After years of degradation, the Russian Air Force was finally ushered in the dawn of a comprehensive facelift. Called Moscow “Guards,” the 16th Air Army, recently received the latest Su -34 fighter-bomber, the aircraft has a combat radius of the large, greatly strengthened the heart of the Russian air force launched raids against NATO’s capabilities.
Use “all” Su Su -24 instead of -34
Early September, the Russian 16th Air Army Commander Major General Belevich announced that it has received military-to-date Su -34 fighter-bombers, will replace the existing fleet of Su -24 fighter-bomber.
SU -34 is an “all-round player,” can not only ease to complete difficult maneuvers, but also to carry modern weapons, and in adverse weather conditions on the ground, sea and even underwater targets, “targeted killings.” Zelin, commander of the Russian Air Force Su -34 would be very discouraged, saying that “in the world do not yet comparable with the fighter-bomber.”
Replacement to bring arms is responsible for the defense of Moscow from the 16th Air Army, as unlike other forces to worry about. As early as in the Soviet era, in order to ensure the combat effectiveness of the army, the government reserves a lot of their equipment, even the most expensive of the engine also serves as a one-time supplies a large amount of stock. According to inside sources, because the Army, the engine of MiG -29 fighter shorter lifespans, so its a long time library maintains a huge stock of munitions to the war could “wear out on the throw.”
Integrated air defense elite division
In 1998, the Russian military reform, once the 16th Air Army was canceled preparation, downsizing for the first 16 mixed air force army, fighting also will be diminished. However, with the changes in the international situation, the Russian senior government officials quickly realized the importance of the force.
Four years later, 16 mixed restore the Army Air forces, coupled with absorption of the former anti-aircraft defense forces, it has thus become a set of air and ground air defense units in one complex-type units. February 1, 2002, former Russian air force commander General Mikhailov himself for the Army flag.
Currently, 16 Air Army under the jurisdiction of a mixed air divisions (including two groups), two directly under the fighter aviation regiment, an independent reconnaissance aviation regiment and an aviation technology and equipment exhibition center. The main models are equipped with Su -24 fighter-bombers, attack planes Su -25, -29 Su -27 fighter and MiG fighters and so on.
Among them, 237 aviation technology and equipment exhibition center is the 16th Group Army of the special unit, the Center for three-time “Soviet Hero,” the title of the Air Force Marshal Ivan Kozhedub named. Its jurisdiction “Russian Warrior” and the “Swifts” aerobatic team known worldwide, has completed several difficult aerobatic movements created many Western counterparts have never tried the feat. However, the center of the most important task is to test new weapons.
Under normal circumstances, the Russian Air Force, the latest equipment, most of the priority set out the direction of loading in charge of European defense force, from which you can also see Moscow’s wariness of NATO. As the 16th Army to take the fight against NATO and the dual task of defending the capital, plus have the highest levels of ace pilots, so it should be viewed as experimental base for new equipment.
“Royal Guards” both offensive and defensive
At present, NATO has to build the north the Baltic Sea, via the Black Sea, the Middle East, Central Asia, the arc connecting the strategic line of defense, pose a serious threat to Russian national security. To this end, the 16th Air Army to build as one capable of destroying deep targets of NATO “air guards” and become a prime choice as the Russian military.
It is reported that the 16th Army in the vicinity of Smolensk has a great combat readiness airport, after the disintegration of the Soviet Union because of non-deployment of the aircraft is idle, if not unexpected, then, Su -34 fighter planes will be broadly based there. Opening maps, in order to Smolensk base anchored, and then taking into account the SU -34 fighter has a combat radius of 3,500 km, No. 16 Army is fully capable of destroying NATO’s possible in the first deployment of military facilities in Eastern Europe.
By convention, the Russian Air Force’s long-range strategic bombing missions undertaken by the 37th Air Army. If we say that the 37th Army is Russia’s “nuclear club”, then the 16th Army was called “Royal Guards”, which directly take orders from the Moscow Air Defense District, Special Central Command, the headquarters is only 65 kilometers away from Moscow, and the pre-theater wide range – to cover not only all of Russia west of Moscow airspace, after the establishment of the Russia-Belarus Union State, Belarus airspace have been incorporated into the scope of its operations. More importantly, the 37th Army major equipment strategic bombers, a rare fighter; In contrast, mixed with a large number of fighters and fighter-bomber of the 16th Army, more suitable for fast-break-intensive NATO air defense systems.
