Today marks the centenary of the formation of the anti- air defense ground forces.

The beginning of the formation of military air defense units was the order of General Alekseev - Chief of Staff of the Supreme Commander of December 13 (26), 1915 No. 368, which announced the formation of separate four-gun light batteries for firing at the air fleet. According to the Order of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation of February 9, 2007 No. 50, December 26 is considered the date of creation of military air defense.

1. Launcher 9A83 ZRK S-300V - long-range universal anti-aircraft defense system SV with the possibility of theater missile defense

August 16, 1958 by order (No. 0069) of the Minister defense of the USSR Marshal Soviet Union R. Ya. Malinovsky, air defense forces were created ground forces- a branch of the armed forces that has become an integral part of the Ground Forces.


2. Combat vehicles SAM "Tor-M2U" provide multi-channel shelling of air targets, including elements of the WTO

In 1997, in order to improve the leadership of the air defense forces, the air defense troops of the Ground Forces, formations, military units and air defense units of the Coastal Forces of the Navy, military units and air defense units of the Airborne Forces, as well as formations and military units of the air defense reserve of the Supreme Commander were merged into military air defense troops Armed Forces Russian Federation.


3. ZRPK "Tunguska-M1" ensures the destruction of air and ground targets in the near zone

Air Defense Troops of the Ground Forces (Air Defense SV) - a branch of the Ground Forces of the Russian Federation, designed to cover troops and objects from the actions of enemy air attack weapons when conducting operations (combat operations) by combined arms formations and formations, regrouping (march) and deployed on the spot . It is necessary to distinguish the Air Defense Troops from the Air Defense Forces (VKO brigades) of the Air Force and VVKO, which until 1998 were part of an independent branch of the Armed Forces - the Air Defense Forces of the country (Air Defense of the USSR and Air Defense of the Russian Federation).

The Air Defense Forces of the SV are entrusted with the following main tasks:

• carrying combat duty on air defense;


• reconnaissance air enemy and notification of covered troops;


• destruction of enemy air attack means in flight;


• participation in the conduct of missile defense in theaters of military operations.

4. PU 9A83 ZRK S-300V


5. BM SAM "Tor-M2U"


6. SOU SAM "Buk-M1-2"


7. ZRPK "Tunguska-M1" firing from anti-aircraft guns


8. BM ZRK "Osa-AKM"


9. BM ZRK "Strela-10M3"


10. ROM ZRK "Buk-M2"


12. SOU and ROM SAM "Buk-M2"


13. ZSU-23-4 "Shilka"


14. BM ZRK "Strela-10"


15. BM ZRK "Strela-1"


16. PU SAM "Cube"


17. PU SAM "Circle"


18. ZSU-23-4 "Shilka"


18. PU SAM "Kub-M3"


19. BM ZRK "Tor-M2U"


20. SOU SAM "Buk-M2"

Air defense is a special set of measures that are aimed at repelling any air threat. As a rule, this is an air attack of the enemy. The Russian air defense system is divided into the following types:

• Military air defense. This is a special kind of NE of Russia. The air defense troops of the Russian ground forces are the most numerous type of air defense in Russia;
• Objective air defense, which since 1998 became part of the Russian Air Force, and since 2009-2010 are aerospace defense brigades;
• Shipborne air defense or air defense system of the navy. Air defense missiles, which are armed with ship-based air defense systems (for example, the Storm air defense system), are capable of not only protecting ships from enemy air attacks, but also hitting surface ships.

as a special holiday for the military, who were related to the country's air defense. Then the day of air defense was celebrated on April 11. Since 1980, Air Defense Day in the USSR has been celebrated every second Sunday in April.

In 2006, by a special Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of May 31, Air Defense Day was officially declared a memorable day. The holiday is also celebrated every second Sunday in April.

The history of the emergence of air defense forces in Russia

The need for appearance anti-aircraft artillery recognized at the end of the 19th century. In 1891, the first firing at air targets took place, which were used Balloons and aerostats. Artillery showed that it could quite successfully deal with stationary air targets, although firing at moving targets was unsuccessful.

In 1908-1909, experimental firing at moving targets took place, as a result of which it was decided that in order to successfully combat aviation, it was necessary to create a special gun designed to fire at moving air targets.

In 1914, the Putilov Plant manufactured four 76 mm guns, which were intended to fight enemy aircraft. These guns were moved on special trucks. Despite this, before the start of the First World War, Russia was completely unprepared for combat with an air enemy. Already in the autumn of 1914, the command had to urgently form special artillery units, whose main task was to fight enemy aircraft.

In the USSR, the first air defense units, consisting of searchlight companies and machine gun installations, took part for the first time in a military parade on May 1, 1929. By the parade of 1930, the air defense forces were replenished with anti-aircraft artillery, which moved in cars:

• Anti-aircraft guns of 76 mm caliber;
• Machine gun installations;
• Projector installations;
• Soundproof installations.

Air Defense Forces during World War II

Second World War demonstrated the importance of aviation. The ability to deliver swift air strikes has become one of the keys to the success of military operations. The state of the USSR air defense before the start of the Second World War was far from perfect and was completely unsuitable for repelling massive German air raids. Although before the start of the Second World War, the Soviet command devoted a lot of time and money to the development of air defense systems, these troops were completely unprepared to repel modern German aircraft.

The entire first half of the Second World War is characterized by huge losses Soviet troops precisely because of enemy air raids. The ground forces of the USSR did not have the necessary air defense system at all. The defense of the corps from air attacks was carried out by the regular number of air defense systems, which were represented by the following fire weapons per 1 km of the front:

• 2 anti-aircraft guns;
• 1 heavy machine gun;
• 3 anti-aircraft quadruple installations.

In addition to the fact that these guns were clearly not enough, there was a huge need for fighter aircraft at the front. The air surveillance, warning and communications system was in its infancy, and did not cope with the tasks assigned to them at all. For a long time, the troops did not even have their own means of this type. To carry out these functions, it was planned to strengthen the army with VNOS radio companies. These companies did not at all correspond to the technical development of German aviation, since they could only detect enemy aircraft visually. Such detection was possible only at a distance of 10-12 km, and modern German aircraft covered such a distance in 1-2 minutes.

The domestic theory of the development of air defense troops before the start of the Second World War did not make any serious emphasis on the development of this group of troops. Based on the dogmas of this theory, the air defense forces, no matter how highly developed they are, are not able to provide full protection front from enemy air raids. In any case, small groups of the enemy will still be able to fly and destroy the target. That is why the command of the USSR did not pay serious attention to the air defense forces, and the construction of air defense was based on the fact that air defense systems would distract the enemy, enabling aviation to join the battle.

In any case, the fighter aviation of the USSR in the first years of the war was not able to give any serious rebuff to enemy aircraft, which is why German pilots in those years staged a real entertaining "hunt" for ground targets.

