MILITARY AVIATION OF RUSSIA IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Red Star. August 8, 2002. Anatoli Dokuchayev

Military aviation of Russia is described in detail in this volume of the encyclopedia published on the eve of the 90th anniversary of Russian Air Force.

The high level and excellent quality of the fourth volume of the "Russia's Arms and Technologies. XXI Century" encyclopedia published under general supervision of Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov is a joint effort of authoritative specialists working in Russia's defense industry complex and in the Defense Ministry together with scientists, historians and journalists. It gives a full coverage of military aviation of Russia. The Arms and Technologies publishing house has issued this volume on the eve of the 90th anniversary of our Air Force - a jubilee that will be marked together with us by many other air powers the world over. According to experts, the book can be used as a guide through the world of military aviation and military aircraft industry of Russia for at least ten years to come.

Three years ago, on the night of June 25 to 26 1999, a pair of snow-white missile carriers Tu-160s piloted by lieutenant colonels Igor Sitski and Vladimir Popov took to the air and set course for the mission area behind the Faroe Islands- Iceland line. In the progress of the Zapad-99 military exercises they spent 12 hours in the air and fired a strategic missile successfully. Immediately, publications appeared in Western press saying that Russia was preparing a nuclear attack on the USA, that the Russians were again trying to frighten the West and that Moscow had infringed national air space of Iceland. There was nothing of the kind. It was actually an attempt to show to the world that Russia's long-range aviation was still alive and capable of carrying out its unique missions. The two "snow-white swans" performed their magic dance and demonstrated their beauty and might.

Today, the missile-carrying aircraft, called the Iliya Muromets, Mikhali Gromov, Vassili Reshetnikov, Ivan Yarygin, Alexander Golovanov and Alexander Molodchi, take off regularly from the concrete runway of an Air Force base in the town of Engels - one of the oldest air bases in Russia. These world-famous strategic bombers bear the names of Russian knights and legendary pilots, partly because the air giants are unmatched.

The Tu-160 is a multi-functional variable-sweep wing aircraft. It is the fastest strategic bomber. At an altitude of 10 to 15 km, it attains a speed twice that of sound - 2,230 km/h. More to that, this 300-t giant weighing as much as ten Su-27s fighters together can fly at a very low altitude adopting a terrain-avoiding flight profile. The Tu-160 strategic bomber can carry any armament currently available to the Air Force: from thermo-nuclear bombs and cruise missiles through to standard aerial bombs, including guided ones. Actually, the "160s" are armed with the Kh-55SM cruise missiles. Each aircraft carries 12 weapons, which can be launched from a standoff range. The missiles hit targets at a distance of more than three thousand kilometers with high accuracy. Their maximum deviation is 30 m. In other words, a "fire and forget" principle is used to attack targets. Once fired, the missile can fly for many hours along a predetermined route under its own power to the target. It follows a terrain avoidance course strictly in accordance with the preset program. The weapon approaches the target at an extremely low altitude in order not to be discovered by hostile air defense crews.

Our journey into the world of military aviation starts with the introduction to the reader of the world's most powerful strike aircraft. Here, the reader familiarizes himself with the Tu-95MS strategic missile carrier. Information about this aircraft is given professionally and in full detail. The Tu-95MS is designed to attack vital targets in remote areas and to perform deep-penetration strike missions in continental theaters of operations. Then, the authors of the encyclopedia give exhaustive information to the reader about the Tu-22M3 long-range missile-carrying bomber and say that today's concept of broadening the capabilities of strategic and long-range missile-carrying aircraft and bombers is based on increasing the lethality of conventional weapons. For this purpose, work is currently underway to develop new precision-guided weapons for the Tu-160, Tu-95MS and Tu-22M3 bombers.

In the first section of the book, the authors describe not only the modern bombers in service with the Russian Air Force. The fourth volume contains articles about deactivated aircraft, which played an important role in the history of our aviation, including the Tu-16 bomber and the M-4 and 3M aircraft. The Military Aircraft volume of the encyclopedia contains 780 pages of text and illustrations. It describes flight and performance characteristics of bombers, fighter-bombers, fighters, attack aircraft and special-purpose aircraft. The reader is also acquainted with military helicopters, remote-piloted vehicles, dirigibles and air balloons.

Russian Air Force provides the mainstay of military aviation of Russia. Air superiority and support of ground and naval forces are among its primary missions. Moreover, military aviation makes part of the Navy, Land Forces and strategic missile forces. Helicopters are in service with frontier guards and internal troops.

