Roman Alekhine airborne troops history of the Russian landing. Airborne troops. History of the Russian landing (65 pages) 13th separate airborne brigade

Airborne troops are one of the strongest components of the army Russian Federation. IN last years, due to the tense international situation, airborne value increases. The size of the territory of the Russian Federation, its landscape diversity, as well as borders with almost all conflict states, indicate that it is necessary to have a large supply of special groups of troops that can provide the necessary protection in all directions, which is what the air force is.

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Because structure air forces is vast, the question often arises of the Airborne Forces and the Airborne Battalion, are they the same troops? The article examines the differences between them, history, goals and military training both organizations, composition.

Differences between troops

The differences lie in the names themselves. The DSB is an air assault brigade, organized and specialized in attacks close to the enemy rear in the event of large-scale military operations. Air assault brigades subordinate to the Airborne Forces - airborne troops, as one of their units and specialize only in assault captures.

Airborne Forces are airborne troops, whose tasks are the capture of the enemy, as well as the capture and destruction of enemy weapons and other air operations. The functionality of the Airborne Forces is much broader - reconnaissance, sabotage, assault. For a better understanding of the differences, let's consider the history of the creation of the Airborne Forces and the Airborne Shock Battalion separately.

History of the Airborne Forces

The Airborne Forces began its history in 1930, when an operation was carried out near the city of Voronezh on August 2, where 12 people parachuted from the air as part of a special unit. This operation then opened the eyes of management to new opportunities for parachute troops. Next year, at the base Leningrad Military District, a detachment is formed, which received a long name - airborne and numbered about 150 people.

The effectiveness of the paratroopers was obvious and the Revolutionary Military Council decided to expand it by creating airborne troops. The order was issued at the end of 1932. At the same time, in Leningrad, instructors were trained, later they were distributed to districts by battalions special purpose in aviation.

In 1935, the Kyiv military district demonstrated to foreign delegations the full power of the Airborne Forces by staging an impressive landing of 1,200 paratroopers, who quickly captured the airfield. Later, similar exercises were held in Belarus, as a result of which the German delegation, impressed by the landing of 1,800 people, decided to organize its own airborne detachment, and then a regiment. Thus, The Soviet Union is rightfully the birthplace of the Airborne Forces.

In 1939, our airborne troops there is an opportunity to show yourself in action. In Japan, the 212th brigade was landed on the Khalkin-Gol River, and a year later the 201, 204 and 214 brigades were involved in the war with Finland. Knowing that the Second World War would not pass us by, 5 air corps of 10 thousand people each were formed and the Airborne Forces acquired new status- Guards troops.

The year 1942 was marked by the largest airborne operation during the war, which took place near Moscow, where about 10 thousand paratroopers were dropped into the German rear. After the war, it was decided to annex the Airborne Forces to the Supreme High Command and appoint the commander of the Airborne Forces of the USSR Ground Forces, this honor falls to Colonel General V.V. Glagolev.

Big innovations in airborne the troops came with “Uncle Vasya”. In 1954 V.V. Glagolev is replaced by V.F. Margelov and held the position of commander of the Airborne Forces until 1979. Under Margelov, the Airborne Forces are supplied with new military equipment, including artillery installations, combat vehicles, special attention is paid to working under conditions of a surprise attack with nuclear weapons.

Airborne troops took part in all the most significant conflicts - the events of Czechoslovakia, Afghanistan, Chechnya, Nagorno-Karabakh, Northern and South Ossetia. Several of our battalions carried out UN peacekeeping missions on the territory of Yugoslavia.

Nowadays, the ranks of the Airborne Forces include about 40 thousand fighters; during special operations, paratroopers form its basis, since the Airborne Forces are a highly qualified component of our army.

History of the formation of the DSB

Air assault brigades began their history after it was decided to rework the tactics of the Airborne Forces in the context of the outbreak of large-scale military operations. The purpose of such ASBs was to disorganize opponents through mass landings close to the enemy; such operations were most often carried out from helicopters in small groups.

