Airborne troops today are rarely used precisely as airborne troops. Only during exercises can you see the release of an entire unit or even a part. And this tendency arose in Afghanistan. Yes, light units quickly moved into combat areas. At the same time, they used not only "native" BMDs, but also BMPs. But it became dangerous to risk subunits if the enemy had decent air defense systems.
Helicopters and airplanes began to be used for early relocation to combat areas. Sometimes for landing reconnaissance combat groups. And the rest of the paratroopers?
The rest - "riding" on armored vehicles at high speed. That ensured a fairly effective use of such units.
Ultimately, when the concept of using amphibious units took on a more or less understandable form, the question arose about additional fire weapons and heavy equipment for the Airborne Forces. Heroism, possession of improvised means in hand-to-hand combat, the ability to "stand to the death" had to be reinforced with real tanks and cannons. So that the "winged infantry" could resist the usual infantry.
Note that the heaviest weapon in the Airborne Forces for many years was the "Nona-S".
What it was more, 120-mm divisional regimental gun, howitzer or mortar, it is difficult to say. Lightweight, versatile and quite effective means of fighting infantry and artillery. In all other cases, the paratroopers had to rely on light weapons, carried or carried with them.
The first sign in the upcoming innovations was "Sprut".
The car who saw her in action is more than peculiar. Nedotank. A tank gun based on the undercarriage from the light tank under development "Judge" (Object 934) and the aggregate from the BMD-4M. Self-propelled anti-tank gun, with very impressive running and maneuvering characteristics and firing accuracy that is not inferior to tanks on which the same gun is mounted. The 125-mm 2A75 smoothbore cannon, which is an upgrade of the 2A46 in service today. The only difference is that instead of a muzzle brake, the recoil length is increased and the suspension of the machine is used to extinguish the energy of the shot.
The second swallow is indeed a swallow. Only on tracks. Speech, as you probably understood, is about the BTR-MD "Shell", which (or which) should replace the honored veteran of the BTR-D. Whoever saw with his own eyes how this armored box rushes along the road could not be left without impressions.
As you can see, work is underway to replace old and introduce new types of weapons for the Airborne Forces. Yes, it would be nice to complete everything that revolves around the BMD-4M.
Move on. And then we have Omsk. As you know, there is a large training center for the Airborne Forces. The one where the tragedy happened, where the barracks collapsed.
After the tragedy, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu decided to expand the training center in connection with the change in the tasks of the Airborne Forces. Construction of new barracks, construction of new educational buildings, a new training ground.
The question arises: why so much new? "We are ours, we will build a new world"? Almost yes. Work is underway on the territory of the center. Unfortunately, getting admission there is virtually unrealistic. But the following information comes in.
According to the statement of the commander of the Airborne Forces Vladimir Shamanov, the Omsk 242nd Airborne Training Center from this year begins to train an expanded range of specialists for the airborne units.
First of all, these are UAV specialists. Everything is clear here, intelligence gets an eagle eye on its wings.
The next innovation is the training of tankers. There was a very controversial statement by Shamanov about the organization of tank companies as part of the Airborne Forces. Then many copies were broken on the topic of why the goat needs a button accordion.
Omsk has a major advantage in training such specialists. The fact is that it is there that the branch of the Moscow Academy of Logistics is located. And what is especially important, the academy prepares not only specialists of higher special education, but also the middle level. And the equipment of the academy is known far beyond the borders of Russia. It is the academy specialists who will train tankers for the T-72B3 landing craft.
But this is not the limit. In addition to tankers, the BMP-2 appeared in the Airborne Forces. Two brigades of the Eastern Military District will be armed with just such machines. It seems to be a strange choice, however, if you look, nothing strange. BMP-2 and BMD-3 are very similar in performance characteristics. However, the BMP goes further, and it has a larger troop compartment. Here, in fact, the whole secret is revealed.
What do we get? Like airborne troops, but with tanks, anti-tank self-propelled artillery, infantry fighting vehicles capable of carrying more personnel further. Plus a new armored personnel carrier, which can accommodate 13 people.
In our opinion, some reformatting of the Airborne Forces is not far off. From airborne troops to highly mobile troops. The name may not change, the essence, by the way, too. If anything, the paratroopers will still be the second to meet the enemy. The first, of course, are the border guards. But if (God forbid, of course) you have to protect one of our allies, then, no doubt, the paratroopers will be the first.
And if we are talking about just such a vision of the situation, then our realities are as follows: the presence of the most numerous airborne troops in the world obliges to consider these troops not as an operational plug for any problem that arises, but as a force capable of taking the first blow and detain the enemy until the main forces approach. This is the first thing. And the second - using high equipment and mobility, to inflict a preemptive strike on the enemy. And in principle it doesn't even matter whether this blow falls from the sky or rolls on the ground. The essence does not change from this.
But the transformation of the Airborne Forces into highly mobile and sufficiently armed troops for solving operational and tactical tasks is a very significant matter. Not at all at odds with the traditions laid down by Margelov.
