Guards units of the Airborne Forces. History of the Airborne Forces

Airborne Troops (VDV) - a type of troops intended for combat operations behind enemy lines. Usually they are part of the ground forces, less often they are part of the air force (navy), but they can also be an independent branch of the armed forces.

Designed for airborne landings behind enemy lines or for rapid deployment in geographically remote areas. The main method of delivery of the Airborne Forces is parachute landing, they can also be delivered by helicopter; during World War II, glider delivery was practiced.

At the end of 1930, near Leningrad, a Soviet airborne unit was created - an airborne assault detachment. In December 1932, he was deployed to the 3rd Special Purpose Aviation Brigade, which in 1938 became known as the 201st Airborne Brigade.

The first use of an airborne assault in the history of military affairs took place in the spring of 1929. In the city of Garm besieged by the Basmachi, a group of armed Red Army soldiers was landed from the air, which, with the support of local residents, defeated a gang that had invaded the territory of Tajikistan from abroad. However, the Day of the Airborne Forces in Russia and a number of other countries is August 2, in honor of the parachute landing at the military exercise of the Moscow Military District near Voronezh on August 2, 1930.

In 1931, on the basis of a directive dated March 18, a non-standard, experienced aviation motorized landing detachment (airborne landing detachment) was formed in the 1st aviation brigade of the Leningrad Military District. It was intended to study issues of operational-tactical use and the most advantageous organizational forms of airborne landing (airborne) units, units and formations. The detachment consisted of 164 personnel and consisted of:

one rifle company;
individual platoons: sapper, communications and light vehicles;
heavy bomber aviation squadron (air squadron) (12 aircraft - TB-1);
one corps aviation detachment (air detachment) (10 aircraft - R-5).

The detachment was armed with:

two 76-mm Kurchevsky dynamo-reactive cannons (DRP);
two wedges - T-27;
4 grenade launchers;
3 light armored vehicles (armored vehicles);
14 light and 4 heavy machine guns;
10 trucks and 16 cars;
4 motorcycles and one scooter (probably meant a bicycle).

E. D. Lukin was appointed commander of the detachment. Then, in the same air brigade, an emergency paratrooper detachment was formed.

In 1932, the Revolutionary Military Council of the USSR adopted a resolution on the deployment of detachments into special aviation battalions (bOSNAZ). By the end of 1933, there were already 29 airborne battalions and brigades that were part of the Air Force. The LenVO was entrusted with the task of training airborne instructors and developing operational and tactical standards. By the standards of that time, airborne units were an effective means of disorganizing the control and rear of the enemy. They were to be used where other types of troops (infantry, artillery, cavalry, armored forces) could not solve this problem at the moment, and were intended to be used by the high command in cooperation with troops advancing from the front, airborne assaults were supposed to contribute to the encirclement and defeat the enemy in this direction.

State No. 015/890 of 1936 of the "Airborne Brigade" (ADBR) of wartime and peacetime. Name of units, number of wartime personnel (number of peacetime personnel in parentheses):

management, 49 (50)
communications company, 56 (46)
musician platoon, 11 (11)
3 airborne battalions, each 521 (381)
school of junior officers, 0 (115)
services, 144 (135)

Personnel:

Total: 1823 (1500)
Command staff, 107 (118)
Commanding staff, 69 (60)
Junior command and command staff, 330 (264)
Enlisted personnel, 1317 (1058)

Material part:

45 mm anti-tank gun, 18 (19)
Light machine guns, 90 (69)
Radio stations, 20 (20)
Automatic carbines, 1286 (1005)
Light mortars, 27 (20)
Cars, 6 (6)
Trucks, 63 (51)
Special vehicles, 14 (14)
Cars "Pickup", 9 (8)
Motorcycles, 31 (31)
Tractors ChTZ, 2 (2)
Tractor trailers, 4 (4)

In the prewar years, a lot of effort and money was allocated to the development of airborne troops, the development of the theory of their combat use and practical training. In 1934, 600 paratroopers were involved in the exercises of the Red Army. In 1935, during the maneuvers of the Kyiv military district, 1,188 paratroopers were parachuted and a landing force consisting of 2,500 people with military equipment landed. In 1936, 3,000 paratroopers were parachuted into the Belarusian Military District, 8,200 people with artillery and other military equipment were landed by landing method. The invited foreign military delegations present at these exercises were amazed by the size of the landings and the skill of landing.

31. Parachute units, as a new type of airborne infantry, are a means of disorganizing the control and rear of the enemy. They are used by the high command.

In cooperation with the troops advancing from the front, the air infantry contributes to the encirclement and defeat of the enemy in a given direction.

The use of air infantry must be strictly in accordance with the conditions of the situation and requires reliable provision and observance of measures of secrecy and surprise.

Chapter Two "Organization of the Red Army Troops" 1. Types of troops and their combat use, Field Regulations of the Red Army (PU-39)

The paratroopers gained experience in real battles. In 1939, the 212th Airborne Brigade took part in the defeat of the Japanese at Khalkhin Gol. For their courage and heroism, 352 paratroopers were awarded orders and medals. In 1939-1940, during the Soviet-Finnish war, the 201st, 202nd and 214th airborne brigades fought together with rifle units.

Based on the experience gained in 1940, new staffs of brigades were approved as part of three combat groups: parachute, glider and landing.

In preparation for the operation to annex Bessarabia to the USSR, occupied by Romania, as well as Northern Bukovina, the command of the Red Army included the 201st, 204th and 214th airborne brigades in the Southern Front. During the operation, combat missions were received by the 204th and 201st ADBR and landings were thrown into the area of Bolgrad and the city of Izmail, and after the closure of the state border to organize Soviet governments in settlements.

By the beginning of 1941, airborne corps of over 10 thousand people each were deployed on the basis of the existing airborne brigades. On September 4, 1941, by order of the People's Commissar, the Office of the Airborne Forces was transformed into the Office of the Commander of the Airborne Forces of the Red Army, and the formations and units of the Airborne Forces were removed from the subordination of the commanders of the active fronts and transferred to the direct subordination of the commander of the Airborne Forces. In accordance with the same order, ten airborne corps, five maneuverable airborne brigades, five reserve airborne regiments and an airborne school (Kuibyshev) were formed. At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the Airborne Forces constituted an independent branch of the forces (troops) of the Red Army Air Force.

In the counteroffensive near Moscow, conditions were created for the widespread use of the Airborne Forces. In the winter of 1942, the Vyazemsky airborne operation was carried out with the participation of the 4th airborne corps. In September 1943, an airborne assault consisting of two brigades was used to assist the troops of the Voronezh Front in forcing the Dnieper River. In the Manchurian strategic operation in August 1945, more than 4 thousand people of the personnel of rifle units were landed for landing operations by landing method, who successfully completed the assigned tasks.

In October 1944, the Airborne Forces were transformed into a separate Guards Airborne Army, which became part of the long-range aviation. In December 1944, this army was disbanded, the Airborne Forces Directorate was created with subordination to the Air Force Commander. Three airborne brigades, a training airborne regiment, advanced training courses for officers and an aeronautical division remained in the Airborne Forces.

Since 1946, they were transferred to the ground forces of the Armed Forces of the USSR, were directly subordinate to the Minister of Defense of the USSR, being the reserve of the Supreme Commander.

In 1956, two airborne divisions took part in the Hungarian events. In 1968, after the capture of two airfields near Prague and Bratislava, the 7th and 103rd Guards Airborne Divisions were landed, which ensured the successful completion of the task by formations and units of the United Armed Forces of the countries participating in the Warsaw Pact during the Czechoslovak events.

Paratroopers in the cargo compartment of the An-12.

In the post-war period, a lot of work was carried out in the Airborne Forces to increase the firepower and mobility of personnel. Numerous samples of airborne armored vehicles (BMD, BTR-D), automotive equipment (TPK, GAZ-66), artillery systems (ASU-57, ASU-85, 2S9 Nona, 107-mm B-11 recoilless rifle) were created. Complex parachute systems were developed for landing all types of weapons - "Centaur", "Reaktaur" and others. The fleet of military transport aircraft was also increased, called for the mass transfer of landing formations in the event of large-scale hostilities. Large-body transport aircraft were created capable of parachute landing of military equipment (An-12, An-22, Il-76).

In the USSR, for the first time in the world, airborne troops were created, which had their own armored vehicles and self-propelled artillery. At large army exercises (for example, "Shield-82" or "Druzhba-82"), the landing of personnel with standard equipment of no more than two parachute regiments was practiced. The state of the military transport aviation of the USSR Armed Forces at the end of the 80s made it possible to parachute 75% of the personnel and standard military equipment of one airborne division in one general sortie.

Organizational structure of the 105th Guards Airborne Division, July 1979.