Towards the end of the 60s Far East It was decided to form 11 and 13 brigades with helicopter regiments. These regiments were deployed mainly in hard-to-reach areas; the first landing attempts took place in the northern cities of Magdacha and Zavitinsk. Therefore, in order to become a paratrooper of this brigade, strength and special endurance were needed, since weather were practically unpredictable, for example, in winter the temperature reached -40 degrees, and in summer there was abnormal heat.

Place of deployment of the first airborne gunships The Far East was chosen for a reason. It was time difficult relationships with China, which escalated further after a clash of interests on the island of Damascus. The brigades were ordered to prepare to repel an attack from China, which could attack at any time.

High level and importance of DSB was demonstrated during exercises in the late 80s on the island of Iturup, where 2 battalions and artillery landed on MI-6 and MI-8 helicopters. The garrison, due to weather conditions, was not warned about the exercise, as a result of which fire was opened on those who landed, but thanks to the highly qualified training of the paratroopers, none of the participants in the operation were injured.

In those same years, the DSB consisted of 2 regiments, 14 brigades, and about 20 battalions. One brigade at a time were attached to one military district, but only to those that had access to the border by land. Kyiv also had its own brigade, 2 more brigades were given to our units located abroad. Each brigade had an artillery division, logistics and combat units.

After the USSR ceased to exist, the country’s budget did not allow the massive maintenance of the army, so there was nothing else to do but disband some units of the Airborne Forces and Airborne Forces. The beginning of the 90s was marked by the removal of the DSB from the subordination of the Far East and its transfer to full subordination to Moscow. The air assault brigades are being transformed into separate airborne brigades - 13 Airborne Brigade. In the mid-90s, the airborne reduction plan disbanded the 13th Airborne Forces Brigade.

Thus, from the above it is clear that the DSB was created as one of structural divisions Airborne Forces

Composition of the Airborne Forces

The composition of the Airborne Forces includes the following units:

• airborne;
• air assault;
• mountain (which operate exclusively at mountainous heights).

These are the three main components of the Airborne Forces. In addition, they consist of a division (76.98, 7, 106 Guards Air Assault), brigade and regiment (45, 56, 31, 11, 83, 38 Guards Airborne). A brigade was created in Voronezh in 2013, receiving the number 345.

Airborne Forces personnel prepared in educational institutions of the military reserve of Ryazan, Novosibirsk, Kamenets-Podolsk, and Kolomenskoye. Training was carried out in the areas of parachute landing (air assault) platoon and commanders of reconnaissance platoons.

The school produced about three hundred graduates annually - this was not enough to satisfy the personnel requirements of the airborne troops. Consequently, it was possible to become a member of the Airborne Forces by graduating from airborne departments in special areas of schools such as general arms and military departments.

Preparation

The command staff of the airborne battalion was most often selected from the airborne forces, and battalion commanders, deputy battalion commanders, and company commanders were selected from the nearest military districts. In the 70s, due to the fact that the leadership decided to repeat their experience - to create and staff the DSB, planned enrollment in educational institutions is expanding, who trained future airborne officers. The mid-80s were marked by the fact that officers were released for service in the DShV, having been trained in educational program for the Airborne Forces. Also during these years, a complete reshuffle of officers was carried out; it was decided to replace almost all of them in the DShV. At the same time, excellent students went to serve mainly in the Airborne Forces.

To join the Airborne Forces, as in the DSB, it is necessary to meet specific criteria:

• height 173 and above;
• average physical development;
• secondary education;
• without medical restrictions.

If everything matches, then the future fighter begins training.

Special attention paid, of course, to the physical training of airborne paratroopers, which is carried out constantly, starting with a daily rise at 6 am, hand-to-hand combat(special training program) and ends with long forced marches of 30–50 km. Therefore, every fighter has enormous endurance and endurance, besides, children who have been involved in any sport that develops that same endurance are selected into their ranks. To test it, they take an endurance test - in 12 minutes a fighter must run 2.4-2.8 km, otherwise there is no point in serving in the Airborne Forces.

It is worth noting that it is not for nothing that they are called universal fighters. These people can operate in various areas in any weather conditions absolutely silently, can camouflage themselves, own all types of weapons, both their own and the enemy’s, control any type of transport and means of communication. Apart from excellent physical training, psychological is also required, since fighters have to overcome not only long distances, but also “work with their heads” to get ahead of the enemy throughout the entire operation.

