By the early 90s, the Russian fleet had 2 air divisions, 23 separate aviation regiments, 8 separate aviation squadrons, and the 1st air group. They included: 145 Tu-22M2 and M3, 67 Tu-142, 45 Il-38, 223 Ka-27, Ka-25 and Mi-14, 41 Ka-29. In total, more than 500 combat aircraft and helicopters, excluding transport, reconnaissance, rescue and electronic warfare. As of 2012, 7 air bases and one separate 279th naval aviation regiment, assigned to Kuznetsov, remained in the naval aviation.
The aircraft fleet includes about 300 aircraft: 24 Su-24M / MR, 21 Su-33 (in flight condition no more than 12), 16 Tu-142 (in flight condition no more than 10), 4 Su-25 UTG (279th naval air regiment), 16 Il-38 (in flight condition no more than 10), 7 Be-12 (mainly in the Black Sea Fleet, will be decommissioned in the near future), 95 Ka-27 (no more than 70 are in good working order), 10 Ka-29 (assigned to the Marines), 16 Mi-8, 11 An-12 (several in reconnaissance and electronic warfare), 47 An-24 and An-26, 8 An-72, 5 Tu-134, 2 Tu-154, 2 Il-18, 1 Il-22, 1 Il-20, 4 Tu-134UBL. Of these, no more than 50% are technically sound, capable of performing a combat mission in full. Annual flight time, on average per crew, within 30 hours.
From the figures presented, it can be seen that the number of naval combat aircraft and helicopters has decreased by 3 times. Tu-22M naval aviation regiments and naval attack aircraft were completely eliminated. In general, compared with the 92nd year, the fleet of anti-submarine aircraft decreased by 73%, total aircraft by 70%, helicopters by 74%. Anti-submarine aviation continues to operate two types of Il-38 and Tu-142MZ / MK aircraft. These four-engine aircraft are in service with two "large" fleets - the North and the Pacific. Their main task is to find, detect, track and destroy enemy submarines.
It should be noted that these functions also imply the fulfillment of real peacetime tasks - the so-called "combat patrols", in which aircraft search and track submarines in international waters. These sorties can be “offensive” and “defensive”. The former include the patrol zones of a potential adversary's SSBN, primarily American submarines. In the second case, Russian anti-submarine aviation covers the areas of probable patrolling of its strategic missile carriers, observing the activity of enemy submarines, which may pose a threat to Russian SSBNs when they are on alert.
For example, similar flights at that time are carried out by Tu-142 and Il-38 around the Kamchatka Peninsula, where Russian SSBNs are usually located. The Tu-142 patrol and anti-submarine aircraft was developed on the basis of the Tu-95 strategic bomber specifically for long-range operations in ocean waters. The range is 4500 km. The aircraft entered service in 1972, the current modifications of the Tu-142MK and Tu-142MZ entered service in the 1980s. and were in production until the early 1990s.
Both fleets have one squadron of these aircraft. The service life of the airframe is still quite significant, but their modernization is not planned. The last Tu-142 will most likely be decommissioned by 2020. The flights of these aircraft were suspended, after the disaster on November 6, 2009, the Tu-142MZ belonging to the 568th separate mixed aviation regiment of the Pacific Fleet (Mongokhto, Khabarovsk Territory, Kamenny Ruchey airfield). On November 9, at the crash site of the aircraft (at a distance of 26 km from the home airfield), during a search and rescue operation, floating fragments of the aircraft structure and parts of the bodies of dead people were found. There were 11 servicemen on board the Tu-142MZ. In the spring of 2011 (that is, almost a year and a half later), the investigation of the disaster was completed. The official reason is the "human factor".
Il-38 is the second type of Russian anti-submarine and patrol aircraft. Originally intended for operations in the "middle ocean zone", it was put into service in 1968, created on the basis of the well-known passenger Il-18. Remaining examples built in the late 1960s and early 1970s. are in service with one squadron of the Northern Fleet and two of the Pacific.