Realizing their mistakes, the Soviet command concentrated its efforts on the development of air defense systems, placing special emphasis on improving fighter aircraft and anti-aircraft artillery.

The development of air defense after the end of the Second World War

In 1946, a new era began in the development of the air defense forces - a new department was created, whose task was to test anti-aircraft missiles. During the 1947-1950s, this department, which was located at the Kapustin Yar training ground, tested German anti-aircraft missiles, while supervising the development of Soviet-made anti-aircraft missiles. Until 1957, this committee was engaged in testing domestically developed anti-aircraft unguided missiles.

In 1951, tests of anti-aircraft missiles became so large-scale that it was necessary to create a special range for testing anti-aircraft missiles. This test site was formed on June 6, 1951. Rocket testers from all over the country were sent to this test site as personnel.

The first launch of a guided anti-aircraft missile took place at this test site in 1951. In 1955, the first in the USSR anti-aircraft missile system S-25 "Berkut" was adopted by the Air Defense Forces, which remained in service until the 90s.

In the period from 1957 to 1961, a new S-75 mobile anti-aircraft missile system was developed and put into service. This air defense system for 30 years remained the main weapon of the Soviet air defense forces. In the future, the S-75 air defense system received many modifications and was supplied as military assistance to friendly countries. It was the S-75 anti-aircraft missile system that shot down the American U-2 aircraft in 1960 near Sverdlovsk. During the Vietnam War, the S-75 air defense system, which was supplied as military aid to Vietnam, shot down many American aircraft. According to the most rough estimates, this air defense system destroyed more than 1,300 units of American aircraft of various systems.

In 1961, the new S-125 short-range anti-aircraft missile system was adopted. This air defense system proved to be so effective that it is still in service with Russian air defense. During the Arab-Israeli wars, the S-125 complex was able to destroy several dozen supersonic aircraft belonging to the United States and Israel.

The Great Patriotic War showed that air defense systems have great prospects. The development of air defense in the second half of the 20th century was carried out in the right direction, which was repeatedly proved in the course of numerous Arab-Israeli conflicts. The tactics of using air defense systems were now based on completely different principles. New air defense systems had the following characteristics:

• Mobility of anti-aircraft missile systems;
• The suddenness of their use, for which they carefully disguised themselves;
• General survivability and maintainability of air defense systems.

To date, the basis of anti-aircraft weapons of the Ground Forces of the Russian Federation are the following complexes and systems:

• S-300V. This system is capable of effectively protecting troops not only from enemy aircraft, but also from ballistic missiles. This system could fire two types of missiles, one of which was ground-to-ground;
• "Buk-M1". This complex was developed in the 90s, and it was put into service in 1998;
• "Tor-M1". This system is able to independently control the designated airspace;
• OSA-AKM. This SAM system is very mobile;
• "Tunguska-M1", which was put into service in 2003.

All these systems are developments of well-known Russian designers and not only absorbed all the best qualities of their predecessors, but also equipped with modern electronics. These complexes effectively protect troops from all types of air attacks, thereby providing reliable cover for the army.

At various military exhibitions, domestic anti-aircraft missile systems not only are not inferior to foreign counterparts, but also surpass them in a number of parameters, ranging from range to power.

The main prospects for the modern development of the Air Defense Forces of the Ground Forces

The main areas in which the development of modern air defense forces is directed are:

• Change and reorganization of all structures, one way or another connected with air defense. The main task of the reorganization is the maximum use of all resources and combat power missile weapons which is currently in service. Another task of paramount importance is to establish the maximum interaction of the air defense forces with other groups of troops of the Russian army;
• Weapons development and military equipment a new generation that will be able to deal not only with existing means of air attack, but also with the latest developments in the field of hypersonic technologies;
• Change and improvement of the personnel training system. Special attention should be given to changing the training program, because it has not changed for many years, although new air defense systems have long been adopted.

The priority is still to carry out planned developments latest models Air defense, modernization of older models and complete replacement of obsolete air defense systems. Generally, modern system Air defense is developing in accordance with the words of the famous Marshal Zhukov, who said that only a powerful military air defense system is capable of repelling sudden enemy attacks, thereby enabling the Armed Forces to engage in a full-scale battle.

Modern air defense systems and air defense systems in the Russian air defense forces

One of the main air defense systems that are in service with the air defense forces is the S-300V system. This system is capable of hitting air targets at a distance of up to 100 km. Already in 2014, the S-300V air defense systems began to be gradually replaced by a new system, which was called the S-300V4. New system improved in all respects, it is an improved modification of the S-300V, differing from it in an increased range, a more reliable design, which is distinguished by improved protection against radio interference. The new system is able to deal more effectively with all types of air targets that appear within its range.

The next most popular complex is the Buk air defense system. Since 2008, a modification of the complex, called the Buk-M2, has been in service with the air defense forces. This air defense system can simultaneously hit up to 24 targets, and the range of hitting targets reaches 200 km. Since 2016, the Buk-M3 complex has been adopted, which is a model made on the basis of the Buk-M2 and seriously modified.

Another popular air defense system is the TOR complex. In 2011, a new modification of the air defense system, called the TOR-M2U, began to enter service. This modification has the following differences from the base model:

• She can conduct reconnaissance on the move;
• Fire at 4 air targets at once, thereby providing an all-round defeat.

The latest modification is called "Tor-2". Unlike previous models of the TOR family, this modification has a 2-fold increase in ammunition and is capable of firing on the move, ensuring the complete safety of troops on the march.

In addition, Russian air defense systems also have man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems. The ease of training and use of this type of weapon makes it a serious problem for enemy air forces. Since 2014, new MANPADS "Verba" began to enter the air defense units of the Ground Forces. Their use is justified when you have to operate in conditions of powerful optical interference, which hinder the operation of powerful automatic air defense systems.

At present, the share of modern air defense systems in the air defense forces is about 40 percent. The latest Russian air defense systems have no analogues in the world, and are capable of providing complete protection against sudden air attacks.

It has more than a century of history, which began in the suburbs of St. Petersburg in 1890. The first attempts to adapt the existing artillery for firing at flying targets were made at the training grounds near Ust-Izhora and in Krasnoye Selo. However, these attempts revealed the complete inability of conventional artillery to hit air targets, and the untrained military to control guns.

Start of air defense

The decoding of the well-known abbreviation means, that is, a system of measures to protect the territory and objects from air attack. The first shooting near Petersburg was made from four-inch guns using ordinary bullet shrapnel.

It is this combination specifications revealed the inability of the available means to defeat air targets, the role of which was then performed by balloons and hot air balloons. However, according to the test results, Russian engineers received a technical assignment for the development of a special gun, which was completed in 1914. Technically imperfect were at that time not only artillery pieces, but also the airplanes themselves, unable to rise to a height exceeding three kilometers.