The fourth volume presents a wide variety of remote-piloted vehicles and target-aircraft, including the Tu-141 Strizh operational-tactical remote-piloted reconnaissance aircraft, which can carry out air aerial reconnaissance of hostile targets and areas to a depth of 400 km from the forward edge of the battle area in the face of severe air defense countermeasures and over radioactive terrain. The authors tell the reader about some unique features and capabilities of tactical remote-piloted vehicles Tu-143 and Tu-243. And have you ever heard about remotely piloted helicopter Ka-137? It is also described there.

"Along with air vehicles currently in service, - says Nikolai Spasski, Editor-in-Chief of the Arms and Technologies publishing house, - the fourth volume describes experimental and future aircraft of different types and applications".

That is right. The book gives information about 15 experimental and prospective aircraft of different purpose and about 11 helicopters. Among them are the S-47 Berkut famous experimental fighter, the A-40 Albatros anti-submarine warfare amphibious aircraft and the Vityaz-2000 multi-functional fighter designed to attack air and ground targets at any time of day and in any weather (do not confuse this aircraft with an experimental front-line fighter, designated the "1.44"). Another project presented to the reader is a project of a high-flying early-warning aircraft, designated M-67. It makes part of aerial information complexes and is designed to carry a special-purpose optical detection system intended to detect and track ballistic missiles and their component parts both in the powered and unpowered flight phases. Another interesting project is one of a vertical take-off and landing transport aircraft, which can be used in military and non-military applications. Its basic mission is to transport military personnel and equipment. The aircraft can be operated from unpaved landing sites with minimum preparation.

Then, the reader is acquainted with projects of the M-90 and the Molniya-1000 (Gerakl) aircraft. The M-90 is an ultra-heavy cargo aircraft capable of transporting up to 1,090 men. The Molniya-1000 is an ultra-heavy two-beam aircraft designed to carry cargo loads of up to 450 tons (!) on external suspension points. Its dimensions are made equal to those of the An-225 Mria transport aircraft to permit the new vehicle to be built at existing production capacities in Russia without building new capacities. Cargo-carrying capacity of the new aircraft is 1.5 that of the An-225.

Now, a few words about the Mi-30 tilt-rotor cargo/passenger aircraft. It was slated to replace the Mi-8 world-famous multi-purpose helicopter. The Mi-30 features two tilt rotors mounted on the wingtips. For take-off and landing as a conventional helicopter, the engines are positioned vertically. After take-off, the rotor assembly tilts forward and the wing, together with its aerodynamic control surfaces, takes on the load of the aircraft.

It should be noted here that only the world's industrial economies have the capability to develop and manufacture aircraft for different applications.

Undoubtedly, Russia is among them. It is good that the book uncovers the capabilities of Russia's largest organizations involved in designing, developing and manufacturing air vehicles. Much space in this volume is allocated to the description of aircraft engines produced by Russian companies. One noticeable feature of this volume is detailed description of upgrade programs intended to enhance operational characteristics of fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft at low cost. Undoubtedly, aircraft specialists, companies and firms will use the book as a guide. It is convenient that the book uses a Classifier of Items of Supply adopted by the Armed Forces of Russia, which is compatible with similar foreign Classifiers.

Alike the previous volumes, the materials published in this volume have been contributed by research organizations, by specialists of defense industry companies and firms and by the Defense Ministry of Russia. They acquaint the reader with military aviation of Russia and its prospects at the beginning of the 21st century.

Colonel General Vladimir Mikhailov, Air Force Commander-in-Chief, says that the qualitative and quantitative parameters of Russia's military aviation meet operational requirements and effectiveness criteria. However, new requirements are set for the prospective military aircraft. Their multifunctionality, all-weather capability, ability to operate day and night, high navigational and weapons use accuracy, immunity to jamming, etc are the most important. The Russian Federation maintains research and production capabilities to meet the challenges of the 21st century in the aircraft building sphere and will continue to be one of the world's leading air powers in the future.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 5th MAKS-2001 International Aerospace Exhibition, V. Putin said: "Russia is a country with long-established aircraft-building traditions. We have much to remember. We have much to be proud of." On the eve of the 90th anniversary of our Air Force, these words acquire special significance. Undoubtedly, everyone who opens this book starts feeling proud of our military aviation. The task of the Arms and Technologies publishing house was to show the talent and capabilities of our contemporaries - aircraft designers, engineers and workers who continue the glorious traditions of Russian aircraft builders. The book shows our "winged defensive potential" in full detail. Analysis of recent wars and military conflicts vividly indicates an ever-increasing role of aviation not only in separate military operations but also in achieving political goals.