Field airfield. Frontline bombers of Russia

The newest best military aircraft of the Russian Air Force and the world photos, pictures, videos about the value of a fighter aircraft as a combat weapon capable of ensuring “superiority in the air” was recognized by the military circles of all states by the spring of 1916. This required the creation of a special combat aircraft superior to all others in speed, maneuverability, altitude and the use of offensive small arms. In November 1915, Nieuport II Webe biplanes arrived at the front. This is the first aircraft built in France, which was intended for air combat.

The most modern domestic military aircraft in Russia and the world owe their appearance to the popularization and development of aviation in Russia, which was facilitated by the flights of Russian pilots M. Efimov, N. Popov, G. Alekhnovich, A. Shiukov, B. Rossiysky, S. Utochkin. The first domestic cars of designers J. Gakkel, I. Sikorsky, D. Grigorovich, V. Slesarev, I. Steglau began to appear. In 1913, the Russian Knight heavy aircraft made its first flight. But one cannot help but recall the first creator of the aircraft in the world - Captain 1st Rank Alexander Fedorovich Mozhaisky.

Soviet military aircraft of the USSR during the Great Patriotic War sought to hit enemy troops, their communications and other targets in the rear with air strikes, which led to the creation of bomber aircraft capable of carrying a large bomb load over considerable distances. The variety of combat missions to bomb enemy forces in the tactical and operational depth of the fronts led to the understanding of the fact that their implementation must be commensurate with the tactical and technical capabilities of a particular aircraft. Therefore, the design teams had to resolve the issue of specialization of bomber aircraft, which led to the emergence of several classes of these machines.

Types and classification, latest models military aircraft of Russia and the world. It was obvious that it would take time to create a specialized fighter aircraft, so the first step in this direction was an attempt to arm existing aircraft with small offensive weapons. Mobile machine gun mounts, which began to be equipped with aircraft, required excessive efforts from pilots, since controlling the machine in maneuverable combat and simultaneously firing from unstable weapons reduced the effectiveness of shooting. The use of a two-seater aircraft as a fighter, where one of the crew members served as a gunner, also created certain problems, because the increase in weight and drag of the machine led to a decrease in its flight qualities.

What types of planes are there? In our years, aviation has made a big qualitative leap, expressed in a significant increase in flight speed. This was facilitated by progress in the field of aerodynamics, the creation of new, more powerful engines, structural materials, and electronic equipment. computerization of calculation methods, etc. Supersonic speeds have become the main flight modes of fighter aircraft. However, the race for speed also had its own negative sides- the takeoff and landing characteristics and maneuverability of aircraft have sharply deteriorated. During these years, the level of aircraft construction reached such a level that it became possible to begin creating aircraft with variable sweep wings.

For Russian combat aircraft, in order to further increase the flight speeds of jet fighters exceeding the speed of sound, it was necessary to increase their power supply, increase the specific characteristics of turbojet engines, and also improve the aerodynamic shape of the aircraft. For this purpose, engines with an axial compressor were developed, which had smaller frontal dimensions, higher efficiency and better weight characteristics. To significantly increase thrust, and therefore flight speed, afterburners were introduced into the engine design. Improving the aerodynamic shapes of aircraft consisted of using wings and tail surfaces with large sweep angles (in the transition to thin delta wings), as well as supersonic air intakes.

In accordance with combat missions and the nature of the actions, military aviation is divided by type into bomber (missile-carrying), fighter-bomber, fighter, attack, reconnaissance, anti-submarine, military transport and special.

Bomber (missile-carrying) aviation (BA), a type of military aviation designed to destroy a group of enemy troops, its ground and sea targets with bombs and missiles. BA is also involved in aerial reconnaissance. It is armed with bomber aircraft, which, depending on the nature of the tasks performed, are divided into long-range (strategic) and front-line (tactical); by flight weight - heavy, medium and light.

Existing long-range (strategic) bombers(Tu-22M3, Tu-95, Tu-160 (Tupolev Design Bureau) - Russia; B-52H "Stratofortress" (Boeing), B-1B "Lancer" (Rockwell), B-2A "Spirit" (Northrop- Grumman) - USA; "Mirage"-IV (Dassault) - France) have a long range and are designed to strike with both conventional aircraft and nuclear weapons against targets located deep behind enemy lines.

Front-line (tactical) bombers are used to destroy objects in the operational depth of enemy defenses, including with the use of nuclear weapons. These include the Soviet (Russian) Yak-28B (Yakovlev Design Bureau), Il-28A (Ilyushin Design Bureau), Su-24, Su-34 (Sukhoi Design Bureau); American F-111 (General Dynamics); British "Canberra" B (English Electric).

In the early 1950s, bombers achieved intercontinental ranges and high payloads. Subsequently, the development of bombers was determined by the desire to maximize their ability to overcome the air defense (of) a potential enemy. To do this, we first switched from high-altitude subsonic vehicles (Tu-16, Tu-95, 3M/M4 (Myasishchev Design Bureau), B-47 Stratojet (Boeing), B-52, Victor B (Handley Page , Great Britain), "Vulcan" B (Avro, Great Britain)) to high-altitude supersonic (Tu-22, B-58 "Hustler" (Convair), "Mirage"-IV), then to low-altitude with the possibility of supersonic flight (Tu-22M, Tu-160, Su-24, F/FB-111, B-1B) and finally the time has come for stealth subsonic bombers (B-2A).

The most modern B-2A, which has a “flying wing” aerodynamic design, became the first serial strategic bomber made using “stealth” technology. It is also distinguished by its high cost of $2 billion. A total of 21 such aircraft were built.

It should be specially noted that bombers are the most complex systems in aviation. Currently, only Russia and the United States are able to create heavy strategic bombers.

Fighter-bomber aviation (IBA)

Fighter-bomber aircraft (IBA), a type of military aircraft designed to destroy ground (surface) aircraft, incl. small-sized and mobile objects in the tactical and immediate operational depth of the enemy’s defense with the use of nuclear and conventional weapons. It can also be used to destroy enemy air, conduct aerial reconnaissance and solve other tasks.

The IBA is armed with multi-role fighter-bombers, adapted to use all modern aviation means of attack: cannons, aerial bombs, guided and unguided missiles, etc.

The term “fighter-bomber” was first used in the United States in the late 1940s to designate fighters additionally equipped to carry out missile and bomb strikes against ground and surface targets, and in the USSR since the 1950s.

Fighter-bombers include the Soviet MiG-23B (Mikoyan Design Bureau), MiG-27, MiG-29K (K - shipborne), Su-7B and Su-17M. More advanced machines MiG-29M, M2, N (for deliveries to Malaysia), S, SD, SM and SMT, Su-30, Su-30K, KI, KN, MK, MKI (for deliveries to India) and MKK (for deliveries to China), Su-33, Su-35 and Su-37, whose characteristics correspond to the concept of “fighter-bomber”, are often called multi-role or multi-role fighters.

In the early 1970s, in foreign military literature, the term “fighter-bomber” was replaced by the concept of “tactical fighter”. Tactical fighters (fighter-bombers) are the American F-100C and D "Super Saber" (North American), F-104C "Starfighter" (Lockheed), F-4E, G and J "Phantom 2" (McDonnell-Douglas) , F-5A Freedom Fighter / -5E Tiger 2 (Northrop), F-14D Super Tomcat (Northrop-Grumman), F-15E and F Strike Eagle (McDonnell-Douglas), F- 16 Fighting Falcon (Lockheed), F/A-18 (A, B, C and D) Hornet / -18E and F Super Hornet (McDonnell-Douglas), F-117A Nighthawk (Lockheed- Martin), F/A-22A Raptor (Lockheed/Boeing/General Dynamics); European EF-2000 “Typhoon” (Eurofighter); British Tornado GR.1 (Panavia), Jaguar GR.1 (Breguet/British Aerospace), Sea Harrier FRS and FA2 (British Aerospace), Harrier GR.3 and GR.5 (Hawker Sidley/ British Aerospace); French “Etandar”-IVM, “Super Etandar”, “Mirage”-IIIE, -5, -2000 (E, D and N), “Rafal”-M (Dassault), “Jaguar” (Breguet/British Aerospace); Swedish J-35F "Draken", AJ-37 "Viggen" (SAAB), JAS-39 "Gripen" (SAAB-Scania); German "Tornado-IDS"; Israeli "Kfir" C.2 and C.7 (Israel Aircraft Industries); Japanese F-1 and F-2 (Mitsubishi); Chinese J-8 (design bureau of the aircraft plant in Shenyang), J-10.

Among the listed aircraft, the American F-117A is considered the most unusual. This is the world's first aircraft, the combat use of which is entirely based on the capabilities of stealth technology. The F-117A is a dedicated tactical strike aircraft designed primarily for night precision attacks against heavily defended targets during autonomous solo missions.

The F-117A's stealth capability is ensured by its radar-absorbing coating, internal design features, airframe geometry and engine jet spray. The aircraft coating contains carbon iron ferrite and is produced in the form of paint. The microscopic iron balls included in its composition, when irradiated with electromagnetic waves, create a magnetic field with alternating polarity. Such a coating converts a significant part of the received wave energy into heat, and dissipates the rest in different directions. Before the advent of paint coating, aircraft were covered with microferrite-filled tiles. However, the integrity of such coating was quickly compromised and had to be restored almost before every combat mission. Also, to reduce the reflection of electromagnetic energy, under the outer shell of the F-117A there is an additional layer with a cellular structure that absorbs and scatters waves along the internal surfaces of the aircraft.

The glider was developed based on the mathematical methods of the Soviet mathematician Pyotr Ufimtsev, who described the reflection areas of two-dimensional objects. However, the “angular” low-reflective geometry of the airframe determined the low performance of the aircraft. The F-117A turned out to be quite slow and maneuverable. In particular, this is due to its mainly night combat use.

The jet engine nozzle of the aircraft is made wide and flat, which made it possible to spray the jet stream and thus reduce the thermal signature of the aircraft. The exhaust gases flow over a large plane, so they cool and dissipate faster. The disadvantage of this design is the reduction in engine power with increasing fuel consumption.

a type of military aviation designed to destroy enemy manned and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the air. IA can also be used to engage ground (surface) targets and conduct aerial reconnaissance. The main type of combat operations of the IA is air combat.

Fighter aviation originated during the First World War, when the armies of the warring states created special aircraft to combat enemy aircraft, airships and balloons. They were armed with 1–2 machine guns and aircraft cannons. The improvement of fighters went along the lines of improving their basic combat qualities (speed, maneuverability, ceiling, etc.).

The USSR produced front-line jet fighters: Yak-15, Yak-23, MiG-9, MiG-15, MiG-17, MiG-19, MiG-21, MiG-23, MiG-29; as well as fighter-interceptors: Yak-25, Yak-28P (P - interceptor), La-15, MiG-17P, MiG-19P, MiG-21PFM, MiG-23P, MiG-25P, MiG-31, Su-9 , Su-11, Su-15 and Su-27.

The United States and European countries have no less variety of fighter aircraft. American fighters F-100A and B "Super Saber" (North American), F-4A, B, C and D "Phantom-2" (McDonnell-Douglas), F-8 "Crusader" (Chance Vought), F-14A and B Tomcat (Northrop-Grumman), F-15A, B, C and D Eagle (McDonnell-Douglas) according to modern Western military terminology They are classified as “tactical fighters”, but their primary task is to gain air superiority. The F-101 “Voodoo” (McDonnell), F-102A “Delta Dagger” (Convair), F-104A “Starfighter” (Lockheed), F-106A “Delta Dart” (Convair) - USA are considered direct fighter-interceptors; "Mirage"-2000C - France; J-35D "Draken", JA-37 "Viggen" - Sweden; “Lightning” F (British Aircraft), “Tornado” F.2 and F.3 – Great Britain; "Tornado-ADV" - Germany.

Assault Aviation (AS)

Assault Aviation (AS), a type of military aviation designed to destroy, as a rule, from low and extremely low altitudes, small and mobile ground (surface) targets, primarily in the tactical and immediate operational depths of the enemy’s defense. The main task of attack aviation is air support for ground forces and naval forces.

Aircraft designed for this purpose were called "attack aircraft". The classic example of an attack aircraft is the Il-2 “Flying Tank” aircraft of the Second World War. Il-2 of the latest modifications with a take-off weight of 6360 kg could carry up to 1000 kg of bombs and eight 82-mm unguided rockets (NURS). It also had two 23 mm aircraft cannons, two 7.62 mm machine guns and one 12.7 mm machine gun in the rear of the cabin. Not a single warring army of that time had an attack aircraft similar in combat qualities to it. The IL-2 had good flight performance, reliable armor and powerful weapons, which allowed it not only to hit ground and surface targets, but also to defend against enemy fighters (double version). In total, aircraft factories built 36 thousand aircraft of this type.

Aircraft of this class include the Soviet (Russian) Yak-36, Yak-38, Su-25 “Grach”, Su-39; American A-10A Thunderbolt 2 (Fairchild), A-1 Skyraider (Douglas), A-4 Skyhawk (McDonnell-Douglas), A-6 Intruder (Grumman), AV-8B and C Harrier 2 (McDonnell-Douglas); British Harrier GR.1 (Hawker Sidley), Hawk (British Aerospace); Franco-German Alpha Jet (Dassault-Breguet/Dornier); Czech L-59 “Albatross” (Aero Vodochody).

Fire support helicopters are also intended for assault operations: Mi-24, Mi-28 (Mil Design Bureau), Ka-50 “Black Shark” and Ka-52 “Alligator” (Kamov Design Bureau) - USSR (Russia); AH-1 “Hugh Cobra” and -1W “Super Cobra” (Bell), AH-64A “Apache” and -64D “Apache Longbow” (Boeing) – USA; A-129 “Mongoose” (Agusta) – Italy; AH-2 "Ruiwolf" (Denel Aviation) - South Africa; PAH-2/HAC “Tiger” (Eurocopter) – France/Germany). Also, multi-purpose helicopters armed with NURS and additional small arms and cannon aircraft can be used for fire support of ground units.

Reconnaissance aircraft (RA)

Reconnaissance aviation (RA), a type of military aircraft designed to conduct aerial reconnaissance.

The RA organizationally consists of reconnaissance aviation units and individual units, which are part of long-range (strategic) aviation, front-line (tactical) and naval aviation (Navy), which are armed with aircraft and other aircraft equipped with various radio-electronic equipment. RADAR. Some reconnaissance aircraft are armed and capable of destroying detected particularly important targets.