World War I

Until 1914, the use of air defense systems in combat conditions was not very relevant, since aviation was practically not used. However, in Germany and Russia, the history of air defense begins as early as 1910. The countries obviously foresaw the imminent conflict and tried to prepare for it, given the sad experience of previous wars.

Thus, the history of air defense in Russia has one hundred and seven years, during which they have significantly developed and evolved from cannons that fired at balloons to high-tech early warning systems capable of hitting targets even in space.

The birthday of the air defense system is considered December 8, 1914, when a system of defensive structures and means directed against air targets began to function on the outskirts of Petrograd. In order to secure the imperial capital, an extensive network of observation posts was created on the remote approaches to it, consisting of towers and telephone points, from which information about the approaching enemy was reported to the headquarters.

Fighter aircraft in World War I

An integral part of the air defense system of any country and at any time is fighter aircraft capable of neutralizing attacking aircraft at distant approaches.

In turn, for effective functioning, a significant number of highly qualified pilots are required. For these purposes, on the Volkovo field near St. Petersburg in 1910, the first Russian officer aeronautical school was formed, which set as its task the training of first-class aeronauts, as pilots were called at that time.

In parallel with the network of observation posts, a system was created, which received the official name "Radio-telegraph defense of Petrograd." This system was intended to intercept the communications of hostile pilots attacking the Russian army.

After the revolution

Deciphering air defense as air defense creates the illusion that the system is extremely simple and designed only to shoot down enemy aircraft. However, already on the fields of the First World War, it became clear that the troops were faced with numerous and complex tasks not only in controlling the sky, but also in reconnaissance, camouflage and the formation of the front line of front-line aviation.

After the victory of the October Revolution, all the air defense forces on the territory of Petrograd came under the control of the Red Army, which took up their reform and reorganization.

The actual abbreviation of air defense and the decoding appeared in 1925, when the terms "air defense of the country" and "air defense of the front line" were first used in official documents. It was at this time that they identified priority areas air defense development. However, more than ten years have passed before their comprehensive implementation.

Air defense of the largest cities

Since defense against air attacks required significant resources, both human and technical, the Soviet leadership decided to organize air defense defense of several key cities of the USSR. These included Moscow, Leningrad, Baku and Kyiv.

In 1938, air defense corps were formed to protect Leningrad from air attacks. An air defense brigade was organized for the defense of Kyiv. A transcript with a mention of the means used to repel enemy air attacks is as follows:

• flak;
• aerial reconnaissance;
• communication and notification;
• antiaircraft projectors.

Of course, such a list has little to do with the current state of affairs, since over the past eighty years the structure has become much more complicated, and the technique has become more universal. Besides, great importance air defense is now played by radio intelligence and information warfare.

By the beginning of World War II, the early detection of enemy air forces and their destruction becomes especially important. To solve this problem, special means of electronic intelligence are being developed. The first country to deploy a wide network of radar stations was Great Britain.

The first devices designed to control anti-aircraft fire were also developed there, which significantly increased its accuracy and increased density.

The current state of air defense

The decoding of the well-known abbreviation does not fully correspond to modern realities, since non-contact methods of warfare based on missile weapons and special aircraft with low visibility are becoming increasingly important in the world today.

In addition, the abbreviation PRO, which refers to anti-missile defense, is increasingly being used next to the abbreviation for air defense. It is impossible today to imagine effective air defense without the use of missile weapons, which means that systems that are of fundamental importance for the integration of various systems from anti-aircraft guns to radar weapons are becoming increasingly important.

In the age of the Internet, competent search and the ability to distinguish reliable information from incorrect information are of great importance. Increasingly, users are looking for a decoding of the air defense department of internal affairs, which means the passport and visa department of the Department of Internal Affairs - the police department involved in the passportization of the population.

THE ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTRY'S AIR DEFENSE

From the first days and months of the First World War, the organs of state and military leadership paid close attention to the state of air defense.

In the First World War, in connection with the intensive development and use by the opposing sides of aircraft for military purposes in the armies of the warring states, it became necessary to create special means combating them and organizing air defense of groupings of friendly troops and important objects in the theater of operations. In Russia, among the priority tasks, measures were developed to prevent flights of enemy air attack weapons over the capital and the residence of the emperor in Tsarskoe Selo.

On November 30, 1914, * the commander of the 6th Army, by order No. 90, announced a special instruction, on the basis of which the air defense ** of Petrograd and its environs was organized. Major General G.V. Burman. On December 8, 1914, the "Instruction on aeronautics in the area of ​​the 6th Army" was put into effect, the air defense of the capital of Russia began to be carried out.

*Hereinafter, the dates are given according to the new style.
** The term "air defense", which meant a combination of forces and means, as well as organizational measures to combat the enemy's air force and protect its troops and facilities from its actions, was used in Russia for a relatively short time - from 1914 to 1926 ., in 1926-1927. the term "air-chemical defense" was used, since 1928 - "air defense". For the first time, the name "air defense" in an official document (it was signed by B.M. Shaposhnikov, Assistant Chief of Staff of the Red Army) appeared at the beginning of 1924, and since 1928 it was legalized by a decree of the Revolutionary Military Council of the USSR.

For the timely detection of the enemy in the air on the distant approaches to the city and warning about him, a network of observation posts was deployed, artillery pieces adapted for firing at aircraft were installed at positions around Petrograd and near Tsarskoye Selo, and prepared for combat were appointed from the Gatchina Military Aviation School. with aircraft crews.

By April 1915, the air defense of Petrograd and the imperial residence in Tsarskoye Selo was replenished with new forces and means, in connection with which, by order of the 6th Army No. leadership, units and divisions of various types of weapons. Since the summer of 1915, for the first time, the organization of the air defense of the capital of the empire was regulated by the order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief.

During the First World War, air defense was also created to protect other cities, in particular Odessa and Nikolaev, large headquarters, groupings of troops on all fronts of the active Russian army. Improved its organization and weapons.

At the beginning of 1917, at the initiative of the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander, a radio intelligence system, or, as it was then called, radio telegraph defense, began to be created in the regions of Petrograd and Odessa in order to give early warning of the appearance of enemy airships and determine the direction of their flight.

Thus, in 1915-1917. the foundation was laid for the creation of air defense systems for individual cities and important military facilities in theaters of military operations. In the Russian army, special positions of chiefs of air defense were introduced (regularly and non-regularly), and their headquarters were formed.

The air defense systems being created for the administrative-political and military centers of Russia were continuously improved throughout the war, taking into account the situation in the East European theater of operations, the technical means available in service and experience in combating an air enemy.