By the fall of 1979, the 105th Guards Vienna Red Banner Airborne Division, specialized for combat operations in mountainous desert areas, was disbanded. Parts of the 105th Guards. The VDD was deployed in the cities of Fergana, Namangan and Chirchik of the Uzbek SSR and in the city of Osh of the Kirghiz SSR. As a result of the disbandment of the 105th Guards. VDD were formed three separate airborne assault brigades (35th, 38th and 56th) and the 345th guards separate airborne regiment.

Followed after the disbandment of the 105th Guards. The Airborne Forces in 1979, the entry of Soviet troops into Afghanistan showed the profound fallacy of the decision taken by the leadership of the USSR Armed Forces - the airborne formation, specially adapted for combat operations in mountainous desert areas, was ill-considered and hastily disbanded, and was eventually sent to Afghanistan 103 Guards. Airborne Forces, whose personnel had no training for combat operations in such a theater of operations:

“... in 1986, the Commander of the Airborne Forces, Army General Sukhorukov D.F., came, he then said what fools we were, having disbanded the 105th airborne division, because it was intended for combat operations in mountainous desert areas. And we had to spend huge amounts of money to deliver the 103rd airborne division to Kabul by air ... "

By the mid 80s. As part of the airborne troops of the USSR Armed Forces, there were 7 airborne divisions and three separate regiments with the following names and locations:

Organizational structure of the 351st Guards Airborne Regiment, 105th Guards Airborne Division as of July 1979.

7th Guards Red Banner Order of Kutuzov II degree airborne division. Stationed in Kaunas, Lithuanian SSR, Baltic Military District.
76th Guards Red Banner Order of Kutuzov II degree Chernihiv Airborne Division. Stationed in Pskov, RSFSR, Leningrad Military District.
98th Guards Red Banner Order of Kutuzov II degree Svir airborne division. It was stationed in the city of Bolgrad, Ukrainian SSR, KOdVO and in the city of Chisinau, Moldavian SSR, KOdVO.
103rd Guards Red Banner Order of Lenin Order of Kutuzov II degree airborne division named after the 60th anniversary of the USSR. It was stationed in the city of Kabul (Afghanistan) as part of OKSVA. Until December 1979 and after February 1989, it was stationed in the city of Vitebsk, Byelorussian SSR, Belorussian Military District.
The 104th Guards Red Banner Order of Kutuzov II degree airborne division, specialized for combat operations in mountainous areas. Stationed in the city of Kirovabad of the Azerbaijan SSR, Transcaucasian Military District.
106th Guards Red Banner Order of Kutuzov II degree airborne division. It was stationed in the city of Tula and in the city of Ryazan of the RSFSR, Moscow Military District.
44th Training Red Banner Order of Suvorov II degree and Bogdan Khmelnitsky II degree Ovruch airborne division. Stationed in the village. Gayzhyunay of the Lithuanian SSR, Baltic VO.
345th Guards Vienna Red Banner Order of Suvorov III degree Parachute Regiment named after the 70th anniversary of the Lenin Komsomol. Stationed in the city of Bagram (Afghanistan) as part of OKSVA. Until December 1979, it was stationed in the city of Fergana, Uzbek SSR, after February 1989 - in the city of Kirovabad, Azerbaijan SSR, Transcaucasian Military District.
387th Training Separate Airborne Regiment. Until 1982, he was part of the 104th Guards. VDD. In the 80s, in the 387th training OPDP, young recruits were trained to be sent to the airborne and airborne assault units as part of the OKSVA. In cinema, in the film "9th Company", the training part means exactly 387 OUPDP. Stationed in the city of Fergana, Uzbek SSR, Turkestan Military District.
196th Separate Communications Regiment of the Airborne Troops. Stationed in the village. Bear Lakes, Moscow Region, RSFSR.

Each of these divisions included: a directorate (headquarters), three airborne regiments, one self-propelled artillery regiment, and combat support and logistics support units.

In addition to parachute units and formations, the airborne troops also had air assault units and formations, but they were subordinate to the commanders of military districts (groups of forces), armies or corps. They did not differ in anything, except for tasks, subordination and OShS. Methods of combat use, combat training programs for personnel, weapons and uniforms for military personnel were the same as for paratrooper units and formations of the Airborne Forces (central subordination). Air assault formations were represented by separate air assault brigades (ODSHBR), separate air assault regiments (ODSHP) and separate air assault battalions (ODSHB).

The reason for the creation of air assault units in the late 60s was the revision of tactics in the fight against the enemy in the event of a full-scale war. The stake was placed on the concept of using massive landings in the near rear of the enemy, capable of disorganizing the defense. The technical possibility for such a landing was provided by the fleet of transport helicopters in army aviation, which had significantly increased by this time.

By the mid-80s, the USSR Armed Forces included 14 separate brigades, two separate regiments and about 20 separate battalions. The brigades were deployed on the territory of the USSR according to the principle - one brigade per one military district, which has land access to the State border of the USSR, one brigade in the inner Kiev Military District (23 ODSHBR in Kremenchug, subordinate to the High Command of the southwestern direction) and two brigades for groups of Soviet troops abroad (35 ODSHBR in the GSVG in the city of Cottbus and 83 ODSHBR in the SGV in the city of Bialogard). 56 Guards. ODShBR in OKSVA, stationed in the city of Gardez of the Republic of Afghanistan, belonged to the Turkestan Military District, in which it was formed.

Individual air assault regiments were subordinate to the commanders of individual army corps.

The difference between the parachute and airborne assault formations of the Airborne Forces was as follows:

In the presence of standard airborne armored vehicles (BMD, BTR-D, self-propelled guns "Nona", etc.). In the airborne assault units, only a quarter of all units were equipped with it - in contrast to 100% of its staffing in the paratrooper units.
In the subordination of the troops. Airborne assault units, operationally, were subordinate to the command of military districts (groups of troops), armies, and corps. The parachute units were subordinate to the command of the Airborne Forces, whose headquarters was in Moscow.
in assigned tasks. It was assumed that the air assault units, in the event of the start of large-scale hostilities, would be used to land in the enemy's near rear, mainly by landing from helicopters. Parachute units were supposed to be used in a deeper rear of the enemy with a parachute landing from VTA aircraft. At the same time, airborne training with planned training parachute landings of personnel and military equipment was mandatory for both types of airborne forces.
Unlike the guards airborne units of the Airborne Forces deployed in full force, some airborne assault brigades were cadre (special staff) and were not guards. The exception was three brigades that received the names of the Guards, created on the basis of the 105th Vienna Red Banner Guards Airborne Division disbanded in 1979 - the 35th, 38th and 56th.

In the mid-80s, the following brigades and regiments were part of the Airborne Forces of the USSR Armed Forces:

Organizational and staffing structure of the 56th Guards Separate Air Assault Brigade, as of December 1986

11 ODSHBR in the Trans-Baikal MD (Trans-Baikal Territory, Mogocha and Amazar)
13 ODSHBR in the Far Eastern Military District (Amur Region, Magdagachi and Zavitinsk)
21 ODSHBR in the Transcaucasian Military District (Georgian SSR, Kutaisi)
23 ODSHBR of the South-Western direction (on the territory of the Kyiv Military District), (Ukrainian SSR, Kremenchug)
35 Guards. ODSHBR in the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany (German Democratic Republic, Cottbus)
36 ODSHBR in the Leningrad MD (Leningrad region, town Garbolovo)
37 ODSHBR in the Baltic VO (Kaliningrad region, Chernyakhovsk)
38 Guards. ODSHBR in the Belarusian Military District (Belarusian SSR, Brest)
39 ODSHBR in the Carpathian Military District (Ukrainian SSR, Khyriv)
40 ODSHBR in Odessa Military District (Ukrainian SSR, Nikolaev)
56 Guards. ODSHBR in the Turkestan Military District (formed in the city of Chirchik, Uzbek SSR and introduced into Afghanistan)
57 ODSHBR in the Central Asian VO (Kazakh SSR, Aktogay town)
58 ODSHBR in the Kiev Military District (Ukrainian SSR, Kremenchug)
83 ODSHBR in the Northern Group of Forces, (Polish People's Republic, Bialogard)
1318 ODSHP in the Belarusian Military District (Belarusian SSR, Polotsk) subordinate to the 5th separate army corps (5 KLA)
1319 ODSHP in the Trans-Baikal Military District (Chita region, Kyakhta) subordinate to the 48th separate army corps (48 KLA)

These brigades had in their composition management, 3 or 4 air assault battalions, one artillery battalion and units of combat support and logistics. The personnel of the deployed brigades reached 2,500 military personnel. For example, the staff strength of the 56th Guards. On December 1, 1986, the ODShBR consisted of 2452 military personnel (261 officers, 109 ensigns, 416 sergeants, 1666 soldiers).

