Serbian Air Force and Air Defence: Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 18:34, 18 July 2010
| Serbian Air Force and Air Defence | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1912–1918 2006–present |
| Size | 4,500 personnel 220 aircraft 210 operational aircraft |
| AF HQ | Zemun, Belgrade |
| Patron | Saint Elijah |
| Motto(s) | Template:Lang-sr "For Freedom and Honour of the Fatherland" |
| Commanders | |
| Commander of AF & AD | Brigadier General Ranko Živak |
| Chief of AF & AD HQ | Brigadier General Sreto Malinović |
| Insignia | |
| Roundel |  File:Roundel of the Serbian Air Force 2006 (low vis).svg |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Attack | J-22, G-4, SA.342 GAMA, |
| Fighter | MiG-29,[1], MiG-21Bis |
| Interceptor | MiG-21Bis |
| Reconnaissance | MiG-21M, IJ-22, INJ-22, SA.341 HERA |
| Trainer | Utva 75, G-4, NJ-22 |
| Transport | An-2, An-26, Yak-40, Mi-8, Mi-17 |
The Serbian Air Force and Air Defence (Template:Lang-sr) is the air force of Serbia and the part of the Serbian Armed Forces. It consists of an array of combat aircraft, cargo aircraft, reconnaissance aircraft, UAV, combat helicopters, cargo/utility helicopters, radars and SAMs.
General information
History
The Serbian Air Force history began with an idea proposed in the General Army Formation Act of 1893. During the rule of Kingdom of Serbia it was decided there was a need for a defensive air force. A group of Serbian officers went to France for training in 1912. The Army bought Blériot XI-2 aircraft by the Act of the Minister of War Marshal Radomir Putnik. Subsequently, the government set up an air force command in Niš.[2] This made the Kingdom of Serbia, one of the first 15 states in the world to have an air force. On 30 September 1915, during World War I, Serbian Air Defence members shot down the first of many enemy airplanes over Kragujevac. This day was, by the Act of king Aleksandar I, proclaimed the Air Defence Artillery Division’s day. Front-line Serbian-French joint escadrilles formed in Thessaloniki, and the government formed thr first and second fighter escadrilles in 1918. In 1924, on August 2, the army noted Saint Elijah as the patron saint day of Serbian Air Forces, with the Saint Elijah the Lightning Bearer as a patron saint of the military.
Objectives
- Maintaining airspace dominance.
- Intercepting airspace violators.
- Providing air support and transport for terrestrial units.
- Responding to natural disasters.
Equipment
Air Force today
_Serbian_AF.jpg)
The Air Force fleet consists of many Russian and indigenous combat aircraft. Today, the Air Force has 32 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21s, of which up to ten are operational, and 4 MiG-29s. The Army heavily uses the two MiG-21UM's because two pilots can receive the benefit of the flight. Initially Yugoslavia bought the MiG-29s in 1987, while the country bought the MiG-21Bis aircraft between 1977 and 1983. The Air Force is looking to replace the aging MiGs with a new multirole fighter. The former-Yugoslav Air Force had plans to replace MiG-21s with Novi Avion in the 1990s but the wars stopped all projects. The Army has located all the MiG-29's at the Batajnica Air Base, as part of 101st Fighter Aviation Squadron and the 204th Fighter Aviation Regiment.[3] On 7 July 2009, one of the MiG-29s from the 204th Air Base crashed during a display flight, killing Lieutenant Colonel Rade Randjelovic and a soldier on guard duty on the ground.[4]
The Air Force also has many former-Yugoslav made aircraft. These combat aircraft included the G-4 Super Galeb and the J-22 Orao. Reliable figures about the number of these aircraft still in-service are hard to find but data suggests there are 15 attack J-22 and 7 attack-trainer NJ-22 aircraft and 24 G-4 light attack jet trainers.
The current government equipment numbers have removed hundreds of J-22s, J-21s, G-4s, and G-2s which the Yugoslav government withdrew or destroyed in the 1990s for Yugoslavia to conform to the Agreement on Sub-Regional Arms Control.
The Army has located most of the J-22 Oraos at the Lađevci Airbase as the main strike fighters of 241st Fighter-Bomber Aviation Squadron. In addition, Batajnica Air Base has a few aircraft used previously by 252nd Fighter-Bomber Aviation Squadron. The government will transferred the aircraft’s to Lađevci AB following overhaul at "Moma Stanojlović" air force Technical and Overhaul Institute located at Batajnica. The Army has transferred two to three G-4 Super Galebs to Lađevci as part of 241st Fighter-Bomber Aviation Squadron. Other G-4 Super Galebs are located at Batajnica in the 252nd Mixed-Aviation Squadron. Serbian pilots use them for basic and advanced training of new pilots from the Military Academy. There are also 12 Utva 75 basic trainer aircraft used by 252nd Mixed-Aviation Squadron for primary training and selection of new pilots from the Military Academy.[5]
Air Defence
The Serbian air force and air defence operates a wide variety of ex-Soviet and ex-Yugoslav model surface-to-air missiles. Many are long-range with a moderate amount of short-range weapons that infantry units. The Air Defence units are in the first phase of modernization of the Serbian AF&AD. The government will buy communication equipment from France.
After a reorganization of the Serbian Armed Forces, 250th Air Defence Missile Brigade, located in Novi Sad, Niš, Kragujevac, manages S-125 "Neva-M1T" and 2K12 "Kub-M" surface-to-air missiles. The government is upgrading both types of missiles with a fire and forget SA-17 ability. The government has upgraded"Neva-M" to the "Neva-M1T" standard by Lola systems. The Army has decided to also upgrade the "Kub" missiles.[6]
Each air base has its air defence battalion equipped with Bofors 40 mm guns L/70, Igla MANPADs and GIRAFFE Radars, similar to the land forces brigades air defence battalions.