In the years civil war and military intervention, the air defense of the Soviet state took its first steps. The extremely low technical level and the small number of forces and means involved in air defense did not allow developing the experience that arose during the First World War in their combat use on the fronts of military operations.

After the end of the Civil War, by decision of the government of the RSFSR, the transfer of the Red Army to a peaceful position began in a short time. A significant reduction in these years was also carried out in air defense units (subunits). The absence of a single governing body for the latter, the limited number of anti-aircraft artillery and aviation, and their poor technical condition led to the fact that "in the period 1921-1924, air defense as a system did not exist in the country." This period was assessed in 1932 by the head of the Air Defense Department M.E. Medvedev.

The construction of the air defense system of the Soviet state in the interwar period began during the military reform of 1924-1925. Since 1924, the Headquarters of the Red Army has become the main planning body for this process.

Of particular importance in the construction of air defense was the directive of the Headquarters of the Red Army to the military districts, departments and services of the People's Commissariat for Military and Naval Affairs dated August 25, 1925, which explained that "in the current budget year, the Headquarters of the Red Army is starting to organize the country's air defense. in this regard, should be distinguished from the tasks of air defense of the front line in war time where all these issues will be resolved on the basis of the relevant charters, instructions. "In this directive, the terms "air defense of the country" and "air defense of the front line" were first used and their difference was emphasized.

In December 1926, the Headquarters of the Red Army made an attempt to combine air and chemical defense. To this end, sectors of air-chemical defense are being created in military districts, which combine the fight against an air enemy and the elimination of the consequences of a possible use of chemical weapons. In all command and staff bodies, in the plans and official documents being developed, the term "air-chemical defense (ACD)" began to be used instead of the term "air defense (AD)". However, the latter lasted a little over a year, since it did not accurately reflect the essence of measures to protect the country from air strikes. On January 31, 1928, at a meeting of the Revolutionary Military Council of the USSR, at the suggestion of S.S. Kamenev, who at that time held the position of Deputy Chairman of the Revolutionary Military Council, it was decided to abandon the term "air-chemical defense". In accordance with the "Regulations on the air defense of the USSR (for peacetime)", approved on the same day by the People's Commissar for Military and Naval Affairs and Chairman of the Revolutionary Military Council of the USSR K.E. Voroshilov, all parts, means and bodies of the WMO were renamed into parts, means and bodies of air defense. The name "Air Surveillance, Warning and Communications Service (VNOS)" was also legalized. The leadership of the country's air defense was entrusted to the People's Commissar of the Navy, which he was to carry out through the Headquarters of the Red Army.

In 1930, at the Headquarters of the Red Army, proposals were developed to create a management body in the central apparatus of the military department that would directly oversee air defense issues. And on May 1 of the same year, in addition to the staff of the central apparatus as part of the Headquarters of the Red Army, such a body called the 6th Directorate was created. His boss was at the same time an air defense inspector and head of the air defense service of the Red Army.

In the same 1930, the Revolutionary Military Council of the USSR developed and on November 23 approved the first Master Plan for the country's air defense with the main figures for the development of air defense for 1931-1933. In accordance with it, measures were taken to strengthen the units and create the first formations of the air defense forces. Many territorial air defense units, intended for the defense of large centers of the country, are being transferred to personnel. On the basis of anti-aircraft artillery regiments, air defense brigades are created, which, in addition to units and subunits of anti-aircraft artillery, include machine-gun, searchlight battalions (companies), units of barrage balloons and VNOS. In the autumn of 1931, the brigades on the defense of Moscow and Leningrad were reorganized into air defense divisions.

Such changes in the air defense forces required a new organization of the air defense leadership in the center. On May 1, 1932, by order of the Revolutionary Military Council of the USSR No. 033, the 6th Directorate of the Headquarters of the Red Army was renamed the Air Defense Directorate of the Red Army with direct subordination to the Revolutionary Military Council of the USSR.

The year 1932 was a turning point in solving the problems of building air defense, during which the state of air defense and measures for its further strengthening were considered twice (in April and in September-October) at the government level. The result of these discussions was the adoption of a number of documents that determined both the foundations of the organization of air defense throughout the country, its management in the center and in the field, and ways to improve the quality of combat training of units and the functioning of the entire air defense service system. One of these documents was, in particular, the "Regulations on Air Defense of the Territory of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics" approved on October 4, 1932 by the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR (announced by order of the Revolutionary Military Council of the USSR No. 0031 of October 23, 1932).

The measures worked out by the government and the Revolutionary Military Council of the USSR, aimed at achieving a decisive change in the country's air defense, noticeably revived the activities of all bodies, institutions and establishments of the military department in modernizing existing and creating new domestic weapons and military equipment for air defense. More advanced types of anti-aircraft guns, fighter planes, anti-aircraft machine guns, searchlights, and barrage balloons appeared. For the VNOS service, samples of automatic signal communication equipment Avto-VNOS and others were developed.

Measures were also taken to create fundamentally new types of weapons for air defense based on the latest achievements in science and technology and the intensive development of production. In 1934, for the first time in world practice, successful tests were carried out developed on the ideas and with the participation of an electrical engineer of the Pskov anti-aircraft artillery regiment P.K. Oshchepkov equipment for detecting aircraft in the air based on the use of continuous radiation of radio waves (Rapid equipment), which served as the prototype of the first radio detection system RUS-1 adopted in 1939 by the VNOS service (the first aircraft radar; Rhubarb system). In July 1940, the RUS-2 ("Redut") airborne early warning station was put into service, operating on the principles of pulsed radiation and signal reception.

Thus, in the interwar period, various models of weapons and military equipment were developed for air defense, although not all of them had the required quality characteristics. The entry into the troops of new types of weapons was hampered by the insufficiently developed industrial base of the country. According to objective, and often subjective reasons a number of new samples were either not accepted into production at all, or qualitatively more advanced weapons were produced in negligible quantities. All this, as well as a number of other factors, eventually led to serious shortcomings in the air defense system, which Marshal of the Soviet Union S.K. Tymoshenko: "The air defense of the troops and guarded points is in a state of complete neglect ... Given the current state of leadership and organization of air defense, proper protection against air attack is not provided."

In the interwar years, changes were also made in the organization of air defense and its management bodies.

On April 14, 1936, the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR approved the proposals of the General Staff of the Red Army for the construction of an air defense system, developed by the Air Defense Directorate. The forces and means of air defense of the largest points - Leningrad, Moscow, Baku and Kyiv, led by the air defense chiefs of these points, were directly subordinate to the commanders of the military districts; the chiefs of the air defense posts were endowed with the functions of the chiefs of the military branches of the districts. In February-April 1938, air defense corps were formed to protect Moscow, Leningrad and Baku from air strikes, and an air defense division was formed in Kyiv. Air defense corps and divisions included formations and units of anti-aircraft artillery, anti-aircraft machine guns, anti-aircraft searchlights, air surveillance, warning and communications, as well as units and subunits of barrage balloons. Air defense corps and division commanders were promptly subordinated to the fighter aviation (IA) of the Air Force, which was assigned to carry out the tasks of air defense of the point.