Reconnaissance aviation as a branch of aviation was formed during the First World War and has since big way in its development. Considering the evolution of RA, two directions can be distinguished. On the one hand, this is the conversion of aircraft of other classes, for example, fighters, bombers, aircraft transport aviation etc. (Yak-28R, MiG-21R, MiG-25R and RB, Su-24MR, Tu-22MR, An-30 - USSR; RF-101A, B and C “Voodoo”, RF-104G “Starfighter”, RF-4C Phantom 2, RF-5A, RC-135 River Joint, RB-45C Tornado (North American), RB-47E and H, EP-3E Aries 2 (Boeing/Lockheed -Martin) - USA; "Tornado" GR.1A, "Canberra" PR, "Nimrod" R.1 - Great Britain; "Etandar" -IVP, "Mirage" -F.1CR, -IIIR and -2000R - France; " Tornado-ECR" - Germany; SH-37 and SF-37 "Viggen" - Sweden), and on the other hand, the creation of special, sometimes unique aircraft (M-55 (M-17RM) "Geophysics" (Myasishchev Design Bureau) ; SR-71A "Blackbird" (Lockheed), U-2 (Lockheed)).

One of the most famous reconnaissance aircraft is the American U-2 strategic reconnaissance aircraft, which is capable of observing from an altitude of 22,200 m, flying for 15 hours and covering distances of up to 11,200 km.

By 2004, the armed forces of 41 states operated about 80 types of unmanned aerial vehicles, designed primarily for reconnaissance missions. The most modern reconnaissance UAVs are owned by the United States and Israel. In particular, the US Armed Forces are armed with the RQ-4A Global Hawk strategic high-altitude reconnaissance UAV (Northrop-Grumman), a medium-altitude UAV operational purpose RQ-1A and B "Predator" (General Atomics), tactical reconnaissance UAV RQ-8A "Fire Scout" (Northrop-Grumman). At the same time, the service ceiling and characteristics of the RQ-4A reconnaissance equipment are comparable to those of the U-2 aircraft.

Anti-submarine aircraft (ASA)

Anti-submarine aviation (ASA), a type of naval aviation (or air force aviation), designed to combat enemy submarines in maritime (ocean) theaters of military operations; an integral part of the anti-submarine forces. Airplanes were first used as a means of combating submarines in the First World War. Like a branch of aviation in all large states PLA took shape in the 1960s.

Anti-submarine aviation includes units and units of coastal (base) and ship-based anti-submarine aircraft and helicopters with long range and flight duration and equipped with aviation means of searching for enemy submarines, bomber and mine-torpedo weapons, and aircraft missile systems.

Among the PLA aircraft, we will highlight the basic anti-submarine (patrol) aircraft: Soviet Il-38 and Tu-142M, American R-3C Orion (Lockheed), British Nimrod MR.1, MR.2 and MR.3 (British Aerospace) , French Br.1150 “Atlantic-1” (Breguet) and “Atlantic-2” (Dassault-Breguet), Brazilian EMB-111 (EMBRAER); anti-submarine patrol seaplanes Be-12 (Beriev Design Bureau), A-40 (Be-42) “Albatross”; SH-5 (PRC); PS-1 (Shin Meiwa, Japan); as well as the American carrier-based anti-submarine aircraft S-3A and B "Viking" (Lockheed).

Helicopters are used to combat submarines outside the range of anti-submarine aircraft. Most widespread received anti-submarine helicopters: Mi-14PL and PLM, Ka-25PL, Ka-27PL, Ka-32S - USSR (Russia); SH-2 Seasprite (Kaman Aerospace), SH-3 Sea King (Sikorsky Aircraft), SH-60B Sea Hawk and -60F Ocean Hawk (Sikorsky Aircraft) - USA; “Sea King” HAS (Westland), “Lynx” HAS (Westland), “Wessex” HAS (Westland) - Great Britain; SA.332F “Super Puma” (Aerospatial) – France.

Note that the first helicopter to take off from a warship was the German FI-282 “Hummingbird” (Fletner), which in 1942 made experimental flights from the cruiser Cologne.

Military transport aviation

(VTA) is intended for ejection airborne assaults, airlifting troops, delivering weapons, fuel, food and other supplies, evacuating the wounded and sick.

Equipped with specially designed and equipped military transport aircraft with a long range and various payload capacities. Subdivided into VTA strategic purpose, operational and tactical purposes.

According to the load capacity, there is a class of super-heavy (An-225 "Mriya", An-124 "Ruslan" - USSR (Russia); C-5 "Galaxy" (Lockheed) - USA), heavy (An-22 "Antey" - USSR (Russia) ); C-135 "Stratolifter" (Boeing), C-141 "Starlifter" (Lockheed), C-17 "Globemaster-3" (McDonnell-Douglas) - USA), medium (IL-76, An-12 - USSR (Russia); C-130 "Hercules" (Lockheed) - USA; C.160 "Transall" - France/Germany; A-400M (Euroflag) - European countries; C-1 - Japan) and light (An-2, An-24, An-26, An-32, An-72 – USSR (Russia); C-26 (Fairchild), C-123 – USA; DHC-5 “Buffalo” (De Havilland of Canada) – Canada; Do .28D "Skyservant" (Dornier), Do.228 (Dornier) - Germany; S-212 "Aviocar" - Spain; S-222 (Aeritalia) - Italy; Y-11, Y-12 "Panda" - China; L -410 (Years) – Czech Republic) military transport aircraft. The world's largest aircraft, the An-225 Mriya, was created to transport large cargo. The maximum take-off weight of the unique six-engine aircraft is 600 tons. The payload can reach 450 tons.

Along with airplanes, transport-landing and multi-purpose helicopters are used to deliver military equipment, military units and cargo to combat areas, landing troops, and transporting the wounded, the most famous of which are the Soviet Mi-6, Mi-8, Mi-26, Ka- 29, Ka-32A; American UH-1 Iroquois (Bell), CH-46 Sea Knight (Boeing Vertol), CH-47 Chinook (Boeing Vertol), CH-53D Sea Steelen and -53E Super Steelen (Sikorsky Aircraft), UH-60 "Black Hawk" (Sikorsky Aircraft); British Sea King (Westland), Lynx (Westland), EH-101 (European Helicopter Industries); French SA.330 "Puma" and SA.332 "Super Puma" (Aerospatial). The world's largest production helicopter is the Mi-26T. With a helicopter take-off weight of 56 tons, its payload can reach 20 tons.

To replace the Marine Corps transport and landing helicopters, the United States has adopted the MV-22B Osprey (Bell-Boeing) short takeoff and vertical landing aircraft. Being a tiltrotor with a rotary rotor, this aircraft combines the qualities of an airplane and a helicopter, i.e. can take off and land vertically. The MV-22B is capable of transporting up to 24 people or 2,700 kg of cargo over a distance of up to 770 km.

Special aviation,

aviation units and subunits armed with special-purpose aircraft and helicopters (radar patrol and guidance, target designation, electronic warfare, in-flight refueling, communications, etc.).

Radar patrol and guidance aircraft (helicopters)(also used in the abbreviation “AWACS” - long-range radar detection and control) are designed to survey the airspace, detect enemy aircraft, alert the command and guide air defense systems, as well as friendly aircraft, at enemy air and ground targets (targets).

Currently, RLDN A-50 aircraft are on combat duty in Russia, in the sky North America, Europe and the Arabian Peninsula - AWACS aircraft AWACS E-3 "Sentry" (Boeing) (E-3A - Saudi Arabia, E-3C - USA, E-3D ("Sentry" AEW.1) - Great Britain, E-3F – France), in the skies of Japan – E-767 (Boeing). In addition, the US Navy uses the E-2C Hawkeye carrier-based AWACS aircraft (Grumman).

Helicopters are also used to solve RLDN tasks: the British Sea King AEW (Westland) and the Russian Ka-31.

Ground reconnaissance, guidance and control aircraft. The American military aviation is armed with and actively uses the E-8C Jistars (Boeing) aircraft, designed for recognition, classification of ground targets in all weather conditions and target designation.

Airplanes for weather observation. Initially intended for weather reconnaissance in the areas of strategic bomber flight routes. Examples of such aircraft are the American WC-130 (Lockheed) and WC-135 (Boeing).

Electronic warfare (EW) aircraft. Specialized aircraft designed to interfere with enemy radar systems. These include the Soviet Yak-28PP, Su-24MP; American EA-6B Prowler (Grumman), EF-111 Raven (General Dynamics); German HFB-320M "Hansa"; British "Canberra" E.15.

Tanker aircraft. Designed for in-flight refueling of military aircraft and helicopters. The Americans were the first to widely use in-flight refueling. To this end, they developed the KC-10 Xtender (McDonnell-Douglas) and KC-135 Stratotanker (Boeing) refueling aircraft. The Russian Armed Forces are armed with Il-78 and Il-78M tanker aircraft, as well as the Su-24M(TZ) tactical tanker. Also worth noting is the British development - the Victor K.2 aircraft.

Fire support aircraft (Ganship). These aircraft are designed to provide air cover for special forces, conduct counter-guerrilla operations, and aerial reconnaissance. They are in service only with the US Armed Forces. Combat vehicles of this class are transport aircraft, on the left side of which powerful machine gun and artillery weapons are installed. In particular, on the basis of the C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft, fire support aircraft AC-130A, E, H and U Spectrum (Lockheed) were created.

Repeater aircraft. Specially equipped aircraft designed to provide communications with submarines (Tu-142MR "Orel" and E-6A and B "Mercury" (Boeing)), as well as ground control points.

Aircraft - air command post (ACP). These aircraft (IL-86VKP, EC-135C and H) were developed in the USSR and the USA in the event of a global nuclear war. They are equipped with a variety of communication and control systems and make it possible to maintain command and control of troops when ground command posts are hit.

Search and rescue aircraft (helicopters). They are used to search and rescue crews of ships, airplanes and helicopters in distress. Search and rescue services around the world are armed with the Soviet Be-12PS amphibious aircraft (Beriev Design Bureau), Mi-14PS, Ka-25PS, Ka-27PS helicopters; American helicopters НН-1N "Hugh" (Bell), HH-60 "Night Hawk" (Sikorsky Aircraft), British helicopter "Wessex" HC.2 (Westland), etc.

Combat training (CBS) and training aircraft (TC) aircraft. Designed for training flight personnel. As a rule, UBS (for example, MiG-29UB and UBT (USSR and Russia), F-16B and D (USA), Harrier T (Great Britain)) are a modification of combat vehicles with a seat for an instructor. However, a number of training aircraft, for example, the L-29 Dolphin (Aero Vodochody, Czechoslovakia), the T-45 Gohawk (McDonnell-Douglas) were developed specifically for training purposes.

TYPES OF MILITARY AVIATION

Military aviation, depending on its purpose and subordination, is divided by type into long-range (strategic), front-line (tactical), army (military), air defense aviation, naval aviation (Navy), military transport and special.

Long-range (strategic) aviation designed to destroy military targets deep behind enemy lines, in continental and oceanic (sea) theaters of military operations, as well as conduct operational and strategic aerial reconnaissance. Long-range aviation is divided into bomber, reconnaissance and special aviation.

Front-line (tactical) aviation designed to carry out air strikes against the enemy in operational depth, provide air support for ground forces and naval forces, cover troops and various objects from enemy air strikes and solve other special tasks.

It consists of types of aviation: bomber, fighter-bomber, fighter, reconnaissance, transport, special.

Army (military) aviation, intended for actions directly in the interests of combined arms formations, their air support, conducting aerial reconnaissance, landing tactical airborne assault forces and fire support for their actions, supplying minefields, etc. Based on the nature of the tasks performed, it is divided into attack, transport, reconnaissance and special purpose aviation. Armed with planes and helicopters.

Air defense aviation,

type of army air defense, designed to cover important directions, areas and objects from enemy air. Includes fighter units, as well as transport and helicopter units.

Naval Aviation (VMS), a type of naval force designed to destroy the forces of the enemy fleet and its sea Vehicle, covering naval groups at sea, conducting aerial reconnaissance in sea and ocean theaters of military operations and performing other tasks.

The naval aviation of various countries includes missile-carrying, anti-submarine, fighter, attack, reconnaissance and special-purpose aircraft - radar, electronic warfare, in-flight refueling, mine sweeping, search and rescue, communications and transport. Based on airfields (water aerodromes) and aircraft-carrying ships (aircraft carriers, helicopter carriers and other ships). Depending on the nature and location of the base, it is divided into ship-based aviation (the terms “ship-based aviation”, “carrier-based aviation”, “deck-based aviation” are used) and land-based aviation (base aviation).

AIRCRAFT WEAPONS

Aviation weapons are weapons installed on aircraft (airplanes, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles) and systems that ensure their combat use. The set of equipment related to the armament of a particular aircraft is called an aviation armament complex.

The following types of aviation weapons are distinguished: missile, small arms and cannon, bomber, mine-torpedo and special.

Missile aircraft weapons

- type of weapon, including aviation missile systems, which also include jet aircraft systems volley fire for hitting targets with missiles (mounted on aircraft.

Aviation missile system– a set of functionally related air and ground assets necessary for combat use aircraft missiles. It includes launchers on aircraft, missiles, missile launch control systems, power units, ground equipment for preparing, transporting and checking the condition of missiles. An aviation missile system may include radar stations, laser, television, radio command and other onboard systems for detecting targets and controlling missiles in flight.

Aviation rocket- a missile that is used from aircraft to destroy ground, surface and air targets.

As a rule, aircraft rockets are single-stage solid propellant. To control an aircraft missile, homing, telecontrol, autonomous and combined control can be used.

Based on the possibility of adjusting the flight path, aircraft missiles are divided into guided and unguided.

By combat purpose There are air-to-air, air-to-ship and air-to-ground missiles.

Air-to-air guided missile.