Intellectual aptitude is determined using tests compiled by experts. IN mandatory psychological compatibility in the team is taken into account, the guys are included in a certain squad for 2-3 days, after which the senior officers evaluate their behavior.

Psychophysical preparation is carried out, which implies tasks with increased risk, where there is both physical and mental stress. Such tasks are aimed at overcoming fear. At the same time, if it turns out that the future paratrooper does not experience a feeling of fear at all, then he is not accepted for further training, since he is quite naturally taught to control this feeling, and is not completely eradicated. Airborne Forces training gives our country a huge advantage in the form of fighters over any enemy. Most VDVeshnikov already lead a familiar lifestyle even after retirement.

Armament of the Airborne Forces

Concerning technical equipment, the Airborne Forces use combined arms equipment and equipment specially designed for the nature of this type of troops. Some of the samples were created during the USSR, but the bulk were developed after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

To the cars Soviet period relate:

• amphibious combat vehicle - 1 (the number reaches 100 units);
• BMD-2M (approximately 1 thousand units), they are used in both ground and parachute landing methods.

These techniques have been tested for many years and took part in multiple armed conflicts that took place on the territory of our country and abroad. Nowadays, in conditions of rapid progress, these models are outdated both morally and physically. A little later, the BMD-3 model was released and today the number of such equipment is only 10 units, since production has ceased, they plan to gradually replace it with the BMD-4.

The Airborne Forces are also armed with armored personnel carriers BTR-82A, BTR-82AM and BTR-80 and the most numerous tracked armored personnel carrier - 700 units, and it is also the most outdated (mid-70s), it is gradually being replaced by an armored personnel carrier - MDM "Rakushka". There are also 2S25 Sprut-SD anti-tank guns, an armored personnel carrier - RD "Robot", and ATGMs: "Konkurs", "Metis", "Fagot", and "Cornet". Air defense represented by missile systems, but a special place is given to a new product that recently appeared in service with the Airborne Forces - the Verba MANPADS.

Not long ago new models of equipment appeared:

• armored car "Tiger";
• Snowmobile A-1;
• Kamaz truck - 43501.

As for communication systems, they are represented by locally developed complexes electronic warfare"Leer-2 and 3", Infauna, system control is represented by air defense "Barnaul", "Andromeda" and "Polyot-K" - automation of troop control.

Weapon represented by samples, for example, the Yarygin pistol, PMM and the PSS silent pistol. The Soviet Ak-74 assault rifle is still the personal weapon of paratroopers, but is gradually being replaced by the newest AK-74M, and the silent Val assault rifle is also used in special operations. Parachute systems there are both Soviet and post-Soviet types that can land large parties of soldiers and all of the above military equipment. Heavier equipment includes automatic grenade launchers AGS-17 “Plamya” and AGS-30, SPG-9.

Armament of the DShB

The DShB had transport and helicopter regiments, which numbered:

• about twenty mi-24, forty mi-8 and forty mi-6;
• the anti-tank battery was armed with an easel anti-tank grenade launcher 9 MD;
• the mortar battery included eight 82-mm BM-37s;
• V anti-aircraft missile platoon there were nine Strela-2M MANPADS;
• it also included several BMD-1s, infantry fighting vehicles, and armored personnel carriers for each airborne assault battalion.

The armament of the brigade artillery group consisted of GD-30 howitzers, PM-38 mortars, GP 2A2 guns, anti-tank missile system"Malyutka", SPG-9MD, anti-aircraft gun ZU-23.

Heavier equipment includes automatic grenade launchers AGS-17 “Flame” and AGS-30, SPG-9 “Spear”. Aerial reconnaissance is carried out using the domestic Orlan-10 drone.

