Translated material
"We don't just iron the air"
The commander of long-range aviation told how Russian planes patrol foreign borders
This year, Russian strategic aviation resumed air patrol flights in areas remote from Russian borders . The country knows about this. But only the commander of long-range aviation of the Russian Air Force, Major General Pavel Androsov, who is also the commander of the 37th Air Army of the Supreme High Command for Strategic Purposes, knows exactly how these flights take place . Yesterday, the general spoke about the patrol algorithm, and also gave figures characterizing this large-scale action.The task of patrolling airspace outside Russian territory is not new for long-range aviation: such combat duty flights have been carried out since the 80s of the last century - as a response to US strategic aviation flights and the deployment of Pershing-2 missiles in Europe. At that time, our pilots flew near the borders of the USA and Canada, sometimes with two refuelings in the air. Then about 170 sorties were carried out. Since the beginning of the 90s, the intensity of flights has decreased, and then they practically came to zero. Since 2001, flights have been very low in intensity across all four of the world's oceans. As a rule, to reveal the work of other aircraft carrier groups, to see how their air defense fighters react.
In 2007, we first carried out preliminary training, flying in the waters of the Arabian Sea, in the western part of the Pacific Ocean, near the island of Guam, Alaska. And on August 17 of this year, following the instructions of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the President of Russia, we officially began air patrols. As the long-range fighters themselves say, “with the aim of demonstrating military presence in regions that are strategically important for Russia and preparing crews for combat operations in the northern latitudes.” This refers to flights from airfields in Vorkuta, Tiksi, Anadyr, Olenegorsk. Naturally, Russian long-range aircraft are never alone in the air - they are constantly monitored, using the entire range of air defense systems, by the military of the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Norway and other neighboring countries. Their fighters are flying close to our strategic missile carriers. For example, from Alaska, from Canada. At first these were the well-known F-15 and F-18, then the new F-22 appeared. However, there were no aggressive actions on their part, admitted Major General Androsov. On the contrary, their pilots greeted ours by raising their hands, which was clearly visible through the cockpit glazing. In Soviet times, it happened that gestures depicted a noose wrapped around the neck.
Interceptors often operated as part of air patrols, which traditionally included several fighters, a tanker and an AWACS-type radar warning and control aircraft. Such patrols were accompanied by Russian missile carriers for two to three hours. Our pilots saw how fighters moved away from them as a security object and attached themselves to an air tanker that was moving at a distance of 10-15 km. Having filled themselves with kerosene, they returned to the battle line. Often, one fighter was replaced (or rather, arrived) by another. Interestingly, not far from the borders of Norway, our pilots met not only the British and Norwegians, but also French Mirages. One day a completely new EF-2000 Typhoon fighter appeared. In short, the West presented the entire palette of interceptors.
Sometimes the “colleagues” walked at the same altitude at a distance of 2-3 km, watching the Russian strategists, sometimes literally flying around them from above, behind and in front, while apparently taking photographs. But sometimes they came to a rather dangerous distance of 3-5 m. Something similar happened in Soviet times. In those years, it got to the point that the fighter would stand in front of our bomber and turn on the afterburner mode of the engine. Our engine simply stopped and stalled. Once, an F-4, leaving from under a Soviet missile carrier, miscalculated and pierced the wing of a Tu-16 with its keel. Miraculously, it did not hit the fuel tanks, and the incident did not end in disaster. These were "men's games." Today, such excesses have not yet been observed.
In total, during air patrols, our long-range aircraft were intercepted more than 70 times. About 120 air defense fighters from what was recently said to be a potential enemy took part in the interceptions. According to our timing, fighter escort lasted more than 40 hours: from several minutes to several hours. Meanwhile, as the British admit, a flight to intercept just one Tornado fighter costs 40 thousand pounds sterling. It is clear that the flights of our strategic aviation are much more expensive, although the military does not give specific figures.
Russian crews of heavy strategic airships learned a lot. For example, take off with maximum weight. There have been cases when the 3.5 km runway ends, and the plane is still knocking its landing gear wheels on the concrete, unable to get off the ground. That is, they mastered the art of taking off “from the last slab.” We learned how to refuel in flight. This is very difficult - at a distance of 20 m, hit the cone with a barbell that ends in a filling hose dangling in the air, and take 30 tons of kerosene in 15 minutes, expertly holding the constantly heavier (more than 150 tons) machine at the required height and at the required speed. In a word, aerobatics.
Thanks to patrol flights, the flight training plan for long-range aviation pilots was fully completed, young pilots were trained, and the crew logged 80 hours of flight time for the first time in many recent years. This type of flight allows the pilot to feel confident. During the patrol, the crews practiced bombing and launching missiles - naturally, without using their weapons. There were more than two hundred such “theoretical” launches. Elements of tactical air combat were also practiced. The main thing is that the crews of air strategists know how to act in “time of H.” That is, when the time comes for combat duty in the air with weapons, including nuclear ones. Actually, this is what training is for. “By patrolling, we are not just wasting air to no avail and recklessly wasting fuel and resources,” says General Androsov, “we are learning to use our weapons.”
...By the way, for some reason long-range pilots are not entitled to travel allowances, although they fly abroad.
Long-range aviation began in Russia with heavy aircraft “Svyatogor” and “Ilya Muromets” designed by Igor Sikorsky. On December 23, 1914, these aircraft were grouped into a squadron of heavy ships. This date is celebrated as the anniversary of long-range aviation; this year it will turn 93 years old. In March 1942, the State Defense Committee of the USSR transformed long-range bomber aviation into long-range aviation and subordinated it to the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command. Remembering the atomic bombing of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the Americans, in April 1946 the USSR created long-range aviation under its subordination to the General Staff of the Armed Forces. Next year, the Tu-4 bomber, the first carrier of nuclear weapons, enters service. In October 1951, the first aerial test of an atomic bomb was carried out from it. In October 1961, a Tu-16 dropped the first hydrogen bomb at the Novaya Zemlya test site. Long-range aviation is considered the ancestor of the Strategic Missile Forces, since two air armies were transferred to a new type of armed forces, where they became missile armies. In the 1970s-1980s, Tu-22M, Tu-95MS and Tu-160 aircraft with long-range cruise missiles entered service with the DA, and it became possible to strike targets anywhere in the world.