Long-range aviation of the USSR. Russian long-range aviation aircraft. Russian hero "Ilya Muromets"

Long-range bomber aviation (LBA) in the initial period of the Great Patriotic War was involved both to carry out independent operational-strategic tasks and in the interests of the front troops.

From June 24 to July 3, 1941, DBA formations in cooperation with the Baltic and Black Sea Fleet attacked important enemy targets in Danzig, Koenigsberg, Warsaw, Bucharest, and oil fields in Ploiesti and other cities. On the night of August 8, Berlin was attacked. In total, in the first six months of the war, DBA and Fleet Air Force formations carried out 549 sorties against enemy military-industrial targets.

In the first months of the war, the DBA GC suffered heavy losses (up to 65 percent), its strength was reduced to 266 aircraft. In July-August 1941, the aviation corps of the DBA GC were disbanded. From that time on, the DBA began to organizationally consist of separate heavy bomber divisions.

By Decree of the State Defense Committee (GKO) No. 1392 of March 5, 1942, Long-Range Aviation (LAA) was created at the Supreme Command Headquarters. The commander of the 3rd Long-Range Air Division, General, was appointed commander of the ADD. Alexander Evgenievich Golovanov .

The headquarters of the ADD was located in Moscow, in the Petrovsky Palace, which before the war housed the Air Force Engineering Academy named after Professor N. E. Zhukovsky, and then the headquarters of the 3rd AD DD. At the time of its formation, the ADD had 354 aircraft, of which 160 were serviceable, and 367 crews, 209 of which flew at night.

Designer of the (most popular in the series) long-range bomber - Il-4 (DB-3)
Ilyushin Sergey Vladimirovich

Long-range bomber Il-4

During 1942, ADD received 650 new aircraft from industry. Now it was based on airplanes IL-4 , Er-2 , Pe-8, converted to transport bombers Li-2. Since 1942, Mitchell bombers began to arrive in the USSR under Lend-Lease ( B-25) which were also used as a long-range bomber as part of the ADD. This made it possible not only to cover combat losses, to complete existing units, but also to form new ones.

By the beginning of 1943, the ADD already had 11 divisions. The combat strength of the ADD as of March of this year was 800 aircraft and continued to increase.

By order of NKO No. 250 of August 18, 1942, the first five regiments of the DBA Civil Code were transformed into guards, and in March 1943 - already four divisions and seven regiments.

In October 1943, the ADD received Douglas A-20G aircraft with strong machine gun and cannon armament, which went into service with the “blocker-hunter” air regiments. In November of the same year, a long-range fighter division was formed. In December 1943, the ADD had 17 air divisions and 34 air regiments.

In the third period of the war, the role of the ADD in delivering attacks on military-industrial facilities and administrative and political centers of the enemy increased.

Heavy bomber designed by V.M. Petlyakov. Pe-8 (TB-7)

Thus, in 1944, ADD formations carried out 4,466 sorties to solve this problem, that is, 1.7 times more than in previous years of the war. ADD actions were organized not only by carrying out individual strikes by small groups of aircraft, but also in the form of air operations. One of these operations was carried out by ADD units in February 1944 to destroy military-industrial facilities in the capital of Finland, Helsinki. The operation was carried out over three nights, and three massive air strikes were carried out. As a result, many facilities were put out of action, and the movement of the democratic forces of Finland for the country's withdrawal from the Hitlerite coalition intensified. However, few such operations were carried out. In total, during the war, the ADD carried out only four percent of sorties to operate against targets deep behind enemy lines.

By the end of 1944 the ADD already had 9 air corps (22 divisions, 66 regiments). The aircraft fleet consisted of 2,017 bombers. The structure also included part of the forces of the Civil Air Fleet (CAF) and the Airborne Forces. Total ADD had 2608 aircraft.

By decree of the State Defense Committee of December 6, 1944, the ADD was reorganized into the 18th Air Army (VA) with the transfer of control of the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Air Corps and some regiments to other VA fronts. The 18th VA remained with four air corps, 19 divisions, 58 regiments, 1,461 aircraft and 1,627 crews, and continued to be an effective asset in the hands of the Supreme Command Headquarters.

The power of the 18th VA is evidenced by a massive daytime attack on the fortifications of Koenigsberg in April 1945, carried out by decision of the General Staff with 514 long-range bombers (supported by 118 Il-2 attack aircraft and Pe-2 dive bombers, 232 fighters). Air bombs weighing a total of 550 tons fell on strong points and forts within 60 minutes. As a result of the fortification of the fortified city, the troops of the 3rd Belorussian Front entered the city.

