Long-distance pilots

Soviet Tupolev Tu-95 bomber escorted by an American F-14 Tomcat (1983)

Russian Tu-95 behind tanker Il-78 (2009)

Tupolev Tu-160 bomber with swivel wings (2013)

Tu-95 and in the background Tu-160 (2009)

The long-distance air forces ( Russian Дальняя авиация , Dalnjaja awiazija, or DA for short) were part of the Soviet Air Force and have been part of the Russian Air Force since its dissolution . The long-distance pilots are equipped with strategic bombers .

history

They were founded on March 5, 1942 as Awiazija dalnjewo deistwija (Авиация дальнего действия), or ADD for short. From December 1944 they operated as the 18th Air Army (18-я воздушная армия) until they received their final designation in 1946.

The commander has been Lieutenant General Sergei Kobylasch since 2016 .

equipment

At the end of 2014, according to Russian information, the long-distance airmen owned:

• 16 Tupolev Tu-160 (six more are to be commissioned in 2015)
• 55 Tupolev Tu-95
• Tupolev Tu-22M3
• Ilyushin Il-78 (tanker aircraft)

See also

• US Strategic Air Command

Web links

Commons : Soviet Long-Distance Aviation Forces  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Commons : Russian Long-Distance Aviation Forces  - Collection of Pictures, Videos and Audio Files

• Official website

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Wilfried Copenhagen : Encyclopedia Soviet aviation. Elbe – Dnjepr, Klitzschen 2007, ISBN 978-3-933395-90-0 , p. 23
2. ↑ Сергей Кобылаш назначен командующим Дальней авиацией ВКС России. Retrieved August 19, 2018 (Russian). 
3. ↑ Russian Air Force buys further long-range bombers. In: Sputnik
4. ^ Russian strategic nuclear forces. In: russianforces.org