Despite their age, the service life of the gliders remains very significant, and the operating cost is relatively low. Part of the park is supposed to be modernized in order to increase their capabilities. However, today the combat readiness of these aircraft is extremely low, in August 2011, I happened to observe the flights of these aircraft from the Nikolaevka airfield, not far from the city of Partizansk, in the Primorsky Territory. Of the 8 vehicles that were at the airfield, a significant part is in a very unsightly condition, half of them are able to rise into the air at most.
The future of the naval reconnaissance aviation is not clear either, the Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft, the buildings of the 70s, also created on the basis of the Il-18, are physically and morally obsolete. The number of built reconnaissance Tu-214R, created by him to replace, was decided to be limited to a couple of pieces.
As the military said, it is not very suitable for them, since it is not capable of performing a steady flight at low speeds, in patrol mode. The time spent in the air is also not satisfied, according to this parameter, it is inferior to the Il-20. Obviously, for these requirements, an aircraft equipped with turboprop engines is more appropriate. However, a visit in 2011 to Vozdvizhenka airfield near Ussuriysk left an especially untidy draft. At one time, I still found flights of naval Tu-16s there. Which were replaced in the early 90s by the supersonic Tu-22M3. Currently, these are not old cars, they are on "conservation", under the open sky. Their condition today can be judged by the photographs.
In general, the future of naval aviation in our country is very vague. There have been no clear forecasts on the part of those in power, against the background of the upcoming massive write-off of aircraft in old age, its development for the future has not been announced. In the near future, due to wear and tear, it is planned to replace the deck-mounted Su-33 with the MiG-29K.
And also the modernization of a part of the Il-38. And that's all for now …
Someone may say that our country does not need naval aviation at all, all tasks can be solved within the framework of the Air Force.
But let's see how our closest "probable friends" are doing.
The US Navy aviation, taking into account those in reserve, has about 2,000 aircraft, which is comparable to the entire fleet of the Russian Air Force, of which only the anti-submarine R-3 Orion (analogue of the Il-38), more than 150.
In flight, base patrolmen: R-8 Poseidon and R-3 Orion
The delivery to the Navy of the new base patrol P-8 Poseidon, created on the basis of the Boeing-737, has begun. The topic of marine drones is actively developing.
The command of the US Navy intends to conclude contracts for the creation of carrier-based unmanned aerial vehicles (UCLASS) with four American companies: Boeing, General Atomics, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. According to Flightglobal, the contracts will be concluded as part of a tender for the creation and supply of a deck-based drone.
China is also strengthening its naval aviation. The number of the fleet of naval aviation, excluding transport and auxiliary ones, exceeds 400 aircraft and helicopters. Outdated samples are being replaced and modernized. The most combat-ready are considered to be delivered by our country and built on site: 50 Su-30MK2, fighters of our own design: 24 J-10A, fighter-bombers adapted for strikes against naval targets: 54 JH-7A.
Created its own carrier-based aircraft, based on aircraft carriers. Bombers of the fleet aviation are represented by the Chinese analogue of the Tu-16-Khun-6 (H-6). The hun-6 in the naval modification became known as the hun-6D and can carry the S-601 and S-611 air-to-ship missiles with a range of up to 200 km.
In addition, the fleet aviation has a modification of the Hun-6D tanker aircraft, which can refuel equipment in the air.
India also pays great attention to its naval aviation. It is especially noteworthy that the aircraft of the Navy of this country is armed with Soviet and Russian-built equipment. Recently, contracts were signed with Russia for the modernization of the existing Tu-142 and Il-38 with equipping the onboard search and sighting complex "Sea Serpent".
Tu-142 Indian Navy
Satellite image of Google Earth: Il-38, Tu-142 Indian Navy, Goa airfield
Also, on the basis of the P-8A "Poseidon", an export version of the P-8I was created for the Indian Navy.
P-8I "Poseidon" Indian Navy
The first 12 vehicles are to enter service with the Indian Naval Aviation in 2013. In total, the Indians plan to receive up to 24 "Sea Gods"
A batch of MiG-29Ks was purchased for deployment on aircraft carriers.
As you can see, naval aviation continues to develop actively abroad, since without it the Navy is not able to adequately and fully fulfill the assigned tasks.
