VVS

History

The VVS was founded as the "Workers' and Peasants' Air Fleet" in 1918. After being placed under control of the Red Army, with the official denomination VVS in 1930, its influence on aircraft design became greater.

One of first big tests of the VVS came in 1938 with the Spanish Civil War, where the latest aircraft designs were put to the test by up-to-date German aircraft.

In 1939, the VVS used its bombers to attack Finland, but the losses and the eventual defeat led to large-scale purges by Stalin.

The main reason of the great amount of aircraft lost was the lack of modern tactics, but time to improve them was short, because the German offensive of 1941 (Operation Barbarossa) pushed the airforce into a defensive position, while being confronted with more modern German aircraft.

As with many allied countries in the Second World War the Soviet Union received western aircraft by lend-lease.

In the early years of the Cold War the VVS focused on escort fighters, point-defense fighters and long-range bombers.

Inventory 1987

VVS

The VVS Aircraft inventory of 1987 comprised:

;1210 interceptors : 420 MiG-23 Flogger

305 MiG-25 Foxbat

240 Su-15 Flagon

5 Su-27 Flanker

80 Tu-28/128 Fiddler

65 Jak-28 Firebar

95 MiG-31 Foxhound

;AWACS aircraft : 7 Tu-126 Moss

1 Il-76 Mainstay

Soviet Air Force

;165 strategic bombers, : 150 Tu-95 Bear

15 M-4 Bison

;550 medium bombers : 155 Tu-22M Backfire

260 Tu-16 Badger

135 Tu-22 Blinder

;2780 fighters : 490 MiG-21 Fishbed

1570 MiG-23 Flogger

105 MiG-25 Foxbat

260 Su-15 Flagon

20 Tu-128 Fiddler

20 Jak-28 Firebar

275 MiG-29 Fulcrum

30 MiG-31 Foxhound

10 Su-27 Flanker

;2835 attack aircraft : 130 MiG-21 Fishbed

830 MiG-27 Flogger

895 Su-7/17 Fitter

770 Su-24 Fencer

210 Su-25 Frogfoot

;50 tankers : 30 M-4 Bison

20 Tu-16 Badger

;658 tactical reconnaissance and ECM aircraft : 65 MiG-21 Fishbed

195 MiG-25 Foxbat

165 Su-17 Fitter

65 Su-24 Fencer

195 Jak-28 Brewer

;260 strategic reconnaissance and ECM aircraft : 115 Tu-16 Badger

15 Tu-22 Blinder

4 Tu-95 Bear

102 Jak-28 Brewer

24 MiG-25 Foxbat

3050 helicopters

1500 trainers and training helicopters

;576 transport aircraft : 55 An-22 Cock

210 An-12 Cup

310 Il-76 Candid

2935 civilian and other transport aircraft, usually Aeroflot aircraft which were easily converted

Navy

;340 bombers : 120 Tu-22 M Backfire

190 Tu-16 Badger

30 Tu-22 Blinder

;145 fighter and attack aircraft : 75 Su-17 Fitter

70 Jak-38 Forger

70 tankers

70 Tu-16 Badger

200 reconnaissance and ECM aircraft (Tu-16, Tu-95, Tu-22, An-12)

;480 anti-submarine aircraft : 60 Tu-142 Bear F

100 Mi-14 Haxe A

60 Ka-27 Helix

115 Ka-25 Hormone A

95 Be-12 Mail

50 Il-38 May

465 transports and trainers

Status

Even though these numbers appear huge, the same weakness which haunted the VVS in the Second World War still was apparent in 1987 and in the Gulf war of 1991.

Referenced By