One interesting fact took place in the history of the Airborne Forces, for quite a long time, thanks to erroneous media information, special forces (Special Forces) soldiers were not rightfully called paratroopers. The thing is, what is in the Air Force of our country In the Soviet Union, as in the post-Soviet Union, there were and do not exist Special Forces troops, but there are divisions and units of the Special Forces of the GRU of the General Staff, which arose in the 50s. Until the 80s, the command was forced to completely deny their existence in our country. Therefore, those who were appointed to these troops learned about them only after being accepted into service. For the media they were disguised as motorized rifle battalions.

Airborne Forces Day

Paratroopers celebrate the birthday of the Airborne Forces, like the DShB since August 2, 2006. This is a kind of gratitude for efficiency air units, The Decree of the President of the Russian Federation was signed in May of the same year. Despite the fact that the holiday was declared by our government, the birthday is celebrated not only in our country, but also in Belarus, Ukraine and most CIS countries.

Every year, airborne veterans and active soldiers meet in the so-called “meeting place”, each city has its own, for example, in Astrakhan “Brotherly Garden”, in Kazan “Victory Square”, in Kiev “Hydropark”, in Moscow “Poklonnaya Gora”, Novosibirsk "Central Park". IN major cities organize demonstrations, concerts and fairs.

Airborne troops. Story Russian landing Alekhin Roman Viktorovich

STORM TROOPERS

STORM TROOPERS

In the mid-60s, due to the active development of helicopters (with their amazing ability to land and take off almost anywhere), a completely appropriate idea arose of creating special military units that could be dropped by helicopter into the tactical rear of the enemy in order to assist advancing ground forces. Unlike the Airborne Forces, these new units were supposed to be landed only by landing, and unlike the GRU Special Forces, they were supposed to operate in fairly large forces, including the use of armored vehicles and other heavy weapons.

To confirm (or refute) the theoretical conclusions, it was necessary to conduct large-scale practical exercises that would put everything in its place.

In 1967, during the strategic exercises “Dnepr-67” on the basis of the 51st Guards PDP, the experimental 1st Air Assault Brigade was formed. The brigade was led by the head of the combat training department of the Airborne Forces Directorate, Major General Kobzar. The brigade landed in helicopters on the bridgehead on the Dnieper and completed its assigned task. Based on the results of the exercises, appropriate conclusions were drawn, and starting in 1968, the ground forces The formation of the first air assault brigades begins in the Far Eastern and Transbaikal military districts.

Based on the directive of the General Staff of May 22, 1968, by August 1970 in populated areas The 13th air assault brigade was formed in Nikolaevna and Zavitinsk, Amur region, and the 11th air assault brigade was formed in the village of Mogocha, Chita region.

Again, as in the very first airborne unit (the airborne detachment of the Leningrad Military District), the “land” unit received aviation under its control - two helicopter regiments with an air base each were transferred to the brigade control, which included an airfield support battalion and a separate communications and radio engineering division.

The structure of the air assault brigades of the first formation was as follows:

Brigade management;

Three air assault battalions;

Artillery Division;

Anti-aircraft artillery division;

Combat helicopter regiment with an air base;

Transport helicopter regiment with an aviation base;

Rear of the brigade.

Air assault units mounted on helicopters were able to land in the form of a landing force on any part of the operational-tactical theater of military operations and solve assigned tasks on their own with fire support from combat helicopters. Experimental exercises were conducted with these brigades to develop tactics for using air assault units. Based on the experience gained, the General Staff made recommendations for improving the organizational and staffing structure of such units.

It was assumed that the air assault brigades would operate in the enemy's tactical defense zone. The range at which battalions of air assault brigades were supposed to land did not exceed 70-100 km. In particular, as confirmation, this is evidenced by the operating range of communications equipment that entered service with air assault formations. However, if we consider the specific theater of operations in which the brigades were stationed, it can be assumed that the purpose of the 11th and 13th Brigades was to quickly close the poorly guarded section of the border with China in the event of a Chinese military invasion. By helicopter, brigade units could be landed anywhere, while those located in that area (from Mogocha to Magdagachi) motorized rifle regiments 67th motorized rifle division They could only move on their own along the only rock road, which was very slow. Even after the helicopter regiments were withdrawn from the brigades (at the end of the 80s), the mission of the brigades did not change, and the helicopter regiments were always stationed in close proximity.

