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| RuAF | |
|---|---|
| Name | Russian Aerospace Forces |
| Native name | Воздушно-космические силы |
| Active | 2015–present |
| Country | Russia |
| Branch | Armed Forces of the Russian Federation |
| Type | Air and space forces |
| Headquarters | Moscow |
| Commander | Sergey Surovikin |
RuAF
The Russian Aerospace Forces are the principal air and space arm of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, formed to integrate aerial, air defense, and space capabilities inherited from the Soviet Air Forces, Russian Air Force (1992–1998), and Russian Air Force (2000s). The service provides strategic strike, air superiority, air defense, space launch, and reconnaissance for the Russian Federation and cooperates with formations such as the Russian Ground Forces, Russian Navy, and the Strategic Missile Troops.
Formation traces to reforms following the Dissolution of the Soviet Union that created the Russian Air Force (1992–1998), the Russian Aerospace Defence Forces, and subsequent reorganizations culminating in 2015 when President Vladimir Putin signed a decree merging the Russian Air Force (2000s) and the Aerospace Defence Forces (Russia) into the current configuration. Earlier precursors include the Soviet Air Defence Forces and the Soviet Air Forces, which fought in conflicts such as the Afghan War (1979–1989). The service evolved through engagements in the First Chechen War, the Second Chechen War, the Russo-Georgian War, and the Syrian Civil War intervention, shaping doctrine alongside actors like Valery Gerasimov and institutions such as the Ministry of Defence (Russia).
Command is exercised by the Ministry of Defence (Russia) through the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, with regional operational control via military districts including the Western Military District, Southern Military District, Central Military District, and Eastern Military District. Major components are the Long-Range Aviation Command, the Frontal Aviation, and the Aerospace Defense Forces element responsible for integrated air missile defense with assets from the S-400 and S-300 systems. Institutional relationships extend to the Federal Space Agency and enterprises such as United Aircraft Corporation, Tupolev, Sukhoi, and MiG. Leadership figures have included commanders like Viktor Bondarev and Alexander Zelin in earlier iterations.
Inventory includes strategic and tactical types produced by manufacturers like Sukhoi, Tupolev, Ilyushin, and Antonov. Notable platforms comprise the Sukhoi Su-57, Sukhoi Su-35, Sukhoi Su-34, MiG-29, MiG-31, strategic bombers Tupolev Tu-95, Tupolev Tu-160, and transport and tanker types such as Ilyushin Il-76 and Il-78. Rotary-wing assets include Mil Mi-8 and Mil Mi-28. Air defense and early warning rely on radars like Voronezh radar and airborne platforms such as A-50 Mainstay, while space-launch and orbital reconnaissance utilize vehicles and satellites developed by Roscosmos and partners like NPO Lavochkin and Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center. Missile systems integrated with aerospace defense include the S-400, S-300, and the A-135 anti-ballistic missile system.
The force has conducted expeditionary and homeland operations, including long-range strategic patrols over the Arctic, forward deployments to Kaliningrad Oblast and Crimea, and combat sorties during the Syrian Civil War supporting the Assad government. Exercises such as Vostok and Zapad test interoperability with the Russian Navy and the Ground Forces, while peacetime missions include interception of NATO aircraft near the Baltic Sea and Black Sea. Engagements have involved cooperation and confrontation with states and organizations including Turkey, Israel, United States Air Force, Royal Air Force, and NATO. Humanitarian and evacuation operations have been carried out in theaters like Syria and during crises affecting regions such as Donetsk Oblast and Luhansk People's Republic.
Personnel are drawn via conscription and contract service managed at recruitment centers across federal subjects such as Moscow Oblast and St. Petersburg. Training institutions include the Gagarin Air Force Academy, the Mozhaysky Military Space Academy, and flight schools in locations such as Voronezh and Krasnodar Krai. Career progression aligns with rank structures mirrored in the broader Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, with specialist training in avionics, piloting, space systems, and air-defense coordination. Notable training exercises have involved partner states and units from the Belarusian Armed Forces, Syrian Arab Army, and forces from the Collective Security Treaty Organization.
Major airfields and bases include Ramenskoye (Zhukovsky International Airport), Domodedovo, Kursk Vostochny Airport, Sevastopol (Belbek), and Arctic facilities on Franz Josef Land and Novaya Zemlya. Logistical and industrial hubs comprise Amur Aviation Plant, KnAAZ (Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Plant), and maintenance facilities in Lipetsk and Krasnodar. Space infrastructure connects to ports and ranges like the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Baikonur Cosmodrome (leased from Kazakhstan), and the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Russian Far East. Air traffic control and integrated air defense centers operate in coordination with the Federal Air Transport Agency.
Modernization programs emphasized fifth-generation fighters such as the Sukhoi Su-57, upgrades to MiG-31 and Su-35 fleets, acquisition of modern avionics and weapons from enterprises like Almaz-Antey and Tactical Missiles Corporation, and expansion of the S-400 network. Procurement involves domestic manufacturers coordinated by conglomerates like United Aircraft Corporation and Rostec, while international deals have included deliveries to and from states like India and China. Research and development projects span hypersonic systems including Kinzhal-related platforms, unmanned aerial systems, and space-based reconnaissance led by research centers such as TsNIIMash and Makeyev Rocket Design Bureau.
Category:Air forces