The YES carried out an even more powerful and dense, but already night massive air strike on the start day Berlin operation– April 18, 1945. 750 long-range bombers took part in it.

During the war years, the DA carried out about 220 thousand combat sorties, dropping up to two million 266 thousand bombs on the enemy with a total weight of 202 thousand 128 tons (almost 1/3 of all bombs dropped on the enemy by all Soviet aviation).

In the interests of the Ground Forces and their most important operations, the ADD carried out over 80,000 sorties, dropping 87,982 tons of bombs.

During the war, the DA lost 3,570 aircraft, in most cases along with their crews. Its actions and the contribution of its personnel to the defeat of the fascist aggressor received universal recognition: Five out of nine corps, 12 out of 22 air divisions, 43 out of 66 air regiments became guards, many units and formations received honorary names. Orders were awarded to seven air divisions and 31 aviation regiment. More than 20 thousand aviators were awarded orders and medals, 269 were awarded the title of Hero Soviet Union, and six pilots were awarded it twice.

Long-range aviation played a decisive role in the war.

212th separate

In January 1941, Golovanov, one of the best pilots in the country, became famous during Finnish war and operations at Khalkhin Gol, wrote a letter to Stalin...

In this letter, the ace pilot proposed creating a large aviation formation that would be capable of carrying out combat missions deep behind enemy lines in difficult weather conditions at any time of the day. He wrote: “It is this question, essentially, that will decide the success of the upcoming military operations in the sense of disorganizing the enemy’s deep rear areas, his industry, transport, ammunition supply, etc. etc., not to mention the possibility of landing operations. Having some experience and skill in these matters, I could set about organizing and organizing a formation of 100-150 aircraft, which would meet the latest requirements for aviation, and which would fly as well as the British or Germans and would be a base for the Air Force in the sense personnel and further increase in the number of connections.”

Golovanov was stunned by the speed with which the government responded to his proposal. The very next day, the pilot was summoned to the Kremlin to see Stalin, who was very attracted by Golovanov’s proposal. Soon it was decided to form a regiment of pilots who were proficient in the elements of “blind” flight and familiar with radar equipment. In February 1941, such a regiment was created - the 212th separate long-range bomber regiment. Golovanov was appointed its commander. He was given the task of ensuring that the crews were capable of carrying out bombing strikes deep behind enemy lines, day and night, in any weather. The best pilots from all over the country were gathered into the regiment, located near Smolensk, and intensive training began. Particular attention was paid to training in radio navigation and communications - long-range aviation had to be able to fly in the most difficult conditions and at the same time carry out its tasks.

The regiment was often tested by drills - two to three times a week. The crews received combat missions and carried out sorties with suspended bombs. After the alarm was lifted, the exhausted pilots still had to go through curriculum. People were tired from constant overexertion, and at the regimental headquarters it was decided to give them a day of rest the following Sunday...

On Sunday night they called from the district headquarters. This is how Golovanov recalled it: “The phone rang, I picked up the phone and heard the excited voice of the district duty officer from Minsk:
- Combat alert, the Germans are bombing Lida!
Such calls in connection with drills were not uncommon at that time.
“Comrade on duty,” I answered, “give the personnel at least one day to rest.” Only yesterday I raised a regiment according to my plan. Can't it be postponed?!
“The Germans are bombing Lida, I have no more time,” answered the duty officer and switched off.”

After this, communication was interrupted, and the regiment stood in combat readiness for a long time, without instructions, complaining that the district headquarters was so poorly prepared for the exercises. No one knew that thousands of people were already dying very close by... Only in the afternoon did the pilots learn about the beginning of the war - on a regular radio, from Molotov’s speech.

When communication appeared, the regiment received an order to strike targets deep behind enemy lines. The pilots made one sortie after another, and without cover. Several crews were killed - by June 28, out of 72 aircraft, only 14 remained capable of performing combat missions. The rest were shot down or required repairs. But the pilots, while carrying out their long-range bombing missions, managed to shoot down 18 Messerschmidts.

