37th Air Army
Encyclopedia
The 37th Air Army of the High Supreme Command (Strategic Purpose) was the strategic bomber
force of the Russian Air Force
from 1998 to 2009. It was equipped with Tu-95MS Bear and Tu-160 Blackjack armed with nuclear cruise missiles, and the intermediate range Tu-22M3 Backfire-C bombers.
It was the successor to the Soviet era Long Range Aviation
,, which once had several Air Armies, including the 37th. The 37th Air Army was originally formed in 1949 by redesignating the 4th Air Army
in the Northern Group of Forces
in Poland
. It was active there until 1968. It was reformed by a decree of 13 March 1980, along with the 24th, 30th, and 46th Air Armies, which together replaced the Long Range Aviation
headquarters, which was disbanded. It appears the decree may have been put into effect and the headquarters actually reformed on 1 August 1980.
Strategic aviation is the sole Russian Air Force component which was actually increased in the 1990s rather than being cut, as were the other Arms and Services. Following the break-up of the USSR in the early 1990s, only 22 Tu-95MS bombers remained on Russian territory; at that time the only Tu-160s were in test units or with the manufacturers. However, manufacture of the Tu-160 continued, and between 1992 and 1995, the Engels
regiment received six Tu-160s before the production rate slowed down considerably. More aircraft, 43 Tu-95MSes and 8 Tu-160s were exchanged, or bought back from Kazakhstan
and Ukraine
. The Russian Air Force currently has 64 Tu-95MS and 16 Tu-160 bombers, and these are being upgraded by changing the navigation and fire-control suites and installing new weapons, including non-nuclear cruise missile
s, Kh-55 and stand-off guided munitions.
On September 10, 2008 two Tu-160 bombers made flight from a basing place to airdrome Libertador in Venezuela
, using as airdrome of jumping up airdrome Olenegorsk
in Murmansk area. Onboard were training rockets with which the sortie's task was fulfilled. It is the first case of use in the history of the Russian Federation by Long-Range Aviation aircraft of airdromes located in territory of the foreign state. While in Venezuela the aircraft made training flights over neutral waters in the Atlantic ocean and Caribbean sea. [8]
In 2009 the 37th Air Army of the Supreme Command was disbanded as part of a large scale reorganisation of the Air Force and has been reformed into the Long Range Aviation
Command.
Total aircraft in division (1.1.91): 13 Tu-95MS-16 and 27 Tu-95MS-6
Later commanders: Major General Pavel Androsov, and Major General Anatoly Zhiharev, former Chief of Staff of the 37th Air Army.
Strategic bomber
A strategic bomber is a heavy bomber aircraft designed to drop large amounts of ordnance onto a distant target for the purposes of debilitating an enemy's capacity to wage war. Unlike tactical bombers, which are used in the battle zone to attack troops and military equipment, strategic bombers are...
force of the Russian Air Force
Russian Air Force
The Russian Air Force is the air force of Russian Military. It is currently under the command of Colonel General Aleksandr Zelin. The Russian Navy has its own air arm, the Russian Naval Aviation, which is the former Soviet Aviatsiya Voyenno Morskogo Flota , or AV-MF).The Air Force was formed from...
from 1998 to 2009. It was equipped with Tu-95MS Bear and Tu-160 Blackjack armed with nuclear cruise missiles, and the intermediate range Tu-22M3 Backfire-C bombers.
It was the successor to the Soviet era Long Range Aviation
Long Range Aviation
Long Range Aviation was the branch of the Soviet Air Forces tasked with long-range bombardment of strategic targets with nuclear weapons. During the Cold War, it was the counterpart to the Strategic Air Command of the United States Air Force....