The regiments differed from the brigades in the presence of only two battalions: one paratrooper and one air assault (on the BMD), as well as a somewhat reduced composition of the regimental units.

Participation of the Airborne Forces in the Afghan War

Organizational structure of the 345th Guards Separate Airborne Regiment, for the summer of 1988

In the Afghan war, one airborne division (103rd Guards Airborne Division), one separate airborne assault brigade (56th Guards ODSHBR), one separate parachute regiment (345th Guards OPDP) and two air assault battalions as part of separate motorized rifle brigades (in the 66th Motorized Rifle Brigade and in the 70th Motorized Rifle Brigade). In total, for 1987, these were 18 "linear" battalions (13 paratroopers and 5 airborne assaults), which accounted for a fifth of the total number of all "linear" OKSVA battalions (which included another 18 tank and 43 motorized rifle battalions) .

In almost the entire history of the Afghan war, no situation has arisen that would justify the use of parachute landing for the transfer of personnel. The main reasons here were the complexity of the mountainous terrain and the unjustified material costs in using such methods in guerrilla warfare. The transfer of the personnel of the airborne and airborne assault units to the mountainous areas of hostilities, impassable for armored vehicles, was carried out exclusively by the landing method from helicopters. As in all motorized rifle, tank and artillery units as part of the OKSVA, up to half of all units of the airborne and airborne assault formations were assigned to guard outposts, which made it possible to control roads, mountain passes and the vast territory of the country, thereby significantly fettering enemy actions. For example, the 2nd Airborne Battalion from the 345th Guards. The OPDP was dispersed over 20 outposts in the Panjshir Gorge near the village of Anava. By this, 2 PDB 345 OPDP (together with the 682nd motorized rifle regiment of the 108th MSD stationed in the village of Rukha) blocked the western exit from the gorge, which was the main transport artery of the enemy from Pakistan to the strategically important Charikar Valley.

The most massive combat airborne operation in the USSR Armed Forces, in the period after the Great Patriotic War, should be considered the 5th Panjshir operation in May-June 1982, during which a mass landing in Afghanistan was carried out for the first time: only during the first three days , over 4 thousand people were parachuted from helicopters. In total, about 12 thousand military personnel of various branches of the armed forces took part in this operation. The operation took place simultaneously for all 120 km into the depths of the gorge. As a result, most of the Panjshir Gorge was brought under control.

In the period from 1982 to 1986, in all airborne divisions of OKSVA, there was a systematic replacement of standard airborne armored vehicles (BMD-1, BTR-D) with armored vehicles, standard for motorized rifle units (BMP-2D, BTR-70). First of all, this was due to the low security and low motor resource of the structurally lightweight armored vehicles of the Airborne Forces, as well as the nature of the hostilities, where the tasks performed by paratroopers differed little from the tasks assigned to motorized rifles.

Also, in order to increase the firepower of the landing units, additional artillery and tank units were introduced into their composition. For example, 345 OPDP, modeled on a motorized rifle regiment, was supplemented with an artillery howitzer battalion and a tank company, in the 56th ODSHBR the artillery battalion was deployed up to 5 firing batteries (instead of the prescribed 3 batteries), and the 103rd Guards. the airborne division will be given to reinforce the 62nd separate tank battalion, which was unusual for the organizational and staffing structure of the airborne forces on the territory of the USSR.

Training of officers for the airborne troops

Officers were trained by the following military educational institutions in the following military specialties:

Ryazan Higher Airborne Command School - commander of an airborne (airborne assault) platoon, commander of a reconnaissance platoon.
Landing Department of the Ryazan Higher Military Automobile Engineering School - commander of an automobile / transport platoon.
Landing department of the Ryazan Higher Military Command School of Communications - commander of a communications platoon.
The landing department of the Novosibirsk Higher Military-Political Combined Arms School - deputy company commander for political affairs (educational work).
Landing Department of the Kolomna Higher Artillery Command School - commander of an artillery platoon.
Landing Department of the Leningrad Higher Anti-Aircraft Missile Command School - commander of an anti-aircraft missile platoon.
Landing faculty of the Kamenetz-Podolsky Higher Military Engineering Command School - commander of an engineering platoon.

In addition to graduates of these educational institutions, the Airborne Forces often appointed graduates of higher combined arms schools (VOKU) and military departments to the positions of platoon commanders, who prepared for the commander of a motorized rifle platoon. This was due to the fact that the specialized Ryazan Higher Airborne Command School, which produced about 300 lieutenants every year on average, was not able to fully meet the needs of the Airborne Forces (at the end of the 80s they had about 60,000 personnel) in platoon commanders. For example, the former commander of the 247th Guards. PDP (7th Guards Airborne Forces), Hero of the Russian Federation Em Yuri Pavlovich, who began his service in the Airborne Forces as a platoon commander in the 111th Guards. PDP 105 Guards. VDD, graduated from the Alma-Ata Higher Combined Arms Command School.

For a long time, military personnel of units and units of the Special Forces (the so-called now army special forces) were mistakenly and deliberately called paratroopers. This is due to the fact that in the Soviet period, as now, in the Russian Armed Forces, there were and are no special forces, but there were and are units and units of the Special Forces (SpN) of the GRU of the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces. The phrase “special forces” or “commandos” was mentioned in the press and in the media only in relation to the troops of a potential enemy (“Green Berets”, “Rangers”, “Commandos”).

Starting with the emergence of these units, in the USSR Armed Forces in 1950 until the end of the 80s, the existence of such units and units was completely denied. Up to the point that conscripts learned about their existence only when they were accepted into the personnel of these units and units. Officially, in the Soviet press and on television, units and units of the Special Forces of the GRU of the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces were announced either as parts of the Airborne Forces - as in the case of the GSVG (officially there were no Special Forces units in the GDR), or as in the case of OKSVA - separate motorized rifle battalions (OMSB). For example, the 173rd Separate Special Purpose Detachment (173 OOSpN), stationed near the city of Kandahar, was called the 3rd Separate Motorized Rifle Battalion (3 OMSB).

In everyday life, servicemen of subunits and units of the Special Forces wore full dress and field uniforms adopted in the Airborne Forces, although they did not belong to the Airborne Forces either in terms of subordination or in terms of the assigned tasks of reconnaissance and sabotage activities. The only thing that united the Airborne Forces and units and units of the Special Forces was most of the officers - RVVDKU graduates, airborne training and possible combat use behind enemy lines.

The structure of the Russian Airborne Forces

In this article, we will start a conversation about the organizational structure of the Airborne Forces. By the holiday of the airborne troops, it makes sense to talk about some components of the structure of the Russian Airborne Forces, where people who are most directly related to the airborne troops serve and work. Let's try to clearly distribute where what is located and who does what exactly.

Like any army structure, the Airborne Forces of the Russian Federation has a clear, well-coordinated organized structure, consisting of the command and control apparatus of the airborne troops, two airborne assault (mountain) and two airborne divisions, separate airborne and airborne assault brigades.

Also, the structure of the Russian Airborne Forces includes a separate communications regiment, a separate special-purpose guards regiment, as well as some educational institutions - the Ryazan Higher Airborne Command School, the Ulyanovsk Guards Suvorov Military School, and the Nizhny Novgorod Cadet School. In short, this is what the organizational structure of the Russian Airborne Forces looks like. Now let's explore this topic in more detail.

Of course, it is possible to say something detailed about the administrative apparatus of the structure of the Airborne Forces of the Russian Federation, but there is not much sense in this. Let's just note that there are about 4,000 officers of various ranks in the ranks of the Airborne Forces, including sergeants. This figure can be considered quite optimal.

Personnel of the Airborne Forces of the Russian Federation

In addition to the officers, in the ranks of the Russian Airborne Forces there are also contract military personnel, conscript military personnel, as well as special civilian personnel. In total, the structure of the Airborne Forces in our country has approximately 35 thousand soldiers and officers, as well as about 30 thousand civilian personnel, workers and employees. Not so little, if you think about it, especially for the elite troops and the training corresponding to the elite in all spheres of military life.

Now let's talk a little more about the divisions that are part of the organizational structure of the Airborne Forces. As already mentioned above, the composition includes two airborne and two airborne assault divisions. More recently, until 2006, all divisions of the Russian Airborne Forces were airborne. However, later the leadership considered that such a number of paratroopers in the structure of the Russian Airborne Forces was not required, so half of the existing divisions were reformatted into air assault divisions.

This is not a whim exclusively of the Russian command, but a trend of the times, when it is often easier not to drop paratroopers, but to land an elite unit on special transport helicopters. All sorts of situations happen in war.

The famous 7th division, based in Novorossiysk since the 90s, and the 76th, the oldest among all divisions of the Airborne Forces, located in Pskov, were reformatted into air assault divisions. 98th Ivanovskaya and 106th Tula remained airborne. Roughly the same with individual brigades. Airborne brigades in Ulan-Ude and Ussuriysk remained airborne, but Ulyanovsk and Kamyshinskaya became airborne assault. So the balance of those and those in the structure of the Russian Airborne Forces is approximately the same.