Golovanov, in those crazy days of the outbreak of the sudden war, showed sobriety of thinking and the ability to navigate emergency situations. Soon Stalin appointed him commander of the 81st Air Division. Later, the 212th separate long-range bomber regiment, considered the most experienced and skilled in aviation, joined the division. The 81st Air Division successfully fought the enemy and inflicted significant damage on them during the defense of Moscow. In Sovinformburo reports they often spoke about this division without naming its number: “As a result of bombing and attack, one of our air units destroyed 108 tanks, 189 vehicles with infantry and ammunition, 6 gas tanks, about 50 motorcycles, several guns and 2 anti-aircraft artillery batteries." “In one day, October 24, in the area of Maloyaroslavets and Mozhaisk, 70 tanks, 220 vehicles with infantry and ammunition, up to 6 tanks with fuel and 4 anti-aircraft firing points were destroyed.”

With bombs on Berlin

At the beginning of 1942, it was decided at Headquarters to create ADD - long-range aviation. The ADD reported directly to Stalin. Alexander Golovanov was appointed commander.

The headquarters transferred eight long-range bomber air divisions and several airfields with paved runways to the ADD. This expanded combat capabilities and allowed crews to fly uninterruptedly at any time of the year.

The ADD carried out bombing strikes deep behind enemy lines and destroyed the most important strategic objects. Moreover, the bombing of territories occupied by the Nazis was carried out even when the USSR itself was under threat of capture.

Here is how English newspapers wrote about it in August 1942: “Russian air raids on Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary caused serious damage to numerous centers. Until now, it was generally believed that Russia was too far away and busy defending its own front to attack the Balkans, and therefore many elements of precaution were absent there... Budapest was especially damaged. According to one neutral diplomat, during the first raid on Budapest, the large railway station of the Hungarian capital was badly damaged and, according to a statement in the Hungarian press, the government was requisitioning all the glass in the city to repair the windows. At present, all three states are feverishly organizing air defense in the main cities and factories working for the Nazis, prudently created in these countries, as if far from the bombers of the united countries."

Even then, in 1942, bombings of Berlin and other German cities were carried out. In addition to causing enormous damage to the enemy through bombing, the ADD performed another function. Long-range aviation provided air support to the partisans. Ammunition, food, medicine for the partisans - all this was delivered deep behind enemy lines by the brave ADD pilots.

In addition, they carried out bombings “at the request” of the partisans. Golovanov cites the following interesting document in his memoirs: “I ask for your order to help the partisan detachment and bomb a concentration of Germans of one thousand eight hundred people with equipment in populated areas: p. Semenovskoye (eighteen kilometers northwest of the city of Sevsk) and the village. Alekshkovichi (twenty-three kilometers north-west of the city of Sevsk), Suzemsky district of the Oryol region, after which the partisans will destroy the group. July 6, 1942, head of the Central Headquarters of the partisan movement P.K. Ponomarenko.”

And such “requests” were by no means uncommon - the ADD worked closely with the partisans. All major military operations were carried out with the direct participation of the ADD. This is how official documents talked about it: “During the defensive battles in the Stalingrad direction from July 17 to November 19, 1942, the ADD made 11,317 sorties, which amounted to 49 percent of all ADD combat sorties during this period. In November and December, despite very bad meteorological conditions, the ADD continued its combat activities in the Stalingrad direction, destroying enemy troops and equipment both in the areas of Stalingrad itself and on the close approaches to it.”

In total, during the existence of the ADD, according to military statistics, more than 194,000 sorties were flown. More than 6,600 sorties were carried out against enemy administrative and industrial centers; at railway junctions and highways - more than 65,000; against enemy troops - more than 73,000 sorties; at airfields - more than 18,000 and at seaports - more than 6,000 sorties. In addition, on special missions, 7,298 flights were carried out behind enemy lines and about 5,500 tons of cargo were transported, mainly ammunition and about 12,000 personnel. We can safely say that the victory of our army was brought on the wings of the ADD...

Throughout its existence, Long-Range Aviation has undergone repeated transformations, which reflected both the combat capabilities of the aircraft and the change in the role assigned to bomber aviation in solving operational-strategic and strategic tasks.

At the end of the 30s, three special-purpose aviation armies were formed in the Soviet Armed Forces, subordinate directly to the High Command. These armies included brigades of heavy and light bombers and fighters32. Special purpose armies were formations capable of independently solving major operational and strategic tasks.