,, which once had several Air Armies, including the 37th. The 37th Air Army was originally formed in 1949 by redesignating the 4th Air Army
4th Air Army
The 4th Air Army was a Soviet Air Force formation and from 1992 to 2009 was part of the Russian Air Force. From 1998 the army was designated the 4th Army of Air Forces and Air Defence. It was first established on 22 May 1942 from the Air Forces of the Soviet Southern Front, and fought on the...
in the Northern Group of Forces
Northern Group of Forces
The Northern Group of Forces was the military formation of the Soviet Army stationed in Poland from the end of Second World War in 1945 until 1993 when they were withdrawn in the aftermath of the fall of Soviet Union...
in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. It was active there until 1968. It was reformed by a decree of 13 March 1980, along with the 24th, 30th, and 46th Air Armies, which together replaced the Long Range Aviation
Long Range Aviation
Long Range Aviation was the branch of the Soviet Air Forces tasked with long-range bombardment of strategic targets with nuclear weapons. During the Cold War, it was the counterpart to the Strategic Air Command of the United States Air Force....
headquarters, which was disbanded. It appears the decree may have been put into effect and the headquarters actually reformed on 1 August 1980.
Strategic aviation is the sole Russian Air Force component which was actually increased in the 1990s rather than being cut, as were the other Arms and Services. Following the break-up of the USSR in the early 1990s, only 22 Tu-95MS bombers remained on Russian territory; at that time the only Tu-160s were in test units or with the manufacturers. However, manufacture of the Tu-160 continued, and between 1992 and 1995, the Engels
Engels-2
Engels Air Force Base is a strategic air base in Russia located east of Saratov. Engels is a major bomber operations base, and is Russia's sole operating location for the Tupolev Tu-160 strategic bombers. The base contains a runway and about 10 large revetments...
regiment received six Tu-160s before the production rate slowed down considerably. More aircraft, 43 Tu-95MSes and 8 Tu-160s were exchanged, or bought back from Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
and Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. The Russian Air Force currently has 64 Tu-95MS and 16 Tu-160 bombers, and these are being upgraded by changing the navigation and fire-control suites and installing new weapons, including non-nuclear cruise missile
Cruise missile
A cruise missile is a guided missile that carries an explosive payload and is propelled, usually by a jet engine, towards a land-based or sea-based target. Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large warhead over long distances with high accuracy...
s, Kh-55 and stand-off guided munitions.
On September 10, 2008 two Tu-160 bombers made flight from a basing place to airdrome Libertador in Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, using as airdrome of jumping up airdrome Olenegorsk
Olenegorsk
Olenegorsk is a town in Murmansk Oblast, Russia, located north of the Arctic Circle, south of Murmansk. Population: 25,166 ; -Railway:...
in Murmansk area. Onboard were training rockets with which the sortie's task was fulfilled. It is the first case of use in the history of the Russian Federation by Long-Range Aviation aircraft of airdromes located in territory of the foreign state. While in Venezuela the aircraft made training flights over neutral waters in the Atlantic ocean and Caribbean sea. [8]
In 2009 the 37th Air Army of the Supreme Command was disbanded as part of a large scale reorganisation of the Air Force and has been reformed into the Long Range Aviation
Long Range Aviation
Long Range Aviation was the branch of the Soviet Air Forces tasked with long-range bombardment of strategic targets with nuclear weapons. During the Cold War, it was the counterpart to the Strategic Air Command of the United States Air Force....
Command.
Structure 2007
- 37th Air Army – MoscowMoscowMoscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
- 43rd Centre for Combat and Flight Personnel Training – RyazanRyazanRyazan is a city and the administrative center of Ryazan Oblast, Russia. It is located on the Oka River southeast of Moscow. Population: The strategic bomber base Dyagilevo is just west of the city, and the air base of Alexandrovo is to the southeast as is the Ryazan Turlatovo Airport...
– operates the Tu-22M3, Tu-95MS, Tu-134UBL and An-26; - 22nd Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Division22nd Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation DivisionThe 22nd Guards Donbass Red Banner Heavy Bomber Aviation Division was a Soviet Air Forces formation. It was a Long Range Aviation division active from 1942 to 2008-9. Included in the 37th Air Army High Command. Commander of the division was Major General Alexander Blazhenko...
– HQ at EngelsEngels (city)Engels is a city in Saratov Oblast, Russia. It is a port on the Volga River, located across from Saratov and connected to it with a bridge . Population: 163,000 ; 130,000 ; 91,000 ; 22,000 ....