Beginning in 1937, the turnover of the heads of the Air Defense Directorate increased. So, on December 2 of this year, commander of the 2nd rank A.I. Sedyakin (head of the department since January 25, 1937) was arrested, and I.F. temporarily took over the leadership of the air defense. Blazhevich, but he was also arrested on February 18, 1938. Colonel G.M., head of the 2nd department, took over the duties of the head of the Air Defense Directorate. Koblenz, and on November 13 this position was accepted by division commander Ya.K. Polyakov, who arrived from the post of commander of an air defense brigade. However, on June 4, 1940, Polyakov was transferred to the Far East, and Major General M.F. took over the leadership of the Air Defense Directorate. Korolev, who prior to this appointment was the commander of a rifle corps. But in November 1940, he left for a new duty station in the Main Directorate of the Local Air Defense of the NKVD.

On December 21, Lieutenant General D.T. took over the leadership of the air defense. Kozlov, who commanded a rifle corps in the war with Finland. On December 27, 1940, by order of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR No. 0368, the Air Defense Directorate of the Red Army was transformed into the Main Directorate (GU) of the Red Army Air Defense. By the same order, the head of the Main Directorate of Air Defense was entrusted with the organization of air defense of the territory of the USSR, the leadership of combat training and the use of air defense forces and means.

In January 1941, the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR adopted a resolution "On the organization of air defense." It defined a zone threatened by air attack to a depth of 1,200 km from the state border. On this territory, within the military districts, air defense zones were created (by order of the NPO of the USSR of February 14), in them - air defense areas, as well as air defense points. The combat composition of the air defense zone included air defense formations and parts of anti-aircraft artillery, anti-aircraft machine guns, searchlights, airborne launchers and barrage balloons, which directly performed the tasks of protecting cities, objects and structures on the territory of the zone from enemy air strikes.

Lieutenant General D.T. Kozlov headed the Main Directorate of Air Defense until February 14, 1941. Further (until November 1941), the heads of the Main Directorate of Air Defense were: Lieutenant General of Aviation E.S. Ptukhin, Colonel General G.M. Stern, Colonel General of Artillery N.N. Voronov, Major General of Artillery A.A. Osipov (vreed).

In total, by the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the air defense forces had: air defense zones - 13; air defense corps - 3; air defense divisions - 2; air defense brigades - 9; air defense brigade districts - 39. The number of personnel of the air defense troops was 182 thousand people. To solve the problems of air defense of the most important centers of the country, 40 fighter aviation regiments were also allocated, numbering about 1500 combat aircraft, 1206 crews.

At the same time, it was not possible to eliminate the shortcomings in the air defense forces, unresolved problems of the organizational and technical plan by June 1941, which was one of the reasons for the serious losses of the armed forces and the state as a whole from air strikes in initial period war.

At dawn on June 22, 1941, bombing and assault strikes by Nazi aviation against troops and facilities within the borders of the Baltic Special, Western Special, Kyiv Special, Odessa and Leningrad military districts and the Black Sea Fleet began the Great Patriotic War for the Soviet people. At 03:15 Ochakov and Sevastopol were hit. From 03:30 enemy aircraft bombed the cities of Belarus, Ukraine, the Baltic States, and launched massive strikes on airfields based in the air forces of the border districts. At 4 o'clock, the invasion of the land forces of Nazi Germany into the USSR began. The Armed Forces of the Soviet Union and, in their composition, the forces and means of air defense entered into a fierce confrontation with the enemy. Often, air defense units and subunits entered into battle with enemy aircraft without permission from above, at their own peril and risk, since on the eve of the war there was an order: do not open fire on violators of the border.

From the first days and months of the war, state and military authorities paid close attention to the state of air defense. The military councils of the fronts, the commanders of the troops of the military districts sent applications to the General Staff for additional air defense systems to strengthen the cover of points and objects in their areas of responsibility. In June-July 1941, the heads of the people's commissariats, secretaries of the regional committees of the CPSU (b) repeatedly applied to the General Staff on the issue of the allocation of air defense means.

At the same time, the state of the air defense of Moscow and other important cities and regions of the country was a matter of serious concern to leaders of the highest rank. In particular, the State Defense Committee (GKO), formed on June 30, 1941, headed by I.V. Stalin, from the first days of his activity until the end of the Great Patriotic War, repeatedly turned to solving air defense problems. So, on July 9, 1941, he adopted a special resolution "On the air defense of Moscow", and on July 22, 1941 - "On the air defense of the city of Leningrad."

The course of the summer-autumn campaign of 1941 convincingly confirmed the growing role of air defense in the war. Under the conditions of enemy dominance in the air, in the first days and months of the war, in border defensive battles, while repelling massive raids on Moscow, while defending Leningrad, Kyiv, Odessa and other important points from air strikes, they inflicted significant damage on fascist aviation, destroying more than 2,500 enemy aircraft, acquired the necessary combat experience. At the same time, irreparable losses of air defense formations and units, identified shortcomings in the organization and management of air defense led to the need to take urgent measures to improve the organization and build up air defense forces and means.

On November 9, 1941, the State Defense Committee adopted a resolution "On strengthening and strengthening the air defense of the territory of the Union", which radically changed the organization of the entire air defense system. In accordance with it, formations and units designed to protect large administrative and political centers and vital facilities in the rear of the country from air strikes were withdrawn from the subordination of military councils of districts, fronts and fleets (with the exception of formations and units that covered Leningrad: they remained subordinate to the command of the Leningrad Front) and were transferred to the command of the commander of the Air Defense Forces of the country's territory - the deputy people's commissar of defense for air defense (Lieutenant General M.S. Gromadin was appointed to this newly introduced position). Under him, a directorate was created, which included: headquarters, directorates of fighter aviation, anti-aircraft artillery and other bodies (IA, allocated to solve the problems of air defense of objects, was transferred to the commander of the Air Defense Forces of the country's territory only for operational subordination). At the same time, instead of the air defense zones that previously existed in the European part of the USSR, two corps (Moscow and Leningrad) and a number of divisional air defense areas were created on their basis.

On November 24, 1941, in pursuance of the decision of the State Defense Committee, the People's Commissar of Defense, by his order, distributed air defense units and formations between the Air Defense Forces of the country's territory and the fronts. Thus, the air defense system was divided into two components - the country's air defense and military air defense.