In 1940, the special purpose armies were disbanded, and on the basis of the heavy bomber regiments that were part of them, the Long-Range Bomber Aviation of the High Command was created in November 1940. It consisted of 5 aviation corps and three separate air divisions. Along with Long-Range Aviation, the Air Force included front-line, army and military aviation. After the start of the war, the aviation corps were liquidated, and the number of aircraft in the regiments was reduced from 60 to 20. Long-Range Bomber Aviation formations were subordinated to front commanders.

In accordance with the resolution State Committee Defense on March 5, 1942. Long-Range Bomber Aviation was reorganized into Long-Range Aviation (LRA), subordinate directly to the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command. It was assumed that long-range aviation would be used to strike targets located in the operational and strategic rear of the enemy. By the summer of 1943, Long-Range Aviation included more than 1,000 aircraft, organized into 8 aviation corps. The number of bombers with a flight range of several thousand kilometers in the Long-Range Aviation was very limited, and they could not be used to conduct strategic bombing similar to those carried out by the United States and Great Britain in 1943-1945. Apparently, this circumstance played a role in the fact that in December 1944, Long-Range Aviation was transformed into the 18th Air Army and subordinated to the command of the Air Force.

In April 1946, on the basis of the 18th Air Army, the Long-Range Aviation of the Armed Forces of the USSR was re-created, within which the 18th, 43rd and 50th Air Armies were formed. After the deployment of the first missile systems began in the mid-50s, engineering regiments armed with R-12 and R-14 missiles were included in Long-Range Aviation. In the mid-to-late 50s, Long-Range Aviation included 18 missile regiments.

To others the most important event, which occurred in 1954-1955, was the appearance of nuclear weapons in the arsenal of Long-Range Aviation units. Work on the creation of technical bases for the storage and maintenance of aviation nuclear weapons at Long-Range Aviation airfields was completed by the end of 1954, and soon after that nuclear weapons began to arrive in combat units. Control over nuclear weapons located at technical bases was carried out by personnel of the Main Directorate, specially created within the Ministry of Medium Engineering, and nuclear weapons were not formally transferred to the Armed Forces.

After the units began to receive intercontinental bombers ZM and Tu-95, the task of Long-Range Aviation, along with the destruction of targets within nearby theaters of military operations, began to include air strikes against targets on other continents. Until the early 60s, Long-Range Aviation bombers remained the only delivery vehicle capable of delivering a strategic strike on US territory.

In the early 60s, a reorganization of Long-Range Aviation was carried out, during which all its units equipped with ballistic missiles were transferred to the newly formed branch of the Armed Forces—Strategic Missile Forces. The Long-Range Aviation Air Army Directorates were disbanded, and the divisions and regiments that were part of them were consolidated into heavy bomber aviation corps, subordinate to the Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force. These changes reflected the changing role of aviation in the new Soviet doctrine, which assigned a central role in delivering strategic strikes to intercontinental ballistic missiles. The task of Long-Range Aviation formations was to “participate in a nuclear strike of strategic nuclear forces,” as well as to defeat important targets within theaters of military operations and on other continents.

The structure of Long-Range Aviation remained largely unchanged throughout the 60s and 70s. The changes carried out concerned mainly the internal structure of aviation associations and formations. In particular, in the 70s, the Air Force made a transition from divisions consisting of two aviation regiments to divisions of three regiments.

Another significant change in the structure of strategic aviation was made in 1980 as part of a broader organizational restructuring in the Armed Forces. During the reforms carried out, the Long-Range Aviation Directorate was eliminated. As part of the Armed Forces, five air armies of the Supreme High Command were organized for strategic (37th Moscow and 46th Smolensk) and operational (4th, 24th and 30th) purposes, which were directly subordinate to the Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force.33 In 1988 On the basis of the command of the 37th Moscow Air Army, the command of Long-Range Aviation was recreated. The army was thus disbanded, and on the basis of the 30th Irkutsk Air Army for operational purposes, the 30th Air Army for strategic purposes was formed.

In the process of forming the structure of the Russian Armed Forces, the control of the commander of Long-Range Aviation was retained, and the directorates of the air armies were disbanded. In the process of disbanding the air armies, carried out in 1994, a transition was made to the divisional structure of Long-Range Aviation. Currently, Long-Range Aviation, among other formations, includes air divisions of strategic missile-carrying aircraft Tu-95MS and Tu-160, as well as air divisions of long-range missile-carrying bombers Tu-22M3.34 Plans for reforming the Air Force involve the disbandment of the Long-Range Aviation command and the organization on its basis of one (37th) air army of the Supreme High Command for Strategic Purposes, which will include all these formations.