;- 121st Heavy Bomber Air Regiment – Engels – Tu-160 in service;
- 184th Heavy Bomber Air Regiment – Engels – Tu-95MS;
- 52nd Heavy Bomber Air Regiment – ShaykovkaShaykovkaShaykovka , also given variously as Kirov Shaykovka, Anisovo Gorod, Anisovo Gorodishche, Shaykovo, Shajkovka, Gorodische, Chaikovka, is an air base in Kaluga Oblast, Russia located 17 km north of Kirov, Kaluga Oblast. It is a large airfield with hangars and an extensive alert area for fighters...
– Tu-22M3; - 840th Heavy Bomber Air Regiment – SoltsySoltsySoltsy is a town and the administrative center of Soletsky District of Novgorod Oblast, Russia, located on the left bank of the Shelon River, southwest of Veliky Novgorod. Its name owes to the nearby salt water springs. Population: -History:...
– Tu-22M3;
- 326th Heavy Bomber Aviation Division326th Heavy Bomber Aviation Division326th Tarnopolsky Order of Kutuzov Heavy Bomber Air Division - was an Aviation Division of the Long Range Aviation of Russia. Most recently it was included in the 37th Air Army of the Supreme High Command. It was originally formed as the 326th Night Bomber Aviation Division, formed at Egorevsk,...
– HQ at UkrainkaUkrainkaUkrainka may refer to one of the following:*Lesya Ukrainka - Ukrainian poetess and writer*Ukrainka - military air base in Russian Far East*Ukrainka, Kiev Oblast - a city in Kiev Oblast, Ukraine...
;- 182nd Heavy Bomber Air Regiment – Ukrainka – Tu-95MS;
- 79th Heavy Bomber Air Regiment – Ukrainka – Tu-95MS;
- 200th Heavy Bomber Air Regiment – Belaya (near IrkutskIrkutskIrkutsk is a city and the administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia, one of the largest cities in Siberia. Population: .-History:In 1652, Ivan Pokhabov built a zimovye near the site of Irkutsk for gold trading and for the collection of fur taxes from the Buryats. In 1661, Yakov Pokhabov...
) – Tu-22M3, Tu-22MR; - 444th Heavy Bomber Air Regiment – Vozdvizhenka (UssuriyskUssuriyskUssuriysk is a city in Primorsky Krai, Russia, located in the fertile valley of the Razdolnaya River, north of Vladivostok and about from both the Chinese border and the Pacific Ocean. Population: -Medieval history:...
) – Tu-22M3;
- 203rd Independent Aviation Regiment of Tanker AircraftAerial refuelingAerial refueling, also called air refueling, in-flight refueling , air-to-air refueling or tanking, is the process of transferring fuel from one aircraft to another during flight....
– HQs at RyazanRyazanRyazan is a city and the administrative center of Ryazan Oblast, Russia. It is located on the Oka River southeast of Moscow. Population: The strategic bomber base Dyagilevo is just west of the city, and the air base of Alexandrovo is to the southeast as is the Ryazan Turlatovo Airport...
– Il-78 and Il-78M in service. Originally 412 AP flying Pe-8s in World War II. See Petlyakov Pe-8#Wartime operational service; - 181st Independent Air Squadron – IrkutskIrkutskIrkutsk is a city and the administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia, one of the largest cities in Siberia. Population: .-History:In 1652, Ivan Pokhabov built a zimovye near the site of Irkutsk for gold trading and for the collection of fur taxes from the Buryats. In 1661, Yakov Pokhabov...
– An-12 and An-30; - 199th Air Base – Ulan-UdeUlan-UdeUlan-Ude is the capital city of the Republic of Buryatia, Russia, located about southeast of Lake Baikal on the Uda River at its confluence with the Selenga...
; - 3119th Air Base – TambovTambovTambov is a city and the administrative center of Tambov Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Tsna and Studenets Rivers southeast of Moscow...
; - Unknown Air Base – TiksiTiksiTiksi is an urban locality and the administrative center of Bulunsky District of the Sakha Republic, Russia, situated on the Arctic Ocean coast. Population: It is one of the principal ports for accessing the Laptev Sea...