Well, among other things, separate tank and motorized rifle companies and reconnaissance battalions also undergo airborne training, although they are not listed in the organizational structure of the Russian Airborne Forces. But who knows, suddenly they will have to act together and perform similar tasks in due time?

Separate regiments in the structure of the Russian Airborne Forces

Now let's move on to the individual regiments that are part of the structure of the Russian Airborne Forces. There are two of them: the 38th Separate Communications Regiment and the 45th Special Purpose Guards Regiment. The 38th communications regiment was formed after the Great Patriotic War in Belarus. Specific tasks are to ensure communication between the headquarters and subordinates at the forefront.

In the most difficult conditions, signalmen certainly went in combat landing formations, organizing and maintaining telephone and radio communications. Previously, the regiment was located in the Vitebsk region, but over time it was relocated to the Moscow region. The base of the regiment - the village of Bear Lakes - is explained by the fact that it is there that the huge Communications Satellite Control Center is located.

The 45th Special Purpose Guards Regiment, based in Kubinka near Moscow, is the youngest military unit of the Russian Airborne Forces structure. It was formed in 1994 on the basis of two other separate special forces battalions. At the same time, despite its youth, over the 20 years of its existence, the regiment has already managed to be awarded the orders of Alexander Nevsky and Kutuzov.

Educational institutions in the structure of the Airborne Forces of the Russian Federation

And, finally, a few words should be said about educational institutions. As mentioned above, there are several of them in the organizational structure of the Russian Airborne Forces. The most famous, of course, is the RVVDKU - the Ryazan Higher Airborne Command School, which since 1996 has been named after Vasily Filippovich Margelov. I think it’s not worth explaining to the paratroopers what kind of person he is.

In the organizational structure of the Airborne Forces, the Ryazan School is the oldest - it has been operating since 1918, even when the concept of "airborne assault" did not yet exist in the ranks of the Red Army. But this did not prevent the school from producing trained, qualified fighters, masters of their craft. Since the 1950s, Ryazan has become the forge of personnel for the Airborne Forces.

Junior commanders and specialists in the Airborne Forces are trained at the 242 training center. This center began to take shape back in the 1960s with the participation of Margelov himself, and in 1987 it received its modern place in the organizational structure of the Airborne Forces. In 1992, the 242 training center was transferred from Lithuania to the city of Omsk. This training center trains junior commanders of all technical equipment adopted by the airborne troops, radiotelephone operators, howitzer commanders and gunners, gunners of airborne combat vehicles.

In the organizational structure of the Russian Airborne Forces, there are other educational institutions that deserve attention, such as the 332 school of ensigns or the Ulyanovsk Guards Suvorov Military School, and you can write and write about them very, very much, but there is simply not enough space on the entire site to mention all the most interesting points and achievements of all components of the Airborne Forces structure.

Conclusion

Therefore, we will leave room for the future and, perhaps, a little later we will tell in more detail about each division, brigade, educational institution in a separate article. We have no doubt that extremely worthy people serve and work there, the real elite of the Russian army, and sooner or later we will speak about them in as much detail as possible.

If we sum up some of the above, then the study of the organizational structure of the Russian Airborne Forces does not present any particular difficulty - it is extremely transparent and understandable to everyone. Perhaps some difficulties arise in connection with the study of transfers and reorganizations immediately after the collapse of the USSR, but this already looks inevitable. Nevertheless, even now some changes are constantly taking place in the structure of the Airborne Forces of the Russian Federation, albeit not too large-scale. But this is more to do with optimizing the work of the airborne troops as much as possible.

A branch of the Armed Forces, which is a reserve of the Supreme High Command and is specially designed to cover the enemy by air and perform tasks in his rear to disrupt command and control, capture and destroy ground elements of high-precision weapons, disrupt the advancement and deployment of reserves, disrupt the rear and communications, as well as covering (defending) certain areas, areas, open flanks, blocking and destroying airborne assault forces, enemy groupings that have broken through, and performing many other tasks.

In peacetime, the Airborne Forces perform the main tasks of maintaining combat and mobilization readiness at a level that ensures their successful use as intended.

In the Russian Armed Forces they are a separate branch of the military.

Also, the Airborne Forces are often used as rapid reaction forces.

The main method of delivery of the Airborne Forces is parachute landing, they can also be delivered by helicopter; during World War II, glider delivery was practiced.

Airborne Forces of the USSR

pre-war period

At the end of 1930, near Voronezh, in the 11th Infantry Division, a Soviet airborne unit was created - an airborne assault detachment. In December 1932, he was deployed to the 3rd Special Purpose Aviation Brigade (OsNaz), which since 1938 became known as the 201st Airborne Brigade.

The very first use of airborne assault in the history of military affairs took place in the spring of 1929. In the city of Garm besieged by the Basmachi, a group of armed Red Army soldiers was landed from the air, and with the support of local residents, they completely defeated the gang that had invaded the territory of Tajikistan from abroad. But still, the Day of the Airborne Forces in Russia and a number of other countries is considered to be August 2, in honor of the parachute landing at the military exercise of the Moscow Military District near Voronezh on August 2, 1930.

in 1931, on the basis of an order dated March 18, a non-standard, experienced aviation motorized landing detachment (airborne landing detachment) was formed in the Leningrad Military District. It was intended to study issues of operational-tactical use and the most advantageous organizational forms of airborne landing (airborne) units, units and formations. The detachment consisted of 164 personnel and consisted of:

One rifle company;
-individual platoons: sapper, communications and light vehicles;
- heavy bomber aviation squadron (air squadron) (12 aircraft - TB-1);
- one corps aviation detachment (air detachment) (10 aircraft - R-5).
The detachment was armed with:

Two 76-mm Kurchevsky dynamo-reactive cannons (DRP);
-two wedges - T-27;
-4 grenade launchers;
-3 light armored vehicles (armored vehicles);
-14 light and 4 heavy machine guns;
-10 trucks and 16 cars;
-4 motorcycles and one scooter
E. D. Lukin was appointed commander of the detachment. Subsequently, a non-standard paratrooper detachment was formed in the same air brigade.

In 1932, the Revolutionary Military Council of the USSR issued a decree on the deployment of detachments into special aviation battalions (bOSNAZ). By the end of 1933, there were already 29 airborne battalions and brigades that were part of the Air Force. The LenVO (Leningrad Military District) was entrusted with the task of training airborne instructors and developing operational and tactical standards.

By the standards of that time, the airborne units were an effective means of disorganizing the control and rear of the enemy. They were to be used where other branches of the armed forces (infantry, artillery, cavalry, armored forces) could not solve this problem at the moment, and were also intended to be used by the high command in cooperation with troops advancing from the front, airborne assault forces were supposed to help encirclement and defeat of the enemy in this direction.

Staff No. 015/890 of 1936 of the "Airborne Brigade" (Adbr) of wartime and peacetime. Name of units, number of wartime personnel (number of peacetime personnel in parentheses):

Management, 49 (50);
- communication company, 56 (46);
-musician platoon, 11 (11);
-3 airborne battalions, each, 521 (381);
- school of junior officers, 0 (115);
-services, 144 (135);
Total: in the brigade, 1823 (1500); Personnel:

Command staff, 107 (118);
- Commanding staff, 69 (60);
- Junior command and command staff, 330 (264);
- Privates, 1317 (1058);
-Total: 1823 (1500);

Material part:

45 mm anti-tank gun, 18 (19);
-Light machine guns, 90 (69);
-Radio stations, 20 (20);
-Automatic carbines, 1286 (1005);
-Light mortars, 27 (20);
- Cars, 6 (6);
- Trucks, 63 (51);
-Special vehicles, 14 (14);
- Cars "Pickup", 9 (8);
-Motorcycles, 31 (31);
- Tractors ChTZ, 2 (2);
- Tractor trailers, 4 (4);
In the prewar years, a lot of forces and funds were allocated for the development of airborne troops, the development of the theory of their combat use, as well as practical training. In 1934, 600 paratroopers were involved in the exercises of the Red Army. In 1935, during the maneuvers of the Kyiv Military District, 1,188 paratroopers were parachuted and a landing force consisting of 2,500 people landed along with military equipment.

In 1936, 3,000 paratroopers were parachuted into the Belarusian Military District, 8,200 people with artillery and other military equipment were landed by landing method. The invited foreign military delegations present at these exercises were amazed by the size of the landings and the skill of landing.

"31. Airborne units, as a new type of airborne infantry, are a means of disorganizing the enemy's command and rear. They are used by the high command.
In cooperation with the troops advancing from the front, the air infantry helps encircle and defeat the enemy in a given direction.

