the development of russian military policy and finland

Annex 2 · 75
ture to air base organization. There will be about 50 bases of three different
categories. 266
• The first category air base includes 5–10 squadrons. The main bulk of
bases are of this category. They will be located in directions, where
army brigades most probably need air support and cover.
• The second and third category bases are less well equipped.
Not long ago, the Russian Air Force was in quite poor shape. Almost all of its
aircraft were 20−25 years old, outdated, and in poor condition. It’s therefore
not surprising that the State Armament Program made procurement of new
aircraft a priority, with a total investment of four trillion roubles (~ € 100 billion)
in that sector alone. 267
According to the new ten year procurement programme the Russian Air
Force will purchase over 1 500 new aircraft and significantly increase the
number of high-precision weapons in its arsenal by 2020. Overall, Air Force is
planning to acquire and modernize about 2 000 aircraft and helicopters by
2020, including more than 1 500 new aircraft and about 400 modernized ones.
The number of all-weather aircraft, capable of carrying out day and night missions
would increase almost 80 percent, and the share of UAV’s would constitute
about 30 percent of the total by 2020. 268 Every Joint Strategic Command
(Military District) can enable its own air support (air transport and close air
support) exploiting its own frontal air force and helicopter brigade. Even each
motorized rifle brigade and tank brigade will have air support from its helicopter
unit (helicopter squadron). 269
Since 1992 until in 2010 Russian Air Force has not received new aircraft in
significant numbers. The new aircraft received earlier were not genuine serial
production products but came from smaller prototype series. In 2010 the first
fifth generation T-50 PAK FA stealth fighter flew its maiden flight. It is due
to enter service in the middle of this decade. 270
Some of the largest investments in the Russian Air Force are earmarked for
military transport aircraft. Contracts have been signed to acquire 20 Antonov
An-124-100 Ruslan (NATO: Condor) heavy strategic transport aircraft starting
in 2015, 39 Ilyushin Il-476 (aka Il-76MD-90A) heavy airlifters starting in
2014, 11 Antonov An-140 light transport planes (two of them have already
been delivered), and up to 30 Czech made Let L-410UVP commuters (7 of
them have already been delivered).
266
Gavrilov, 2009.
267 Gorenburg, 2012.
268
Kiselev, 2010.
269 Litovkin, 2010.
270 Barabanov, 2011.