Air Force Commander
Andrei Yudin said ahead of the holiday that today Russia invests major
resources in the Air Force, which helps it perform any missions set by the
Fatherland
MOSCOW, August
12./TASS/. Russian military pilots mark on Sunday their professional holiday,
Russian Air Force Day. The Russian Air Force was formed 106 years ago, on
August 12, 1912.
Air Force Commander
and Aerospace Force Deputy Commander-in-Chief Andrei Yudin said ahead of the
holiday that today Russia invests major resources in the Air Force, which helps
it perform any missions set by the Fatherland.
"The state is
doing very much for the Aerospace Forces, in particular for the Air Force. We
are getting new aircraft, high-precision weapons that help us successfully
perform all the missions set by the state, including in fight against
terrorism," Yudin said.
He said every year
the Air Force receives over a hundred new aircraft and helicopters. Next year,
it will get the Su-57 fifth generation fighter jet, with the first aircraft
going to the Lipetsk Air Base. He also emphasized the growing infrastructure of
the airfields and engineering facilities, without which the flights would be
simply impossible.
Yudin specifically
mentioned world-renowned the Russian aerobatic teams Strizhi and Russian
Knights with their unbeatable style and skills. Strizhi (or Swifts) fly MiG-29
fighter jets, while the Russian Knights (Russkiye Vityazi) - Su-30SM fighter
jets. The two aerobatic teams are based at the Kubinka Air Base, some 60
kilometers south-west of Moscow.
There are also two
‘unofficial’ aerobatic teams - Sokoly Rossii (Russian Falcons), using Su-30SM
and Su-35S fighter jets flown by best aces of the Lipetsk Air Base, and the
only in Russia team Berkuty (Golden Eagles) flying Mi-28N (Night Hunter)
helicopters. The aircraft of Strizhi and the Russian Knights have easily
recognizable paint schemes.
The Russian military
aviation was founded on August 12, 1912. The Russian Air Force has been engaged
in all wars and conflicts in which the Soviet Union and then Russia have taken
part. Military pilots were the first to get the title of Hero of the Soviet
Union - the highest award of the former Soviet Union.
The decision to
celebrate Russian Air Force Day was taken by the Russian president on August
29, 1997.
Source: ITAR-TASS
12-08-2018
