Page 76 - AirForces Monthly - Issue 381 (December 2019)

Force
Report Belarusian AF & Air Defence Part 1
Air power

In the first of a two-part feature on the
little-known Belarusian Air Force and
Air Defence, Patrick Roegies, Stefan
Goossens and Erwin van Dijkman chart
the history of the service’s formative years
after the demise of the Soviet Union.

Right: It’s believed that eight
‘Fulcrums’ have been upgraded to
MiG-29BM standard (including three
modernised MiG-29UBM trainers)
and that these had been redelivered
by November 2015; an acceptance
ceremony followed at Baranovichi
on December 1. Recent acquisition
of Su-30SMs means the days of
the remaining MiG-29s could be
numbered. All photos Patrick Roegies
unless stated
M ost of the Soviet assets Vozdushnyye Sily (VVS, Soviet branches of the
VVS – the heavy
Air Force) in Belarus were
based on Belarusian
territory had been predominantly subordinated to bombers of the
subordinated to the local the 26 Vozdushnaya Armiya (26 Dalnyaya Aviatsiya reaching
Belorusskiy Voyennyy Okrug (BVO, VA, 26th Air Army) – the air arm (DA, Long-range Aviation) and further into
Belarussian Military District), of the BVO. The importance of the heavy transports of the Voyenno- Soviet territory, towards Moscow.
which was a second-tier echelon BVO was reflected not just in the Transportnaya Aviatsiya (VTA, These AD assets were
force of the Western Strategic sheer number of VVS units and Military Transport Aviation). subordinated to the 11 Korpus
Direction. In case of hostilities, its aircraft, but also in their quality Due to the strategic importance Protivovozdushnoy Oborony (11
well-equipped formations were – its units were highly trained of the area, Belarus was also the K PVO, 11th Air Defence Corps),
intended to be rushed in at a and equipped with some of the home of significant air defence part of the 2 Otdelnaya Armiya
moment’s notice to support and latest fighters, fighter-bombers, (AD) assets – including some of Protivovozdushoy Oborony (2
relieve the first-tier echelon force ground attack and reconnaissance the most modern interceptors – OA PVO, 2nd Independent Air
– comprising Soviet and Warsaw aircraft, as well as bombers. tasked with knocking out hostile Defence Army) of the Voyska
Pact units based in Czechoslovakia, In addition, there was also a aircraft that might penetrate the Protivovozdushnoy Oborony
East Germany and Poland. sizeable quantity of aircraft from first tier of AD units stationed in (Soviet Air Defence Forces, VPVO).
The assets of the Voyenno- the two independent strategic the Baltic and prevent them from Last, but not least, Belarus was

74 // December 2019 #381 www.Key.Aero

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