Foundation Day of the Russian naval aviation
Today, 9:38

July 17 is considered to be the foundation day of naval aviation of the Russian Navy. It was on this day back in 1916 over the Baltic Sea Russian pilots won their first military victory. In battle, attended 4 seaplane M-9, coming from an aircraft carrier ship "The Eagle" Baltic Fleet. In the sky, they confronted four German aircraft. Victory in this air battle of World War I marked the beginning of the history of Soviet naval aviation.

In the Russian naval aviation began to develop in 1911 with seaplanes, with the first cars were purchased abroad. Soon, however, the domestic designers have created several types of flying boats that took part in the First World War. Russian seaplanes used for shelling and aerial bombardment of ports and naval bases, ships at sea, as well as to destroy enemy aircraft in the air.

In July 1917, Russia was the Office of Naval Aviation and Aeronautics, and commissioned the first time there were two separate air division - one on the Black Sea, the other in the Baltic. After 1917, the Baltic Fleet began forming a separate air brigade of special purpose. Later separate detachments seaplanes appeared as part of the Caspian, the Volga and other fleets. Overall, on all fronts of the civil war used 19 aircraft naval units.

In 1930, when the whole country "hurt" the Arctic and watched Chelyuskinites destiny, namely marine pilots took an active part in saving the polar expedition. For saving polar Gold Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union was awarded Anatoly Vasilyevich Lyapidevskaya, who was a pupil is naval aviation.



War of 1941-1945, the Soviet Navy aircraft became the first ever to strike at Berlin. It has become a major threat to the Nazi invaders in the war at sea. During the Great Patriotic War of marine pilots have completed more than 35,000 sorties to various tasks. In aerial combat with the enemy on the ground and they have destroyed more than 5.5 thousand enemy aircraft. From the blows of naval aviation pilots Germany and its allies lost at sea 407 warships and 371 trucks carrying troops and cargo. It is 2/3 of the total losses of the enemy against the Soviet Navy. Since then, the role of naval aviation of the Russian Navy only increased.

In the postwar years, naval aviation has continued to evolve, honing their combat skills and mastering new techniques coming into service. That pilot severomorets in 1961 paved the way for the first of mankind to the stars. At the same time, there appeared a new kind of naval aviation - the sea anti-submarine and missile-carrying, went improving maritime reconnaissance aircraft. A new direction for the Navy has been the emergence in its composition shipborne aircraft vertical takeoff and landing, as well as the construction of the first aircraft carriers "Minsk", "Kiev" and "Novorossiysk". In the future appearance of the deck fighter aircraft, the main purpose of which is to cover groups fleet at sea, marked a milestone in the development of Russian naval aviation.

Currently, the Russian Navy has in its composition combat-ready fighter pilots, crews and ship-based helicopters. Illustrious tradition of marine veteran pilots cherishes and multiplies current generation of marine pilots who continue to serve selflessly and to work to strengthen the combat readiness of Russian Navy.



Today, armed with Russian naval aviation are modern jets and various helicopters. Own aircraft fleet have all four of our country: Northern, Baltic, Black Sea and the Pacific. At the same time, naval aviation continues to be one of the most maneuverable arms as part of the Russian Navy, which can act as in cooperation with other branches of the military, and completely independently.

Naval Aviation - is a separate branch of the Navy of Russia. It is designed for search and the subsequent destruction of the enemy landing parties, its battle fleet forces, convoys and single ships at sea, and in the naval bases. In addition, the naval aviation fleet provides cover objects and groups of ships from enemy air attacks, engaged in the destruction of air targets: aircraft, helicopters and cruise missiles. Also naval aviation provides air reconnaissance, targeting enemy ships on their own strike forces and issue the necessary target designation. Naval aviation can be held for the production of minefields, the implementation of mine action, air transportation and landing of troops and supplies, electronic warfare (EW), the implementation of search and rescue at sea. Now constitute the basis of its planes and helicopters for various purposes.

Russian naval aviation functionally divided into kind of aviation fighter, naval missile-carrying, antisubmarine, reconnaissance and auxiliary facilities (EW Airborne Warning and Control System, providing control and communication, mine, transport, search and rescue, ambulance, refueling aircraft fuel in the air ). Naval aviation can be based on aircraft carriers and airfields. By basing its place is divided into shore-based aircraft and carrier aviation.


The overwhelming majority of the Russian naval aviation has a shore-based. At present, the Russian fleet includes only one aircraft carrier - heavy aircraft carrying cruiser "Admiral Kuznetsov". As of 2014 the Russian naval aviation is represented by four types of aircraft: fighters Su-33 and MiG-29K, as well as educational and training machines Sioux 25UTG and trainer aircraft MiG-29KUB. All of them during campaigns can be based on the deck of an aircraft carrier with Russian helicopters Ka-27 and Ka-29.

At present the Russian naval aviation updated with new releases, which include and MiG-29K, which should completely replace the Su-33 aboard the "Kuznetsov". In addition, July 15, 2014 the Russian Navy was handed the first production aircraft Il-38N, which is an upgrade of the patrol and anti-submarine aircraft of Soviet era. Upgraded Il-38N was fitted with a new sighting and navigation system "Novella-P-38." Il-38N was built under the first contract, which was signed between the Defense Ministry and the KLA. Total contracted Russian military should get five of these aircraft. The first production aircraft of this type was referred to the center of the training and retraining of pilots of Naval Aviation, located in Eyske. Currently, there already is a preparation board operators and pilots for IL-38N.

In contrast to the original machine, updated Il-38N is equipped with a modern digital equipment, which significantly expands the capabilities of the aircraft. The machine can be used to track surface ships and submarines of the enemy, the Russian economic zone patrol, search and rescue operations at sea. Equipment modernized aircraft has an open architecture that allows anytime complement her all sorts of equipment, depending on the tasks facing aircraft. During the modernization of Il-38N was also repaired, that will extend the life of the aircraft for another 20-25 years. In total, the Russian Navy today is about 40 aircraft of this type, 28 of them will be upgraded by 2020.

Based on materials from public sources.
Author Sergey Yuferev
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