Soviet/Russian RS-1U (missile weight 82.5 kg; warhead weight 13 kg; firing range 6 km; radio command (RC) guidance system), RS-2US (84 kg; 13 kg; 6 km; RK ), R-3S and R (75.3 and 83.5 kg; 11.3 kg; 7 and 10 km; infrared (IR) and semi-active radar (PR) homing system), R-4 (K-80)/ -4T, R, TM (K-80M) and RM (K-80M) (483/390, 480, 483 and 483 kg; 53.5 kg; 25/25, 25, 32 and 32 km; PR/IR, PR, IR and PR), R-8MR and MT (R-98R) (225 and 227 kg; 35 and 55 kg; 8 and 3 km; PR and IR), R-13S (K-13A), M (K -13M), R (K-13R) and T (K-13T) (75, 90, 85 and 78 kg; 11 kg; 8, 13, 16 and 15 km; IR, IR, PR and IR), R- 23R (K-23R) and T (K-23T) (223 and 217 kg; 25 kg; 35 km; PR and IR), R-24R and T (250 and 248 kg; 25 kg; 35 km; RK+PR and IR), R-27AE, R, ER, T, ET and EM (350, 253, 350, 254, 343 and 350 kg; 39 kg; 130, 80, 130, 72, 120 and 170 km; inertial (I )+RK+PR, I+RK+PR, I+RK+PR, IR, IR, I+RK+PR), R-33R and E (223 and 490 kg; 25 and 47 kg; 35 and 120 km; PR and I+PR), R-37 (400 kg; 130 km; active radar (AR)), R-40R, D, T and TD (750, 800, 750 and 800 kg; 35–100 kg; 50, 72, 30 and 80 km; PR, PR, IR and IR), R-55 (85 kg; 13 kg; 8 km; IR), R-60/-60M (K-60)(45 kg; 3.5 kg; 10 km; IR) , R-73RMD-1, RMD-2 and E (105, 110 and 105 kg; 8 kg; 30, 40 and 30 km; IR, IR and IR+AR), R-77RVV-AE (175 kg; 22 kg ; 100 km; I+RK+AR), R-88T and G (227 kg; 15 and 25 km; IR and PR), K-8R and T (275 kg; 25 kg; 18 km; PR and IR), K-9 (245 kg; 27 kg; 9 km; PR), K-31 (600 kg; 90 kg; 200 km; PR), K-74ME (110 kg; 8 kg; 40 km; IR+AR), KS-172 (750 kg; 400 km; AR);

American "Firebird" (272 kg; 40 kg; 8 km; PR), AAAM (300 kg; 50 kg; more than 200 km; I+AR+IR), AIR-2A (372 kg; 9 km; RK), GAR -1 and -2 "Falcon" (54.9 and 55 kg; 9 kg; 8.3 km; PR and IR), AIM-4A(GAR-4), F(GAR-3), G and D "Falcon" "(68, 68, 68 and 61 kg; 18, 18, 18 and 12 kg; 11, 8, 3 and 3 km; IR, PR, IR and IR), AAM-N-2 "Sparrow-1" (136 kg; 22 kg; 8 km; PR), AIM-7A, B, C, D, E, E2, G, F, M and P "Sparrow" (135, 182, 160, 180, 204, 195, 265, 228, 200 and 230 kg; 23, 23, 34, 30, 27, 30, 30, 39, 39 and 31 kg; 9.5, 8, 12, 15, 25, 50, 44, 70, 100 and 45 km ; PR), AIM-9B, C, D, E, G, H, J, L, M, N, P, R and S "Sidewinder" (75–87 kg; 9.5–12 kg; 4–18 km; IR), AIM-26A (GAR-11) and B (79 and 115 kg; 10 km; PR), AIM-47 (GAR-9) (360 kg; 180 km; PR), AIM-54A and C "Phoenix" (443 and 454 kg; 60 kg; 150 km; PR+AR), AIM-92 "Stinger" (13.6 kg; 3 kg; 4.8 km; IR), AIM-120A, B and C AMRAAM (148.6, 149 and 157 kg; 22 kg; 50 km; I+AR, I+AR, AR);

Brazilian MAA-1 “Piranha” (89 kg; 12 kg; 5 km; IR);

British “Red Tor” (150 kg; 31 kg; 11 km; IR), “Sky Flash” (195 kg; 30 kg; 50 km; PR), “Firestreak” (136 kg; 22.7 kg; 7.4 km; IR), “Active Sky Flash” (208 kg; 30 kg; 50 km; AR);

German X-4 (60 kg; 20 kg; 2 km; RK), Hs.298 (295 kg; 2 km; RK), “Iris-T” (87 kg; 11.4 kg; 12 km; IR);

Israeli "Shafrir-2" (95 kg; 11 kg; 3 km; IR), "Python-1", -3" and -4" (120, 120 and 105 kg; 11 kg; 5, 15 and 18 km; IR);

Indian “Astra” (148 kg; 15 kg; 110 km; AR);

Italian “Aspid-1A” and -2A” (220 and 230 kg; 30 kg; 35 and 50 km; PR);

Chinese PL-1 (83.2 kg; 15 kg; 6 km; RK), PL-2 (76 kg; 11.3 kg; 6.5 km; IR+PR), PL-3 (82 kg; 13. 5 kg; 3 km; IR), PL-5A, B and E (85, 87 and 83 kg; 11, 9 and 9 kg; 5, 6 and 15 km; IR), PL-7/-7B (90/ 93 kg; 13 kg; 7 km; IR), PL-8 (120 kg; 11 kg; 17 km; IR), PL-9/-9C (115 kg; 10 kg; 15 km; IR), PL-10 (220 kg; 33 kg; 60 km; PR), PL-11 (350 kg; 39 kg; 130 km);

Taiwanese “Sky Sword” (“Tien Chien I”) and -2” (“Tien Chien II”) (90 and 190 kg; 10 and 30 kg; 5 and 40 km; IR and PR);

French R.530 "Matra" / F and D "Super Matra" (195/245 and 270 kg; 27/30 and 30 kg; 27/30 and 40 km; PR+IR/ PR and AR), R.550 " Mazhik-1" and -2" (89 and 90 kg; 13 kg; 7 and 15 km; IR), MICA (112 kg; 12 kg; 50 km; I+AR+IR), "Mistral" ATAM (17 kg ; 6 kg; 3 km; IR), “Meteor” (160 kg, 110 kg; AR);

Swedish RBS.70 (15 kg; 1 kg; 5 km; laser beam guidance (L)), RB.24 (70 kg; 11 kg; 11 km; IR), RB.27 (90 kg; 10 kg; 16 km; PR), RB.28 (54 kg; 7 kg; 9 km; IR), RB.71 (195 kg; 30 kg; 50 km; PR), RB.74 (87 kg; 9.5 kg; 18 km; IR);

South African V-3B “Kukri” (73.4 kg; 9 kg; 4 km; IR), V-3C “Darter” (89 kg; 16 kg; 10 km; IR);

Japanese AAM-1/-3 (“90”) (70 kg; 4.5 kg; 7/5 km; IR and IR+AR).

Air-to-ship guided missile.

Missiles of this class, in particular, include:

Soviet/Russian KS-10S (missile weight 4533 kg; warhead weight 940; firing range 250–325 km; RK+AR guidance), KSR-2 (KS-11) (3000 kg; 1000 kg; 230 km; I+AR ), KSR-5 (5000 kg; 1000 kg; 400 km; I+AR), KSR-11 (K-11) (3000 kg; 1000 kg; 230 km; I + passive radar (PSR)), 3M-80E “Mosquito” (3950 kg; 300 kg; 120 km; AR+PSR), X-15 (1200 kg; 150 kg; 150 km; I+AR), X-31A (600 kg; 90 kg; 50 km; AR ), X-35 (500 kg; 145 kg; 130 km; AR), X-59M (920 kg; 320 kg; 115 km; television (TV) + AR), X-65SE (1250 kg; 410 kg; 280 km; I+AR), Kh-31M2 (650 kg; 90 kg; 200 km; PSR), 3M-55 “Yakhont” (3000 kg; 200 kg; 300 km; PSR+AR), P-800 “Onyx” (3000 kg; 200 kg; 300 km; PSR+AR);

American AGM-84A and D “Harpoon” (520 and 526 kg; 227 kg; 120 and 150 km; I+AR), AGM-119A and B “Penguin” (372 and 380 kg; 120 kg; 40 and 33 km; I+IR);

British “Sea Eagle” (600 kg; 230 kg; 110 km; I+AR), “Sea Skews” (145 kg; 20 kg; 22 km; PR);

German “Kormoran” AS.34 (600 kg; 165 kg; 37 km; I+AR), “Kormoran-2” (630 kg; 190 kg; 50 km; I+AR);

Israeli "Gabriel" Mk.3A and S (600 kg; 150 kg; 60 km; I+AR), "Gabriel" Mk.4 (960 kg; 150 kg; 200 km; I+AR);

Italian “Marta” Mk.2/Mk.2A and B (345/260 and 260 kg; 70 kg; 20 km; I+AR);

Chinese YJ-1 (C801) (625 kg; 165 kg; 42 km; AR), YJ-2 (C802) (751 kg; 165 kg; 120 km; I+AR), YJ-6 (C601) (2988 kg ; 515 kg; 110 km; AR), YJ-16 (S101) (1850 kg; 300 kg; 45 km; I+AR), YJ-62 (S611) (754 kg; 155 kg; 200 km; AR), HY-4 (1740 kg; 500 kg; 140 km; I+AR);

Norwegian "Penguin" Mk.1, 2 and 3 (370, 385 and 372 kg; 125, 125 and 120 kg; 20, 30 and 40 km; IR, IR and I+IR);

Taiwanese "Hsiung Fen-2" / -2" Mk.2 and -2Mk.3 (520/540 and 540 kg; 225 kg; 80/150 and 170 km; AR + IR);

French AM-39 “Exoset” (670 kg; 165 kg; 70 km; I+AR), AS.15TT (96 kg; 30 kg; 15 km; RK);

Swedish RBS.15F (598 kg; 200 kg; 70 km; I+AR), RBS.15 Mk.2 (600 kg; 200 kg; 150 km; I+AR), RBS.17 (48 kg; 9 kg; 8 km; laser semi-active (LPA)), RB.04E (48 kg; 9 kg; 8 km; AR);

Japanese “80” (ASM-1) (610 kg; 150 kg; 45 km; I+AR), “93” (ASM-1) (680 kg; 100 km; I+IR).

Air-to-ground guided missile.

Missiles of this class, in particular, include:

Soviet/Russian X-15 (missile weight 1200 kg; firing range 300 km; missile guidance I+AR), X-20 (missile weight 11800 kg; warhead weight 2300 kg; 650 km; I+RK), X-22PSI, M, NA (5770 kg; 900 kg; 550 km; I+AR), Kh-23L (L – laser) “Grom” (286 kg; 108 kg; 11 km; L), Kh-25ML, MTPL (TPL – thermal imaging) and MR (300 kg; 90 kg; 20, 20 and 10 km; L, thermal imaging (T), RK), Kh-29L, M, T and TE (660, 660, 680 and 700 kg; 320 kg; 10, 10, 12 and 30 km; L, L, TV and TV), X-33P (5675 kg; 900 kg; 550 km; I+PR), X-41 (4500 kg; 420 kg; 250 km), Kh-55/-55SM (1250/1700 kg; 410 kg; 2500/3000 km; I), Kh-59A “Ovod” and M “Ovod-M” (920 kg; 320 kg; 115 and 200 km; AR and TV), X-65 (1250 kg; 410 kg; 600 km; I+AR), X-66 “Thunder” (278 kg; 103 kg; 10 km; RK), RAMT-1400 “Pike” (warhead weight 650 kg; 30 km; RK), KS-1 “Kometa” (2760 kg; 385 kg; 130 km; AR), KS-10 (4533 kg; 940 kg; 325 km; AR), KS-12BS (4300 kg; 350 kg; 110 km), KSR-2 (KS-11) (4080 kg; 850 kg; 170 km; I+AR), KSR-11 (K-11) (4000 kg; 840 kg; 150 km; I+ PSR), KSR-24 (4100 kg; 850 kg; 170 km), “Meteorite” (6300 kg; 1000 kg; 5000 km);

American AGM-12B, C and E “Bullpup” (260, 812 and 770 kg; 114, 454 and 420 kg; 10, 16 and 16 km; RK), AGM-28 “Hound Dog” (4350 kg; 350 kg; 1000 km), AGM-62 (510 kg; 404 kg; 30 km; TV), AGM-65A, B, D, E, F, G and H “Maverick” (210, 210, 220, 293, 307, 307 and 290; 57 or 136 kg; 8, 8, 20, 20, 25, 25, 30 km; TV, TV, T, LPA, T, T and AR), AGM-69 SRAM (1012 kg; 300 km; I ), AGM-84E SLAM (630 kg; 220 kg; 100 km; I+IR), AGM-86A ALCM-A, B ALCM-B and C ALCM-C (1270, 1458 and 1500 kg; 900 kg; 2400, 2500 and 2000 km; I), AGM-87A (90 kg; 9 kg; 18 km; IR), AGM-129A ACM (1247 kg; 3336 km; I), AGM-131A SRAM-2 and B SRAM-T ( 877 kg; 400 km; I), AGM-142A (1360 kg; 340 kg; 80 km; I+TV), AGM-158A (1050 kg; 340 kg);

German Fi-103 (V-1) (2200 kg; 1000 kg; 370 km);

French ASMP (860 kg; 250 km; I), AS.11 (29.9 kg; 2.6 kg; 7 km; command semi-active by wire (CAT)), AS.20 “Nord” (143 kg; 33 kg ; 6.9 km; RK), AS.25 (143 kg; 33 kg; 6.9 km; AR), AS.30/30L and AL (520 kg, 240/250 and 250 kg, 12/10 and 15 km; RK/I+LPA/LPA);

Swedish RB.04 (600 kg; 300 kg; 32 km; RK+I+AR), RB.05 (305 kg; 160 kg; 10 km; RK);

Yugoslav “Grom-1” and -2” (330 kg; 104 kg; 8 and 12 km; RK and TV);

South African “Raptor” (1200 kg; 60 km; TV), “Torgos” (980 kg; 450 kg; 300 km; I+IR).

Among air-to-ground aircraft missiles, anti-radar and anti-tank missiles, specifically designed to combat enemy radar stations and armored vehicles, respectively.

Anti-radar guided missiles include, in particular:

Soviet/Russian Kh-25MP and MPU (missile weight 320 kg; warhead weight 90 kg; firing range 60 and 340 km; PSR), Kh-27 (320 kg; 90 kg; 25 km; PSR), Kh-28 (690 kg; 140 kg; 70 km; PSR), Kh-31P (600 kg; 90 kg; 100 km; PSR), Kh-58U and E (640 and 650 kg; 150 kg; 120 and 250 km; PSR), X -58E (650 kg; 150 kg; 250 km; PSR);

American AGM-45A “Shrike” (180 kg; 66 kg; 12 km; PSR), AGM-78A, B, C and D “Standard-ARM” (615 kg; 98 kg; 55 km; PSR), AGM-88A HARM (361 kg; 66 kg; 25 km; PSR), AGM-122 SADARM (91 kg; 10 kg; 8 km; PSR);

British ALARM (265 kg; 50 kg; 45 km; PSR);

Anti-tank aircraft anti-tank missiles, in particular, include:

Soviet/Russian “Vikhr”/M (missile weight 9/40 kg; warhead weight 3/12 kg; firing range 4/10 km; L), “Sturm-V” (31.4 kg; 5.3 kg; 5 km; RK), PUR-62 (9M17) “Phalanx” (29.4 kg; 4.5 kg; 3 km; RK), M-17R “Scorpion” (29.4 kg; 4.5 kg; 4 km ; gearbox), PUR-64 (9M14) “Malyutka” (11.3 kg; 3 kg; 3 km; gearbox), 9K113 “Konkurs” (17 kg; 4 km; gearbox), 9M114 “Shturm-Sh” (32 kg; 7 km; RK+L), “Attack-V” (10 km; RK+L);

American AGM-71 A, B and C “TOU” (16.5, 16.5 and 19 kg; 3.6, 3.6 and 4 kg; 3.75, 4 and 5 km; gearbox), AGM-71 "TOU-2" (21.5 kg; 6 kg; 5 km; checkpoint), AGM-114A, B and C "Hellfire" (45, 48 and 48 kg; 6.4, 9 and 9 kg; 6, 8 and 8 km; LPA), AGM-114L “Longbow Hellfire” (48 kg; 9 kg; 8 km; LPA+AR), FOG-MS (30 kg; 20 km), HVM (23 kg; 2.3 kg; 6 km; L);

Argentine “Masogo” (3 km; checkpoint);

British “Swingfire” (27 kg; 7 kg; 4 km; checkpoint), “Vigilant” (14 kg; 6 kg; 1.6 km; checkpoint);

German “Cobra” 2000 (10.3 kg; 2.7 kg; 2 km; gearbox);

Israeli "Toger" (29 kg; 3.6 kg; 4.5 km; D);

Indian “Nag” (42 kg; 5 kg; 4 km; L);

Italian MAF (20 kg; 3 km; L);

Chinese HJ-73 (11.3 kg; 3 kg; 3 km; gearbox), HJ-8 (11.2 kg; 4 kg; 3 km; gearbox);

French AS.11/11B1 (30 kg; 4.5/6 kg; 3.5 km; manual by wire (RPP)/gearbox), AS.12 (18.6 kg; 7.6 kg; 3.5 km ; Gearbox), "Hot-1" and -2" (23.5 and 23.5 kg; 5 kg; 4 km; PR), AS.2L (60 kg; 6 kg; 10 km; L), "Polyphemus "(59 kg; 25 km; L), ATGW-3LR "Trigat" (42 kg; 9 kg; 8 km; IR);

Swedish RB.53 “Bantam” (7.6 kg; 1.9 kg; 2 km; RPP), RBS.56 “Bill” (10.7 kg; 2 km; checkpoint);

South African ZT3 Swift (4 km; L);

Japanese "64" (15.7 kg; 3.2 kg; 1.8 km; checkpoint), "79" (33 kg; 4 km; IR), "87" (12 kg; 3 kg; 2 km; LPA ).