The use of air infantry must be strictly in accordance with the conditions of the situation and requires reliable provision and observance of measures of secrecy and surprise.
- Chapter two "Organization of the troops of the Red Army" 1. Types of troops and their combat use, Field Charter of the Red Army (PU-39)

Based on the experience gained in 1940, new staffs of brigades were approved as part of three combat groups: parachute, glider and landing.

In preparation for the operation to annex Bessarabia to the USSR, occupied by Romania, as well as Northern Bukovina, the command of the Red Army enlisted the 201st, 204th and 214th airborne brigades in the Southern Front. During the operation, combat missions were received by the 204th and 201st adbrs and landings were thrown into the area of Bolgrad and the city of Izmail, and after the closure of the state border to organize Soviet governments in settlements.

The Great Patriotic War

By the beginning of 1941, on the basis of the existing airborne brigades, airborne corps were deployed, numbering more than 10 thousand people each.
On September 4, 1941, by order of the People's Commissar, the Office of the Airborne Forces was transformed into the Office of the Commander of the Airborne Forces of the Red Army, and the formations and units of the Airborne Forces were removed from the command of the commanders of the active fronts and transferred to the direct subordination of the commander of the Airborne Forces. In accordance with this order, ten airborne corps, five maneuverable airborne brigades, five reserve airborne regiments and an airborne school (Kuibyshev) were formed. At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the Airborne Forces were an independent branch of the forces (troops) of the Red Army Air Force.

In the counter-offensive near Moscow, conditions appeared for the widespread use of the Airborne Forces. In the winter of 1942, the Vyazemsky airborne operation was carried out with the participation of the 4th airborne corps. In September 1943, an airborne assault consisting of two brigades was used to help the troops of the Voronezh Front in forcing the Dnieper River. In the Manchurian strategic operation in August 1945, more than 4 thousand people of the personnel of rifle units were landed for landing operations by landing method, who quite successfully completed their tasks.

In October 1944, the Airborne Forces were transformed into a separate Guards Airborne Army, which became part of the long-range aviation. In December 1944, this army was, on the basis of the order of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command of December 18, 1944, transformed into the 9th Guards Army, on the basis of the command of the 7th Army and formations of a separate Guards Airborne Army with direct subordination to the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command. The airborne divisions were reorganized into rifle divisions.
At the same time, the Airborne Forces Directorate was created with direct subordination to the Air Force Commander. Three airborne brigades, a training airborne regiment, advanced training courses for officers and an aeronautical division remained in the Airborne Forces. At the end of the winter of 1945, the 9th Guards Army, consisting of the 37th, 38th, and 39th Guards Rifle Corps, was concentrated in Hungary southeast of Budapest; On February 27, she became part of the 2nd Ukrainian Front, on March 9 she was reassigned to the 3rd Ukrainian Front. In March - April 1945, the army took part in the Vienna strategic operation (March 16 - April 15), advancing in the direction of the front's main attack. In early May 1945, the army, as part of the 2nd Ukrainian Front, took part in the Prague operation (May 6-11). The 9th Guards Army ended its combat path with an exit to the Elbe. The army was disbanded on May 11, 1945. The army commander was Colonel General Glagolev VV (December 1944 - until the end of the war). On June 10, 1945, in accordance with the order of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command of May 29, 1945, the Central Group of Forces was formed, which included the 9th Guards Army. Later it was withdrawn to the Moscow District, where in 1946 its department was transformed into the Directorate of the Airborne Forces, and all its formations again became guards airborne - the 37th, 38th, 39th corps and 98, 99, 100, 103, 104 , 105, 106, 107, 114 airborne division (airborne division).

post-war period

Since 1946, they were transferred to the ground forces of the Armed Forces of the USSR, were directly subordinate to the Minister of Defense of the USSR, being the reserve of the Supreme Commander.
In 1956, two airborne divisions took part in the Hungarian events. In 1968, after the capture of two airfields near Prague and Bratislava, the 7th and 103rd Guards Airborne Divisions were landed, which ensured the successful completion of the task by formations and units of the United Armed Forces of the countries participating in the Warsaw Pact during the Czechoslovak events.

In the post-war period, a lot of work was done in the Airborne Forces to increase the firepower and mobility of personnel. Numerous samples of airborne armored vehicles (BMD, BTR-D), automotive vehicles (TPK, GAZ-66), artillery systems (ACS-57, ASU-85, 2S9 Nona, 107-mm B-11 recoilless rifle) were made. Complex parachute systems were created for landing all types of weapons - "Centaur", "Reaktaur" and others. The fleet of military transport aviation, called for the mass transfer of landing formations in the event of large-scale hostilities, was also greatly increased. Large-body transport aircraft were made capable of parachute landing of military equipment (An-12, An-22, Il-76).

In the USSR, for the first time in the world, airborne troops were created, which had their own armored vehicles and self-propelled artillery. At large army exercises (like Shield-82 or Druzhba-82), personnel were landed with standard equipment numbering no more than two parachute regiments. The state of the military transport aviation of the USSR Armed Forces at the end of the 1980s allowed 75% of the personnel and standard military equipment of one airborne division to be dropped by parachute in just one general sortie.

By the fall of 1979, the 105th Guards Vienna Red Banner Airborne Division was disbanded, specially designed for combat operations in mountainous desert areas. Parts of the 105th Guards Airborne Division were deployed in the cities of Ferghana, Namangan and Chirchik of the Uzbek SSR and in the city of Osh of the Kirghiz SSR. As a result of the disbandment of the 105th Guards Airborne Division, the 4th separate airborne assault brigades (35th Guards, 38th Guards and 56th Guards), 40th (without the status of "Guards") and 345th Guards Separate Parachute Regiment.

The entry of Soviet troops into Afghanistan, which followed the disbandment of the 105th Guards Airborne Division in 1979, showed the profound fallacy of the decision taken by the leadership of the USSR Armed Forces - an airborne formation specially adapted for combat operations in mountainous desert areas was thoughtlessly and rather hastily was disbanded, and the 103rd Guards Airborne Division was eventually sent to Afghanistan, the personnel of which had no training at all for combat operations in such a theater of operations:

105th Guards Airborne Vienna Red Banner Division (mountain and desert).:
“... in 1986, the Commander of the Airborne Forces, Army General Sukhorukov D.F., arrived, he then said what fools we were, having disbanded the 105th airborne division, because it was specially designed for combat operations in mountainous desert areas. And we had to spend huge amounts of money to deliver the 103rd airborne division to Kabul by air ... "

By the mid-80s, the airborne troops of the USSR Armed Forces included 7 airborne divisions and three separate regiments with the following names and locations:

7th Guards Red Banner Order of Kutuzov II degree airborne division. Based in Kaunas, Lithuanian SSR, Baltic Military District.
-76th Guards Red Banner Order of Kutuzov II degree Chernihiv Airborne Division. It was stationed in Pskov, RSFSR, Leningrad Military District.
-98th Guards Red Banner Order of Kutuzov II degree Svir airborne division. It was based in the city of Bolgrad, Ukrainian SSR, KOdVO and in the city of Chisinau, Moldavian SSR, KOdVO.
-103rd Guards Red Banner Order of Lenin Order of Kutuzov II degree airborne division named after the 60th anniversary of the USSR. It was stationed in the city of Kabul (Afghanistan) as part of OKSVA. Until December 1979 and after February 1989, it was stationed in the city of Vitebsk, Byelorussian SSR, Belorussian Military District.
-104th Guards Red Banner Order of Kutuzov II degree airborne division, specially designed for combat operations in mountainous areas. It was stationed in the city of Kirovabad of the Azerbaijan SSR, Transcaucasian Military District.
-106th Guards Red Banner Order of Kutuzov II degree airborne division. It was stationed in the city of Tula and in the city of Ryazan of the RSFSR, Moscow Military District.
-44th Training Red Banner Order of Suvorov II degree and Bogdan Khmelnitsky II degree Ovruch airborne division. Located in the village Gayzhyunay of the Lithuanian SSR, Baltic VO.
-345th Guards Vienna Red Banner Order of Suvorov III degree parachute regiment named after the 70th anniversary of the Lenin Komsomol. It was located in the city of Bagram (Afghanistan) as part of OKSVA. Until December 1979, it was based in the city of Fergana, Uzbek SSR, after February 1989 - in Kirovabad, Azerbaijan SSR, Transcaucasian Military District.
-387th training separate parachute regiment (387th oopdp). Until 1982, he was part of the 104th Guards Airborne Division. In the period from 1982 to 1988, young recruits were trained in the 387th opdp to be sent to the airborne and airborne assault units as part of the OKSVA. In cinematography, in the film "9th Company", the training part means precisely the 387th opdp. Based in the city of Fergana, Uzbek SSR, Turkestan Military District.
-196th Separate Communications Regiment of the Airborne Troops. Settled in the village. Bear Lakes, Moscow Region, RSFSR.
Each of these divisions included: a directorate (headquarters), three airborne regiments, one self-propelled artillery regiment, and combat support and logistics support units.