;
- 43rd Centre for Combat and Flight Personnel Training – Ryazan
Structure 2000
- Headquarters, Moscow
- ? independent Communications Regiment (Moscow, Moscow Oblast)
- 43rd Center for combat training and retraining of crews (RyazanRyazanRyazan is a city and the administrative center of Ryazan Oblast, Russia. It is located on the Oka River southeast of Moscow. Population: The strategic bomber base Dyagilevo is just west of the city, and the air base of Alexandrovo is to the southeast as is the Ryazan Turlatovo Airport...
, Ryazan Oblast) with Tu-22M3, Tu-134UBL and An-26 - 203rd Guards Aviation Regiment of Tanker Aircraft (Dyagilevo, Ryazan Oblast) with Il-78
- 6212th Aviation Technical Base for discarded aircraft (Engels, Saratov Oblast) with Tu-22
- 22nd Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Division22nd Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation DivisionThe 22nd Guards Donbass Red Banner Heavy Bomber Aviation Division was a Soviet Air Forces formation. It was a Long Range Aviation division active from 1942 to 2008-9. Included in the 37th Air Army High Command. Commander of the division was Major General Alexander Blazhenko...
(Engels, Saratov Oblast) - 326th Heavy Bomber Aviation Division (Ukrainka, Amur Oblast)
Structure 1991
- Headquarters, Moscow
- 364 Separate Mixed Aviation Squadron (VorkutaVorkutaVorkuta is a coal-mining town in the Komi Republic, Russia, situated just north of the Arctic Circle in the Pechora coal basin at the Usa River. Population: - Labor camp origins :...
, Komi ASSR)(transport aircraft, Mi-8s) - 73rd Heavy Bomber Air Division (TBAD) at UkrainkaUkrainka (air base)Ukrainka is one of Russia's largest strategic Long Range Aviation bases in the Far East. Located in Amur Oblast, Russia, 28 km north of Belogorsk, it is a major nuclear bomber base, with large tarmacs and nearly 40 revetments.In 1955, Ukrainka was one of only six Soviet bases capable of handling...
, Amur Oblast [activated 1957] with:- 40th TBAP (Ukrainka) with Tu-95K and Tu-95K-22 [activated 1957 with 3M bombers; early 1980s reequipped with Tu-95K from other units that converted to Tu-95MS]
- 79th TBAP (Ukrainka) with Tu-95K and Tu-95K-22
- 79th TBAD at DolonDolon (air base)Dolon is an air base in Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan that served as a major Cold War bomber base with significant tarmac space and over 50 revetments. Dolon Southwest, a former airfield 32 km to the south, no longer exists.In 1955, Dolon was one of only six Soviet bases capable of handling the...
, Semipalatinsk area [activated 1957] with:- 1023rd TBAP (Dolon) with Tu-95MS [activated 1957 at Uzin, Kiev region, with Tu-95 from the 1006th TBAP; 1983 relocated to Dolon; 1983 reequipped with Tu-95MS as the first unit]
- 1026th TBAP (Dolon) with Tu-95MS [activated 1957; reequipped with Tu-95 in the early 1970s, later Tu-95K; mid-1980s reequipped with Tu-95MS]
Total aircraft in division (1.1.91): 13 Tu-95MS-16 and 27 Tu-95MS-6
- 106th TBAD at Uzin, Kiev region [activated spring 1955] with:
- 409th APSZ (Uzin) with Il-78 tankers [activated 1955 with Tu-95 as TBAP; reequipped with Il-78 tankers in 1986]
- 1006th TBAP (Uzin) with 21 Tu-95MS-16 [activated 1956 with Tu-95; 1957 reequipped with Tu-95K, and the old Tu-95 were transferred to the 1023rd TBAP; reequipped with Tu-95MS in 1985]
- 201st TBAD at Engels-2Engels-2Engels Air Force Base is a strategic air base in Russia located east of Saratov. Engels is a major bomber operations base, and is Russia's sole operating location for the Tupolev Tu-160 strategic bombers. The base contains a runway and about 10 large revetments...