Unguided aircraft rocket(NAR).

Sometimes the abbreviations NUR (unguided rocket) and NURS (unguided rocket) are used.

Unguided aircraft missiles are usually used to destroy ground targets by attack aircraft and helicopters. These include, in particular:

Soviet/Russian

57-mm S-5/-5M, OM (O – lighting), K and KO (KARS-57) (missile weight 5.1/4.9, -, 3.65 and 3.65 kg; warhead weight 1 ,1/0.9, -, 1.13 and 1.2 kg; launch range 4/4, 3, 2 and 2 km),

80-mm S-8BM (B - concrete-breaking), DM (D - with a volumetric detonating mixture), KOM (K - cumulative, O - fragmentation) and OM (O - lighting) (15.2, 11.6, 11 .3 and 12.1 kg; 7.41, 3.63, 3.6 and 4.3 kg; 2.2, 3, 4 and 4.5 km),

82 mm RS-82 (6.8 kg; 6.2 km), RBS-82 (15 kg; 6.1 km), TRS-82 (4.82 kg),

85 mm TRS-85 (5.5 kg; 2.4 kg),

122-mm S-13/-13OF (OF – high-explosive fragmentation) and T (T “hard” – penetrating) (60/68 and 75 kg; 23/32.2 and 31.8 kg; 4/3 and 3 km),

132 mm RS-132 (23 kg; 7.1 km), RBS-132 (30 kg; 6.8 km), TRS-132 (25.3 kg; 12.6 kg),

134-mm S-3K (KARS-160) (23.5 kg; 7.3 kg; 2 km),

212 mm S-21 (118 kg; 46 kg),

240 mm S-24B (235 kg; 123 kg; 4 km),

340 mm S-25F, OF and OFM (480, 381 and 480 kg; 190, 150 and 150 kg; 4 km);

American

70 mm "Hydra" 70 (11.9 kg; 7.2 kg; 9 km),

127 mm "Zuni" (56.3 kg; 24 kg; 4 km),

370 mm MB-1 “Ginny” (110 kg; 9.2 km);

Belgian

70 mm FFAR (11.9 kg; 7 kg; 9 km);

Brazilian

70 mm SBAT-70 (4 km), Skyfire-70 M-8, -9 and 10 (11, 11 and 15 kg; 3.8, 3.8 and 6 kg 9.5, 10.8 and 12 km);

British

70 mm CVR7 (6.6 kg; 6.5 km);

Germanic

55 mm R4/M (3.85 kg; 3 km),

210 mm W.Gr.42 (110 kg; 38.1 kg; 1 km),

280 mm WK (82 kg; 50 kg);

Italian

51 mm ARF/8M2 (4.8 kg; 2.2 kg; 3 km),

81-mm “Medusa” (18.9 kg; 10 kg; 6 km),

122 mm Falco (58.4 kg; up to 32 kg; 4 km);

Chinese

55 mm "Type 1" (3.99 kg; 1.37 kg; 2 km),

90 mm “type-1” (14.6 kg; 5.58 kg);

French

68 mm TBA 68 (6.26 kg; 3 kg; 3 km),

100 mm TBA 100 (42.6 kg; up to 18.2 kg; 4 km);

Swedish

135 mm M/70 (44.6 kg; 20.8 kg; 3 km);

Swiss

81-mm “Sura” (14.2 kg; 4.5 kg; 2.5 km), “Snora” (19.7 kg; 2.5 kg; up to 11 km);

Japanese "127" (48.5 kg; 3 km).

Bomber aircraft weapons

- a type of aviation weapons, including bomb weapons (aircraft bombs, disposable bomb clusters, disposable bomb clusters and others), sights and bombing installations. On modern aircraft, sights are part of sighting and navigation systems.

Aviation bomb- a type of aviation ammunition dropped from aircraft. It consists of a body, equipment (explosive, incendiary, lighting, smoke composition, etc.) and a stabilizer. Before combat use it is equipped with one or more fuses.

The body of an aircraft bomb usually has an oval-cylindrical shape with a conical tail section, to which a stabilizer is attached. As a rule, aircraft bombs weighing more than 25 kg have ears for suspension from aircraft. Aircraft bombs weighing less than 25 kg usually do not have ears, since these bombs are used from disposable cassettes and bundles or reusable containers.

The stabilizer ensures stable flight of an aerial bomb to the target after being dropped from an aircraft. To increase the stability of the bomb along its trajectory at transonic flight speeds, a ballistic ring is welded to its head. The stabilizers of modern aircraft bombs have feathery, pinnately cylindrical and box-shaped shapes. Aircraft bombs intended for bombing from low altitudes (not lower than 35 m) can use umbrella-type stabilizers. In some designs of aircraft bombs, the safety of the aircraft during bombing from low altitudes is ensured by special parachute-type braking devices that open after the bomb is separated from the aircraft.

Basic characteristics of aircraft bombs.

The main characteristics of aircraft bombs are: caliber, filling factor, characteristic time, efficiency indicators and range of conditions for combat use.

The caliber of an aircraft bomb is its mass, expressed in kg (or pounds). When designating Soviet/Russian aerial bombs, its caliber is indicated after the abbreviated name. For example, the abbreviation PTAB-2.5 denotes a 2.5 kg anti-tank aircraft bomb.

The filling factor is the ratio of the mass of an aircraft bomb to its total mass. For example, the filling factor for aircraft bombs with a thin-walled (high-explosive) body reaches 0.7, and with a thick-walled (armor-piercing and fragmentation) body - 0.1–0.2.

Characteristic time is the time of fall of an aircraft bomb dropped from a horizontal flight under standard atmosphere conditions from a height of 2000 m at an aircraft speed of 40 m/s. The characteristic time determines the ballistic quality of the bomb. The better the aerodynamic properties of the bomb, the smaller its diameter and the greater its mass, the shorter the characteristic time. For modern aerial bombs it usually ranges from 20.25 to 33.75 s.

Indicators of the effectiveness of combat use include private (volume of the crater, thickness of the armor penetrated, number of fires, etc.) and generalized (average number of hits required to hit the target, and the area of ​​the reduced affected area, if hit, the target is incapacitated) indicators effectiveness of the lethal effect of aerial bombs. These indicators serve to determine the amount of expected damage that will be caused to the target.

The range of conditions for combat use includes data on the permissible maximum and minimum values ​​of height and bombing speed. At the same time, restrictions on the maximum values ​​of altitude and speed are determined by the conditions of stability of the aircraft bomb on the trajectory and the strength of the body at the moment of meeting the target, and on the minimum - by the safety conditions of the aircraft and the characteristics of the fuses used.

Depending on the type and weight, aerial bombs are divided into small, medium and large caliber bombs.

For high-explosive and armor-piercing aircraft bombs, small caliber includes bombs weighing less than 100 kg, medium - 250-500 kg, large - more than 1000 kg; for fragmentation, high-explosive fragmentation, incendiary and anti-submarine aircraft bombs to small caliber - less than 50 kg, medium - 50-100 kg, large - more than 100 kg.

Based on their purpose, aviation bombs are distinguished for primary and auxiliary purposes.

Primary purpose aircraft bombs are used to destroy ground and sea targets. These include high-explosive, fragmentation, high-explosive, anti-tank, armor-piercing, concrete-piercing, anti-submarine, incendiary, high-explosive incendiary, chemical and other aerial bombs.

High explosive bomb(FAB) designed to destroy various targets (military-industrial facilities, railway junctions, energy complexes, fortifications, manpower and military equipment) by the action of a shock wave and partially by hull fragments.

The design of the FAB is no different from a standard aerial bomb. Caliber 50–2000 kg. The most common are medium-caliber FABs (250–500 kg).

FAB is used with instantaneous impact fuses (for targets located on the surface of the earth) and delayed (for objects destroyed by an explosion from the inside or buried). In the latter case, the effectiveness of the FAB is enhanced by the seismic effect of the explosion.

When an FAB explodes, a crater is formed in the ground, the dimensions of which depend on the properties of the soil, the caliber of the aircraft bomb and the depth of the explosion. For example, when a FAB-500 explodes in loam (at a depth of 3 m), a crater with a diameter of 8.5 m is formed.

There are FABs of conventional design, thick-walled, assault and volumetric detonating.

Thick-walled FABs are characterized by increased strength, which is achieved by increasing the thickness of the body and using high-quality alloy steels for its manufacture. The body of the thick-walled FAB is solid-cast, with a massive head part without a fuse point. Thick-walled FABs are intended to destroy reinforced concrete shelters, concrete airfields, fortifications, etc.

Assault FABs have built-in braking devices and are used for bombing from horizontal flight from low altitudes with the fuse set to instant action.

In volume-detonating aircraft bombs (ODAB), high-calorie liquid fuel is used as the main charge. When it encounters an obstacle, the explosion of a small charge destroys the bomb body and sprays liquid fuel, which forms an aerosol cloud in the air. When the cloud reaches the required size, it explodes. Compared to conventional FABs, volumetric detonating ones of the same calibers have a larger radius of destruction by the high-explosive effect of the explosion. This is explained by the fact that liquid fuel is superior in calorific value to high explosives and has the ability to rationally distribute energy in space. The aerosol cloud fills vulnerable objects, thereby enhancing the lethality of the ODAB. ODAB do not have fragmentation or impact effects.

ODAB was used by the United States during the Vietnam War (1964–1973) and by the USSR in the Afghanistan War (1979–1989). The bombs used in Vietnam had a mass of 45 kg, contained 33 kg of liquid fuel (ethylene oxide) and formed an aerosol cloud with a diameter of 15 m, a height of 2.5 m, the explosion of which created a pressure of 2.9 MP. An example of a Soviet ODAB is the ODAB-1000 weighing 1000 kg.

FABs, in particular, include:

Soviet/Russian FAB-50 ( total weight bombs 50 kg), FAB-100 (100 kg), FAB-70 (70 kg), FAB-100KD (100 kg; with explosive mixture KD), FAB-250 (250 kg), FAB-500 (500 kg), FAB-1500 (1400 kg), FAB-1500-2600TS (2500 kg; TS - thick-walled), FAB-3000M-46 (3000 kg; explosive weight 1400 kg), FAB-3000M-54 (3000 kg; explosive weight 1387 kg ), FAB-5000 (4900 kg), FAB-9000M-54 (9000 kg; explosive mass 4287 kg);

American M56 (1814 kg), Mk.1 (907 kg), Mk.111 (454 kg).

Fragmentation bomb(OAB,JSC) designed to destroy open, unarmored or lightly armored targets (manpower, missiles in open positions, aircraft outside shelters, vehicles, etc.).

Caliber 0.5–100 kg. The main damage to manpower and equipment (formation of holes, ignition of fuel) is caused by fragments formed during the explosion and crushing of the bomb body. The total number of fragments depends on the caliber. For example, for fragmentation aircraft bombs of 100 kg caliber, the number of fragments weighing more than 1 g reaches 5–6 thousand.

Aviation fragmentation bombs are divided into conventional bombs of conventional design (cylindrical shape, rigid stabilizer) and special design (spherical shape, folding stabilizer).

OAS of conventional design have a massive cast body made of cast iron or low-grade steel. Their filling coefficient is 0.1–0.2. To reduce the intensity of body crushing, they are equipped with low-power explosives (an alloy of TNT with dinitronaphthalene). OAB with organized crushing of the body have a high filling factor (0.45–0.5) and are equipped with powerful explosives, giving the fragments an initial speed of about 2000 m/s. To ensure organized crushing, they are used various ways: notches (grooves) on the body, cumulative grooves on the surface of the charge, etc.

A type of OAB is a ball bomb (SHOAB), the striking elements of which are steel or plastic balls. Ball bombs were first used by the US Air Force during the Vietnam War. They had a mass of 400 g and were filled with 320 balls, each weighing 0.67 g and with a diameter of 5.5 mm)

JSCs, in particular, include:

Soviet/Russian AO-2.5 (total bomb mass 2.5 kg), AO-8M (8 kg), AO-10 (10 kg), AO-20M (20 kg);

American M40A1 (10.4 kg), M81 (118 kg), M82 (40.8 kg), M83 (1.81 kg), M86 (54 kg), M88 (100 kg).

High explosive fragmentation bomb(OFAB) is designed to destroy open, unarmored or lightly armored targets with both fragments and high-explosive action.

Caliber 100–250 kg. OFABs are equipped with instant impact contact fuses or non-contact fuses that operate at a height of 5–15 m.

OFAB, in particular, include:

Soviet/Russian OFAB-100 (total bomb mass 100 kg), OFAB-250 (250 kg).

Anti-tank bomb(PTAB) is designed to destroy tanks, self-propelled guns, infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers and other objects with armor protection. Caliber PTAB 0.5–5 kg. Their damaging effect is based on the use of a cumulative effect.

PTAB, in particular, include:

Soviet/Russian PTAB-2.5.

Armor-piercing aerial bomb(BRAB) is designed to destroy armored targets or objects with durable concrete or reinforced concrete protection.

Caliber 100–1000 kg. When it encounters an obstacle, the bomb breaks through it durable housing and explodes inside the object. The shape of the head part, the thickness and material of the body (special alloy steel) ensure the integrity of the BRAB during the armor penetration process. Some BRABs have jet engines (for example, Soviet/Russian BRAB-200DS, American Mk.50).

