Army Aviation Day is celebrated in Russia annually on October 28. This year, Army Aviation celebrates its 70th anniversary. The history of the Russian army aviation dates back to 1948. On October 28, 1948, the first aviation squadron was formed in Serpukhov near Moscow, which received rotary-wing aircraft. It was a training squadron in the Air Force, engaged in the development of helicopters and training pilots for new machines. At the beginning of 1951, the squadron received the first Mi-1 helicopters of the pre-production batch, until that moment the squadron pilots had flown and trained on G-3 helicopters, which were developed at the I. P. Bratukhin Design Bureau.
At first, such an aircraft was considered auxiliary - its tasks included adjusting artillery fire, transporting various cargo, maintaining stable communication between units on the battlefield. Over time, in the course of the technical evolution of helicopters, the tasks of army aviation have expanded significantly, helicopters have become an independent and very effective weapon, a means of direct fire support of ground forces from the air. In our country, significant changes in army aviation are associated with the appearance of the Mi-24 helicopter, its serial production began in 1971.
The Mi-24 became the first Soviet (European) and second in the world after the American AH-1 Cobra specialized combat helicopter. Since 1971, a huge number of modifications of this helicopter have been created, which were exported to many countries of the world. The helicopter was actively used by Soviet troops in Afghanistan, as well as during the hostilities on the territory of Chechnya, was a participant in many regional conflicts. The vehicle remains in service with the Russian army, and its deeply modernized version of the Mi-35M has successfully proved its effectiveness during the fighting in Syria.
Helicopter Mi-1
Today, army aviation successfully solves tactical and operational-tactical tasks within the framework of army operations (combat operations). During its 70-year history, the crews and vehicles of the army aviation have visited all the "hot spots" of Russia, as well as far beyond the borders of our country. Today, they continue to demonstrate examples of a high level of professionalism and heroism, performing combat missions in different parts of the world. In peacetime, the army aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces participates in combat training events. Today it is impossible to imagine large-scale exercises that would have done without aviation support and the participation of helicopter technology, in addition to this, army aviation is involved in peacekeeping operations in different parts of our planet. Also, the crews and helicopters of the army aviation are involved in eliminating the consequences of natural and man-made disasters, delivering humanitarian aid and evacuating the sick and wounded.
Over the past decades, Army aviation has several times moved from the Air Force to the Ground Forces and vice versa. So in 1990, it turned into an independent branch of the military, and by January 2003 it was transferred from the Ground Forces to the Russian Air Force. Since 2015, army aviation as part of the Russian Air Force has been part of the Aerospace Forces of our country. At the same time, regardless of all the changes, army aviation helicopters did not lose their combat effectiveness.
But no matter how developed the means of warfare and no matter how fast the helicopters and their armament develop, by themselves they still do not guarantee victory over the enemy. First of all, the winners are the people who control this technique and masterfully mastered their craft. Well trained, prepared, organized, they determine success on the battlefield, ensure the fulfillment of assigned tasks and are responsible for the success of an operation. In this regard, the Russian army aviation has always been lucky, it is no coincidence that the most titled officer of the country is the military pilot of the army aviation - retired colonel Igor Olegovich Rodobolsky, who during his lifetime became a legend of the country's air force. It is these people who personify the power and combat capabilities of the Russian armed forces.
Helicopters Mi-26 and Mi-8, photo mil.ru
Today, the Syzran branch of the Air Force Military Educational and Scientific Center, a real forge of future personnel, is engaged in the training of army aviation pilots. Today, this center also uses modern Ansat-U helicopters, on which cadet pilots are trained. The 344th center for combat training and retraining of flight personnel also plays an important role in training and advanced training, as well as retraining pilots for new helicopters, which are massively supplied to the troops. The center located in Torzhok is rightly considered one of the main in Russia.