Deployment of strategic aviation units

At the time of the collapse of the USSR, strategic bombers were part of two air armies subordinate to the commander of Long-Range Aviation - the 46th Smolensk and the 30th Irkutsk.

The 30th Irkutsk Air Army, along with other formations, included

The 79th Heavy Bomber Division, stationed in Semipalatinsk (Kazakhstan), which included the 1223rd and 1226th Air Regiments

Tu-95MS (total 27 Tu-95MS6 and 13 Tu-95MS16);35

The 73rd Heavy Bomber Air Division, stationed in Ukrainka, consisted of three regiments of Tu-95K and Tu-95K-22 bombers (15 Tu-95K and 46 Tu-95K-22);

31st (White), 55th (Vozdvizhenka) and 201st (Engels) heavy bomber air divisions, which included Tu-22M bombers.

The 46th Smolensk Air Army, among other formations, included

The 106th Heavy Bomber Air Division, which included the 1006th Tu-95MS bomber regiment (25 aircraft), located in Uzin (Ukraine), the 182nd Tu-95MS bomber regiment (22 Tu-95MS16), stationed in Mozdok, as well as the 409th regiment of Il-78 refueling aircraft located in Uzin; 36

13th Heavy Bomber Division, which included the 184th Tu-160 bomber regiment (19 aircraft), located in Priluki (Ukraine);

The 15th (Ozernoe, Ukraine), 22nd (Bobruisk, Belarus) and 326th (Tartu, Estonia) heavy bomber air divisions, which included Tu-22M bombers.

Currently, all Russian strategic bombers are united in air divisions, which are subordinate to the commander of Long-Range Aviation. The Long-Range Aviation of the Russian Air Force includes:

22nd heavy bomber air division, which includes the 121st guards air regiment of Tu-160 bombers located in Engels (6 aircraft),37 located in Mozdok the 182nd air regiment of Tu-95MS bombers (19 Tu-95MS16 and 2 Tu-95MS6 ), and also the 203rd Guards Air Refueling Regiment, based in Engels;39

73rd Heavy Bomber Air Division in Ukrainka, which includes two air regiments of Tu-95MS aircraft (16 Tu-95MS16 and 26 Tu-95MS6), transferred here from Semipalatinsk;

In addition to these formations, Long-Range Aviation includes three divisions of Tu-22MZ missile-carrying bombers, based in both the European and Asian parts of Russia, the Combat Training Center (Ryazan) and other units.

, Tu-160

Long Range Aviation Command- unification of the Russian Air Force under the command of the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces. It is a strategic aviation component of Russia's strategic nuclear forces.

Tu-160, 2011.

Tu-22M3, 2011.

Story

The date of creation of Long-Range Aviation is considered to be December 10 (23), 1914, when Emperor Nicholas II approved the decision to create a squadron of airships “Ilya Muromets”. The head of the squadron was Mikhail Shidlovsky (former naval officer, chairman of the board of shareholders of the Russian-Baltic Carriage Plant, where the Ilya Muromets airships were built).

By April 1917, the squadron included four combat detachments and about 20 bombers. In September 1917, German troops approached Vinnitsa, where a squadron of airships was stationed at that time, so the planes were burned so that they would not fall to the enemy.

The decree of the Council of People's Commissars of March 22, 1918 ordered the formation of the Northern group of airships "Ilya Muromets" consisting of three combat units. Thus began the revival of Long-Range Aviation in the RSFSR.

In 1933, for the first time in the world, heavy bomber aviation corps were formed, which received the TB-3 bomber. In January 1936, the first reserve aviation army of the Supreme High Command (Special Purpose Army - AON) was formed. In the same year, the troops began to receive twin-engine long-range bombers DB-3 (after modernization - DB-ZF (IL-4)). In 1936-1938, three special-purpose air armies were created, which were subordinated directly to the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR.

In 1940, the Long-Range Bomber Aviation of the Main Command of the Red Army (DBA GK) was created, and the directorates of the special purpose armies were disbanded. By mid-1941, the DBA GC included five air corps, three separate air divisions and one separate air regiment: with a total of approximately 1,500 aircraft (13.5% of the total aircraft fleet of the Red Army Air Force) and almost 1,000 combat-ready crews. By decree of the State Defense Committee of March 5, 1942, Long-Range Bomber Aviation was transformed into Long-Range Aviation (LAR) with direct subordination to the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command. General Alexander Golovanov was appointed commander of the ADD.