In addition to parachute units and formations, the airborne troops also had air assault units and formations, but they were directly subordinate to the commanders of the troops of military districts (groups of troops), armies or corps. They practically did not differ in anything, except for tasks, subordination and OShS (organizational staff structure). Methods of combat use, combat training programs for personnel, weapons and uniforms for military personnel were the same as for paratrooper units and formations of the Airborne Forces (central subordination). Air assault formations were represented by separate air assault brigades (ODSHBR), separate air assault regiments (ODSHP) and separate air assault battalions (ODSHB).

By the mid-80s, the USSR Armed Forces included 14 separate brigades, two separate regiments and about 20 separate battalions. The brigades were based on the territory of the USSR according to the principle - one brigade per one military district, which has land access to the State border of the USSR, one brigade in the inner Kiev Military District (23rd brigade in Kremenchug, subordinate to the High Command of the southwestern direction) and two brigades for the group Soviet troops abroad (35gv.odshbr in the GSVG in the city of Cottbus and 83odshbr in the SGV in the city of Bialogard). 56ogdshbr in OKSVA, located in the city of Gardez of the Republic of Afghanistan, belonged to the Turkestan Military District, in which it was created.

Individual air assault regiments were subordinate to the commanders of individual army corps.

The difference between the parachute and airborne assault formations of the Airborne Forces was as follows:

In the presence of standard airborne armored vehicles (BMD, BTR-D, self-propelled guns "Nona", etc.). In the airborne assault units, only a quarter of all units were equipped with it - in contrast to 100% of its staffing in the paratrooper units.
- In the subordination of the troops. Airborne assault units, operationally, were directly subordinate to the command of military districts (groups of troops), armies, and corps. The parachute units were subordinate only to the command of the Airborne Forces, whose headquarters was in Moscow.
- In assigned tasks. It was assumed that the air assault units, in the event of the start of large-scale hostilities, would be used to land in the near rear of the enemy, mainly by landing from helicopters. Parachute units were supposed to be used in a deeper rear of the enemy with a parachute landing from VTA aircraft (military transport aviation). At the same time, airborne training with planned training parachute landings of personnel and military equipment was mandatory for both types of airborne forces.
-Unlike the guards airborne units of the Airborne Forces deployed in full force, some airborne assault brigades were cadre (incomplete) and were not guards. The exception was three brigades that received the names of the Guards, created on the basis of the Guards parachute regiments, disbanded in 1979 by the 105th Vienna Red Banner Guards Airborne Division - the 35th, 38th and 56th. The 40th air assault brigade, created on the basis of the 612th separate airborne support battalion and the 100th separate reconnaissance company of the same division, did not receive the status of "guards".
In the mid-80s, the following brigades and regiments were part of the Airborne Forces of the USSR Armed Forces:

11th separate airborne assault brigade in the Trans-Baikal Military District (Chita region, Mogocha and Amazar),
-13th separate airborne assault brigade in the Far Eastern Military District (Amur Region, Magdagachi and Zavitinsk),
-21st separate airborne assault brigade in the Transcaucasian Military District (Georgian SSR, Kutaisi),
-23rd separate air assault brigade of the South-Western direction (on the territory of the Kyiv Military District), (Ukrainian SSR, Kremenchug),
-35th Separate Guards Airborne Assault Brigade in the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany (German Democratic Republic, Cottbus),
-36th separate airborne assault brigade in the Leningrad Military District (Leningrad region, Garbolovo township),
-37th separate airborne assault brigade in the Baltic Military District (Kaliningrad region, Chernyakhovsk),
-38th Separate Guards Airborne Assault Brigade in the Belarusian Military District (Belarusian SSR, Brest),
-39th separate airborne assault brigade in the Carpathian Military District (Ukrainian SSR, Khyriv),
-40th separate airborne assault brigade in the Odessa Military District (Ukrainian SSR, village Bolshaya Korenikha, Nikolaev region),
-56th Guards Separate Air Assault Brigade in the Turkestan Military District (created in the city of Chirchik, Uzbek SSR and introduced into Afghanistan),
-57th separate airborne assault brigade in the Central Asian Military District (Kazakh SSR, Aktogay township),
-58th separate airborne assault brigade in the Kiev Military District (Ukrainian SSR, Kremenchug),
-83rd separate airborne assault brigade in the Northern Group of Forces, (Polish People's Republic, Bialogard),
-1318th separate airborne assault regiment in the Belarusian Military District (Belarusian SSR, Polotsk) subordinate to the 5th separate army corps (5oak)
-1319th separate airborne assault regiment in the Trans-Baikal Military District (Buryat ASSR, Kyakhta) subordinate to the 48th separate army corps (48oak)
These brigades had in their composition management, 3 or 4 air assault battalions, one artillery battalion and combat support and logistics support units. The personnel of fully deployed brigades ranged from 2,500 to 3,000 troops.
For example, the regular strength of the personnel of the 56th brigade on December 1, 1986 was 2452 military personnel (261 officers, 109 ensigns, 416 sergeants, 1666 soldiers).

The regiments differed from the brigades in the presence of only two battalions: one paratrooper and one air assault (on the BMD), as well as a somewhat reduced composition of the regimental units.

Participation of the Airborne Forces in the Afghan War

In the Afghan war, from the airborne and airborne assault formations of the USSR Armed Forces, one airborne division (103 guards airborne division), one separate airborne assault brigade (56gdshbr), one separate parachute regiment (345gv.opdp) and two air assault battalions as part of separate motorized rifle brigades (in the 66th brigade and in the 70th brigade). In total, for 1987, these were 18 "linear" battalions (13 paratroopers and 5 airborne assaults), which accounted for a fifth of the total number of all OKSVA "linear" battalions (which included another 18 tank and 43 motorized rifle battalions).

In virtually the entire history of the Afghan war, not a single situation has arisen that would justify the use of parachute landing for the transfer of personnel. The main reasons here were the complexity of the mountainous terrain, as well as the unjustified material costs in using such methods in the counter-guerrilla war. The delivery of the personnel of the parachute and airborne assault units to the mountainous areas of hostilities, impassable for armored vehicles, was carried out only by the landing method using helicopters. Therefore, the division of the line battalions of the Airborne Forces in OKSVA into air assault and parachute assault should be considered conditional. Both types of battalions operated in the same way.

As in all motorized rifle, tank and artillery units as part of the OKSVA, up to half of all units of the airborne and airborne assault formations were assigned to guard outposts, which made it possible to control roads, mountain passes and the vast territory of the country, significantly restricting the the very actions of the enemy. For example, battalions of the 350th Guards RAP were often based in various parts of Afghanistan (in Kunar, Girishka, Surubi), controlling the situation in these areas. The 2nd Airborne Battalion from the 345th Guards Opdp was distributed to 20 outposts in the Panjshir Gorge near the village of Anava. By this very 2pdb 345opdp (together with the 682nd motorized rifle regiment of the 108th motorized rifle division stationed in the village of Rukha) completely blocked the western exit from the gorge, which was the main transport artery of the enemy from Pakistan to the strategically important Charikar Valley.

The most massive combat airborne operation in the USSR Armed Forces, in the period after the Great Patriotic War, must be considered the 5th Panjshir Operation in May-June 1982, during which the first mass landing of the 103rd Guards Airborne Forces in Afghanistan was carried out: only during the first three days, more than 4 thousand people were parachuted from helicopters. In total, about 12 thousand military personnel of various branches of the armed forces participated in this operation. The operation took place simultaneously for all 120 km deep into the gorge. As a result of the operation, most of the Panjshir Gorge was taken under control.

In the period from 1982 to 1986, in all airborne divisions of OKSVA, a systematic replacement of regular airborne armored vehicles (BMD-1, BTR-D) with armored vehicles, standard for motorized rifle units (BMP-2D, BTR-70) was carried out. First of all, this was due to the rather low security and low motor resource of the structurally lightweight armored vehicles of the Airborne Forces, as well as the nature of the hostilities, where combat missions performed by paratroopers will not differ much from the tasks assigned to motorized rifles.

Also, to increase the firepower of the landing units, additional artillery and tank units will be introduced into their composition. For example, 345opdp, modeled on a motorized rifle regiment, will be supplemented with an artillery howitzer battalion and a tank company, in the 56th brigade the artillery battalion was deployed up to 5 fire batteries (instead of the prescribed 3 batteries), and the 103rd Guards Airborne Division will be given to reinforce the 62nd separate tank battalion, which was unusual for the organizational and staff structure of the Airborne Forces units on the territory of the USSR.