In the early 70s, a new name for the brigades was adopted. From now on they began to be called “airborne assault”.

On November 5, 1972, by directive of the General Staff, and on November 16, 1972, and by order of the commander of the Transcaucasian Military District, by February 19, 1973, it was decided to form an airborne assault brigade in the Caucasian operational direction. The 21st separate air assault brigade was formed in the city of Kutaisi.

Thus, by the mid-70s, as part of the so-called Airborne forces of the land There were three brigades of troops:

11th airborne brigade (military unit 21460), ZabVO (Mogocha settlement, Chita region), consisting of: 617th, 618th, 619th airborne battalion, 329th and 307th airborne battalion;

13th airborne brigade (military unit 21463), Far Eastern Military District (n. Magdagachi, Amur region), consisting of: 620th, 621st (Amazar), 622nd airborne battalion, 825th and 398th airborne battalion ;

21st Specialized Brigade (military unit 31571), ZakVO (Kutaisi, Georgia), consisting of: 802nd (military unit 36685, Tsulukidze), 803rd (military unit 55055), 804th (in /h 57351) odshb, 1059th oadn, 325th and 292nd airborne forces, 1863rd one sirto, 303rd obao.

An interesting fact was that the battalions in these formations were separate units, while in the Airborne Forces separate part only the regiment showed up. From the moment of their formation until 1983, parachute training was not provided for in these brigades and was not included in the combat training plans, and therefore the personnel of the air assault brigades wore the uniform of motorized rifle troops with the appropriate insignia. Airborne Forces uniform air assault units received only with the introduction of parachute jumps into their combat training.

In 1973, the air assault brigades included:

Management (staff 326 people);

Three separate air assault battalions (each battalion has 349 people);

Separate artillery division (staff 171 people);

Aviation group (only 805 people on staff);

Separate division of communications and radio technical support (190 people on staff);

Separate battalion of airfield technical support (410 people on staff).

New formations began active combat training. There were accidents and disasters. In 1976, during a major exercise in the 21st brigade, a tragedy occurred: two Mi-8 helicopters collided in the air and crashed to the ground. As a result of the disaster, 36 people died. Similar tragedies occurred from time to time in all brigades - probably this was the terrible tribute that had to be paid for the possession of such highly mobile military units.

The experience accumulated by the new brigades turned out to be positive, and therefore by the end of the 70s General base decides to form several more air assault brigades of front-line (district) subordination, as well as several separate air assault battalions of army subordination. Since the number of newly formed units and formations was quite large, the General Staff decided to disband one airborne division to complete them.

Based on the General Staff Directive of August 3, 1979 No. 314/3/00746, by December 1, 1979, the 105th Guards Airborne Vienna Red Banner Division (111th, 345th, 351st, 383rd Guards PDP) , stationed in Fergana, Uzbek SSR, was disbanded. The 345th Regiment was reorganized into a separate parachute regiment and left in the southern operational direction. The personnel of the disbanded regiments and individual units went to form air assault units and formations.

On the basis of the 111th Guards Infantry Division in the city of Osh, Kirghiz SSR, the 14th Guards Airborne Brigade of the Western Group of Forces was formed with redeployment to the city of Cottbus, German Democratic Republic. In December 1979, the brigade was renamed the 35th Guards Airborne Brigade. From 1979 to November 1982, the brigade's personnel wore the uniform of motorized rifle troops. In 1982, the brigade was awarded Battle Banner. Before this, the brigade had the Battle Banner of the 111th Guards Infantry Division.

On the basis of the 351st Guards PDP, the 56th Guards Airborne Brigade of the TurkVO was formed with a deployment in the village of Azadbash (district of the city of Chirchik) of the Uzbek SSR. On the basis of the officers of the 105th Guards Airborne Division, the 38th Separate Guards Vienna Red Banner Airborne Assault Brigade was formed in the Belarusian Military District in the city of Brest. The brigade was given the Battle Banner of the disbanded 105th Guards Vienna Red Banner Airborne Division.

On the basis of the 383rd Guards RPD in the village of Aktogay, Taldy-Kurgan region of the Kazakh SSR, the 57th separate air assault brigade was formed for the Central Asian Military District, and the 58th brigade was formed for the Kiev Military District in Kremenchug (however, it was decided to leave it in the form of a framed part).