In 1960, in connection with the creation of the Strategic Missile Forces, two of the three Long-Range Aviation air army directorates were transferred to the Strategic Missile Forces.

In 1961, the organization of Long-Range Aviation was changed, the basis of which was made up of three separate heavy bomber corps:

2nd separate heavy bomber aviation corps (Vinnitsa);
6th separate heavy bomber aviation corps of the Red Banner (Smolensk);
8th Heavy Bomber Aviation Corps (Blagoveshchensk).

To control the regiments and divisions of the former 43rd Air Army, the 2nd separate heavy bomber air corps of Long-Range Aviation was formed with a deployment in Vinnitsa.

In 1961, the 2nd tank included:

13th Guards Tbad (Poltava) consisting of the 184th (Pryluki), 185th and 225th TBA on Tu-16 aircraft (both at the Poltava airfield);
15th Guards Tbad (Zhitomir) as part of the 250th TBA (Stry), the 251st TBA (Belaya Tserkov) on Tu-16 aircraft and the 341st TBA (Ozernoye) on Tu-22 aircraft;
106th TBA (Uzin) consisting of the 182nd TBA (Mozdok), 409th and 1006th TBA (both at the Uzin airfield) on Tu-95K and Tu-95M aircraft;
199th Guards odrap (Nezhin) on Tu-16 aircraft.

To control the regiments and divisions of the former 50th Air Army, in 1960 the 6th separate heavy bomber air corps of Long-Range Aviation was formed with a deployment in Smolensk.

In 1961 it included:

In 1980, on the basis of these corps, three air armies of the Supreme High Command were formed:

(Smolensk);
30th Air Army of the Supreme High Command for Strategic Purpose (Irkutsk);
24th Air Army of the Supreme High Command for operational purposes (Vinnitsa).

The Long-Range Aviation Command was reorganized into the 37th Air Army of the Supreme High Command for Strategic Purposes with its headquarters based in Moscow.

30th Air Army of the Supreme High Command for Strategic Purpose (Irkutsk);
37th Air Army of the Supreme High Command for Strategic Purpose (Moscow);
46th Air Red Banner Army of the Supreme High Command for Strategic Purpose (Smolensk);
43rd Center for Combat Use and Retraining of Long-Range Aviation Flight Personnel (Ryazan).

On April 1, 1998, the Long-Range Aviation Command was transformed into the 37th Air Army of the Supreme High Command (strategic purpose). IN