Training of officers for the airborne troops

Officers were trained by the following military educational institutions in the following military specialties:

Ryazan Higher Airborne Command School - commander of an airborne (airborne assault) platoon, commander of a reconnaissance platoon.
- Landing Department of the Ryazan Military Automobile Institute - commander of an automobile / transport platoon.
- Landing Department of the Ryazan Higher Military Command School of Communications - commander of a communications platoon.
-Airborne faculty of the Novosibirsk Higher Military Command School - deputy company commander for political affairs (educational work).
-Airborne Department of the Kolomna Higher Artillery Command School - commander of an artillery platoon.
-Poltava Higher Anti-Aircraft Missile Command Red Banner School - commander of an anti-aircraft artillery, anti-aircraft missile platoon.
- Landing department of the Kamenetz-Podolsky Higher Military Engineering Command School - commander of an engineering platoon.
In addition to graduates of these educational institutions, the Airborne Forces often appointed platoon commanders, graduates of higher combined arms schools (VOKU) and military departments that trained motorized rifle platoon commanders. This was due to the fact that the specialized Ryazan Higher Airborne Command School, which produced an average of about 300 lieutenants every year, was simply not able to fully meet the needs of the Airborne Forces (at the end of the 80s they had about 60,000 personnel) in platoon leaders. For example, the former commander of 247gv.pdp (7gv.vdd), Hero of the Russian Federation Em Yuri Pavlovich, who began his service in the Airborne Forces as a platoon commander in 111gv.pdp 105gv.vdd, graduated from the Alma-Ata Higher Combined Arms Command School.

For quite a long time, military units and units of the Special Forces (the so-called now army special forces) were erroneously and / or deliberately called paratroopers. This circumstance is connected with the fact that in the Soviet period, as now, the Russian Armed Forces did not have and do not have special forces, but there were and are units and units of the Special Forces (SpN) of the GRU of the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces. The phrase “special forces” or “commandos” was mentioned in the press and in the media only in relation to the troops of a potential enemy (“Green Berets”, “Rangers”, “Commandos”).

Starting from the formation of these units in the USSR Armed Forces in 1950 until the end of the 80s, the existence of such units and units was completely denied. It got to the point that conscripts learned about their existence only when they were accepted into the personnel of these units and units. Officially, in the Soviet press and on television, units and units of the Special Forces of the GRU of the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces were announced either as parts of the Airborne Forces - as in the case of the GSVG (officially there were no Special Forces units in the GDR), or as in the case of OKSVA - separate motorized rifle battalions (omsb). For example, the 173rd separate special forces detachment (173ooSpN), based near the city of Kandahar, was called the 3rd separate motorized rifle battalion (3omsb)

In everyday life, servicemen of subdivisions and units of the Special Forces wore full dress and field uniforms adopted in the Airborne Forces, although they did not belong to the Airborne Forces either in terms of subordination or in terms of the assigned tasks of reconnaissance and sabotage activities. The only thing that united the Airborne Forces and units and units of the Special Forces was most of the officers - RVVDKU graduates, airborne training and possible combat use behind enemy lines.

Airborne Forces of Russia

The decisive role in the formation of the theory of combat use and the development of weapons of the airborne troops belongs to the Soviet military leader Vasily Filippovich Margelov, commander of the Airborne Forces from 1954 to 1979. The name of Margelov is also associated with the positioning of airborne formations as highly maneuverable, covered with armor and having sufficient fire efficiency units to participate in modern strategic operations in various theaters of military operations. On his initiative, the technical re-equipment of the Airborne Forces was launched: serial production of landing equipment was launched at defense production enterprises, modifications of small arms designed specifically for paratroopers were made, new military equipment was modernized and created (including the first BMD-1 tracked combat vehicle), were taken to armament and new military transport aircraft entered the troops, and finally, their own symbols of the Airborne Forces were created - vests and blue berets. His personal contribution to the formation of the Airborne Forces in their modern form was formulated by General Pavel Fedoseevich Pavlenko:

"In the history of the Airborne Forces, and in the Armed Forces of Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union, his name will remain forever. He personified a whole era in the development and formation of the Airborne Forces, their authority and popularity are associated with his name not only in our country, but and abroad...
…AT. F. Margelov realized that in modern operations, only highly mobile, capable of wide maneuver landing forces would be able to successfully operate deep behind enemy lines. He categorically rejected the installation of holding the area captured by the landing until the approach of the troops advancing from the front by the method of tough defense as disastrous, because in this case the landing would be quickly destroyed.

During the Second World War, the largest operational-tactical formations of the airborne troops (forces) - the army - were formed. The Airborne Army (VDA) was specially designed to carry out major operational and strategic tasks behind enemy lines. It was first created at the end of 1943 in Nazi Germany as part of several airborne divisions. In 1944, the Anglo-American command also created such an army, consisting of two airborne corps (a total of five airborne divisions) and several military transport aviation formations. These armies never took part in hostilities in full strength.
-During the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945, tens of thousands of soldiers, sergeants, officers of the airborne units of the Red Army Air Force were awarded orders and medals, and 126 people were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
-After the end of the Great Patriotic War and for several decades, the Airborne Forces of the USSR (Russia) were and probably remain the most massive airborne troops on Earth.
-Only Soviet paratroopers in full combat gear were able to land on the North Pole, back in the late 40s
- Only Soviet paratroopers dared to jump from many kilometers in airborne combat vehicles.
-The abbreviation of the Airborne Forces is sometimes deciphered as "Two hundred options are possible", "Uncle Vasya's troops", "Your girls are widows", "It is unlikely that I will return home", "The paratrooper will withstand everything", "Everything for you", "Troops for the war", etc. d.

Designed to operate behind enemy lines, destroy nuclear attack weapons, command posts, capture and hold important areas and facilities, disrupt the enemy’s command and control system and work behind enemy lines, assist the Ground Forces in developing an offensive and forcing water barriers. They are equipped with air transportable self-propelled artillery, rocket, anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons, armored personnel carriers, combat vehicles, automatic small arms, communications and control equipment. The available parachute landing equipment makes it possible to drop troops and cargo in any weather and terrain conditions, day and night from various heights. Organizationally, the airborne troops consist of (Fig. 1) airborne formations, an airborne brigade, and military units of special forces.

Rice. 1. Structure of the Airborne Troops

The Airborne Forces are armed with airborne self-propelled guns ASU-85; self-propelled artillery guns "Octopus-SD"; 122-mm D-30 howitzers; airborne combat vehicles BMD-1/2/3/4; armored personnel carriers BTR-D.

Part of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation may be part of the joint armed forces (for example, the Joint Forces of the CIS) or be under joint command in accordance with the international treaties of the Russian Federation (for example, as part of the UN peacekeeping forces or the collective forces of the CIS to maintain peace in zones of local military conflicts ).

Branch

The smallest military formation in - department. The squad is commanded by a junior sergeant or sergeant. Usually in a motorized rifle department there are 9-13 people. In the departments of other branches of the armed forces, the number of personnel of the department is from 3 to 15 people. Typically, a squad is part of a platoon, but may also exist outside of a platoon.

Platoon

Several departments make up platoon. Usually there are 2 to 4 squads in a platoon, but more are possible. A platoon is led by a commander with an officer's rank - junior lieutenant, lieutenant or senior lieutenant. On average, the number of personnel in a platoon ranges from 9 to 45 people. Usually in all military branches the name is the same - a platoon. Usually a platoon is part of a company, but it can also exist independently.

Company

Several platoons make up company. In addition, a company may include several independent squads that are not included in any of the platoons. For example, in a motorized rifle company there are three motorized rifle platoons, a machine-gun squad, and an anti-tank squad. Usually a company consists of 2-4 platoons, sometimes even more platoons. A company is the smallest formation of tactical value, i.e. a formation capable of independently performing small tactical tasks on the battlefield. Company commander Capt. On average, the size of a company can be from 18 to 200 people. Motorized rifle companies are usually about 130-150 people, tank companies 30-35 people. Usually the company is part of the battalion, but often the existence of companies as independent formations. In artillery, this type of formation is called a battery; in cavalry, a squadron.

Battalion consists of several companies (usually 2-4) and several platoons that are not included in any of the companies. The battalion is one of the main tactical formations. A battalion, like a company, platoon, squad, is named according to its type of troops (tank, motorized rifle, engineer-sapper, communications). But the battalion already includes formations of other types of weapons. For example, in a motorized rifle battalion, in addition to motorized rifle companies, there is a mortar battery, a material support platoon, and a communications platoon. Battalion Commander Lieutenant Colonel. The battalion already has its headquarters. Usually, on average, a battalion, depending on the type of troops, can number from 250 to 950 people. However, there are battalions of about 100 people. In artillery, this type of formation is called a division.