On their professional holiday, the servicemen of this center do not arrange celebrations. The crews of the Russian Aerospace Forces army aviation carry out planned flights, and also practice elements of the combat use of helicopters against ground targets, including in adverse weather conditions and elements of aerobatics. In recent years, they fly often and a lot in Torzhok. It happens that in one shift the board spends at least five hours in the sky. All the most modern Russian helicopters, which are adopted by the Ministry of Defense, first go to the 344th Army Aviation Center - the only one in the country. The instructors are the first to learn to fly the new technology, and then the rest of the pilots. For example, the aerobatic team "Berkuts", flying on Mi-28N helicopters, are teachers for novice pilots of army aviation. The officers of this aerobatic team show such things in the sky that no one in the world can repeat.
Not so long ago, the newest Mi-28UB helicopters arrived at the center to train young pilots. On this combat training helicopter, a special complex was introduced that allows young pilots to learn how to fly a helicopter in unforeseen situations. Vasily Kleshchenko, deputy chief of the 344th aviation center for military tests and flight methodological work, told journalists about this on the eve of Army Aviation Day.
Helicopters Mi-28UB, photo: strizhi.ru
The Mi-28UB is a combat training modification of the Russian Mi-28N Night Hunter attack helicopter. Work on this version of the helicopter began in 2010. Although the helicopter is intended for training pilots, it fully retains all its combat capabilities, the press service of the Russian Defense Ministry reports. The main feature of the Mi-28UB helicopter is a dual control system, such a system allows the aircraft to be piloted both from the cockpit of the crew commander and from the cockpit of the navigator-weapons operator. “On the Mi-28UB, not only dual control was implemented in both cockpits, the helicopter also has a complex for simulating failures, so this combat vehicle allows more efficient, and most importantly, safe training of young flight personnel for helicopters of the Mi-28 family”, - said Vasily Kleschenko. According to him, the complex for simulating failures allows young pilots, under the guidance of an experienced instructor, to study in practice possible algorithms of actions in cases of various malfunctions or unforeseen situations on board the helicopter. A pilot trained in such conditions will be able to confidently control a combat helicopter, and in difficult times such skills and abilities, perhaps, will save the lives of the crew.
According to the deputy head of the 344th center, the guided weapons of the Mi-28UB helicopter are used at the simultaneous command of the instructor-pilot and the navigator-operator, and all other systems of the machine are fully duplicated in both cockpits and work at the command of one of the pilots. “It is envisaged that there will be one Mi-28UB aircraft per helicopter link,” added Vasily Kleshchenko. According to him, until recently, the retraining of army aviation pilots for the Mi-28N attack helicopter was carried out only on the Mi-24 helicopter, which also has a dual control system.
Soon, the army aviation will also receive a new Mi-38T transport and landing helicopter, which is expected to take to the skies for the first time in November 2018. Vladislav Savelyev, Deputy Director General of the Russian Helicopters holding for sales of military helicopter equipment, told TASS journalists on the eve of Army Aviation Day. Mi-38 is a new generation helicopter.
Helicopter Mi-38
The Mi-38 medium multipurpose helicopter will have to occupy a niche between the Mi-8 multipurpose helicopter and the Mi-26 heavy helicopter. In the civilian sphere, the helicopter will be used to transport passengers and cargo, as a search and rescue helicopter. The military version of the helicopter, the Mi-38T (airborne), does not include foreign-made units and components. The helicopter is equipped with new highly efficient Russian-made TV7-117V engines and an integrated digital flight and navigation system; the creation of an “Arctic” version of the helicopter is also being worked out. Earlier, Andrei Boginsky, the head of the Russian Helicopters holding, said that the Russian military would receive the first Mi-38T helicopters in 2019.
Currently, the army aviation is armed with new and modernized combat helicopters Mi-24, Mi-28N, Ka-52, transport and combat Mi-35M, combat training Mi-28UB, training Ansat-U, as well as numerous versions of multipurpose helicopters of the Mi-8 family and the world's largest helicopter Mi-26T. Army aviation is constantly being replenished with new helicopter technology. Thus, according to the statements of the management of the Russian Helicopters holding, as part of the implementation of the state defense order for 2017, 72 new helicopters were produced and delivered at the enterprises of the holding in the interests of the Russian Ministry of Defense. At the end of 2018, the Ministry of Defense should receive another 60 new helicopters as part of the state defense order.
On October 28, the Day of Army Aviation, which celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2018, the Military Review team congratulates the veterans and active servicemen of the Army Aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces on their professional holiday.