For the Leningrad Military District in the village of Garbolovo, Vsevolozhsk region Leningrad region starring personnel The 36th separate air assault brigade was formed from the 234th and 237th Guards Parachute Regiments of the 76th Guards Airborne Division, and the 37th separate air assault brigade was formed for the Baltic Military District in the city of Chernyakhovsk, Kaliningrad Region. brigade

On August 3, 1979, the 80th Parachute Regiment of the Order of the Red Star of the 104th Guards Airborne Division in the city of Baku was disbanded. The released personnel were turned to the formation of new brigades - in the city of Khyrov, Staro-Sambir district of the Lviv region, the 39th separate Order of the Red Star airborne assault brigade was formed for the Carpathian Military District, and in the city of Nikolaev for the Odessa Military District the 40th was formed separate air assault brigade.

Thus, in total, in 1979, nine separate air assault brigades were formed, which became part of the Western and Asian military districts. By 1980, there were a total of twelve air assault brigades in the ground forces:

11th airborne brigade (military unit 32364), ZabVO, Mogocha;

13th airborne brigade (military unit 21463), Far Eastern Military District, Magdagachi, Amazar;

21st airborne brigade (military unit 31571), ZakVO, Kutaisi;

35th airborne brigade (military unit 16407), GSVG, Cottbus;

36th airborne brigade (military unit 74980), Leningrad Military District, Garbolovo;

37th Airborne Brigade (military unit 75193), PribVO, Chernyakhovsk;

38th airborne brigade (military unit 92616), BelVO, Brest;

39th Airborne Brigade (military unit 32351), PrikVO, Khyrov;

40th Specialized Brigade (military unit 32461), OdVO, Nikolaev;

56th airborne brigade (military unit 74507), TurkVO, Azadbash, Chirchik;

57th Airborne Brigade (military unit 92618), SAVO, Aktogay, Kazakhstan;

58th airborne brigade of the KVO cadre, Kremenchug.

The new brigades were formed as lightweight ones, with 3 battalions, without helicopter regiments. Now these were ordinary “infantry” units that did not have their own aviation. In fact, these were tactical units, whereas until that time the first three brigades (11th, 13th and 21st airborne brigades) were tactical formations. Since the beginning of the 80s, the battalions of the 11th, 13th and 21st brigades ceased to be separate and lost their numbers - the brigades from formations became units. However, the helicopter regiments remained subordinate to these brigades until 1988, after which they were transferred from the subordination of the brigade management to the subordination of the districts.

The structure of the new brigades was as follows:

Brigade management (headquarters);

Two parachute battalions;

One air assault battalion;

Howitzer artillery battalion;

Anti-tank battery;

Anti-aircraft artillery battery;

Communications Company;

Reconnaissance and landing company;

RKhBZ company;

Engineer company;

Company material support;

Medical Company;

Airborne support company.

The number of personnel in the brigades was about 2800 people.

Starting from 1982–1983, airborne training began in the air assault brigades, and therefore some organizational changes took place in the structure of the formations.

In addition to the brigades, in December 1979, separate air assault battalions were formed, which were supposed to act in the interests of the armies and solve tactical problems close behind enemy lines. In the mid-80s, several more battalions were additionally formed. In total, more than twenty such battalions were formed, a complete list of which I have not yet been able to establish - there were several squadroned battalions, the numbers of which are not found in the open press. By the mid-80s, the combined arms and tank armies of the USSR Armed Forces included:

899th separate battalion (military unit 61139), 20th Guards OA, GSVG, Burg;

900th separate battalion (military unit 60370), 8th Guards OA, GSVG, Leipzig;

901st separate battalion (military unit 49138), Central Military District, Riečki, then PribVO, Aluksne;

902nd airborne battalion (military unit 61607), South Georgian Military District, Hungary, Kecskemét;

903rd separate battalion of the 28th OA, BelVO, Brest (until 1986), then to Grodno;

904th separate battalion (military unit 32352), 13th OA, PrikVO, Vladimir-Volynsky;

