In the past 2012, more than 900 billion rubles were spent on the purchase of new equipment and weapons for the Russian army. In the current 2013, it is planned to allocate 1.3 trillion for these needs. Thus, defense spending is constantly increasing, which simply cannot but lead to positive consequences. So, over the past year, the Russian air force received about one and a half hundred pieces of equipment, primarily of new types. In the future, this trend will continue and even increase the pace.
Su-35S [/center]
Su-34
In 2013, the delivery of Su-35S fighters, Su-34 front-line bombers, Ka-52 and Mi-35M helicopters, as well as other types of equipment will continue. Of course, new arrivals will directly affect the combat effectiveness of the Air Force. First of all, it should be noted that the current pace of deliveries of aviation equipment will allow in the coming years to complete the re-equipment of some units with new aircraft and helicopters. Thus, a number of Air Force units can be updated not only for the 70-80 percent required by the state rearmament program, but also for one hundred percent. At the same time, the quantitative aspect will grow into a qualitative one.
Ka-52
Mi-35M
The improvement in quality is especially noticeable in the light of that part of the front-line aviation, which is designed to strike at ground targets, because it is this part of the Air Force that is currently receiving the largest number of new aircraft. For example, the Su-34 front-line bombers, which began to enter the troops a few years ago, unlike their predecessors Su-24M, have a higher strike potential. They can use a wider range of weapons, as well as carry out long-range attacks on targets. In addition, the Su-34 has the ability to carry and use a number of guided munitions, which brings this bomber to the world level. It is noteworthy that in addition to specialized Su-34 bombers, the Russian Air Force also receives other vehicles: Su-35S fighter-bombers, MiG-29SMT, etc. All these types of aircraft also have the ability to attack ground targets, and are also capable of working on air targets. Thus, the new front-line aviation technology is a kind of hybrid of the traditional Russian and Western approaches to the formation of tactical aviation: both specialized bombers and fighters are in service at the same time with the ability to attack "ground".
MiG-29SMT
The second factor directly affecting the quality aspects of front-line aviation is an increase in the rate of purchase of guided munitions. Not so long ago, the Ministry of Defense, in accordance with the latest world trends in the development of military aviation, decided to use such bombs and missiles as the main means of destruction of ground targets. Of course, no one refuses cannon armament and unguided missiles, but now more priority is given to guided systems.
Another feature of the new technology has a greater impact on the tactical capabilities of front-line aviation. As can be seen from numerous materials, almost all new types of such aircraft are equipped with in-flight refueling systems. Thanks to them, new fighters and bombers will be able to operate at a considerable distance from their airfields. The benefits of this feature have been repeatedly confirmed in practice. For example, the other day French fighters Dassault Rafale, flying from the Saint-Dizier airbase, located in the north of France, to the N'Djamene airfield (Chad), along the way, attacked enemy targets in the Malian city of Gao. During the flight lasting several hours, the Rafali covered about five thousand kilometers with refueling in flight. This operation of the French Air Force once again proved a simple truth: with proper planning, even front-line aviation can perform tasks at ranges characteristic of more serious units. It is quite obvious that in Russian conditions, given the size of the country, such things should become mandatory and regular. The presence of refueling systems on new aircraft gives hope for movement in this direction.
Finally, the last factor that increases the combat effectiveness of Russian aviation concerns the supply of new simulators and the increase in pilots' flight time. A new, more complex technique requires certain skills and abilities that cannot be obtained without appropriate practice. Thus, the average flight time of pilots of the Russian Air Force has been constantly growing in recent years and has already exceeded 100 hours per year. In the future, the existing trend will continue, which will also help to increase the combat potential of all types of aviation.
In addition to the direct supply of new equipment for the further development of the Air Force, it is necessary to resolve a number of related issues. For example, the leadership of the Ministry of Defense intends to revise old plans for the modernization of existing airfields. In addition, the development of the infrastructure of these facilities will continue. Also an important part of the renewal and modernization of the air force is the further improvement of the tactics of using aviation. This issue is directly related to the supply of new technology, from fighters and bombers to special aircraft: reconnaissance, early warning and control, etc. Aircraft of these classes are already in the Russian Air Force, and their quantitative and qualitative composition is constantly improving. At the same time, it cannot yet be said that the total number of available A-50 AWACS or other "special equipment" aircraft corresponds to the desired one. Thus, special aircraft are already one of the highest priority areas for the development of the Russian Air Force.
As you can see, the current state of affairs in the Russian air force is much better than it was several years ago. The number of new equipment is gradually increasing, which leads to a qualitative improvement in the capabilities of the entire service arm. At the same time, many problems remain. In the very near future, the Ministry of Defense will have to carry out a number of programs designed to remove the existing shortcomings, such as the lack of an adequate number of special aircraft, the lag in the field of guided weapons, etc. However, the announced plans for defense spending suggest that the biggest problem in the development and improvement of the domestic air force will not be lack of funding, but compliance with the planned deadlines. But, as experience shows, this is not the biggest problem that can happen to the armed forces.
