Long-Range Aviation
Long-Range Aviation (Russian: Авиация Дальнего Действия, romanized: Aviatsiya dal'nego deystviya, literally Aviation of Distant Action and abbreviated DA,) is a sub-branch of the Russian Aerospace Forces responsible for delivering long-range nuclear or conventional strikes by aircraft (rather than missiles). The Russian Long Range Aviation and its now-dissolved Ukrainian counterpart were both previously part of the Soviet Air Forces, before it was split into the Air Forces of its many successor states, most notably the Russian Air Force and Ukrainian Air Force. Those branches were tasked with long-range bombardment of strategic targets with nuclear weapons.
Not to be confused with Ukrainian Long Range Aviation.
During the Cold War, the Long-Range Aviation of the Air Forces (DA VS) was the rough Soviet equivalent to the French Air Force's Forces aériennes stratégiques (1964-present); the British RAF Bomber Command (1936-68); and the United States Air Force (USAF) Strategic Air Command (1946-1992). In the early 2020s there are roughly-equivalent structures within the People's Liberation Army Air Force and in the USAF Air Force Global Strike Command.
Long-Range Aviation traces its history to the Aviation of Distant Action, AДД, or ADD, Авиация дальнего действия, and the 18th Air Army of the Second World War and beforehand. This article sketches the development of Soviet and Russian long-range bomber forces from their origins in the mid-1930s.
The first three Air Armies, designated Air Armies of Specific Purpose (or Particular Purpose) were created between 1936 and 1938.
In accordance with the predominant Deep operations doctrine, the Red Army was reorganized into six echelons, of which the long-range aviation was the 1st echelon. The 2nd echelon consisted of: heavy tanks; the 3rd echelon: medium and light tanks; the 4th echelon: the motorised infantry; the 5th echelon: heavy artillery; and the 6th echelon comprised the Main Force: the rifle troops, with their own integral tank support.[1]
The 1st Specific Purpose Air Army was formed on 8 January 1936 as 1st Air Army of the General Reserve Command (Specific Purpose Army - 1) (1-я авиационная армия резерва главного командования (РГК) (АОН – 1)) headquartered at Monino Airfield. The initial TO&E established by the General Staff included two heavy-bomber air brigades (of Tupolev TB-3), one fast-bomber air brigade (of Tupolev SB) and one fighter air brigade. As the Ilyushin DB-3 entered service, they formed long-range bomber squadrons.
The 2nd Air Army was created on 15 March 1937 in the Far East, headquartered in Khabarovsk. The 3rd Air Army was created on 21 May 1938 in the North Caucasus Military District, headquartered in Rostov-on-Don.
On 20 October 1939 the three air armies' order of battle included:
On 5 November 1940 the three Specific Purpose Air Armies were disbanded, due to their poor combat performance during the Winter War with Finland.[2]
The three armies were restructured as an integrated: Long-Range Bomber Aviation of the Stavka, the Red Army supreme command (Дальнебомбардировочная авиация Главного командования Красной Армии (ДБА ГК)). The structure now comprised: five air corps, three separate air divisions and one separate air regiment.
Successor Forces: Russian Federation and Ukraine[edit]
Russia[edit]
With the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Long-Range Aviation in Russia entered a period of decline, along with the other former components of the Soviet Armed Forces. This culminated when the command was formally disbanded in 1998 as part of the amalgamation of the Russian Air Defence Forces and the Russian Air Force.[25] It became the 37th Air Army of the Supreme High Command.
In 2009 the 37th Air Army of the Supreme Command was disbanded as part of the 2008 Russian military reforms, reformed once more as the Long Range Aviation Command. As of 2020 the Long-Range Aviation Forces were being revitalized through both the modernization of aircraft as well as the incorporation of long-range supersonic and hypersonic cruise missiles.[26] In 2020, a new stealth bomber, the Tupolev PAK DA, was reported to be in development.[27] The design of the PAK DA was reported to have been "finalized" in 2021 with initial delivery of the first operational aircraft projected for 2027.[28]
Since 2015-16, Russian Long-Range Aviation includes two frontline divisions: