo Migalovo (also given as Tver Migalovo, Kalinin) is an air base in Tver Oblast, Russia located 10 km west of Tver. It is a large military airlift base. It currently houses all of Russia's remaining Antonov An-22 fleet. It is an Ilyushin Il-7 ...

, which traced its heritage to the 12th Bomber Aviation Division of the World War II period, and had three regiments, including the 8th, 81st, and a regiment at

Klin KLIN (1400 AM broadcasting, AM) is a radio station broadcasting a news talk information format. Licensed to Lincoln, Nebraska, United States, the station serves the Lincoln area. The station is currently owned by NRG Media and features programmin ...

. The final division was the 18th Guards 'Taganrogskaya Red Banner Orders of Suvorov and Kutuzov' Military Transport Aviation Division at Shaulyai, which traced its history to the wartime 6th Guards Bomber Aviation Division, and had three regiments (117th, 128th Guards, 196th). Regiments of the 18th VTAD, according to Holm included the 128th Guards VTAP at

Panevėžys Air Base Panevėžys Air Base (also known as Pajuostis, and Tulpė) is an air base in Lithuania located 6 km east of Panevėžys. It is a transport base, with a very large ring taxiway 2 km in diameter. There are 32 large revetments. The mai ...

, and the 600th VTAP at

Kėdainiai Kėdainiai () is one of the oldest List of cities in Lithuania, cities in Lithuania. It is located north of Kaunas on the banks of the Nevėžis River. First mentioned in the 1372 Livonian Chronicle of Hermann de Wartberge, its population is 23, ...

in the

Lithuanian SSR The Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic (Lithuanian SSR; lt, Lietuvos Tarybų Socialistinė Respublika; russian: Литовская Советская Социалистическая Республика, Litovskaya Sovetskaya Sotsialistiche ...

. The main aircraft the 61st Air Army used was the

Il-76 The Ilyushin Il-76 (russian: Илью́шин Ил-76; NATO reporting name: Candid) is a multi-purpose, fixed-wing, four-engine turbofan strategic airlifter designed by the Soviet Union's Ilyushin design bureau. It was first planned as a commer ...

''Candid'' (about 220) and An-22 ''Cock''; or the medium transport

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 ...

''Cub''. The Russian Air Force began in 2002 to upgrade its Il-76MD transport aircraft, but this is a slow process, only two aircraft being modernized in 2005. According to the modernisation programme, 12 Il-76 aircraft are due to be modernised before 2010, to the Il-76MD-90 variant.

Structure 2007

*61st Air Army -

**610th Centre for Combat and Flight Personnel Training - HQs at

Ivanovo Severny Ivanovo Severny (also Ivanovo North or Zhukovka) is an air base in Russia located 6 km north of Ivanovo. It is a large transport operation airfield with hangars and significant tarmac space. The runway was built in 1935 and upgraded in 196 ...

Ivanovo Oblast Ivanovo Oblast (russian: Ива́новская о́бласть, ''Ivanovskaya oblast'') is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast). It had a population of 927,828 as of the 2021 Russian Census. Its three largest cities are Ivanovo (the ...

; ***Unknown Instructor Military Transport Air Squadron - Ivanovo - operates the

; **

- Tver/Migalovo,

Tver Oblast Tver Oblast (russian: Тверска́я о́бласть, ''Tverskaya oblast'', ), from 1935 to 1990 known as Kalinin Oblast (), is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative center is the city of Tver. It was named after Mikhai ...

***196th Military Transport Aviation Regiment - Migalovo -

in service; ***566th Military Transport Aviation Regiment - Seshcha,

Bryansk Oblast Bryansk Oblast (russian: Бря́нская о́бласть, ''Bryanskaya oblast''), also known as Bryanshchina (russian: Брянщина, ) is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative center is th ...

An-124 The Antonov An-124 Ruslan (; russian: Антонов Ан-124 Руслан, , Ruslan; NATO reporting name: Condor) is a large, strategic airlift, four-engined aircraft that was designed in the 1980s by the Antonov design bureau in the Ukraini ...

; ***76th Independent Guards Military Transport Air Squadron - Tver -

An-22 The Antonov An-22 "Antei" (, ''An-22 Antej''; English ''Antaeus'') (NATO reporting name "Cock") is a heavy military transport aircraft designed by the Antonov Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. Powered by four turboprop engines each driving a pa ...

; **103rd Military Transport Aviation Regiment -

Smolensk-North Smolensk North Airport (russian: военный аэродром "Смоленск-Северный", "Smolensk North Military Aerodrome") is a decommissioned military airbase in Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located 4 km north of the city of ...