BRAB, in particular, includes:

Soviet/Russian BRAB-220 (total bomb mass 238 kg), BRAB-200DS (213 kg), BRAB-250 (255 kg), BRAB-500 (502 kg), BRAB-500M55 (517 kg), BRAB-1000 ( 965 kg);

American M52 (454 kg), Mk.1 (726 kg), Mk.33 (454 kg), M60 (363 kg), M62 (272 kg), M63 (635 kg), Mk.50 (576 kg), Mk .63 (1758 kg).

Concrete-piercing aerial bomb(BETAB) is intended to destroy objects that have strong concrete or reinforced concrete protection (long-term fortifications and shelters, concrete runways).

Caliber 250–500 kg. When meeting an obstacle, BETAB pierces it with a durable body or goes deeper into the obstacle, after which it explodes. Some bombs of this type have jet boosters, so-called. active-reactive bombs (Soviet/Russian BETAB-150DS, BETAB-500ShP).

BETAB, in particular, includes:

Soviet/Russian BETAB-150DS (total bomb mass 165 kg), BETAB-250 (210 kg), BETAB-500 (430 kg), BETAB-500ShP (424 kg).

Anti-submarine bomb(PLAB) specifically designed to destroy submarines.

A small-caliber SSBN (less than 50 kg) is designed for a direct hit on a boat in a surface or submerged position. It is equipped with an impact fuse, when triggered, a high-explosive fragmentation warhead is ejected from the SSBN hull, which pierces the hull of the boat and explodes with some delay, hitting its internal equipment.

A large-caliber SSBN (over 100 kg) is capable of hitting a target when it explodes in water at some distance from it by the action of explosion products and a shock wave. It is equipped with remote or hydrostatic fuses that provide an explosion at a given depth, or proximity fuses that are triggered at the moment when the distance between the submerging SSBN and the target is minimal and does not exceed its radius of action.

The design resembles a high-explosive aerial bomb. The head part of the hull may be shaped to reduce the possibility of ricocheting off the water surface.

PLAB, in particular, include:

Soviet/Russian PLAB-100 (total bomb mass 100 kg), PLAB-250-120 (123), GB-100 (120 kg).

Incendiary bomb(ZAB) is intended to create fires and directly inflict fire on manpower and military equipment. In addition, all oxygen burns out in the fire zone, which leads to the death of people in shelters.

Caliber 0.5–500 kg. Small-caliber bombs, as a rule, are filled with solid flammable mixtures based on oxides of various metals (for example, thermite), which develop a combustion temperature of up to 2500–3000 degrees. Celsius. The housings of such ZAB can be made of electron (a flammable alloy of aluminum and magnesium) and other flammable materials. Small ZAB are dropped from carriers in disposable bomb clusters. In Vietnam, American aviation for the first time widely used cassettes containing 800 ZAB of 2 kg caliber. They created massive fires over an area of ​​more than 10 square meters. km.

Large-caliber bombs are filled with flammable thickened fuel (for example, napalm) or various organic compounds. Unlike unthickened fuel, such fire mixtures are crushed during an explosion into relatively large pieces (200–500 g, and sometimes more), which, scattering to the sides at a distance of up to 150 m, burn at a temperature of 1000–2000 degrees. Celsius for several minutes, creating fires. ZABs equipped with thickened fire mixtures have an explosive charge and a phosphorus cartridge; when the fuse is triggered, the fire mixture and phosphorus are crushed and mixed, and the phosphorus, which ignites spontaneously in air, ignites the fire mixture.

Incendiary tanks used for area purposes have a similar device, which are also filled with a viscous (non-metalized) fire mixture. Unlike ZAB, they have a thin-walled body and are suspended only on external holders of aircraft.

ZAB, in particular, includes:

Soviet/Russian ZAB-250 (total bomb weight 250 kg), ZAB-500 (500 kg);

American M50 (1.8 kg), M69 (2.7 kg), M42A1 (3.86 kg), M74 (4.5 kg), M76 (227 kg), M126 (1.6 kg), Mk.77 Mod.0 (340 kg; 416 l kerosene), Mk.77 Mod.1 (236 kg; 284 l kerosene), Mk.78 mod.2 (345 kg; 416 l kerosene), Mk.79 mod.1 (414 kg), Mk.112 mod.0 Fireeye (102 kg), Mk.122 (340 kg), BLU-1/B (320–400 kg), BLU-1/B/B (320–400 kg) , BLU-10B and A/B (110 kg), BLU-11/B (230 kg), BLU-27/B (400 kg), BLU-23/B (220 kg), BLU-32/B (270 kg), BLU-68/B (425 g), BLU-7/B (400 g).

High explosive incendiary bomb(FZAB) has a combined effect and is used against targets hit by both high-explosive and incendiary bombs. Filled with an explosive charge, pyrotechnic or other incendiary compositions. When the fuse is triggered, the equipment explodes and thermite cartridges ignite, which are scattered over a considerable distance, creating additional fires.

Chemical aerial bomb(HUB) is intended to contaminate the area and kill manpower with persistent and unstable toxic substances. Refers to weapons mass destruction. HUBs are equipped with various toxic substances and are equipped with remote (explosion at a height of 50–200 m) and non-contact (explosion at a height of up to 50 m) fuses.

When a charge explodes, the thin-walled body of the HUB is destroyed, the liquid toxic substance is sprayed, striking people and contaminating the area with persistent toxic substances or creating a cloud of unstable toxic substances that contaminate the air.

Some HUBs of 0.4–0.9 kg caliber have a spherical body shape, are made of plastic and do not have fuses. The destruction of the body of such HUBs occurs upon impact with the ground.

HUBs, in particular, include:

Soviet/Russian KhB-250 (total bomb mass 250 kg), KhB-2000 (2000 kg);

American M70 (52.2 kg), M78 (227 kg), M79 (454 kg), M113 (56.7 kg), M125 (4.54 kg), MC1 (340 kg), Mk.94 (227 kg) , Mk.1116 (340 kg).

Aviation bombs for auxiliary purposes are used to solve special problems (lighting the area, setting up smoke screens, scattering propaganda literature, signaling, for training purposes, etc.). These include luminous, photographic, smoke, imitation, propaganda, orientation-signal, and practical aerial bombs.

Glowing aerial bomb(SAB) is designed to illuminate the area during aerial reconnaissance and bombing at night using optical sights. It is equipped with one or more torches of lighting pyrotechnic composition, each of which has its own parachute system. When the remote fuse is triggered, the ejector device ignites the torches and throws them out of the SAB housing. Descending by parachute, the torches illuminate the area for 5–7 minutes, creating a total luminous intensity of several million candelas.

Photographic aerial bomb(FOTAB) designed to illuminate the area during night aerial photography. It is equipped with a photocomposition (for example, a mixture of aluminum-magnesium powders with oxidizing agents) and a bursting charge. A short flash (0.1–0.2 s) produces a light intensity of several billion candelas.

Airborne smoke bomb(DAB) is designed to create masking and blinding neutral (harmless) smoke screens. DABs are equipped with white phosphorus, which is scattered during an explosion over a radius of 10–15 m and burns, releasing a large amount of white smoke.

Simulation aerial bomb(IAB) is intended to indicate the center of a nuclear explosion during troop training. Equipped with a bursting charge, liquid fuel, the flash of which simulates the fiery sphere of a nuclear explosion, and white phosphorus to indicate a mushroom-shaped smoke cloud. To simulate a ground or air explosion, impact or remote fuses are used, respectively.

Propaganda bomb(AGITAB) equipped with a remote fuse, which is triggered at a given height and ensures the scattering of propaganda materials (leaflets, brochures).

AGITAB, in particular, includes the American M104 (total bomb mass 45.4 kg), M105 (227 kg), M129 (340 kg).

Signal bomb(OSAB) serves to designate the gathering area for groups of aircraft, flight route points, solving navigation and bombing tasks, signaling on land (water) and in the air. It is equipped with pyrotechnic or special compounds that, when burned, produce a smoke cloud (during the day) or a flame of various colors (at night). For operation at sea, OSABs are equipped with a fluorescent liquid, which, when the bomb hits the water, spreads in the form of a thin film, forming a clearly visible spot - a signal point.

Practical aerial bomb(P) serves to train flight personnel in bombing. It has a cast iron or cement (ceramic) body, equipped with pyrotechnic compounds that indicate the point of its fall with a flash of photocomposition (at night) or the formation of a cloud of smoke (daytime). Some practical aerial bombs are equipped with tracer cartridges to mark their trajectory.

Practical aerial bombs, in particular, include the American Mk.65 (total bomb mass 227 kg), Mk.66 (454 kg), Mk.76 (11.3 kg), MK.86 (113 kg), Mk.88 (454 kg), Mk.89 (25.4 kg), Mk.106 (2.27 kg).

Based on the ability to control in flight, a distinction is made between uncontrolled (free fall) and controlled (adjustable) aircraft bombs.

Unguided aerial bomb when dropped from an aircraft, it falls freely, determined by gravity and the aerodynamic properties of the body.

Managed(adjustable)aerial bomb(UAB, KAB) has a stabilizer, rudders, sometimes wings, as well as controls that allow you to change the trajectory of its movement, make a controlled flight and hit a target with high accuracy. UABs are designed to destroy small-sized important targets. Refers to the so-called precision weapons.

Such bombs can be controlled by radio, laser beam, homing, etc.

UAB, in particular, include:

Soviet/Russian KAB-500L (total bomb mass 534 kg; warhead mass 400 kg; semi-active laser guidance system), KAB-500 kr (560 kg; 380 kg; TV), KAB-1500L-F and L-PR (1560 and 1500 kg; 1180 and 1100 kg; LPA), SNAB-3000 “Crab” (3300 kg; 1285; IR), UV-2F “Chaika” (2240 ​​kg; 1795 kg; RK), UV-2F “Chaika-2” (2240 ​​kg; 1795 kg; IR), “Condor” (5100 kg; 4200 kg; TV), UVB-5 (5150 kg; 4200 kg; TV+IR);

American GBU-8 HOBOS (1016 kg; 895 kg; TV), GBU-10 Paveway I (930 kg; 430 kg; laser), GBU-12 (285 kg, 87 kg; L), GBU-15 (1140 kg; L); 430 kg; TV and T), GBU-16 (480 kg; 215 kg; L), GBU-20 (1300 kg; 430 kg; TV and T), GBU-23 (500 kg; 215 kg; L), GBU -24 (1300 kg; 907 kg; LPA), GBU-43/B MOAB (9450 kg), Walleye (500 kg; 182 kg; TV);

British Mk.13/18 (480 kg; 186 kg; L);

German SD-1400X (1400 kg; 270 kg; RK), Hs.293A (902 kg; RK), Hs.294 (2175 kg; RK);

French BLG-400 (340 kg; 107 kg; LPA), BLG-1000 (470 kg; 165 kg; LPA), “Arcol” ​​(1000 kg; 300 kg; LPA);

Swedish RBS.15G (TV), DWS.39 “Melner” (600 kg; I).

Disposable bomb cluster(from the French cassette - box; RBC) - aviation ammunition in the form of a thin-walled aircraft bomb, equipped with aircraft mines or small bombs for various purposes (anti-tank, anti-personnel, incendiary, etc.) weighing up to 10 kg. One cassette can contain up to 100 mines (bombs) or more; they are scattered with an exploding or explosive charge, ignited (detonated) by a remote fuse at a certain height above the target.

Due to their aerodynamic dispersion, bomb explosion points are distributed over a certain area called the coverage area. The coverage area depends on the speed of the cassette and the opening height. To increase the coverage area, RBC may have special devices for releasing bombs with certain initial speed and time interval.

The use of RBC allows remote mining of large areas. Aviation anti-personnel and anti-tank mines, used to equip RBC, are designed in the same way as small bombs. The mines are equipped with fuses that are armed after falling on the ground and are triggered when pressed. Mines differ from aircraft bombs in the configuration of the body and the design of the stabilizer, which determine their dispersion. As a rule, aircraft mines are equipped with self-destructors that detonate the mines after a certain time.

To one-time cluster bombs, in particular, include:

Soviet/Russian RBK-250-275AO (total mass of the cassette is 273 kg; contains 150 fragmentation bombs), RBK-500AO (380 kg; 108 fragmentation bombs AO-2.5RTM), RBK-500SHOAB (334 kg; 565 ball SHAOB-0, 5), RBK-500PTAB-1M (427 kg; 268 PTAB-1M);

American SUU-54 (1000 kg; 2000 fragmentation or anti-tank bombs), SUU-65 (454 kg; 50 bombs), M32 (280 kg; 108 ZAB AN-A50A3), M35 (313 kg; 57 ZAB M74F1), M36 ( 340 kg; 182 ZAB M126).

One-time bomb bundle(RBS) - a device that combines several aircraft bombs of 25–100 kg caliber into one suspension. Depending on the design of the RBS, bombs can be separated from the bundle either at the moment of its release, or along the trajectory of its fall in the air. RBS allow rational use of the aircraft's carrying capacity.

Mine and torpedo aircraft weapons

- a type of aviation weapon installed on anti-submarine aircraft and helicopters. It consists of aircraft torpedoes and mines, their suspension and release devices, and control devices.

Aviation torpedo its design is no different from a ship's torpedo, but has a stabilizing device or parachutes that provide it with the necessary trajectory for entering the water after being dropped.

Aviation torpedoes, in particular, include:

Soviet/Russian AT-2 (torpedo weight 1050 kg; warhead weight 150 kg; active sonar (AG) guidance system), APR-2E (575 kg; 100 kg; AG), 45-12 (passive-acoustic (PG)) , 45-36AN (940 kg), RAT-52 (627 kg; AG), AT-1M (560 kg; 160 kg; PG), AT-3 (698 kg; AG), APR-2 (575 kg; PG ), VTT-1 (541 kg; PG);

American Mk.44 (196 kg; 33.1 kg; AG), Mk.46 (230 kg; 83.4 kg; AG or PG), Mk.50 “Barracuda” (363 kg; 45.4 kg; AG or PG);

British "Stingray" (265 kg; 40 kg; AG or PG);

French L4 (540 kg; 104 kg; AG), “Moray” (310 kg; 59 kg; AG or PG);

Swedish Tp42 (298 kg; 45 kg; cable command (CPC) and PG), Tp43 (280 kg; 45 kg; CPC and PG);

Japanese "73" (G-9) (AG).

Aviation sea mine– a mine, which is deployed from aircraft carriers (airplanes and helicopters). They can be bottom-based, anchored or floating. To ensure a stable position on the airborne part of the trajectory, aircraft sea ​​mines equipped with stabilizers and parachutes. When falling onto the shore or shallow water, they explode from self-destruct devices. There are anchor, bottom and floating aircraft mines.

Small arms and cannon aircraft weapons

(aviation artillery weapons) - a type of aviation weapons, which includes aircraft cannons and machine guns with their installations, ammunition for them, sighting and other support systems installed on aircraft. Fire support helicopters can also carry grenade launchers.