, Saratov oblast- 182nd Guards TBAP (Mozdok)(Tu-16MS-16)
- 184th Guards 'Poltava-Berlin' TBAP (Pryluky (air base)Pryluky (air base)Pryluky is an air base in Chernihiv Oblast, Ukraine located 6 km west of Pryluky. This airfield was Ukraine's primary Tupolev Tu-160 bomber base . There are revetments for 20 large aircraft.Pryluky accepted USSR's first Tu-160 in April 1987, building its fleet up to 19 by 1994...
, Chernigov oblast)(Tupolev Tu-160) - 1230th Air Refuelling Regiment (Engels-2Engels-2Engels Air Force Base is a strategic air base in Russia located east of Saratov. Engels is a major bomber operations base, and is Russia's sole operating location for the Tupolev Tu-160 strategic bombers. The base contains a runway and about 10 large revetments...
)(3M2 tankers)
Structure in 1980
Source: Holm- ? independent Communications Regiment (Moscow, Moscow Oblast)
- 364th independent Mixed Aviation Squadron (VorkutaVorkutaVorkuta is a coal-mining town in the Komi Republic, Russia, situated just north of the Arctic Circle in the Pechora coal basin at the Usa River. Population: - Labor camp origins :...
, Komi ASSR) with Mi-8 and An-24/26 - 73rd Heavy Bomber Aviation Division (UkrainkaUkrainkaUkrainka may refer to one of the following:*Lesya Ukrainka - Ukrainian poetess and writer*Ukrainka - military air base in Russian Far East*Ukrainka, Kiev Oblast - a city in Kiev Oblast, Ukraine...
, Amur Oblast) - 79th Heavy Bomber Aviation Division (DolonDolonIn Greek mythology, Dolon fought for Troy during the Trojan War.-Dolon's Night Mission in Homer's Iliad:Dolon is the father of Eumedes, and has 5 daughters...
, Semipalatinsk Oblast) - 201st Heavy Bomber Aviation Division (Engels-2Engels-2Engels Air Force Base is a strategic air base in Russia located east of Saratov. Engels is a major bomber operations base, and is Russia's sole operating location for the Tupolev Tu-160 strategic bombers. The base contains a runway and about 10 large revetments...
, Saratov Oblast)
Structure 1960 in Poland
May 1, 1960:- 149th Fighter Aviation Division
- 3rd Fighter Aviation Regiment
- 18th Fighter Aviation Regiment
- 42nd Fighter Aviation Regiment
- 239th Fighter Aviation Division
- 159th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment
- two other Fighter Aviation Regiments
- 172nd Fighter-Bomber Aviation Division
- three Guards Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiments
- 183rd Bomber Division
- three Bomber Aviation Regiments
- Two separate reconnaissance regiments
- other units for support and communications
Commanders
Source: Michael Holm to 2002, other sources for later names- Lieutenant-General I. V. Gorbunov, 1980 - 1985
- Lieutenant-General Pyotr Stepanovich Deynekin, 1985 - 1988 (later Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Air Force)
- Lieutenant-General Igor Mikhailovich Kalugin, 1988 - 1997
- Lieutenant-General Mikhail Mikhailovich Oparin, 11.97 - 11.02
- Lieutenant-General Igor Ivanovich Khvorov, 15.11.02 - (unknown)
Later commanders: Major General Pavel Androsov, and Major General Anatoly Zhiharev, former Chief of Staff of the 37th Air Army.
Sources
- Air Forces MonthlyAir Forces MonthlyAir Forces Monthly is a military aviation magazine published by Key Publishing, based in Stamford, United Kingdom.Sister publications include Air International, Air Enthusiast, Airliner World, Airports International, FlyPast and Today's Pilot.-External links:*http://www.airforcesmonthly.co.uk/* via...
, July 2007. - Aviaport.ru, a report on the Army's participation in an exercise during 2005
- see also :ru:22-я Гвардейская Донбасская Краснознаменная тяжелобомбардировочная авиадивизия