Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/661228
In the mIddle of 2015 the Command of the RussIan aIRboRne tRoops had two aIRboRne dIvIsIons, two aIR assault dIvIsIons, fouR Inde- pendent aIR assault bRIgades (InCludIng two "lIght", I.e. on the wheeled vehICles), sepaRate speCIal foRCes bRIgade and CommunICatIon, Command, tRaInIng and suppoRt unIts. SyStematic reStructuring The reforms of the Airborne Troops as a part of the entire Armed Forces of the Russian Federation began in 2008, after experiences gained during a war with Georgia, were a continuation of the program, launched in 2006. Then a program of the VDV development was approved what is manifested by a beginning of the professionalization of the most units and introducing a contract military service (in the recent years, however a mixed system, contract and conscription system has been reintroduced) and their re- arming to the new types of the armor and combat equip- ment. An important modification was a "specialization" of the units: two VDV divisions were re-formed into an "air- borne" type, and the remaining two into the "air assault" type. In December 2008 a faster transformation of the airborne forces of the Russian Federation was begun what result- ed in, among others, a partial modification of a concept of using the airborne troops, further organizational changes, an intensification of the technical modernization and an increase in a number of trainings at the military training grounds, despite the introduced restrictions – for instance, organic VDV "light" air squadrons dedicated for parachute training in 2010 were delegated to the Air Forces (now, Aerospace Forces of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation – the VKS). Together with a specialization of the divisions and brigades, an idea of entering a fight by the higher tactical level units of the VDV was also partial- ly modified. According to the operational assumptions, an air assault units will be carried using an air freight to the seized airfields, and airborne units – will be parachuted to the drop zones. It was pointed out that implementing this "specialization" resulted from a chronicle lack of the landing equipment . A resignation from massive parachute drops causes that the VDV units in reality operate as air- mobile infantry units which can be in a relatively short time transferred by different types of transportation for a longer distances. Transport by the VKS cargo aircrafts to the seized airfields will be ensured while using a basic type of VDV offensive operations. Plany modernizacji wdw wskazują, że www.fragoutmag.com