Force Strength Statistics

As of 1978 the Soviet Air Force was comprised of half a million men divided into three main branches: Frontal Aviation, Long Range Aviation, and Military Transport Aviation.  Frontal Aviation accounts for 180,000 of these troops and over 4000 tactical aircraft.  Military Transport Aviation is the second largest group with 3,500 tactical aircraft and slightly more than 100,000 men.  Long Range Aviation is the smallest of the major groups with only 900 aircraft and 60,000 men.  The remaining 160,000 troops are assigned to the Ministry of Defense, research/development organizations, and the large Soviet training establishment.  This training organization maintains some 3,500 tactical aircraft as well as a number of purpose built training aircraft.  The tables below illustrate the numbers of major aircraft in service by each branch of the Soviet Air Force.

 

Frontal Aviation (Frontonaya Aviatsia) Aircraft Strength: 4000+ (approx) Personnel: 180,000 men
Fighters / Fighter-Bombers		Attack Aircraft
(1)	MiG-25 'Foxbat'	(3)	Il-28 'Beagle'
(1)	MiG-23 'Flogger'	(3)	Yak-28 'Brewer'
1,500	MiG-21 'Fishbed'
(2)	MiG-19 'Farmer'
(2)	MiG-17 'Fresco'
(1)	Su-19 'Fencer'
(1)	Su-17 'Fitter-C'
(1) Soviet Frontal Aviation aircraft of these type number over 1500, but due to limited data a more exact force breakdown is not possible. (2) Soviet Frontal Aviation operates some 1,000 aircraft of these types, but a more exact force break down is not possible with current data. (3) The attack aircraft of Soviet Frontal Aviation number some 600 aircraft of these types, but a more exact force break down is not possible with current data. It should also be noted that several hundred of the aircraft listed above are capable of being fitted for a tactical reconnaissance role.

Organization of Soviet Frontal Aviation

The tables below illustrate the organization of Soviet Frontal Aviation during the height of the Cold War in 1977.  During this era the forces of Soviet Frontal Aviation were organized into 16 distinct air armies.  Each air army was assigned to one of the 12 military districts of the Soviet Union or to one of the four regions in Eastern Europe (Hungary, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and East Germany).  A Soviet air army was typically composed of several air divisions and commanded by an officer of the rank of Colonel General.

The Group of Soviet Forces in Germany was an exception to this rule.  This air army was heavily reinforced as it was expected to bear the brunt of any war with the West.  It was made up of two separate Corps, each made up of several air divisions.  This air army was commanded by an officer of the rank of Lieutenant General.  The table below shows the 16 air defense districts and the approximate number of tactical combat aircraft assigned to each region.

Frontal Aviation Divisional Organization

A typical Frontal Aviation division is made up of three air regiments, a transport squadron, and associated maintenance units.  The number of aircraft within a regiment varies.  Fighter and fighter-bomber regiments are usually equipped with about 40 aircraft (36 of the primary unit type and a few utility and spares) while bomber regiments typically consist of 32 aircraft.  Commanders of aviation divisions were usually Colonel Generals or Major Generals of aviation.

Frontal Aviation Regimental Organization

Frontal Aviation regiments (aviatsionnii polk) are made up of a headquarters element, three fighter squadrons, a communications section, and associated maintenance units.  Regiments are typically commanded by a Colonel, while its component squadrons (eskadrilya) are commanded by a Major.  Each squadron is composed of three flights (zveno) of aircraft which are commanded by a Senior Lieutenant.  When operating in tactical situations these flights are broken down further into pairs of aircraft known as elements.  These elements are commanded by the senior officer in the group.

Sources Cited

Here are some of the most informative sources that we have used in compiling this information for you.  We hope you can find them as useful as we have.

• An Illustrated Guide to the Modern Soviet Air Force, by Bill Gunston, published by Arco Publishing, New York, NY, 1982.

• Soviet Air Power and the Pursuit of New Military Options, by Philip A. Petersen, published by US Government Printing Office, Washington DC

• Soviet Aerospace Handbook, by Department of the Air Force, published by US Government Printing Office, Washington DC, 1978

• The Soviet Air Force since 1918, by Alexander Boyd, published by Stein and Day, New York, NY, 1977

• World Combat Aircraft Directory, Edited by Norman Palomar, published by McDonalds and Jane's, London, 1975.