905th separate battalion (military unit 92617), 14th OA, OdVO, Bendery;

906th airborne battalion (military unit 75194), 36th OA, ZabVO, Borzya, Khada-Bulak;

907th airborne battalion (military unit 74981), 43rd AK, Far Eastern Military District, Birobidzhan;

908th infantry battalion, 1st Guards OA, KVO, Konotop, since 1984 Chernigov, Goncharovskoe village;

1011th separate battalion, 5th Guards TA, BelVO, Maryina Gorka;

1039th infantry battalion, 11th Guards OA, PribVO, Kaliningrad;

1044th separate battalion (military unit 47596), 1st Guards TA, GSVG, Koenigsbrück, after 1989 - PribVO, Taurage;

1048th airborne battalion (military unit 45476), 40th OA, TurkVO, Termez;

1145th separate battalion, 5th OA, Far Eastern Military District, Sergeevna;

1151st airborne battalion, 7th TA, BelVO, Polotsk;

1154th infantry battalion of the 86th AK, ZabVO, Shelekhov;

1156th separate battalion 8th TA, PrikVO, Novograd-Volynsky;

1179th separate battalion (military unit 73665), 6th OA, Leningrad Military District, Petrozavodsk;

1185th separate battalion (military unit 55342), 2nd Guards TA, GSVG, Ravensbrück, then PribVO, Võru;

1603rd separate battalion of the 38th OA, PrikVO, Nadvirnaya;

1604th separate battalion, 29th OA, ZabVO, Ulan-Ude;

1605th separate battalion, 5th OA, Far Eastern Military District, Spassk-Dalniy;

1609th separate battalion, 39th OA, ZabVO, Kyakhta.

Also in 1982, their own air assault battalions were created in the Marine Corps of the USSR Navy. In particular, in the Pacific Fleet such a battalion was created on the basis of the 1st battalion Marine Corps 165th Marine Regiment, 55th Division. Then similar battalions were created in other regiments of the division and separate brigades in other fleets. These Marine air assault battalions received airborne training and performed parachute jumps. That's why I included them in this story. The air assault battalions that were part of the 55th division did not have their own numbers and were named only by continuous numbering within their regiment. Battalions in brigades, as separate units, received their own names:

876th airborne battalion (military unit 81285) 61st brigade infantry regiment, Northern Fleet, Sputnik settlement;

879th separate battalion (military unit 81280) 336th guards infantry regiment, Baltic Fleet, Baltiysk;

881st airborne infantry battalion, 810th brigade infantry regiment, Black Sea Fleet, Sevastopol;

1st infantry battalion, 165th infantry infantry regiment, 55th airborne infantry regiment, Pacific Fleet, Vladivostok;

1st infantry battalion, 390th infantry fighting infantry regiment, 55th infantry infantry regiment, Pacific Fleet, Slavyanka.

Based on the composition of their weapons, individual air assault battalions were divided into “light”, which did not have armored vehicles, and “heavy”, which were armed with up to 30 infantry or airborne combat vehicles. Both types of battalions were also armed with 6 mortars of 120 mm caliber, six AGS-17 and several ATGMs.

The brigades each included three parachute battalions on infantry fighting vehicles, infantry fighting vehicles or GAZ-66 vehicles, an artillery battalion (18 D-30 howitzers), an anti-tank battery, anti-aircraft missile battery, a mortar battery (six 120 mm mortars), a reconnaissance company, a communications company, an engineer company, an airborne support company, a chemical defense company, a logistics company, a repair company, an automobile company and a medical center. A separate parachute battalion of the brigade consisted of three parachute companies, a mortar battery (4–6 82-mm mortars), a grenade launcher platoon (6 AGS-17 grenade launchers), a communications platoon, an anti-tank platoon (4 SPG-9 and 6 ATGMs) and a support platoon.

When passing airborne training The parachute service of air assault battalions and brigades was guided by the documents of the PDS Airborne Forces.

