Belarusian Air Force

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= Belarusian Air Force


caption= Belarusian Su-25
dates= since 1991
country= Flag|Belarus
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identification_symbol_label=Roundel
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aircraft_attack=Su-25, Mi-24
aircraft_bomber=Su-24
aircraft_electronic=
aircraft_fighter=MiG-23, MiG-29, Su-27
aircraft_interceptor=
aircraft_patrol=
aircraft_recon=
aircraft_trainer= L-39
aircraft_transport=An-12, An-24, An-26, Il-76, Mi-8, Tu-134

The Belarusian Air Force is the air force of the Armed Forces of Belarus, formed in 1942 from the 26th Air Army of the Soviet Air Forces which had been serving in the Belorussian SSR.

Organization

In accordance with the edict of the President of republic Belarus' in the year 2001 the Air Force and troops of air defense were created as one of the forms of the armed forces of republic Belarus. The VVS and air defense forces as the form of the armed forces are intended for the protection of centers, regions, objects (administrative, industrial, economic), groupings of troops from the impacts/shocks of enemy from air, and also for the defeat of objects, military-economic potential and hostile troops, fire support and guarantee of combat operations of ground forces.In peacetime VVS and air defense forces by the part of the forces and facilities they bear standby alert for the purpose of the protection of state boundary in air and the control of the observance of the order of the use of airspace of republic Belarus'.

The Air Force and Air Defense of the Armed Forces of Belarus are organized into six major flying regiments, including two interceptor, three strike, and a reconnaissance. The air force consists of more than 22,000 personnel, though this number is being reduced. Major bases include Balbasovo, Bobr, Luninets, Maladzyechna, Pribytki, Smarhon, and Vitebsk. The air force is responsible for all military aviation, as the Army maintains no aircraft of its own.

The Belarusian Air Force maintains close links with the Russian Air Force.

Prior History

On 5 May 1942 on the basis of the Air Forces of the Western Front the 1st Air Army was created. [Belarusian Ministry of Defense, http://www.mod.mil.by/s37sprawka.html, accessed 22 May 2008] By General Staff order of 10 January 1949 the Army became the 26th Air Army (ГШ ВС СССР № ОРГ 120026). In 1980, the 26th Air Army was redesignated the Air Forces of the Belorussian Military District (ГШ ВС СССР 1980 года № 314/1/00170). On 1 May 1988, in accordance with the Ministry of Defence of the USSR's Decree № 0018, the Air Forces of the District were again renamed the 26th Air Army. On 15 June 1992, by decree № 05 of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Belarus, the 26th Air Army headquarters became the command of the Air Forces of the Republic of Belarus.

Aircraft Inventory

! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Aircraft! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Versions! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service [ [http://www.milaviapress.com/orbat/belarus/index.php Belarusian military aviation OrBat] ] ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes
-! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Fighter Aircraft
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Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29 Fulcrum
USSR
fighter
Total
MiG-29S
MiG-29UB
40
32
8

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Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker
USSR
fighter
Total
Su-27P
Su-27UB
23
20
3
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Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23
USSR
fighter
MiG-23M
34

-! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Ground-Attack Aircraft
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Sukhoi Su-24 Fencer
USSR
strike
Total
Su-24MK
Su-24MR
35
23
12

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Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot
USSR
close air support
Total
Su-25
Su-25UB
76
70
6

-! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Transport and Liaison Aircraft
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Antonov An-12 Cub
USSR
transport
An-12BP
3

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Antonov An-24 Coke
UKR
transport
An-24
1

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Antonov An-26 Curl
USSR

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UKR
transport
An-26RT
6

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Ilyushin Il-76 Candid
USSR
transport
Il-76MD
16

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Tupolev Tu-134 Crusty
USSR
VIP transport
Tu-134A
1

-! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Trainer Aircraft
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Aero L-39 Albatros
CZS
trainer
L-39C
10

-! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Attack Helicopters
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Mil Mi-24 Hind
USSR
attack
Mi-24K
Mi-24R
22

-! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Transport and Utility Helicopters
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Mil Mi-8 Hip
USSR
transport/attack
Mi-8MT
Mi-8MB
Mi-8S
98

References

European topic
title = Air Forces in Europe
suffix = _Air_Force
countries_only=yes |UK_only=yes