Special aviation weapons

– has nuclear and other special ammunition as means of destruction (). Special aviation weapons can also include a laser system installed on the promising American AL-1A strike aircraft.

Internet resources: Information software product “Military Aviation Directory”. Version 1.0. Studio "Korax". www.korax.narod.ru

MILITARY AVIATION IN WARS AND ARMED CONFLICTS

The history of military aviation can be counted from the first successful balloon flight in France in 1783. The military significance of this flight was recognized by the decision of the French government in 1794 to organize an aeronautical service. It was the world's first aviation military unit.

Immediately after its emergence, aviation came to the attention of the military. They quickly saw in aircraft a means capable of solving a number of combat missions. Already in 1849, long before the advent of airplanes, the first aerial bombardment of the city was carried out; Austrian troops besieging Venice used balloons for this purpose.

The first military aircraft was adopted by the US Army Signal Corps in 1909 and was used to transport mail. Like its prototype, the Wright brothers' machine, this device was equipped with a 25 kW piston engine. Its cabin could accommodate a crew of two. The maximum speed of the aircraft was 68 km/h, and the flight duration did not exceed an hour.

In 1910, almost simultaneously, the first military aviation formations were created in a number of states. Initially, they were entrusted with the tasks of providing communications and conducting aerial reconnaissance.

Start mass use aviation in combat operations began during the Italo-Turkish War of 1911–1912. (Tripolitan War). During this war in 1911, Italian Army Lieutenant Gavotti launched his first aircraft bombing attack on enemy positions. He dropped four 4.5-pound bombs (converted Spanish hand grenades) from a Taube aircraft on Turkish troops stationed at Ainzar, Libya. The first air battle took place over Mexico City in November 1913, when the pilot of one airplane, Philip Rader, a supporter of General Huerta, exchanged revolver shots with the pilot of another airplane, Dean Ivan Lamb, who was fighting on the side of Venustiano Carranza.

First World War (1914–1918). At the beginning of the war, aircraft were widely used only for aerial reconnaissance, but soon all the warring parties realized the losses they were suffering due to restrictions in the use of aviation. Pilots, armed only with personal weapons, in the air tried in every way to prevent enemy aircraft from flying over their troops. One of the first interceptions of enemy air occurred in August 1914, when the German Taube plane, which bombed Paris, was landed. This was possible only thanks to the psychological effect that the English pilot on the Bristol and the French pilot on the Blériot had on the German pilots. The first aircraft destroyed by the ram was an Austrian two-seater piloted by Lieutenant Baron von Rosenthal. On August 26, 1914, a ram was carried out over the Szolkiv airfield by the staff captain of the Russian army, Pyotr Nikolaevich Nesterov, who was flying an unarmed reconnaissance monoplane "Moran" type M. Both pilots were killed.

The need to engage air targets led to the placement of airborne small arms on aircraft. On October 5, 1914, a German two-seater plane was shot down by fire from a Hotchkiss machine gun mounted on a Voisin biplane. It was the first airplane in the world to be destroyed in aerial combat by small arms fire.

The most famous fighters of the First World War were the French Spud with two machine guns and the German single-seat fighter Fokker. In one month of 1918, Fokker fighters destroyed 565 aircraft of the Entente countries.

Bomber aviation also received active development. In Russia in 1915, the world's first heavy bomber squadron was formed, also equipped with the world's first heavy four-engine bombers, the Ilya Muromets. In August 1918, in the North Sea, a British DH-4 bomber was the first in the world to sink a submarine belonging to the German Navy.

The First World War significantly accelerated the development of aviation. The wide capabilities of the combat use of aircraft were confirmed. By the end of the war, in most countries, military aviation acquired organizational independence; reconnaissance, fighter and bomber aircraft appeared.

By November 1918, the number of military aviation exceeded 11 thousand aircraft, including: in France - 3321, in Germany - 2730, Great Britain - 1758, Italy - 842, USA - 740, Austria-Hungary - 622, Russia (by February 1917) – 1039 aircraft. At the same time, fighter aircraft accounted for over 41% of the total number of military aircraft of the warring states.

The period between the First and Second World Wars (1918–1938). The First World War showed the importance of military aviation. A number of attempts have been made to generalize the experience of its use in the past war. In 1921, the Italian general Giulio Douhet (1869–1930) in the book Air supremacy outlined a fairly coherent and well-developed concept of the leading role of aviation in future wars. Douai intended to achieve air supremacy not through the widespread use of fighter aircraft, as is recognized today, but through massive bomber strikes, which were supposed to neutralize enemy airfields, and then paralyze the work of its military-industrial centers and suppress the will of the population to resist and continue the war. This theory had a great influence on the minds of military strategists in many countries.

During the period between the world wars, military aviation made huge leaps. The most developed countries have received qualitatively new vehicles with powerful small arms, cannon and bomber weapons. Concepts for their combat use were developed and tested in practice during local military conflicts.

World War II (1939–1945). From the first days of the war, military aviation took an active part in hostilities. In the spirit of Douhet's ideas, the German Air Force (Luftwaffe) launched a massive air offensive against Great Britain, which later became known as the “Battle of Britain.” From August 1940 to May 1941, the Luftwaffe carried out 46 thousand sorties and dropped 60 thousand tons of bombs on British military and civilian targets. However, the results of the bombing were not sufficient for the successful operation " Sea lion", which involved the landing of German troops on the British Isles. For raids on British military and civilian targets, the Luftwaffe used He.111 (Heinkel), Do.17 (Dornier), Ju.88 (Junkers) bombers, Ju.87 dive bombers, covered by Bf.109 (Messerschmitt) and Bf.110 fighters . They were opposed by British fighters Hurricane (Hawker), Spitfire (Supermarine), Defiant F (Bolton-Paul), Blenheim F (Bristol). German aviation losses amounted to over 1,500, British over 900 aircraft.

Since June 1941, the main forces of the Luftwaffe were sent to the eastern front for combat operations against the USSR, where they were largely destroyed.

In turn, the British and US Air Forces undertook a number of joint air operations during the so-called. " air war" against Germany (1940–1945). However, massive raids on German military and civilian targets involving from 100 to 1000 aircraft or more also did not confirm the correctness of the Douai doctrine. To carry out strikes, the Allies mainly used British Lancaster heavy bombers (Avro) and American B-17 Flying Fortress (Boeing).

Since June 1941, air raids on the territory of Germany and Romania were also carried out by pilots of Soviet long-range bomber aviation. The first air raid on Berlin was carried out on August 8, 1941 from an airfield located on the island. Ezel in the Baltic Sea. It was attended by 15 long-range bombers DB-3 (Ilyushin Design Bureau) of the 1st mine-torpedo air regiment Baltic Fleet. The operation was successful and came as a complete surprise to the German command. In total, from August 8 to September 5, 1941, after Tallinn was abandoned and supply to the island airfields became impossible, ten raids on Berlin were carried out from airfields on the islands of Dago and Ezel. 311 aerial bombs were dropped with a total weight of 36,050 kg.

Since August 10, 1941, Berlin was bombed by heavy bombers TB-7 (Pe-8) (Petlyakov Design Bureau) and long-range bombers DB-240 (Er-2), taking off from the airfield near Leningrad.

Soviet long-range bomber aviation made a significant contribution to the victory over Germany. In total, during the war years, she completed 220 thousand combat missions. 2 million 266 thousand bombs of various calibers were dropped.

The attack of Japanese aircraft on December 7, 1941 on the US Navy base at Pearl Harbor (Hawaii), which started the war in the Pacific Ocean, proved the great capabilities of carrier-based aircraft. During this raid, the United States lost the main forces of the Pacific Fleet. Subsequently, the course of the war between Japan and the United States in the Pacific Ocean led to the nuclear bombing of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima (August 6) and Nagasaki (August 9) by American B-29 Superfortress (Boeing) aircraft. These were the only cases in history of the combat use of nuclear weapons.

The role of aviation in World War II was not limited to bombing land and sea targets. Throughout the war, fighter planes fought in the skies. The most famous fighters of the Second World War were the Soviet Yak-3, Yak-9 (Yakovlev Design Bureau), La-7, La-9, (Lavochkin Design Bureau), MiG-3; German Fw.190 (Focke-Wulf), Bf.109; British Hurricane and Spitfire; American P-38 Lightning (Lockheed), P-39 Aircobra (Bell), P-51 Mustang (Republic); Japanese A6M “Reizen” (“Zero”) (Mitsubishi).

By the end of World War II, German aviation was the first in the world to build and use jet-powered fighters. The most famous of them, the twin-engine Me.262 (Messerschmitt), entered combat in June 1944. The Me.262A-1, B and C jet fighter-interceptors and the Me.262A-2 fighter-bombers significantly surpassed the Allied piston aircraft in their characteristics. . Nevertheless, it is known that several of them were still shot down by American pilots, as well as by the Soviet air ace Ivan Kozhedub.

At the beginning of 1945 the Germans began mass production single-engine fighters He.162 "Salamander" (Heinkel), which managed to conduct only a few air battles.

Due to its small numbers (500–700 aircraft), as well as the extremely low technical reliability of the aircraft, German jet aviation could no longer change the course of the war.

The only Allied jet aircraft to see action in World War II was the British twin-engine Meteor F (Gloucester) fighter-interceptor. Combat missions of this aircraft began on July 27, 1944.

In the USA, the first production jet fighter F-80A “Shooting Star” (Lockheed) appeared in 1945. In the USSR, in 1942–1943, test flights of the BI-1 fighter designed by V. Bolkhovitinov with a liquid jet engine were carried out, during which test pilot Grigory died Bakhchivandzhi. The first Soviet serial jet fighters were the Yak-15 and MiG-9, which made their first flight on the same day, April 24, 1946. Their serial production was established by the end of the year.

Thus, immediately after the war, the USSR, USA and Great Britain switched to jet technology. The era of jet aviation has begun.

Having a monopoly on nuclear weapon, The United States was actively developing means of its delivery. In 1948, the Americans adopted the world's first bomber with an intercontinental flight range, the B-36 Peacemaker (Convair), capable of carrying nuclear bombs. Already at the end of 1951, the US Air Force received more advanced B-47 Stratojet bombers (Boeing).

Korean War (1950–1953). Aviation played an important role in the fighting American troops In Korea. During the war, US aircraft made more than 104 thousand sorties and dropped about 700 thousand tons of bombs and napalm. The B-26 Marauder (Martin) and B-29 bombers took an active part in combat operations. In air battles, the American F-80, F-84 Thunderjet (Republic) and F-86 Saber (North American) fighters were opposed by the Soviet MiG-15, which had in many respects better aerodynamic characteristics.

During the fighting in the skies of North Korea from December 1950 to July 1953, Soviet pilots of the 64th Fighter Aviation Corps, mainly on the MiG-15 and MiG-15bis, carried out 63,229 combat missions, conducted 1,683 group air battles during the day and 107 single battles at night, in which 1097 enemy aircraft were shot down, including 647 F-86s, 186 F-84s, 117 F-80s, 28 P-51D Mustangs, 26 Meteor F.8s, 69 B-29s. Losses amounted to 120 pilots and 335 aircraft, including combat losses - 110 pilots and 319 aircraft.

In Korea, military aviation of the USA and the USSR acquired the first combat experience in the use of jet aircraft, which was then used in the development of new aircraft.

Thus, by 1955 the first B-52 bombers entered service in the United States. In 1956–1957, the F-102, F-104 and F-105 Thunderchief (Republic) fighters appeared, superior to the MiG-15. The KC-135 tanker aircraft was designed to refuel B-47 and B-52 bombers.

Vietnam War (1964–1973). The skies of Vietnam have become yet another meeting place for the military aviation of the two superpowers. The USSR was mainly represented by fighter aircraft (MiG-17 and MiG-21), which provided cover for industrial and military facilities of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV).

In turn, the command of the US Armed Forces entrusted military aviation with the task of directly supporting ground operations, airborne landings, airlifting troops, as well as destroying the military and economic potential of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Up to 40% of the tactical aviation of the Air Force (F-100, RF-101, F-102, F-104C, F-105, F-4C, RF-4C), carrier aircraft (F-4B, ​​F-8) took part in the combat operations , A-1, A-4). Trying to destroy the Vietnamese defense potential, the United States used the so-called “scorched earth tactics,” with B-52 strategic bombers dropping napalm, phosphorus, toxic substances and defoliants onto enemy territory. AC-130 fire support aircraft were deployed for the first time in Vietnam. UH-1 helicopters were widely used for landing tactical troops, evacuating the wounded, and transporting ammunition.

The first aircraft shot down in air combat were two F-105Ds, destroyed by a MiG-17 on April 4, 1965. On April 9, an American F-4B shot down the first Vietnamese MiG-17 aircraft, after which it was itself shot down. With the advent of the MiG-21, the Americans strengthened the cover of strike groups of aircraft with F-4 fighters, whose air combat capabilities were approximately equivalent to the MiG-21.

During the fighting, 54 MiG-21s were destroyed by F-4 fighters; F-4 losses from MiG-21 fire amounted to 103 aircraft. From 1965 to 1968, the United States lost 3,495 aircraft in Vietnam, of which at least 320 were shot down in air combat.

Experience vietnam war had a huge influence on the military aircraft industry in both the USA and the USSR. The Americans responded to the defeat of the F-4 in air battles by creating highly maneuverable fourth-generation fighters F-15 and F-16. At the same time, the F-4 had an influence on the minds of Soviet aircraft designers, which was reflected in modifications of third-generation fighters.

War between Great Britain and Argentina over the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) (1982). The Falklands War was characterized by a brief but intense use of military aircraft by both belligerents.

By the beginning of hostilities, Argentine military aviation had up to 555 aircraft, including Canberra B bombers, Mirage-IIIEA fighter-bombers, Super Etandars, and A-4P Skyhawk attack aircraft. However, the most modern combat aircraft were only the French-made Super Etandar, which during combat operations sank the URO destroyer Sheffield and the container ship Atlantic Conveyor with five AM-39 Exocet air-to-ship missiles.

At the initial stage of the operation, to hit targets on the disputed islands, Great Britain used long-range Vulcan B.2 bombers, which operated from the island. Ascension. Their flights were provided by Victor K.2 tanker aircraft. Air defense about. The ascensions were carried out by Phantom FGR.2 fighters.

Directly as part of the aviation group of the British Expeditionary Forces in the conflict zone there were up to 42 modern vertical take-off and landing bomber aircraft Sea Harrier FRS.1 (lost 6) and Harrier GR.3 (lost 4), as well as up to 130 helicopters (“Sea King”, CH-47, “Wessex”, “Lynx”, “Scout”, “Puma”) for various purposes. These vehicles were based on the British aircraft carriers Hermes and Invincible, other aircraft-carrying ships, as well as at field airfields.

