Ukraine Air Force

After the collapse of the Soviet Union and the declaration of independence in 1991, one of the most powerful aviation groups in Europe was concentrated in Ukraine: more than 1,000 aircraft of various types. Ukraine’s air force [Viyskovo-Povitryani Sealy Ukraini] modernisation had been marginal and aviation remains the weak spot of Ukraine’s defence capacity. Most of the country’s bombers and fighter jets are more than 30 years old, and pilots are poorly trained and poorly paid. This is why, if Russia decided to attack, and uses its planes correctly, the air support should quickly give them a decisive advantage, despite all the modernisation of the Ukrainian army.

Ukraine’s acting Defense Minister Ihor Tenyukh described the combat readiness of the country’s armed forces as “unsatisfactory” in his 12 March 2014 report to the acting president. Tenyukh said recent exercises demonstrated a “dismal degree of preparedness among servicemen and lack of military specialists, equipment and weapons” in the Ground Forces, the Air Force and the Navy. “Out of 507 combat planes and 121 attack helicopters, only 15 percent are serviceable,” the report read [presumably the report meant military or comabat helicopter rather than attack]. “Because of poor training of crews, only 10 percent of them are capable of performing combat tasks.”

The defense chief was reported by RIA Novosti to have said only 6,000 people out of 41,000 currently serving in the armed forces “are prepared to perform combat tasks” [published sources in the West attribute about 130,000 personnel to the Ukrainian armed forces, with over 70,000 in the Ground Forces alone, while some 45,000 are reported in the Air Force].

Ukraine inherited from the former Soviet Union assets that make the Ukrainian air force the third largest in the world. Its inventory includes longrange bombers, transport planes, strike aircraft, reconnaissance and electronic warfare planes, a large contingent of tactical and air defense fighters and training aircraft. By 1995 the former four air armies are being restructured into three aviation groups and one naval aviation group. Air force personnel will be cut from its 1992 strength of 86,000 to 25,000 by 1999, while the inventory of 1,380 combat planes would be reduced to 1,090 in 1995 and to 590 by 1999. The air defense contingent is being reshaped from one air defense army and three corps into three air defense corps, and its strength will be reduced from its present 67,000 to 26,000 personnel.

The Command of The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is the military control body of the branch of the Armed Forces of Ukraine - The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In early 2005, the armed forces of Ukraine have moved to a "trividovu" structure — Army, Navy and Air Force. The main purpose of the establishment of this new type was determined by increasing the level of effectiveness of the tasks inherent in both military - Air Forces, and Air Defence Forces - by eliminating duplicative controls the overall process of protecting domestic airspace.

The Air Force of Ukraine is an essential part of the Ukrainian AF combat potential. This highly maneuverable component of the Ukrainian Armed Forces together with Air Defence Troops is assigned to protect the country's air space, defeat enemy forces in the air, perform friendly forces air support, air assault missions, troops and materiel airlift and air reconnaissance.

The main purpose of the Ukrainian Air Force reform and development is the establishment of a mission ready and small force, capable of effectively fulfilling assigned missions. It is planned to achieve this goal by: improving the structure of formations and units, improving their location, maintaining their combat potential, enhancing pilots flight skills and by modernization of military equipment.

The main task of The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reforming and development is the creation of effective, personnel moderate aircraft force with high feasibility of allotted tasks. The achievement of this goal is planning to carry out by the improvement of organizational structure and strength, to support optimum deployment, to maintain battle potential, raising the level of aircrews skills and modernization of aircraft basic types, armaments and air supply means.

The Air Force of Ukraine is designed for: delivering air strikes at enemy units, winning operational air superiority, units and facilities, cover against enemy air strikes, air support to the Land Force and the Navy, disruption in military and state management, damage of communication, support by air reconnaissance, air drop, troops and cargo transportation by air.

By the Decree of the President of Ukraine the Air Force Day (pilots professional holiday) is celebrated annually on the last Saturday in August. The Air Force of Ukraine is one of the important guarantees to the state's integrity and independence. The Force secures safely the airspace of Ukraine.