In the following months of the first period of the Great Patriotic War, the State Defense Committee at its meetings repeatedly returned to the consideration of problems related to air defense. So, on January 22, 1942, he discussed issues related to the Air Force. The result of this discussion was the order of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR I.V. Stalin from the same date, according to which the corps, divisions and individual regiments of the IA allocated for air defense of objects were transferred to the complete subordination of the commander of the Air Defense Forces of the country's territory, and with them the airfield service battalions that provided them. With the publication of this order, in fact, the transformation of the Air Defense Forces of the country's territory into an independent branch of the USSR Armed Forces was completed. Solving a strictly defined range of tasks of a strategic nature, they had a structure peculiar only to them and an independent command, directly subordinate to the highest military leadership. The main types of troops were anti-aircraft artillery and fighter aircraft with their inherent forms and methods of action against an air enemy using anti-aircraft searchlights and the VNOS system, the first radio detection stations for aircraft in the air began to enter service with units and units.

On April 5, 1942, the State Defense Committee adopted a resolution on the reorganization of the Moscow Air Defense Corps District into the first operational-strategic association of the country's Air Defense Forces in the Russian Armed Forces - the Moscow Air Defense Front. By another decree of the same date, a qualitatively new operational formation was created on the basis of the Leningrad Air Defense Corps District - the Leningrad Air Defense Army, and on the basis of the Baku Air Defense Corps District - the Baku Air Defense Army.

On June 29, 1943, the State Defense Committee considered "Issues of Air Defense of the Country's Territory" and adopted a special resolution, according to which it was prescribed to have two air defense fronts in the country - Western and Eastern. Coordination of their actions and control over them were assigned to the commander of the artillery of the Red Army N.N. Voronov (the Office of the Commander of the Air Defense Forces of the country was liquidated). Under him, the Central Headquarters of the Air Defense Forces, the Central Headquarters of the Air Defense Fighter Aviation, the central post of the VNOS and other bodies were formed.

The creation of two air defense fronts improved the organization of interaction between the country's air defense formations and formations with the forces of fighter aircraft and anti-aircraft artillery of combined arms fronts and fleets. At the same time, the abolition of the post of commander of the Air Defense Forces of the country's territory was not caused by an objective necessity and complicated the centralized management of forces and means performing the tasks of air defense of facilities and communications in the rear of the country. The dividing line between the air defense fronts, drawn from north to south, was also not expedient, in which the Eastern Air Defense Front covered objects in the deep rear, and the Western one performed tasks on a vast territory that stretched behind the active combined arms fronts. As the latter rapidly advanced to the west during the strategic offensive of the Red Army in the second half of 1943 - early 1944, the gap between the formations of the Western Air Defense Front, which followed the advancing troops with a tense struggle against the air enemy, and the formations of the Eastern Air Defense Front, which continued to remain on cover objects, which were for the most part outside the reach of German aviation, increased more and more, which created serious difficulties in resolving issues not only of control, maneuvering forces and means in depth to build up air defense in the liberated territory, but also of its organization as a whole.

In order to eliminate the identified shortcomings of the reorganization carried out, on March 29, 1944, the State Defense Committee adopted a resolution "On measures to improve the control of the active air defense forces of the Red Army", which determined the creation, on the basis of the forces and means of the Western and Eastern air defense fronts, respectively, of the Northern and Southern air defense fronts with a demarcation line between them from west to east. The Transcaucasian Air Defense Zone was reorganized into the Transcaucasian Air Defense Front.

The further offensive of the Red Army troops to the west increased the airspace within which it was necessary to organize and carry out air defense objects dispersed to a great depth in the front line, which led to an increase in the number of forces and means in the air defense fronts, complicating their control. In this regard, on December 24, 1944, by another decree of the State Defense Committee, measures were taken to bring the bodies of operational control of air defense closer to the active troops. The Northern Air Defense Front was transformed into the Western Front with the transfer of front control from Moscow to Vilnius, and the Southern - into the South-Western with the relocation of the headquarters from Kyiv to Lvov. To cover the objects of the deep rear of the country, on the basis of the Special Moscow Air Defense Army, the Central Air Defense Front was created with headquarters in Moscow. The Transcaucasian Air Defense Front remained unchanged. The Central Headquarters of the Air Defense Forces and the Air Defense Fighter Aviation of the Red Army were renamed the Main Headquarters of the Red Army Air Defense Forces and the Main Headquarters of the Red Army Air Defense Fighter Aviation, respectively.

In the campaign of 1945 in Europe, the country's air defense forces, continuing to carry out defense tasks major centers, industrial regions and communications of the Soviet Union, the main efforts were concentrated on ensuring the final offensive operations of the fronts, organizing the defense of the most important objects liberated by the Red Army in Central and South-Eastern Europe. During this period, four air defense fronts operated as part of the Air Defense Forces, covering the most important strategic air directions.

In the east of the country, where groups of Soviet troops were concentrated and deployed in order to defeat militaristic Japan, it was necessary to strengthen the cover against possible enemy air strikes on the Trans-Siberian Railway, other communications, important industrial facilities, warehouses, and troops. To do this, by decision of the State Defense Committee (decree "On strengthening air defense Far East and Transbaikalia "of March 14, 1945) three air defense armies were formed: Primorskaya, Amur and Transbaikal, which later became part of the 1st and 2nd Far Eastern and Transbaikal fronts. In a special respect, they were transferred to the command of the artillery commander of the Red Army .

The overall result of the combat activities of the Air Defense Forces of the country is their significant contribution to the achievement of Victory, won by the joint efforts of all branches of the Armed Forces of the USSR and combat arms. During the Great Patriotic War, the Air Defense Forces successfully completed their tasks. They, together with the forces and means of air defense of the fronts and fleets, saved many cities from destruction from the air, settlements, industrial enterprises, railway communications, ensured the conduct of operations in the land and sea theaters of operations of the Soviet troops and fleet forces. Fulfilling their combat missions, the Air Defense Forces of the country destroyed 7313 aircraft of the Nazi aviation, of which 4168 - by air defense fighter aircraft and 3145 - by anti-aircraft artillery, machine-gun fire and barrage balloons.

Constant attention to air defense during the war years by the highest bodies of state and military leadership ensured a steady increase in the quantity and quality of air defense forces and means, determined the creation of an independent organizational structure - the country's Air Defense Forces. One of the most important conclusions following the results of the Great Patriotic War should be considered the confirmation of the thesis about the increasing role of air defense in ensuring the security of the state. The tasks of repelling enemy air strikes can be performed only by strong Air Defense Forces that are deployed in advance and are in constant combat readiness.