Britain's skillful use of airpower ensured its troops superiority over the Argentines and, ultimately, victory. In total, during the war, according to various estimates, the Argentines lost from 80 to 86 combat aircraft.

War in Afghanistan (1979–1989). The main tasks facing Soviet military aviation in Afghanistan were conducting reconnaissance, destroying enemy ground forces, and transporting troops and cargo.

By the beginning of 1980, the Soviet aviation group in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan was represented by the 34th mixed air corps (later reorganized into the 40th Army Air Force) and consisted of two air regiments and four separate squadrons. They consisted of 52 Su-17 and MiG-21 aircraft. In the summer of 1984, the 40th Army Air Force included three MiG-23MLD squadrons, which replaced the MiG-21, a three-squadron Su-25 attack air regiment, two Su-17MZ squadrons, a separate Su-17MZR squadron (reconnaissance aircraft), a mixed transport regiment and helicopter units (Mi-8, Mi-24). Su-24 front-line bombers and Tu-16 and Tu-22M2 and 3 long-range aviation aircraft operated from the territory of the USSR.

The first case of a combat collision between the aviation of the 40th Army and aircraft from countries neighboring Afghanistan involved an F-4 fighter-bomber of the Iranian Air Force. In April 1982, a Soviet helicopter landing force was mistakenly landed on Iranian territory. A pair of F-4s that arrived at the landing area destroyed one helicopter on the ground and drove the An-30 out of their airspace.

The first air battle was recorded on May 17, 1986. In the area of ​​the Afghan-Pakistani border, a Pakistani Air Force F-16 shot down an Afghan Su-22. Pakistani aircraft repeatedly attempted to intercept Afghan aircraft in the area of ​​the common border, which resulted in the loss of one F-16 over Afghan territory on April 29, 1987.

Soviet aviation suffered the main losses from fire from the ground. The greatest danger in this case was posed by man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems supplied to the Mujahideen by the Americans and the Chinese.

Military operation "Desert Storm" (Kuwait, 1991). Operation Desert Storm was characterized by the massive use of aviation, numbering up to 2,600 aircraft (including 1,800 American) and 1,955 helicopters. By the beginning of active hostilities, the aviation of the United States and its allies had significant quantitative and qualitative superiority over the aviation of Iraq, which was based on outdated types of aircraft. The first strikes were carried out on the night of January 17, 1991 against Iraqi aviation, air defense system facilities, control and communications posts. They were accompanied by the most intensive use of electronic warfare in the history of war to blind and jam Iraqi radars. Along with American EF-111 and EA-6B electronic warfare aircraft, F-4Gs equipped with radar detection systems and special missiles were used to neutralize Iraqi radar stations.

After the destruction of Iraq's radar and aircraft guidance systems, Allied aviation secured air supremacy and moved on to the systematic destruction of Iraq's defense potential. On some days, aircraft of the multinational forces carried out up to 1,600 sorties. A special role in the destruction of important ground targets was assigned to the latest American stealth aircraft F-117A (one lost), which performed 1271 sorties.

Air strikes against area targets were carried out by B-52 strategic bombers (one was lost). Up to 120 reconnaissance aircraft and other aircraft were used to provide reconnaissance support for combat operations.

The actions of Iraqi aviation were sporadic. To avoid losses, the most modern Iraqi Su-24, Su-25 and MiG-29 aircraft were transferred to Iranian airfields after the outbreak of hostilities, while other aircraft remained in shelters.

During the period of hostilities, the aircraft of the multinational forces destroyed 34 Iraqi aircraft and 7 helicopters. At the same time, the total losses of Allied aviation, mainly from ground-based air defense systems, amounted to 68 combat aircraft and 29 helicopters.

NATO military operation against Yugoslavia “Resolute Force” (1999). The experience of Operation Desert Storm in Iraq was used by NATO countries in the war against Yugoslavia. It also assigned air operations the main role in achieving the tasks assigned to the troops.

Using quantitative and qualitative superiority in aviation, the United States and its allies, using the scheme worked out in Iraq, launched the first strikes on aviation and air defense systems. As in Iraq, F-117A were actively used (one was lost).

Having destroyed Yugoslav radar equipment, NATO aircraft began to destroy military and civilian targets in Yugoslavia, for which the latest high-precision weapons were tested and used. American strategic bombers B-1B, B-52H and, for the first time, B-2A, as well as tactical aviation of the countries participating in the North Atlantic bloc, took part in the missile and bomb strikes.

To control the actions of fighter aircraft, AWACS E-3 and E-2C aircraft were used.

Military operation of the US Armed Forces and its allies in Afghanistan “Enduring Freedom” (2001). During the fighting in Afghanistan in 2001, the aircraft of the US Armed Forces and their allies solved the same problems as the Soviet aircraft in the 1980s. This is conducting reconnaissance, defeating ground targets, and transporting troops. Reconnaissance and attack aircraft were widely used in the operation.

Military operation of the US Armed Forces and its allies against Iraq “Freedom for Iraq” (2003). The military operation of the US Armed Forces and its allies against Iraq began on March 20, 2003 with single strikes with sea-based cruise missiles and airborne precision-guided munitions on strategically important military targets and a number of government facilities in Baghdad. At the same time, two F-117A aircraft carried out an air strike on a protected bunker in the southern suburbs of Baghdad, where, according to American intelligence, Iraqi President S. Hussein was supposed to be located. At the same time, anti-Iraqi ground forces, supported by tactical and carrier-based aviation, launched an offensive in two directions: on the cities of Basra and Baghdad.

The coalition air force's combat aviation group consisted of more than 700 combat aircraft. 14 B-52H strategic bombers, B-2A strategic bombers, F-15, F-16, F-117A tactical fighters, A-10A attack aircraft, KC-135 and KC-10 refueling aircraft, gunfire aircraft took part in the air raids AC-130 support from 30 air bases in the Middle East. During the air operation, more than ten types of UAVs, tens of thousands of precision-guided ammunition, and Tomahawk cruise missiles were widely used. In support operations, the US Air Force used DER aircraft and two U-2S reconnaissance aircraft. The RAF aviation component included more than 60 Tornado tactical fighters and four Jaguars, 20 CH-47 Chinook and seven Pumas helicopters, a tanker aircraft, several AV-8 Harrier attack aircraft, and Canberra reconnaissance aircraft. PR, E-3D AWACS aircraft and C-130 Hercules transport aircraft stationed at Kuwait air bases, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Jordan and Qatar.

In addition, naval aviation was widely used from aircraft carriers, which also made a significant contribution to the destruction of Iraqi ground forces

Aviation of the anti-Iraq coalition was used mainly for fire support. ground troops. Providing close air support ground forces and Marine Corps, as well as isolating combat areas were the main tasks of aviation, for which more than 50 percent of sorties were flown. At the same time, it destroyed more than 15 thousand targets. During the hostilities, coalition aircraft used about 29 thousand aircraft ammunition various types, almost 70 percent (20 thousand), of which were highly accurate.

In general, in the military operation of the United States and its allies against Iraq, compared to Operation Desert Storm, the use of aviation by the anti-Iraqi coalition was significantly more effective. Combat operations in 2003 were characterized by increased use of aviation precision weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles. To search for targets and guide aircraft towards them, both aerial and satellite reconnaissance and target designation systems were actively used. STAR WARS. For the first time, AH-64D fire support helicopters were used on a large scale.

GENERATIONS OF JET AIRCRAFT AND FIGHT-BOMBER AVIATION

There are two generations of subsonic and five generations of supersonic jet fighters.

1st generation of subsonic fighters.

This generation includes the first jet fighters that entered service in the mid-1940s: the German Me.262 (1944), He.162 (1945); British "Meteor" (1944), "Vampire" (de Havilland) (1945), "Venom" (de Havilland) (1949); American F-80 (1945) and F-84 (1947); Soviet MiG-9 (1946) and Yak-15 (1946), French MD.450 “Hurricane” (Dassault) (1951).

The speed of the aircraft reached 840–1000 km/h. They were equipped with small arms and cannon aircraft; on underwing pylons they could carry aerial bombs, unguided aircraft missiles, and external fuel tanks weighing up to 1000 kg. Radars were installed only on night/all-weather fighters.

A characteristic feature of these aircraft is the straight wing of the glider.

2nd generation of subsonic fighters.

Aircraft belonging to this generation were created in the late 1940s and early 1950s. The most famous of them: Soviet MiG-15 (1949) and MiG-17 (1951), American F-86 (1949), French MD.452 “Mister”-II (Dassault) (1952) and MD.454 “Mister” -IV (Dassault) (1953) and the British "Hunter" (Hawker) (1954).

Subsonic fighters of the 2nd generation had high subsonic speed. The weapons and equipment remained unchanged.

1st generation of supersonic fighters.

Created in the mid-1950s. Most famous planes this generation: Soviet MiG-19 (1954), American F-100 (1954), French “Super Mister” B.2 (Dassault) (1957).

Maximum speed is about 1400 km/h. The first fighters capable of breaking the speed of sound in horizontal flight.

Equipped with small arms and cannon aircraft. Capable of carrying more than 1000 kg of combat load on underwing pylons. Only specialized night/all-weather fighters still had radar.

Since the mid-1950s, fighter aircraft have been armed with guided air-to-air missiles.

2nd generation of supersonic fighters.

Entered service in the late 1950s. The most famous: Soviet MiG-21 (1958), Su-7 (1959), Su-9 (1960), Su-11 (1962); American F-104 (1958), F-4 (1961), F-5A (1963), F-8 (1957), F-105 (1958), F-106 (1959); French “Mirage”-III (1960), “Mirage”-5 (1968); Swedish J-35 (1958) and British Lightning (1961).

The maximum speed is 2M (M is the Mach number, which means that the speed of the aircraft corresponds to the speed of sound at a certain altitude).

All aircraft were armed with air-to-air guided missiles. On some, the small arms and cannon weapons were removed. The mass of the combat load exceeded 2 tons.

The most common type of wing was delta. The F-8 was the first to use a variable-sweep wing.

The radar has become an integral part of the avionics equipment (avionics) on multi-role fighters and fighter-interceptors.

3rd generation of supersonic fighters.

They entered service from the late 1960s to the early 1980s.

The 3rd generation of supersonic fighters includes the Soviet MiG-23 (1969), MiG-25 (1970), MiG-27 (1973), Su-15 (1967), Su-17 (1970), Su-20 (1972) , Su-22 (1976); American F-111 (1967), F-4E and G, F-5E (1973); French "Mirage" - F.1 (1973) and "Mirage" -50 (Dassault) (1981), French-British "Jaguar" (1972), Swedish JA-37 (1971), Israeli "Kfir" (1975), and Chinese J-8 (1980).

Compared to the previous generation, the speed of fighters has been increased ( maximum speed, for the MiG-25, was 3M).

More advanced radar equipment was installed on 3rd generation fighters. Variable sweep wings have become widespread.

4th generation of supersonic fighters.

They began to enter service in the first half of 1970.

The 4th generation of supersonic fighters includes the American F-14 (1972), F-15 Eagle (1975), F-16 (1976) and F/A-18 (1980); Soviet MiG-29 (1983), MiG-31 (1979) and Su-27 (1984); Italian-German-British "Tornado"; French "Mirage" -2000 (1983); Japanese F-2 (1999) and Chinese J-10.

In this generation, there was a division of fighters into two classes: a class of heavy fighter-interceptors with limited capabilities for striking ground targets (MiG-31, Su-27, F-14 and F-15) and a class of lighter fighters for striking ground targets. targets and conducting maneuverable air combat (MiG-29, Mirage-2000, F-16 and F-18). During the modernization, attack aircraft (F-15E, Su-30) were created on the basis of heavy fighter-interceptors.

The maximum speed remained at the same level. Aircraft of this generation are characterized by high maneuverability and good controllability.

The radar ensured the detection and acquisition of a large number of targets simultaneously and the launch of guided aircraft missiles at them in any conditions. In addition, the radar provided low-altitude flight, mapping and the use of weapons against ground targets.

The cockpit and aircraft controls have been significantly improved. Helmet-mounted sights have been widely used since the mid-1980s.

Since the air forces of most NATO countries and Russia are currently armed with fourth-generation fighters, both sides are trying in one way or another to compare the combat capabilities of the machines in real combat conditions. For these purposes, in 1997 the United States purchased 21 MiG-29s from Moldova for approximately $40 million. As it later turned out, these MiGs were previously under the operational control of the Black Sea Fleet and, after the collapse of the USSR, remained on the territory of the newly independent Moldova. After purchasing these machines, American pilots conducted at least 50 air battles between the MiG-29 and their carrier-based F-18 fighters. As the results of these flights showed, Soviet-made MiGs won 49 battles.

5th generation of supersonic fighters.

Since the late 1990s, the first aircraft of this generation began to enter service: the Swedish JAS-39 Gripen (1996), the French Rafale (2000), and the European EF-2000 (2000). However, these aircraft in many respects could not surpass the latest 4th generation aircraft. For this reason, many aviation experts call them “4.5 generation aircraft.”

The first full-fledged fighter of the 5th generation is considered to be the heavy twin-engine American aircraft F/A-22A Raptor, which entered service in 2003. The prototype of this aircraft made its first flight on August 29, 1990. F/A-22, developed under the ATF program (Advanced Tactical Fighter) was originally intended for air superiority and was planned to replace the F-15. Subsequently, he gained the ability to use precision-guided air-to-ground munitions. It is expected that over the next ten years, about 300 aircraft of this type will enter service with the US Air Force. It should be noted that the aircraft costs more than $100 million.

In addition to improving the F/A-22, the United States is developing a lightweight single-engine tactical fighter under the JSF (Joint Strike Fighter) program. The fighter will have a common design for the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps and in the future will become the main aircraft of American tactical aviation. It is planned that it will replace the F-16, F/A-18 tactical fighters and A-10 and AV-8B attack aircraft in service.

In addition to the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Canada, the Netherlands, Norway and Turkey are participating in the JSF program. The issue of expanding the number of program participants to include Israel, Poland, Singapore and Finland is being considered. Involving foreign partners in the program will ultimately speed up the work on creating the aircraft, as well as reduce its purchase cost.

In 2001, as part of the JSF program, a competition was held to create a promising tactical fighter, in which the X-32 (Boeing) and X-35 (Lockheed Martin) aircraft took part. At the end of October 2001, the US Department of Defense announced the victory of the X-35 aircraft, designated F-35, and the signing of a contract worth $19 billion with Lockheed Martin to develop and test the F-35 aircraft.

The future F-35 tactical fighter will have three modifications: the F-35A with conventional takeoff and landing for the Air Force, the F-35B with short takeoff and vertical landing for the Marine Corps, and the ship-based F-35C for Navy aviation. Delivery of the aircraft to combat units is scheduled for 2008. Currently, the US Department of Defense expects to purchase up to 2,200 F-35A and up to 300 F-35B and C aircraft.

The F-35A's first flight is scheduled for October 2005, the F-35B for early 2006, and the F-35C for late 2006.