In addition to brigades and battalions, the General Staff also tried another organization of air assault units. By the mid-80s, two army corps of a new organization were formed in the USSR. These corps were created for the purpose of their use in expanding an operational breakthrough (if something happened to break through). The new corps had a brigade structure and consisted of mechanized and tank brigades, and in addition, the corps included two-battalion air assault regiments. The regiments were intended to be a tool for “vertical coverage”, and in the corps they were used in conjunction with a helicopter regiment.

In the Belarusian Military District, on the basis of the 120th Guards Motorized Rifle Division, the 5th Guards Combined Arms Army Corps was formed, and in the Transbaikal Military District in Kyakhta, on the basis of the 5th Guards Tank Division, the 48th Guards Combined Arms Army Corps was formed.

The 5th Guards AK received the 1318th Air Assault Regiment (military unit 33508) and the 276th Helicopter Regiment, and the 48th Guards AK received the 1319th Air Assault Regiment (military unit 33518) and the 373rd Helicopter Regiment. However, these parts did not last long. Already in 1989, the guards army corps were again folded into divisions, and the air assault regiments were disbanded.

In 1986, in connection with the creation of the Headquarters of the Main Directional Commands, another wave of formations of air assault brigades took place. In addition to the existing formations, four more brigades were formed - according to the number of directions. Thus, by the end of 1986, subordinate to the reserve Headquarters of operational directions, the following were formed:

23rd Specialized Brigade (military unit 51170), Civil Code Yugo Western direction, Kremenchuk;

83rd airborne brigade (military unit 54009), Civil Command of the Western direction, Byalogard;

128th Airborne Brigade of the Civil Code South direction, Stavropol;

130th Specialized Brigade of the Personnel (military unit 79715), Civil Command of the Far Eastern Direction, Abakan.

In total, by the end of the 1980s, the USSR Armed Forces had sixteen air assault brigades, of which three (58th, 128th and 130th airborne brigades) were kept at a reduced staff or were staffed. In any case, this was a strong addition to the existing airborne forces and formations special purpose GRU. No one in the world had such a number of airborne troops.

In 1986, large-scale air assault exercises were held in the Far East, in which personnel of the 13th Air Assault Brigade were involved. In August, on 32 Mi-8 and Mi-6 helicopters, an air assault battalion with reinforcements was landed at the Burevestnik airfield on the island of Iturup Kuril ridge. There, the brigade's reconnaissance company was also parachuted from An-12 aircraft. The landed units fully completed the tasks assigned to them. Supporters of the Kuril Islands joining the USSR could sleep peacefully.

In 1989, the General Staff decided to disband separate air assault battalions of combined arms and tank armies, and separate air assault brigades of district subordination were reorganized into separate airborne brigades and transferred to the command of the Airborne Forces commander.

By the end of 1991, all separate air assault battalions (with the exception of the 901st airborne battalion) were disbanded.

During the same period, due to the collapse of the USSR, major changes affected the existing air assault formations. Some of the brigades were transferred to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and Kazakhstan, and some were simply disbanded.

The 39th airborne assault brigade (by this time already called the 224th airborne training center), the 58th airborne assault brigade and the 40th airborne assault brigade were transferred to Ukraine, the 35th airborne assault brigade was withdrawn from Germany to Kazakhstan, where it became part of the armed forces of the republic . The 38th brigade was transferred to Belarus.

The 83rd brigade was withdrawn from Poland, which was transferred across the country to a new point of permanent deployment - the city of Ussuriysk, Primorsky Territory. At the same time, the 13th Brigade, which was part of the Far Eastern Military District, was transferred to Orenburg - again almost across the entire country, only in the opposite direction (purely economic question- For what?).

The 21st brigade was transferred to Stavropol, and the 128th brigade located there was disbanded. The 57th and 130th brigades were also disbanded.

Looking ahead a little, I will say that in “ Russian time"By the end of 1994, the Russian Armed Forces included the following units:

11th Airborne Brigade of the Transbaikal Military District (Ulan-Ude);

13th Airborne Brigade of the Ural Military District (Orenburg);

21st Airborne Brigade of the North Caucasus Military District (Stavropol);

36th Airborne Brigade of the Leningrad Military District (Garbolovo);

37th Airborne Brigade of the North-Western Group of Forces (Chernyakhovsk);