Participation in operations

Tu-160, accompanied by a Su-30, performs a combat mission in Syria

Commanders

Golovanov Alexander Evgenievich, air chief marshal (1946-1948)
Rudenko Sergey Ignatievich, Colonel General of Aviation (1950-1953)
Novikov Alexander Alexandrovich, air chief marshal (1953-1955)
Sudets Vladimir Aleksandrovich, air marshal (1955-1962)
Reshetnikov Vasily Vasilievich (1969-1980)
Gorbunov Ivan Vladimirovich, Colonel General of Aviation (1980-1985)
Deinekin Pyotr Stepanovich, lieutenant general (1985-1990)
Kobylash Sergey Ivanovich Composition
- Headquarters, military unit 44402 (Moscow)
- 63rd Mitavsky separate communication center for automated control equipment, military unit 83069 (Smolensk region, Smolensk, Smolensk-Severny airfield).
- 22nd Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Donbass Red Banner Division (Saratov region, Engels):
  - 121st Guards Heavy Bomber Sevastopol Red Banner Aviation Regiment, military unit 85927 (former military unit 06987) (Saratov region, Engels)
    equipment: 7 units. Tu-160M (02 “Vasily Reshetnikov”, 04 “Ivan Yarygin”, 10 “Nikolai Kuznetsov”, 11 “Vasily Senko”, 17 “Valery Chkalov” 18 “Andrey Tupolev”, 9 “Valentin Bliznyuk”), 9 units. Tu-160 (03 "Pavel Taran", 05 "Alexander Golovanov", 06 "Ilya Muromets", 07 "Alexander Molodchiy", 08 "Vitaly Kopylov", 12 "Alexander Novikov", 14 "Igor Sikorsky", 15 "Vladimir Sudets" ", 16 "Alexey Plokhov")
  - 184th Guards Heavy Bomber Poltava-Berlin Red Banner Aviation Regiment (Saratov region, Engels)
    equipment: 18 units Tu-95MS (10 “Saratov”, 11 “Vorkuta”, 12 “Moscow”, 14 “Voronezh”, 15, “Kaluga” 16 “Veliky Novgorod”, 17, 18, 19 “Krasnoyarsk”, 20 “Dubna”, 21 "Samara", 22 "Kozelsk", 23, 24, 25, 27 "Izborsk", 28 "Sevastopol", 29 "Smolensk")
  - 52nd Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment (TBAP), military unit 33310 (Kaluga region, Shaikovka village, Shaikovka airfield). equipment: 23 units. Tu-22M3
    (01, 06, 12, 15, 16, 17, 21, 22, 24 “Mikhail Shidlovsky”, 25 “Yuri Deneko”, 26, 28, 35, 36, 38, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46 , 48, 49 "Alexander Bereznyak")
    - aviation commandant's office of the 52nd Guards TBAP, military unit 33310-A (Novgorod region, Soltsy, Soltsy air station)
  - 40th mixed aviation regiment (SAP), military unit 36097 (Murmansk region, Olenegorsk-8, Vysoky village, Olenya airfield)
    equipment: 4 units An-12 (10, 11, 19, 26), 3 units. Mi-26 (80, 81, 82), 6 units. Mi-8MT (07, 17, 70, 77, ...)
    - aviation commandant's office of the 40th SAP, military unit 36097-A (Komi Republic, Vorkuta, Sovetsky airfield).
- 326th Heavy Bomber Aviation Tarnopol Order of Kutuzov Division (Amur Region, Seryshevo-2 village, Ukrainka village):
  - 79th Heavy Bomber Order of the Red Star Aviation Regiment (TBAP), military unit 62266 (Amur region, Seryshevo-2 village, Ukrainka village, Ukrainka airfield)
    equipment: 14 units. Tu-95MS (01 Irkutsk, 02 Mozdok, 03, 04, 06, 07, 10, 20, 21, 22, 26, 28, 41, 43)
  - 182nd Guards Heavy Bomber Sevastopol-Berlin Red Banner Aviation Regiment (GTBAP), military unit 75715 (Amur region, Seryshevo-2 village, Ukrainka village, Ukrainka airfield). equipment: 16 units. Tu-95MS (45, 47, 49,50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59 Blagoveshchensk, 60, 61, 62)
    - aviation commandant's office of the 182nd GTBAP, military unit 75715-A (Chukotka Autonomous District, Anadyr, Ugolny airfield).
  - 200th Guards Heavy Bomber Brest Red Banner Order of Suvorov Aviation Regiment, military unit 35020 (former military unit 62266-B) (Irkutsk region, Usolsky district, Sredniy village, Belaya airfield). Equipment: 15 units. Tu-22M3 (01, 02, 21, 22, 25, 26, 27, 30, 31, 33, 34, 37, 46, 58, 67)
    - aviation commandant's office of the 200th GTBAP, military unit 35020-A (Republic of Sakha - Yakutia, Bulunsky ulus, Tiksi village, Tiksi air station): 1 unit. Mi-8AMTSh-VA (17)
    - aviation commandant's office (Kotelny Island, Novosibirsk Islands, Temp air).
  - 444th heavy bomber aviation regiment (Irkutsk region, Usolsky district, Sredniy village, Belaya airfield). The regiment was transferred from Vozdvizhenka.
    The equipment was transferred from Sovetskaya Gavan. equipment: 14 units. Tu-22M3 (03, 24, 37, 42, 43, 47, 48, 50, 51, 53, 54, 55, 56, 58)
  - 181st separate mixed aviation squadron (Irkutsk region, Usolsky district, Sredny settlement, Belaya air station)
    equipment: 2 units An-12, 3 units. An-30 (30, 31, 33), 2 units. An-26 (58, 59)
- 43rd Guards Oryol Center combat use and retraining of long-range aviation flight personnel, military unit 41521 (Ryazan, Dyagilevo airfield):
  - 49th Instructor Heavy Bomber Red Banner Aviation Regiment, military unit 52654 (Ryazan, Dyagilevo air station)
    equipment: 6 units. Tu-95MS (20 “Ryazan”, 22 “Chelyabinsk”, 23 ...), 6 units. Tu-22M3 (33, 34, 35, ...), 1 unit. IL-78 (34), 1 unit. Tu-134AK, 2 units. Mi-8MT
  - 27th mixed aviation regiment, military unit 77977 (Tambov, Tambov airport): 2 units. An-12, 8 units. An-26, 10 units. Tu-134UBL (UBSh).
- 203rd Separate Guards Aviation Oryol Regiment of Refueling Aircraft (Ryazan, Dyaghilevo Airport)
  equipment: 12 units Il-78M (30, 31, 32, 35, 36, 50, 51, 52, 80, 82, 83, 1 unit without side), 6 units. Il-78 (33, 79, 81, 86, 2 units without side)
- Museum of Long-Range Aviation, military unit 41521 (Ryazan, Dyagilevo airfield).
Centerpolygraph

- ADD of the USSR Armed Forces.