At the end of the war, the Red (since 1946 Soviet) Army, including the Air Defense Forces of the country, are transferred to peacetime states. In 1945-1946. the first post-war reorganization of the entire air defense system of the USSR is being carried out. By the end of the war, 4 fronts and 3 air defense armies were reorganized into 3 districts and 2 air defense armies, a significant number of formations and air defense units were disbanded. In April 1946, the post of commander of the Air Defense Forces of the country was restored, to which Colonel General M.S. Hulk. As a result of the reduction by October 1946, the strength of the Air Defense Forces decreased to 147,287 people (at the end of the war it was about 637 thousand people).

In June 1948, the Politburo of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks and the Council of Ministers of the USSR determined the new structure of the air defense system and troops. Districts, air defense armies were to be disbanded, air defense areas of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd categories were created on their basis. The entire territory of the country was divided into inner part(objects of the rear) and the border strip. Responsibility for the air defense of rear facilities, as well as for the preparation of the country's territory in terms of air defense, was assigned to the commander of the country's Air Defense Forces - Deputy Minister of the Armed Forces. The Air Defense Forces of the country, which covered the objects of the rear areas, and the VNOS service on the territory of the entire USSR were subordinate to him. Responsibility for the air defense of objects in the border zone was assigned to the commanders of the military districts, naval bases and ports - to the commanders of the fleets.

On July 7, 1948, Deputy Minister of the Armed Forces Marshal of the Soviet Union L.A. was appointed Commander of the Air Defense Forces of the country. Govorov leaving behind him the position of chief inspector. Since that date, the Air Defense Forces of the country have ceased to be subordinate to the artillery commander of the Soviet Army.

In accordance with these decisions in 1948-1949. the second post-war radical reorganization of the troops and the air defense system was carried out, which made it possible to expand work on preparing the country's territory for air defense (construction of airfields, command posts, communication lines, etc.) on a wider scale. At the same time, the unity of the leadership of the air defense system was disrupted, which had a negative impact on its combat readiness.

In September 1951, the next reorganization of the air defense was carried out by a government decree. Due to the fact that in the border zone the air defense forces were divided into military districts, and this made it difficult to manage them and mutual information about the air situation, it was ordered to create a single air defense of the border line from fighter aviation units and formations headed by the deputy commander-in-chief of the air force. All VNOS units in the border zone were transferred from the Air Defense Forces of the country to the formed 8 districts of this line. However, this event did not play a significant role in increasing the effectiveness of the fight against aircraft violating the country's airspace.

On June 20, 1953, by order of the Minister of Defense "On measures to improve the organization of the air defense of the USSR," the air defense areas of the border line were abolished, and air defense directorates of military districts were created on their basis, which were included in the Air Defense Forces of the country. The commander of the latter was entrusted with responsibility for air defense and leadership of air defense forces and means throughout the entire territory of the USSR.

On May 27, 1954, by the decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR and the Central Committee of the CPSU "On unpunished flights of foreign aircraft over the territory of the USSR", the leadership of the Air Defense Forces of the country and the VNOS service and responsibility for air defense were assigned to the Ministry of Defense. For the direct management of it, the post of commander-in-chief of the country's air defense forces was established, he is also the deputy minister of defense of the USSR. Marshal of the Soviet Union L.A. was appointed to this position. Govorov.

By a decree of May 28 and an order of the Minister of Defense of the USSR of June 14, 1954 "On the reorganization of the structure of the country's air defense forces", instead of areas and directorates of air defense in the border military districts, as well as in the depths of the country, operational formations (districts and armies) and operational-tactical formations (corps, divisions) of air defense, which included in their composition all types of troops.

During this period, weapons, military equipment and the organization of troops at the tactical level were also improved. New models of weapons are delivered to the aviation and radio engineering units of the Air Defense Forces.

Since the mid-1950s, the intensive development of anti-aircraft missile forces began, which formed the basis of the firepower of air defense. On May 7, 1955, by a decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, the first S-25 anti-aircraft missile system was adopted for service with the country's Air Defense Forces, and the formation of units intended for anti-aircraft missile defense Moscow. In July of the same year, by order of the Minister of Defense of the USSR, the air defense army special purpose(1st Air Defense Army ON), which included four corps, became part of the Moscow Air Defense District. With the adoption in October 1954 of the government decree "On the creation anti-aircraft battery S-75 system "work began to complete the design and supply to the troops of new anti-aircraft missile systems capable of maneuvering to new positions on their own or by rail. In May 1957, the development of the S-125 anti-aircraft missile system began. At the end of this In May 1961, the S-75 (Dvina) medium-range mobile complex was put into service, and in May 1961, the S-125 (Neva) complex, designed to combat air targets at low altitudes, appeared in air defense units. to create a long-range anti-aircraft missile system S-200 "Angara" (adopted in 1967)

Since 1960, air defense corps and divisions of the new organization have been formed. Formations of military branches, and in air defense formations and headquarters of these military branches, are liquidated. The number of large air defense formations and formations was reduced by almost 2 times. The Air Defense Forces of the country included two districts and seven separate air defense armies, which included 16 corps and 18 air defense divisions. In 1961, it was planned to create three more divisions. Districts and separate armies Air defense began to consist of air defense corps and divisions, formed according to the combined arms principle from formations and units of anti-aircraft missile troops, anti-aircraft artillery, fighter aircraft, radio engineering troops and special forces. In some directions, anti-aircraft missile barriers (frontiers) were created from mixed groupings of anti-aircraft missiles (anti-aircraft missile battalions S-75 and S-125).

A simpler, more cost-effective and flexible command and control system for the country's air defense forces was introduced. Districts and separate air defense armies were deployed in the main operational-strategic directions, each on an area of ​​about 1500x1500 km or more. Widespread use of automated control systems was ensured, coverage of the entire territory of the country by areas of application of active arms of the air defense forces.

The air defense system created in these years, with separate additions, lasted until 1978. In the same period, thanks to the coordinated activities of scientists, teams of designers and production workers, the Air Defense Forces of the country included the forces and systems of rocket and space defense, and in the general defense system of the state, the Air Defense Forces actually became the troops of aerospace defense.

Another reorganization of the air defense system and troops in 1978-1980. returned them to the structure already introduced and rejected by the war and post-war activities. The border districts and air defense armies were disbanded, their air defense corps and divisions without fighter aircraft were transferred to military districts. The Air Defense Forces of the country in 1980 were reorganized into the Air Defense Forces.

From January 1986, this system was canceled (except for the name of the troops), and individual air defense armies were again restored.

The collapse of the Soviet Union as a single state at the end of 1991, and with it the unified system and the Air Defense Forces of the USSR, led to a significant decrease in the combat capability of the air defense forces within the borders of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

With the signing on May 7, 1992 of the decree of the President of the Russian Federation on the creation of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, a new stage in the development of the Air Defense Forces began. The subsequent reform (actually downsizing) of the Armed Forces and the Air Defense Forces within them, unfortunately, did not lead to the restoration of the necessary level of defense of the state against an aerospace enemy.