Regiment

Regiment- this is the main tactical formation and a completely autonomous formation in the economic sense. The regiment is commanded by a colonel. Although the regiments are named according to the branches of the military (tank, motorized rifle, communications, pontoon-bridge, etc.), but in fact this is a formation consisting of units of many branches of the military, and the name is given according to the predominant branch of the military. For example, in a motorized rifle regiment there are two or three motorized rifle battalions, one tank battalion, one artillery battalion (read battalion), one anti-aircraft missile battalion, a reconnaissance company, an engineer company, a communications company, an anti-tank battery, a chemical defense platoon , repair company, material support company, orchestra, medical center. The number of personnel of the regiment is from 900 to 2000 people.

brigade

Just like the regiment brigade is the main tactical formation. Actually, the brigade occupies an intermediate position between the regiment and the division. The structure of the brigade is most often the same as that of the regiment, but there are much more battalions and other units in the brigade. So in a motorized rifle brigade there are one and a half to two times more motorized rifle and tank battalions than in a regiment. A brigade may also consist of two regiments, plus auxiliary battalions and companies. On average, there are from 2,000 to 8,000 people in a brigade. The brigade commander, as well as in the regiment, is a colonel.

Division

Division- the main operational-tactical formation. As well as the regiment is named after the type of troops prevailing in it. However, the predominance of one or another type of troops is much less than in the regiment. A motorized rifle division and a tank division are identical in structure, with the only difference being that in a motorized rifle division there are two or three motorized rifle regiments and one tank regiment, while in a tank division, on the contrary, there are two or three tank regiments, and one motorized rifle regiment. In addition to these main regiments, the division has one or two artillery regiments, one anti-aircraft missile regiment, a rocket battalion, a missile battalion, a helicopter squadron, an engineer battalion, a communications battalion, an automobile battalion, a reconnaissance battalion, an electronic warfare battalion, a material support battalion, a repair - a recovery battalion, a medical battalion, a chemical protection company and several different support companies and platoons. Divisions can be tank, motorized rifle, artillery, airborne, missile and aviation. In other military branches, as a rule, the highest formation is a regiment or brigade. On average, there are 12-24 thousand people in a division. Division Commander Major General.

Frame

Just as a brigade is an intermediate formation between a regiment and a division, so frame is an intermediate formation between the division and the army. The corps is a combined-arms formation, that is, it usually lacks the sign of one type of troops, although there may also be tank or artillery corps, that is, corps with a complete predominance of tank or artillery divisions in them. The combined arms corps is usually referred to as the "army corps". There is no single corps structure. Each time the corps is formed on the basis of a specific military or military-political situation, and may consist of two or three divisions and a different number of formations of other military branches. Usually a corps is created where it is impractical to create an army. It is impossible to talk about the structure and size of the corps, because how many corps exist or existed, so many of their structures existed. Corps Commander Lieutenant General.

Army

Army- This is a large military formation of operational purpose. The army includes divisions, regiments, battalions of all types of troops. Usually, armies are no longer subdivided according to the types of troops, although there may be tank armies, where tank divisions predominate. An army may also include one or more corps. It is impossible to talk about the structure and size of the army, because how many armies exist or have existed, so many structures existed. The soldier at the head of the army is no longer called "commander", but "commander of the army." Usually the staff rank of the army commander is Colonel General. In peacetime, armies are rarely organized as military formations. Usually divisions, regiments, battalions are directly part of the district.

Front

Front (district)- This is the highest military formation of a strategic type. Larger formations do not exist. The name "front" is used only in wartime for a formation conducting combat operations. For such formations in peacetime, or those located in the rear, the name "district" (military district) is used. The front includes several armies, corps, divisions, regiments, battalions of all types of troops. The composition and strength of the front may be different. Fronts are never subdivided according to the types of troops (i.e., there cannot be a tank front, an artillery front, etc.). At the head of the front (district) is the commander of the front (district) with the rank of army general.

Military art in Russia, as well as throughout the world, is divided into three levels:

Tactics(the art of combat). Squad, platoon, company, battalion, regiment solve tactical tasks, that is, they are fighting.
operational art(the art of waging a battle, battle). A division, a corps, an army solve operational tasks, that is, they conduct a battle.
Strategy(the art of commanding war in general). The front solves both operational and strategic tasks, i.e., it wages major battles, as a result of which the strategic situation changes and the outcome of the war can be decided.

Airborne Troops (VDV) - a branch of the Armed Forces, which is a means of the Supreme High Command and is designed to cover the enemy by air and perform tasks in his rear to disrupt command and control, capture and destroy ground elements of high-precision weapons, disrupt the advancement and deployment of reserves, violate the work of the rear and communications, as well as covering (defending) certain directions, areas, open flanks, blocking and destroying airborne assault forces, enemy groupings that have broken through, and performing other tasks. In peacetime, the Airborne Troops perform the main tasks of maintaining combat and mobilization readiness at a level that ensures their successful use as intended.

3.3 Structure of the Airborne Forces

The structure of the airborne troops includes:

Central governing body (headquarters)

Connections

Subdivisions

Institutions

Starting from pre-war times, since 1939, a lot of funds were allocated for the development of airborne troops. Time was devoted to the development of theories of their use in combat and the improvement of technical means. By the beginning of World War II, the paratroopers already had some combat experience. In 1939, the 212th Airborne Brigade took part in the victory over the Japanese. In 1940, during the Soviet-Finnish War, three more airborne brigades were in action. As a result of these battles, by 1940, new states were created, consisting of parachute, glider and landing groups.

By 1941, airborne squads had been established, numbering over 10,000 men per corps.

On September 14, 1941, according to the order of the commissar, the general directorate of the Airborne Forces was turned into the Directorate of the Command of the Red Army Airborne Forces. Themselves, the formations of the Airborne Forces were no longer subordinate to the front commanders, but were directly subordinate to the commander of the Airborne Forces.

In the counter-offensives near Moscow, many military operations were carried out, in which the airborne forces played a leading role. Among these operations, the Vyazemsky airborne operation, the Manchurian strategic operation should be singled out.

In 1944, the structure of the airborne troops underwent changes. Being transformed into a separate Guards Airborne Army, the Airborne Forces entered the long-range aviation departments. A year later, this army was reorganized, and on its basis a new airborne department was created, which was subordinate to the chief commander of the air force.

In 1946, the Airborne Forces were transferred to the ground forces of the USSR. They were directly subordinate to the Minister of Defense of the USSR.

In 1956, several airborne units took part in military events in Hungary, as well as near Prague and Bratislava.

In the post-war period, in the improvement of the Airborne Forces, the greatest attention was paid to increasing the effectiveness of firepower and the maneuverability of personnel. A lot of aircraft models were created with the help of which the delivery and landing of troops was carried out. These were: armored vehicles (BMD, BTR-D), artillery systems (ACS - 57 and so on), automotive equipment (GAZ - 66). New parachute delivery systems were created for different types of weapons. It should be noted that in the USSR, for the first time in the world, the Airborne Forces appeared, which had their own armored vehicles.

In 1979, the units adapted for combat in the mountainous desert areas were hastily disbanded. This was a miscalculation, since a brigade was sent to Afghanistan, whose representatives did not have the experience to conduct combat operations in these geographical conditions.

Closer to the mid-80s, the composition of the USSR Airborne Forces included 7 airborne squads, plus three additional separate regiments.

In addition to the paratrooper units, there were also air assault units. They were subordinate to the commanders of the military districts. The impetus for their creation was a rethinking of the tactics of fighting the enemy in the event of a large-scale war. The main emphasis was placed on the implementation of mass landings behind enemy lines and, as a result, the disorganization of the enemy's defense.

One airborne division, one airborne assault division, two airborne assault battalions and one airborne regiment took part in the war in Afghanistan from the USSR. But, it is impossible to call the results of the use of airborne forces successful. The relief of the mountainous area turned out to be very difficult. And the investment of large funds was not entirely justified.

The most significant event in the period after the Second World War for the USSR Airborne Forces was the landing in Afghanistan as part of the Panjshir operation in 1982. Only during the first 3 days almost 4,000 people were landed and the territory was quickly taken under control.

After 1982, for 4 years, all standard aircraft armored vehicles were replaced with armored vehicles for motorized rifle brigades. This is justified, first of all, by the relative commonality of tasks for paratroopers and motorized rifle divisions. To increase firepower, additional tank and artillery formations were introduced into the Airborne Forces.

Portal for the student. Self-training

Participation of the Airborne Forces in the Afghan War

Training of officers for the airborne troops

Airborne Forces of the USSR

pre-war period

The Great Patriotic War

post-war period

Participation of the Airborne Forces in the Afghan War

Training of officers for the airborne troops

Airborne Forces of Russia

Branch

Platoon

Company

Regiment

brigade

Division

Frame

Army

Front

3.3 Structure of the Airborne Forces

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