The world's first practical creation of heavy passenger aircraft, with 4 engines on the wings, began in the Russian Empire. On the passenger plane of the engineer and pilot I. I. Sikorsky Ilya Muromets, several world records were set, so in 1913 a load weighing 1,100 kilograms was lifted, and in 1914 16 passengers and a dog, these events were listed in the Guinness Book of Records. This aircraft was mass-produced at the Russian-Baltic Carriage Works (Russo-Balt), a total of 80 such machines were built.

In the current difficult situation, the initial period of the war, there was a violation of the centralized control of the DBA Civil Command, large losses of aircraft and crews, and constant reorganization of formations. The forces of the DBA of the Red Army Civil Code were divided into small groups, as a result, 74% of all sorties were flown "long rangers", for 1941, was produced for the purpose of directly supporting troops on the battlefield, which was not the main purpose of the DBA GK.

In August 1941, the Supreme High Command had to abolish the corps control level of the DBA Civil Command, since the loss of forces reached 65% of the original composition in June of the same year, and only seven air divisions remained in the DAF. The state of affairs in the DBA GC, by the beginning of 1942, left much to be desired, therefore, in order to preserve the forces of the DBA GC, centralize their management, and ensure their massive use at the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command, they made a decision and created Long-Range Aviation (LRA), as a separate branch of the Air Force , Decree of the State Defense Committee of the USSR, dated March 5, 1942, in order to carry out tasks of strategic importance:

In addition, the ADD (including the Civil Air Fleet, Civil Air Fleet, which is part of it) was widely used to support the partisan movement both in the occupied territory of the USSR and in Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia and Poland, and to carry out special tasks, such as delivering scouts, reconnaissance and reconnaissance and sabotage groups to any point deep behind enemy lines (even near Berlin), providing assistance to the Resistance movement in occupied Europe and many others.

ADD formations were allocated from the Red Army Air Force and were directly subordinate to the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief (SVGK). Eight long-range bomber aviation divisions and several paved airfields were transferred to long-range aviation, and a control, manning, logistics and repair system independent of the Red Army Air Force was created.

Throughout its existence, Long-Range Aviation was the reserve of the Supreme High Command (SHC). Commanding ADD received orders only from the Supreme Commander-in-Chief I.V. Stalin. Long-range aviation at that time consisted of more than 1,300 TB-3, TB-7 and Il-4 bombers.

A directorate and five long-range bomber corps were created, armed with different time almost up to 3000 airships, of which about 1800 are combat ships. The basis of the combat aircraft fleet long-range aviation were distant diplomats, during the first raid on Budapest, the large railway station of the Hungarian capital was badly damaged and, according to a statement from the Hungarian press, the government was requisitioning all the glass in the city to repair windows. At present, all three states are feverishly organizing air defense in the main cities and factories working for the Nazis, prudently created in these countries, as if far from the bombers of the united countries”...

In September 1944, Long-Range Aviation was transferred to the Red Army Air Force and transformed into the 18th Air Army. Purpose 18 VA however, it remained the same.

According to military statistics, Long-Range Aviation carried out the following sorties:

37 VAVGK military doctrine of the USSR Armed Forces. Three armies were reorganized as missile armies, and one army was disbanded in mid-1953.

Only aviation formations are presented, other formations (communications, airfield, security, and so on) are indicated as others.

By the beginning of 1943, the ADD of the Supreme High Command had 11 aviation divisions. In accordance with the decree of the State Defense Committee of the USSR, eight long-range bomber aviation corps began to be formed in May. The combat strength of long-range aviation increased to 700 aircraft and, thanks to the defense industry, continued to increase, albeit at a slow pace, and the goal was to bring it to 1,200 aircraft.

In December, the ADD of the Supreme High Command had 17 aviation divisions and 34 aviation regiments.