Due to financial problems of recent decades, Russia has lagged significantly behind the United States in the program to create a 5th generation fighter. Unlike the American F/A-22 and F-35, a new similar Russian aircraft does not yet exist.

Design Bureau im. Sukhoi (JSC Sukhoi Design Bureau) and Design Bureau named after. Mikoyan (RSK "MiG"), which built the experimental multifunctional fighter Su-47 "Berkut" (S-37) and MFI (multifunctional fighter) "project 1.42", known under the factory name as "product 1.44". The aircraft are designed to test promising solutions that can be implemented on Russian 5th generation aircraft.

The most striking feature of the Su-47, designed according to the “integral unstable triplane” aerodynamic design, is the use of a forward-swept wing. Previous research into the aerodynamic benefits of a forward-swept wing was conducted in Germany in the 1940s (high-speed heavy bomber Ju.287 from Junkers) and in the USA in the 1980s (experimental aircraft X-29A from Grumman).

In 2002, a competition for preliminary designs of new combat aircraft was held in Russia, in which Sukhoi Design Bureau OJSC won. The second participant in the competition was the RSK MiG project.

According to a statement by the Russian Air Force command, the first flight Russian fighter the next generation will complete in 2007.

Features of 5th generation aircraft include:

Supersonic cruising speed. The possibility of prolonged supersonic flight in non-afterburning mode not only reduces fuel consumption and increases flight range, but also gives the pilot significant tactical advantages in a combat situation

High maneuverability. The high maneuverability characteristics of 5th generation aircraft, necessary for air combat at all distances, are determined by the design features of the airframe, as well as the installation of more powerful jet engines with a thrust vector control system. Main feature Such engines have the ability to change the direction of the jet stream relative to the engine axis.

Low visibility (stealth technologies). Reducing the visibility of aircraft in the radar range is achieved through the widespread use of radar-absorbing materials and coatings. Low-reflective airframe shapes and aircraft weapons retractable inside the aircraft fuselage are also designed to reduce radar signature. As one of the techniques to reduce the thermal signature of an aircraft, blowing cold air over heated engine elements can be used.

Advanced avionics. When creating 5th generation fighters, important importance is given to avionics, which will include an active phased array radar, which will significantly expand the capabilities of the station. In general, avionics must ensure the piloting of an aircraft and the use of aircraft weapons in all possible flight modes and in all possible weather conditions.

PROMISING DIRECTIONS FOR MILITARY AVIATION DEVELOPMENT

Hypersonic aircraft.

According to military experts, promising weapon systems created on the basis of hypersonic aircraft will have significant strategic advantages, the main ones being high speed flight and long range.

Thus, in the USA, tests are being carried out on the experimental X-43 Hyper-X aircraft from Microsoft. It is equipped with a hypersonic ramjet engine and, according to the developers, should reach a speed of 7-10 Mach. For testing, an NB-52B carrier aircraft is used, from which the Pegasus accelerator is launched with the X-43 attached to it. The device should serve as the basis for hypersonic vehicles for various purposes - from attack aircraft to aerospace transport systems.

In Russia, the M.M. Gromov Flight Research Institute is developing a hypersonic aircraft. In the Russian version, the Rokot launch vehicle was chosen as the carrier. Expected maximum speed is 8-14 M.

Aircraft are lighter than air.

IN last years Military interest in lighter-than-air aircraft (balloons and airships) increased. This is due to the emergence of new technologies, which have made it possible, in particular, to create more durable synthetic shells.

The most promising is the use of lighter-than-air aircraft as platforms for placing equipment for various purposes. Thus, control systems based on tethered balloons equipped with surveillance equipment have already been deployed along the US-Mexico border.

In the last decade, Israel has become one of the world leaders in the creation of reconnaissance systems based on balloons and airships. They are developing airships that can serve, for example, to control airspace in the interests of air and missile defense.

Strike aircraft with laser weapons on board.

As part of the work to create a missile defense system, the United States is developing an aircraft anti-missile system with laser weapons on board. American scientists are finishing work on installing a combat laser system on a Boeing 747-400F aircraft capable of hitting air targets at a distance of several hundred kilometers. The first version of the attack aircraft with laser weapons on board was designated AL-1A. The plans of the American command include the purchase of seven such aircraft.

DESIGNATION OF SOVIET (RUSSIAN) AIRCRAFT IN THE JOINT ARMED FORCES OF NATO

In NATO countries, all Soviet (Russian) aircraft are designated with code words. In this case, the first letter of the word is selected depending on the purpose and type of aircraft: “B” (bomber) for bombers, “C” (cargo) for military transport or civil passenger aircraft, “F” (fighter) for fighters (attack aircraft), "H" (helicopter) for helicopters and "M" (miscellaneous) for special aircraft.

If the aircraft is equipped with a jet engine, then the code word has two syllables, otherwise it has one syllable. Aircraft modifications are indicated by adding an index to the code word (for example, “Foxbat-D”).

Bombers:

“Backfin” – Tu-98, “Backfire” – Tu-22M, “Badger” – Tu-16, “Barge” – Tu-85, “Bark” – Il-2, “Bat” – Tu-2/-6 , “Beagle” – Il-28, “Bear” – Tu-20/-95/-142, “Beast” – Il-10, “Bison” – 3M/M4, “Blackjack” – Tu-160, “Blinder” – Tu-22, “Blowlamp” – Il-54, “Bob” – Il-4, “Boot” – Tu-91, “Bosun” – Tu-14/-89, “Bounder” – M-50/-52 , “Brawny” – Il-40, “Brewer” – Yak-28, “Buck” – Pe-2, “Bull” – Tu-4/-80, “Butcher” – Tu-82.

Military transport and civil passenger aircraft:

“Cab” – Li-2, “Camber” – Il-86, “Camel” – Tu-104, “Camp” – An-8, “Candid” – Il-76, “Careless” – Tu-154, “Cart” " - Tu-70, "Cash" - An-28, "Cat" - An-10, "Charger" - Tu-144, "Clam"/"Coot" - Il-18, "Clank" - An-30, “Classic” – Il-62, “Cleat” – Tu-114, “Cline” – An-32, “Clobber” – Yak-42, “Clod” – An-14, “Clog” – An-28, “Coach” " - Il-12, "Coaler" - An-72/-74, "Cock" - An-22 "Antey", "Codling" - Yak-40, "Coke" - An-24, "Colt" - An- 2/-3, "Condor" - An-124 "Ruslan", "Cooker" - Tu-110, "Cookpot" - Tu-124, "Cork" - Yak-16, "Cossack" - An-225 "Mriya" , “Crate” – Il-14, “Creek”/“Crow” – Yak-10/-12, “Crib” – Yak-6/-8, “Crusty” – Tu-134, “Cub” – An-12 , “Cuff” – Be-30, “Curl” – An-26.

Fighters, fighter-bombers and attack aircraft:

“Faceplate” – E-2A, “Fagot” – MiG-15, “Faithless” – MiG-23-01, “Fang” – La-11, “Fantail” – La-15, “Fargo” – MiG-9, “Farmer” – MiG-19, “Feather” – Yak-15/-17, “Fencer” – Su-24, “Fiddler” – Tu-128, “Fin” – La-7, “Firebar” – Yak-28P , “Fishbed” – MiG-21, “Fishpot” – Su-9/-11, “Fitter” – Su-7/-17/-20/-22, “Flagon” – Su-15/-21, “Flanker” " - Su-27/-30/-33/-35/-37, "Flashlight" - Yak-25/-26/-27, "Flipper" - E-152, "Flogger" - MiG-23B/-27 , "Flora" - Yak-23, "Forger" - Yak-38, "Foxbat" - MiG-25, "Foxhound" - MiG-31, "Frank" - Yak-9, "Freehand" - Yak-36, " Freestyle" - Yak-41/-141, "Fresco" - MiG-17, "Fritz" - La-9, "Frogfoot" - Su-25 "Grach"/Su-39, "Frosty" - Tu-10, " Fulcrum - MiG-29, Fullback - Su-34.

Helicopters:

"Halo" - Mi-26, "Hare" - Mi-1, "Harke" - Mi-10, "Harp" - Ka-20, "Hat" - Ka-10, "Havoc" - Mi-28, "Haze" » – Mi-14, “Helix” – Ka-27/-28/-29/-32, “Hen” – Ka-15, “Hermit” – Mi-34, “Hind” – Mi-24/-25/ -35, “Hip” – Mi-8/-9/-17/-171, “Hog” – Ka-18, “Hokum” – Ka-50/-52, “Homer” – Mi-12, “Hoodlum” – Ka-26/-126/-128/-226, “Hook” – Mi-6/-22, “Hoop” – Ka-22, “Hoplite” – Mi-2, “Hormone” – Ka-25, “ Horse" - Yak-24, "Hound" - Mi-4.

Special aircraft:

“Madcap” – An-71, “Madge” – Be-6, “Maestro” – Yak-28U, “Magnet” – Yak-17UTI, “Magnum” – Yak-30, “Maiden” – Su-11U, “Mail” " - Be-12, "Mainstay" - A-50, "Mallow" - Be-10, "Mandrake" - Yak-25RV, "Mangrove" - ​​Yak-27R, "Mantis" - Yak-25R, "Mascot" - Il-28U, “Mare” – Yak-14, “Mark” – Yak-7U, “Max” – Yak-18, “Maxdome” – Il-86VKP, “May” – Il-38, “Maya” – L- 39, “Mermaid” – Be-40/-42/-44, “Midas” – Il-78, “Midget” – MiG-15UTI, “Mink” – Yak UT-2, “Mist” – Tsybin Ts-25, "Mole" - Be-8, "Mongol" - MiG-21U, "Moose" - Yak-11, "Moss" - Tu-126, "Mote" - Be-2, "Moujik" - Su-7U, "Mouse" " - Yak-18M, "Mug" - Che-2 (MDR-6)/Be-4, "Mule" - Po-2, "Mystic" - M-17/-55 "Geophysics".

AIRCRAFT DESIGNATIONS IN THE US ARMED FORCES

The current designation system for American military aircraft in the US Armed Forces was adopted in 1962 and then only supplemented. The aircraft designation consists of six positions. Below are a number of examples.

Positions
6)	3)	2)	1)		4)	5)	Name
				–	15	E	Eagle
	E	A		–	6	B	Prowler
N	K	C		–	35	A	Stratotanker
Y	R	A	H	–	6	A	Comanche
	M		Q	–	9	A	Predator
		C	H	–	7	F	Chinook
Y		F		–	3	A
			V	–	2	A	Osprey

Position 1. Indicates a type of aircraft other than a "regular" aircraft.

Letter designations:

“D” – ground equipment for UAVs (exception!).

“G” (Glider) – glider.

“H” (Helicopter) – helicopter.

"Q" - UAV.

“S” (Spaceplane) – aerospace aircraft.

“V” is an aircraft with short take-off and vertical landing / vertical take-off and landing.

“Z” – aircraft lighter than air.

Position 2. The main purpose of the aircraft.

Letter designations:

“A” (ground attack) – attack of ground targets (attack aircraft).

"B" (Bomber) - bomber.

“C” (Cargo) – military transport aircraft.

“E” (special Electronic mission) - an aircraft equipped with special electronic equipment.

"F" (Fighter) - fighter.

“K” (tanker) – tanker aircraft.

“L” (Laser) – aircraft with a laser installation on board.

“O” (Observation) – observer.

“P” (maritime Patrol) – patrol aircraft.

"R" (Reconnaissance) - reconnaissance aircraft.

“S” (antisubmarine warfare) - anti-submarine aircraft.

“T” (Trainer) – training aircraft.

“U” (Utility) – auxiliary aircraft.

“X” (special research) – experienced aircraft.

Position 3. Purpose after modernization of the base aircraft.

Letter designations:

“A” – attack of ground targets (attack aircraft)

“C” is a military transport aircraft.

“D” – remotely controlled aircraft.

“E” is an aircraft equipped with special electronic equipment.

"F" is for fighter.

“H” – search and rescue, medical aircraft.

"K" - tanker aircraft.

“L” is an aircraft equipped for operations at low temperatures.

“M” is a multi-purpose aircraft.

"O" - observer.

“P” – patrol aircraft.

“Q” – unmanned aircraft (helicopter).

"R" - reconnaissance aircraft.

"S" - anti-submarine aircraft.

“T” – training aircraft.

“U” – auxiliary aircraft.

“V” is an airplane (helicopter) for transporting military-political leadership.

“W” (weather) – aircraft for weather observation.

Position 4. The serial number of the aircraft of this class.

Position 5. Aircraft modification (A, B, C, etc.).

Position 6. A prefix indicating the special status of the aircraft.

Letter designations:

"G" is a flightless specimen.

“J” – test (if the aircraft is converted to its original modification).

“N” – special test.

“X” (experimental) – experimental.

"Y" is a prototype.

“Z” – for testing the aircraft concept.

Ivanov A.I.

Literature:

Military encyclopedic dictionary. M., "Military Publishing House", 1983
Ilyin V.E., Levin M.A. Bombers. M., “Victoria”, “AST”, 1996
Shunkov V.N. Special purpose aircraft. Mn., “Harvest”, 1999
Foreign military review. M., “Red Star”, magazine, 2000–2005
Magazine "Foreign Military Review". M., “Red Star”, 2000–2005
Shchelokov A.A. Dictionary of abbreviations and abbreviations of the army and special services. M., "AST Publishing House", 2003
Equipment and weapons yesterday, today, tomorrow.
Aviation and astronautics yesterday, today, tomorrow. M., “Moscow Printing House No. 9”, magazine, 2003–2005
Weekly supplement "NG" "Independent Military Review". M., Nezavisimaya Gazeta, 2003–2005



After all, they also need sleep and rest during 18-hour flights. Passengers are not allowed there, and many do not even suspect the existence of such secret cabins. But now we have the opportunity to look there.

1. This is the official presentation of the flight attendant bedroom on the Boeing 777.

2. This “diagram” shows that the secret bedrooms are located in a small area above the main cabin.

3. It's pretty cozy here, according to official photos provided by Boeing.

4. Passengers are not allowed here. This tiny door leads into the main compartment of the plane.

5. Behind the door is a secret staircase.

6. On a 787 plane, this staircase leads to this hatch...

7. After going through the hatch, you find yourself in these bedrooms.

8. This is what the bedrooms in the rear of a Boeing 787 look like.

9. Boeing does not allow more than one person per berth.

10. On the Boeing 777 there is a long narrow corridor with bunks on both sides.

11. Standing up straight in the corridor to your full height is unrealistic.

12. There are no portholes here either.

13. As you can see, this makes it a little gloomy here. There are three flight attendants sitting at the back of the corridor.

14. It's quite dark here.

15. Each compartment is approximately 1.8 m long and only 60 cm wide. There is a reading light at the top.

16. Comfortable pillows. And in case of turbulence, you have to sleep with your seat belt fastened.

17. View from the stairs.

18. All this is located on the top of Boeing 777 and 787 aircraft.