; (regiment disbanded 2009) **110th Military Transport Aviation Regiment -

Krechevitsy Krechevitsy (russian: Кречевицы) is a microdistrict (since 2004) of the city of Veliky Novgorod, Russia. It is located remotely (some 15 km north-east) from the city centre, on the left bank of the Volkhov River. Population: 3,363 ( ...

; (regiment disbanded 2009) **117th Military Transport Aviation Regiment -

Orenburg Orenburg (russian: Оренбу́рг, ), formerly known as Chkalov (1938–1957), is the administrative center of Orenburg Oblast, Russia. It lies on the Ural River, southeast of Moscow. Orenburg is also very close to the Kazakhstan-Russia bor ...

Orenburg Oblast Orenburg Oblast (russian: Оренбургская область, ''Orenburgskaya oblast'') is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative center is the city of Orenburg. From 1938 to 1957, it bore the name ''Chkalov Oblast'' () ...

; **334th Military Transport Aviation Regiment - Pskov-Kresty,

Pskov Oblast Pskov Oblast (russian: Пско́вская о́бласть, ') is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (an oblast), located in the west of the country. Its administrative center is the types of inhabited localities in Russia, ...

(Ил-76МД, Ил-78, Ил-76МД-90А); **708th Military Transport Aviation Regiment - Taganrog-Central,

Rostov Oblast Rostov Oblast ( rus, Росто́вская о́бласть, r=Rostovskaya oblast, p=rɐˈstofskəjə ˈobləsʲtʲ) is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast), located in the Southern Federal District. The oblast has an area of and a populati ...

; **78th Independent Military Transport Air Squadron -

-5,

- operates

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

Tu-134 The Tupolev Tu-134 (NATO reporting name: Crusty) is a twin-engined, narrow-body jet airliner built in the Soviet Union for short and medium-haul routes from 1966 to 1989. The original version featured a glazed-nose design and, like certain ot ...

; **224th Air Detachment of Military Transport Aviation - Migalovo -

, Il-76MD;

Structure

* 12th Mginska Krasnoznamennaya Military Transport Aircraft Division ** 8th Military Transport Aviation Regiment - Tver/Migalovo,

- An-12BK, An-22, An-26 & Il-76MD ** 144th Airborne Early Warning Aviation Regiment -

- A-50/50U & Il-76MD ** 334th Berlin Red Banner Military Transport Aviation Regiment -

Pskov Pskov ( rus, Псков, a=pskov-ru.ogg, p=pskof; see also names in other languages) is a city in northwestern Russia and the administrative center of Pskov Oblast, located about east of the Estonian border, on the Velikaya River. Population ...

- Il-76MD, MD-90A & Il-78 ** 566th Moscow Red Banner, order of Kutuzov, 1st class, Military Transport Aviation Regiment - Seshcha,

- An-124/124-100 * 18th Guards Military Transport Aviation Division **117th Military Transport Aviation Regiment - Orenburg-2,

- Il-22P, Il-76MD ** 235th Military Transport Aviation Regiment - Ulyanovsk-Vostochny - An-124 & Il-76MD/MD-90A ** 708th Red Banner of Kerch Military Transport Aviation Regiment - Taganrog-Central,

- Il-76MD

18th Guards Military Transport Aviation Division

The '18th Guards Taganrogskaya Red Banner orders of Suvorov and Kutuzov Military-Transport Aviation Division' was Military Unit no. 18380.Michael Holm, http://www.ww2.dk/new/air forces It was activated in June 1942 from the 4th Reserve Air Group, as the 270th Bomber Aviation Division. On 23.10.43 it was renamed 6th Guards Bomber Aviation Division. At the end of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

it was serving with the 1st Air Army. Organisation May 1945: *134th Guards Bomber Aviation Regiment (Chernyakhovsk, Kaliningrad Oblast) with Pe-2 *135th Guards Bomber Aviation Regiment (Chernyakhovsk, Kaliningrad Oblast) with Pe-2 *10th Guards Bomber Aviation Regiment (Chernyakhovsk, Kaliningrad Oblast) with Pe-2 Organisation 1955: *4th Guards Bomber Aviation Regiment (Chernyakhovsk, Kaliningrad Oblast) with Il-28 *128th Guards Bomber Aviation Regiment (Panevezhis, Lithuanian SSR) with Il-28 *800th Bomber Aviation Regiment (Siauliai, Lithuanian SSSR) with Il-28 On 10 July 1964 it was renamed 11th Guards Military-Transport Aviation Division. In April 1966 finally it was renamed 18th Guards Military-Transport Aviation Division.

Structure 2007

Structure

18th Guards Military Transport Aviation Division

References

See also