| Ten years ago, the Commonwealth Joint Air Defense System was created On February 10, 1995, the heads of ten states - Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine - signed an Agreement on the creation of a Joint Air Defense System (USA) of the CIS member states. The validity of the agreement is not limited; it is open for accession by other countries that share the provisions of the Concept for the protection of the airspace of the CIS member states and the Plan for the interaction of forces and means of the Joint Air Defense System. Since 1997, Georgia and Turkmenistan have refrained from participating in any programs within the Unified System.
Today, the Joint Air Defense System of the CIS consists of 19 fighter air regiments (11 of them Russian), 29 anti-aircraft missile regiments (11 Russian), 22 radio engineering units (nine belong to the Russian Air Force), two electronic warfare units (both Russian), four air defense brigades (all from the air defense forces of Kazakhstan). The missile crews are armed with anti-aircraft missile systems (SAM) "Osa", "Buk", S-75, S-125, S-200 and S-300 of several modifications, fighter aircraft are armed with MiG-23, MiG-29, MiG aircraft -31 and Su-27. Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Air Force for the United Air Defense System of the CIS member states, Lieutenant General Aitech BIZHEV, tells Vremya Novostey columnist Nikolai POROSKOV how this joint military structure works today.
— A lot has changed in a decade. For example, the Headquarters for the Coordination of Military Cooperation of the CIS is slowly giving way to a similar military structure of the Collective Security Treaty Organization. Did this somehow affect the Commonwealth's Joint Air Defense System?
-- The unified system operates today in reality, performing the functions for which it was created: protecting the air borders of the Commonwealth states, joint control over the use of airspace, warning about the aerospace situation, warning about missile and air attacks, and their coordinated reflection. Over these years, it was possible to restore the system of mutual exchange of information about the air situation, which was disrupted after the collapse of the USSR, to create a structure of duty forces and establish joint combat duty, and organize combat training. There is a constant exchange of information about the air situation between government authorities. Moreover, between the central command posts of the Air Force and Air Defense of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan - in an automated mode.
— The mass of various weapons of the United System must be repaired and periodically updated. Meanwhile, the production base for creating air defense systems is only in Russia...
-- Decree of the President of Russia dated December 1, 2000 No. 1953 provides for the supply of spare parts to maintain combat-ready equipment and air defense weapons of the Commonwealth states. We carry out major repairs at Russian enterprises. Sometimes teams of specialists travel to permanent locations for repair and restoration work. True, the development of military-technical cooperation is hampered by some existing regulations of the Russian Federation. Oddly enough, changes in the legal framework in the last two or three years have further reduced the efficiency of military-technical cooperation, and at the same time the attractiveness of the services provided by Russian enterprises. The Coordination Committee on Air Defense Issues sent some proposals to the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, after the implementation of which the situation will undoubtedly improve.
-- It is impressive how quickly NATO began protecting the Baltic airspace after the expansion of the Alliance. How is combat duty organized within the Joint Air Defense System?
-- The first to be involved in joint combat duty were the air defense forces and means of Belarus and Russia. Then Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia signed a trilateral Instruction on joint actions of air defense forces on duty. And already in March 2000, these forces began protecting the airspace. Today, joint combat duty is organized with units and divisions of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Of course, combining efforts makes it possible to more reliably protect air borders, reduce tension in the work of forces on duty, reduce costs - for example, reduce the number of Russian radio engineering units with radar stations turned on.
-- How is the Commonwealth Joint Air Defense System financed?
-- It is financed in accordance with the Regulations on financial planning for the creation, restoration and improvement of the system. And the basis for the allocation of funds is the annual appropriation plan approved by the Council of Heads of Government. The plan indicates how much money is needed to create and modernize air defense systems, ensure joint activities, and develop and implement common programs to improve the system. Funds for the implementation of joint projects and support for the work of the Coordination Committee on Air Defense Issues are transferred from the budgets of the states participating in the agreement to the current account of the Coordination Committee in the Central Bank of Russia. The authorized manager of funds is the Chairman of the Coordination Committee for Air Defense Issues - the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Air Force. Each state independently finances its own military units and improves national air defense.
--What is meant by general programs?
-- A package of such programs for the development of the Joint Air Defense System was approved by the Council of Heads of Government on June 20, 2000. Their implementation makes it possible to preserve and improve national air defense systems in accordance with the needs of each state, and in the future to create regional interstate air defense systems in the East European, Central Asian and Caucasian regions. A package of documents has already been agreed upon to create a unified regional air defense system of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation. The implementation of common programs means joint operational and combat training activities. Since 1995, command and staff training has been conducted with combat command and control agencies and air defense forces on duty. In total, over 20 such training sessions were conducted. As a rule, they involve operational groups of commanders of Russian Air Force formations and commanders of Air Force and Air Defense forces, air defense forces of the Commonwealth member states. During the training, the interaction of control bodies and duty forces is practiced when working against state border violators, air terrorists, and when providing assistance to aircraft caught in an emergency situation. Recently, a mutual maneuver of fighter aviation crews from Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan to interaction airfields using a radar patrol and guidance aircraft was successfully practiced.
We are also conducting (for now at Russian training grounds) joint live-fire exercises “Combat Commonwealth.” About 70 anti-aircraft missile divisions, up to 60 crews of fighter, attack and bomber aircraft, and dozens of radio engineering units have already participated in them. This year, the operating conditions for crews during live-fire exercises will be more complicated. This will affect both the jamming environment and the target environment. Calculations of anti-aircraft missile systems will work in dynamics. They will have to bring the equipment to the highest degree of readiness from a traveling position and carry out practical missile launches. Applications for participation have already been submitted by Armenia, Russia, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Belarus, which plans to test its automated control system. It is planned that our crews will go to the Balkhash training ground in Kazakhstan to test the new S-400 anti-aircraft missile system, and at full capacity. Fortunately, the capabilities of the landfill allow this to be done. In April we are planning to conduct a command and staff training from our central command post - using strategic aircraft as control targets. We plan to carry out similar exercises and training in the future.
— Let’s imagine a completely predictable situation: the air border of one of the countries participating in the CIS Unified Air Defense System has been violated. Will Russia participate in the defense of this state?
- Yes, it will. The duty forces of the state whose border is violated report this to us at the central command post. The forces and assets of the Joint System are put on combat readiness. The decision to use weapons is made by the commanders-in-chief of the Air Force and Air Defense on the ground. Interviewed by Nikolai POROSKOV |
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