Analysis of the development of the armies of the leading world powers and the military organization of the NATO countries in general, their use in local wars and armed conflicts last decade of the last century shows that in these countries the forces and means of aerospace attack play a decisive role. There is an obvious increase in the dependence of the course and outcome of hostilities on the results of confrontation in aerospace. Consequently, aerospace defense in the overall defense system of the country should occupy one of the central places. The ongoing long-term purposeful work of the high command of the Air Defense Forces, and since 1998 - and the Air Force (since February 1998, the Air Defense Forces became part of the Air Force) to justify the most important areas and stages of creating Russia's aerospace defense has recently given certain positive results: the concept of aerospace defense of the Russian Federation was developed; Basic provisions public policy in the field of air defense of the Russian Federation; measures have been planned and are being implemented to improve the air defense system of the Russian Federation.

The attention of the country's top state and military leadership to the development of a specific program for the development of the state's aerospace defense system gives hope for the creation in the near future of means, complexes and weapons systems capable of combating all enemy aerospace attack means or contributing to the solution of this problem. Today we have all the necessary prerequisites for the successful solution of the tasks facing us.

Heads of the air defense defense of Russia, USSR and Russian Federation

Job title	Full Name	Military rank (at the end of the service)	Years of life	Length of stay in the position
Head of the air defense of Petrograd and its environs, head of the air defense of Petrograd and Tsarskoye Selo (May 1915 - March 1917)	BURMAN Georgy Vladimirovich	Major General
	BLAZHEVICH Joseph Frantsevich			May - October 1930
Head of the 6th Directorate of the Headquarters of the Red Army, head of the air defense service of the rear of the country	KUCHINSKY Dmitry Alexandrovich
Head of the 6th Directorate of the Headquarters of the Red Army, head of the air defense service of the rear of the country	MEDVEDEV Mikhail Evgenievich
	MEDVEDEV Mikhail Evgenievich
Head of the Air Defense Directorate of the Red Army, Head of the Air Defense of the Red Army	KAMENEV Sergey Sergeevich	Commander 1st rank
Head of the Air Defense Directorate of the Red Army, Head of the Air Defense of the Red Army	SEDYAKIN Alexander Ignatievich	Commander 2nd rank		January - December 1937
Head of the Air Defense Directorate of the Red Army, Head of the Air Defense of the Red Army (vrid)	KOBLENTS Grigory Mikhailovich	Colonel		February - October 1938
Head of the Air Defense Directorate of the Red Army, Head of the Air Defense of the Red Army	POLYAKOV Jacob Korneevich	Major General of Artillery
Head of the Air Defense Directorate of the Red Army, Head of the Air Defense of the Red Army	KOROLEV Mikhail Filippovich	Lieutenant General		June - November 1940
	KOZLOV Dmitry Timofeevich	Lieutenant General
Head of the Main Directorate of Air Defense of the Red Army	PTUKHIN Evgeny Savvich	Air Lieutenant General		February - March 1941
Head of the Main Directorate of Air Defense of the Red Army	STERN Grigory Mikhailovich	Colonel General		March - June 1941
Head of the Main Directorate of Air Defense of the Red Army	VORONOV Nikolay Nikolaevich	Chief Marshal of Artillery		June - July 1941
Head of the Main Directorate of Air Defense of the Red Army (vrid)	OSIPOV Alexey Alexandrovich	Major General of Artillery		July - November 1941
Commander of the Air Defense Forces of the country, Deputy Commissar of Defense for Air Defense	Gromadin Mikhail Stepanovich	Colonel General
Commander of the Air Defense Forces of the country	Gromadin Mikhail Stepanovich	Colonel General
Artillery Commander of the Red Army	VORONOV Nikolay Nikolaevich	Chief Marshal of Artillery
	Gromadin Mikhail Stepanovich	Colonel General
Commander of the Air Defense Forces of the country - Deputy Minister of the USSR Armed Forces	GOVOROV Leonid Alexandrovich*	Marshal of the Soviet Union
Commander of the Air Defense Forces of the country	NAGORNY Nikolay Nikiforovich	Colonel General
Commander of the Air Defense Forces of the country	VERSHININ Konstantin Andreevich	Air Chief Marshal
	GOVOROV Leonid Alexandrovich	Marshal of the Soviet Union
Commander-in-Chief of the country's Air Defense Forces - Deputy Minister of Defense of the USSR**	BIRYUZOV Sergey Semyonovich	Marshal of the Soviet Union
Commander-in-Chief of the Air Defense Forces of the country - Deputy Minister of Defense of the USSR	SUDETS Vladimir Alexandrovich	Air Marshal
Commander-in-Chief of the Air Defense Forces of the country, Deputy Minister of Defense of the USSR	BATITSKY Pavel Fedorovich	Marshal of the Soviet Union
Commander-in-Chief of the Air Defense Forces of the country - Deputy Minister of Defense of the USSR, since January 1980 - Commander-in-Chief of the Air Defense Forces, Deputy Minister of Defense of the USSR	KOLDUNOV Alexander Ivanovich	Air Chief Marshal
	Tretyak Ivan Moiseevich	Army General	Genus. in 1923
Commander-in-Chief of the Air Defense Forces, Deputy Minister of Defense of the USSR	PRUDNIKOV Viktor Alekseevich	Army General	Genus. in 1939	August - December 1991
Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Forces of the Commonwealth of Independent States - Commander of the Air Defense Forces	PRUDNIKOV Viktor Alekseevich	Army General	Genus. in 1939
Commander-in-Chief of the Air Defense Forces of the Russian Federation	PRUDNIKOV Viktor Alekseevich	Army General	Genus. in 1939
Commander-in-Chief of the Air Defense Forces of the Russian Federation (vrid)	SINITSYN Viktor Pavlovich	Colonel General	Genus. in 1940
commander in chief Air force RF Armed Forces	KORNUKOV Anatoly Mikhailovich	Army General	Genus. in 1942	March 1998*** - January 2002
Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force of the RF Armed Forces	MIKHAILOV Vladimir Sergeevich	Army General	Genus. in 1943	January 2002 - present

* Marshal of the Soviet Union L.A. Govorov simultaneously remained in the post of chief inspector of the Armed Forces of the USSR.
** From January 1956 to February 1991, the Commander-in-Chief of the Air Defense Forces of the USSR was at the same time Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Joint Armed Forces of the States Parties to the Warsaw Pact, Commander of the Air Defense Forces of the Joint Armed Forces.
*** In the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force since January 1998, responsibility for air defense has been assigned since March 1998.

Sources of information

Colonel General B.F. CHELTSOV, Chief of the General Staff of the Air Force - First Deputy
Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force. THE ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTRY'S AIR DEFENSE"Military History Journal" No. 12, 2004