Russian Aerospace Forces

The Russian Aerospace Forces[3] or VKS (Russian: Воздушно-космические силы, tr. Vozdushno-kosmicheskiye sily) are the aerospace forces of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. It was established as a new branch on 1 August 2015 with the merging of the Russian Air Force (VVS) and the Russian Aerospace Defence Forces (VVKO) under the recommendations of the Ministry of Defence. It is headquartered in Moscow.[4] Several reasons were announced for the merging, including greater efficiency and logistical support.[5]

"VKS" redirects here. For the Vanuatu Cultural Centre, see Vanuatu Kaljoral Senta. For the sniper rifle, see VKS sniper rifle.
Russian Aerospace Forces
Воздушно-космические силы
Vozdushno-kosmicheskiye sily
Emblem of the Russian Aerospace Forces
Founded1 August 2015 (2015-08-01)
Country Russia
TypeAir and Space force
RoleAir and Space warfare
Size430,000 personnel (2019)[1]
Part ofRussian Armed Forces
HeadquartersMoscow
PatronSaint Elijah the Prophet[2]
ColorsBlue, Gold, Gray    
March"Air March" (Russian: "Авиамарш") (official march past of the Air Force)
"14 Minutes Until Launch" (Russian: "14 минут до старта") (official march of the Space Forces)
AnniversariesAir Force Day (12 August)
EngagementsIntervention in the Syrian Civil War
Commanders
Commander-in-ChiefCol. Gen. Sergei Surovikin
First Deputy Commander-in-ChiefLt. Gen. Viktor Afzalov
Deputy Commander-in-ChiefLt. Gen. Andrey Yudin
Notable
commanders		Col. Gen. Viktor Bondarev
Insignia
Flag
Roundel
Patch
Armed Forces of the
Russian Federation
Staff
Services (vid)
Independent troops (rod)
Special operations force (sof)
Other troops
  • Logistical Support
History of the Russian military

Organisation

Sub-branches

According to Jane's Information Group, with the merging of the Russian Air Force and the Russian Aerospace Defense Forces, the new Russian Aerospace Forces consist of three sub-branches:[6]

Command Staff
Commander-in-Chief Aerospace Forces
(Главнокомандующий Воздушно-космическими силами) — Colonel general

Chief of General Staff - First Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Aerospace Forces
(Начальник Главного штаба — первый заместитель Главнокомандующего Воздушно-космическими силами) — Lieutenant general
Deputy Commander-in-Chief Aerospace Forces
(Заместитель Главнокомандующего Воздушно-космическими силами) — Colonel general / Lieutenant general
Chief of the Main Aerospace Forces Staff — Deputy Commander-in-Chief Aerospace Forces
(Начальник Главного штаба — Заместитель Главнокомандующего
Воздушно-космическими силами) — Major general

Chief of General Staff - First Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Aerospace Forces

(Начальник Главного штаба — первый заместитель Главнокомандующего Воздушно-космическими силами)

 Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Aerospace Forces

(Заместитель главнокомандующего Аэрокосмическими войсками)

 Deputy Commander-in-Chief Aerospace Forces, Chief of the Air Force

(Заместитель Главнокомандующего Воздушно-космическими силами — командующий Военно-воздушными силами)

 Deputy Commander-in-Chief Aerospace Forces, Chief of Air and Missile Defence Forces

(Заместитель Главнокомандующего Воздушно-космическими силами — командующий Войсками противовоздушной и противоракетной обороны)

Deputy Commander-in-Chief Aerospace Forces, Chief of Space Forces

(Заместитель Главнокомандующего Воздушно-космическими силами — командующий Космическими войсками)

 Deputy Commander-in-Chief Aerospace Forces, Chief of Military-Political Work (Заместитель Главнокомандующего Воздушно-космическими силами по военно-политической работе) Deputy Commander-in-Chief Aerospace Forces, Chief of Logistics (Заместитель Главнокомандующего Воздушно-космическими силами по материально-техническому обеспечению) Deputy Commander-in-Chief Aerospace Forces, Chief of Armaments (Заместитель Главнокомандующего Воздушно-космическими силами по вооружению)

Leadership
As of January 2020:
Position Name Start date End date
Commander of the Aerospace Forces Colonel General Viktor Bondarev 1 August 2015 26 September 2017
Lieutenant General Pavel Kurachenko (acting) 26 September 22 November 2017
Colonel General Sergei Surovikin 22 November 2017
First Deputy Commander of the Aerospace Forces
(Chief of the General Staff)		 Lieutenant General Pavel Kurachenko 1 September 2015 unknown[6]
Lieutenant General Viktor Afzalov unknown
Deputy Commanders of the Aerospace Forces
Commander of the Air Force Lieutenant General Andrei Yudin 1 September 2015 c. July 2019
Lieutenant General Sergei Dronov c. July 2019
Commander of the Aerospace and Missile Defense Forces Lieutenant General Viktor Gumyonny 1 September 2015 2018
Lieutenant General Yury Grekhov 2018
Commander of the Space Forces Colonel General Aleksandr Golovko 1 September 2015[6]
Deputy Commander for Work with Personnel Major General Andrei Kazakevich unknown unknown
Major General Aleksandr Maksimtsev 2019
Deputy Commander for Logistics Lieutenant General Vladimir Trishunkin unknown unknown
Major General Zabit Kheirbekov unknown
Deputy Commander for Armaments Colonel Andrei Medvedkov unknown unknown
Major General Sergei Meshcheryakov unknown

Order of Battle

The Aerospace Forces are organised in air armies.

Air Forces High Command (Главное командование ВВС) (Moscow)

Air Defence and Anti-Ballistic Missile Defence Forces Command (Командование войск ПВО-ПРО) (Moscow)

  • 1st Order of Lenin Air Defence and Anti-Ballistic Missile Defence Army (Special Purpose) (1-я ордена Ленина армия противовоздушной и противоракетной обороны (особого назначения)) (Balashikha, Moscow Oblast) - air cover of the Moscow area

Space Forces Command (Командование космических войск) (Krasnoznamensk)

  • 15th Aerospace Forces Army (Special Purpose) (15-я армия Воздушно-космических сил (особого назначения)) (Krasnoznamensk)
  • 1st State Test Cosmodrome of the Russian Federation Ministry of Defence "Plesetsk" (1-й Государственный испытательный космодром Министерства обороны Российской Федерации «Плесецк»)
  • Space Forces Arsenal (Арсенал космических войск) (Znamenka-1 village, Tambov Oblast)

See also

References
  1. https://aif.ru/dontknows/infographics/vozdushno-kosmicheskie_sily_rossiyskoy_federacii_infografika
  2. Main Cathedral of Russian Armed Forces. Retrieved 2019-02-02.
  3. "Russia establishes Aerospace Forces as new armed service — Defense Minister". Archived from the original on 2017-03-21. Retrieved 2017-03-20.
  4. Шойгу объявил о создании нового вида ВС - Воздушно-космических сил Archived 2015-08-05 at the Wayback Machine, ria.ru/defense, 3 August 2015
  5. Russia establishes Aerospace Forces as new armed service — Defense Minister, tass.ru, 3 August 2015
  6. Russia creates new Aerospace Force service branch Archived 2015-12-27 at the Wayback Machine, janes.com, 4 August 2015
  7. "Air and Missile Defence Forces". Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation. Archived from the original on 2018-07-23. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
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