Mobile track based missile units include the SA-9 and SA-13. The Army also has Russian MANPADS such as SA-7, SA-16, and SA-18. MANPADS are used by the 117th Air Force Air Defence Artillery Battalion and 98th Air Force Air Defence Artillery Battalion. The 117th Air Force Air Defence Artillery Battalion and 98th Air Force Air Defence Artillery Battalion use the Bofors 40 mm gun L/70.
Radars
Used by 250th Air Defence Missile Brigade, 117th Air Force Air Defence Artillery Battalion, 98th Air Force Air Defence Artillery Battalion and 126th Centre for Air Reconnaissance/Intelligence and Guidance
- P-12, P-14, P-40 Observation radars
- Altitude measurement radar PRV - 11
- S-605/654 Observation radars
- S-613 Altitude measurement radar
- TPS-63 Observation radar
- AN/TPS-70 3D radar
- AS-74 and AS-84 automatized systems
- GIRAFFE Radar
Modernization
The government has declared the intent to buy new transport helicopters to replace the old Yugoslav era equipment. The Army intends to use them in cases of national disasters, as well as for UN peacekeeping missions. Similarly, the government is looking to buy new fighter jets and transport aircraft. The government officials have not yet announced a tender. The Serbian military plans to modernize its surface-to-air defence missiles and their radars, among other planned modernization efforts. The government has announced the planned military and civilian use of the radars.Future goals are to reorganize and retrain the air force to perform according to NATO standards by 2010. The ministry of defence granted more funds for support of the air force modernization. Currently, Air force and Air Defence is the most professional branch of Military of Serbia with small percent of conscripts.
Organization
- Air Force and Air Defence Command – Zemun
204th Air Base – Batajnica Air Base
- 101st Fighter Aviation Squadron
- 252nd Mixed Aviation Squadron
- 138th Mixed Transport-Aviation Squadron
- 1st Reconnaissance Aviation Section
- 24th Air Force Technical Battalion
- 17th Air Base Security Battalion
- 117th Air Force Air Defence Artillery Battalion
98th Air Base – Kraljevo-Lađevci Airport
- 241st Fighter-Bomber Aviation Squadron
- 714th Anti-Armored Helicopter Squadron
- 119th Mixed Helicopter Squadron
- 2nd Reconnaissance Aviation Section
- 24th Air Force Technical Battalion
- 161st Air Base Security Battalion
- 98th Air Base Security Battalion
- 98th Air Force Air Defence Artillery Battalion
250th Air Defence Missile Brigade – HQ Belgrade
- Command Battery – Banjica
- 1st Air Defence Missile Battalion
- 2nd Air Defence Missile Battalion
- 230th Air Defence Self-Propelled Missile Battalion
- 240th Air Defence Self-Propelled Missile Battalion
- 310th Air Defence Self-Propelled Missile Battalion
126th Centre for Air Reconnaissance – HQ Belgrade
- Command Company
- 20th Air Reconnaissance Battalion
- 31st Air Reconnaissance Battalion
- Company for air force-technical and technical maintenance and procurement
Aircraft inventory
Template:Standard table
! style="text-align: left; background: lightsteelblue;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align: left; background: lightsteelblue;"|Photo
! style="text-align: left; background: lightsteelblue;"|Origin
! style="text-align: left; background: lightsteelblue;"|Type
! style="text-align: left; background: lightsteelblue;"| Variants
! style="text-align: left; background: lightsteelblue;"|Number
! style="text-align: left; background: lightsteelblue;"|Notes
|-
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Fighter Aircraft
|-----
| MiG-29
| .jpg)
| 
Russia
| Fighter
Trainer – Fighter
| MiG-29B / L-18
MiG-29UB / NL-18
| 4
| Overhauled 1 NL-18 and 3 L-18.
|-----
| MiG-21
| 
| 
Soviet Union/ Russia
| Fighter
Trainer – Fighter
Recon – Fighter/ Recon
| MiG-21bis / L-17
MiG-21UM / NL-16
MiG-21M / I-17
| 38
| All to be replaced with new Fighter Aircraft
|-! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Ground-Attack Aircraft
|-----
| Soko Orao
| 
| 
Yugoslavia
| Ground Attack
Attack – Trainer
Recon
Recon – Trainer
| J-22
NJ-22
IJ-22
INJ-22
| 28
8
8
4
|
|-----
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Transport Aircraft
|-----
| Antonov An-2
| File:An-2 srj.jpg
| 
Poland
| Utility transport/paratroop training
| An-2TD1 / T-71
| 1
|
|-----
| Antonov An-26
| 
| 
Ukraine
| Medium military transport
| An-26B / T-70
| 8
| 2 currently modernized, others grounded
|-----
| Yakovlev Yak-40
| 
| Russia
| VIP Transport/Navaid Calibration
| Yak-40
| 3
|
|-
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Trainer Aircraft
|-----
| Lasta 95
| 
| 
Serbia
| Basic/Primary Trainer
| V-54
| 1
| 15 under delivery. 4 in 2011. Others To The half of 2012.
|-----
| Utva 75
| 
| Yugoslavia/ Serbia
| Basic/Primary Trainer
| V-53
| 16
| To be replaced with new Lasta 95[7]
|-----
| Soko G-4 Super Galeb
| File:Galebg4.jpg
| Yugoslavia
| Armed Advanced Jet Trainer
Unarmed Jet Trainer
Target Puller
Prototype
| G-4 / N-62
G-4Š / N-62Š
G-4T / N-62T
G-4M / N-62M
| 40
| 20 to be modernized to G-4MD standard, 6 more to be delivered from Montenegro
|-
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Helicopters
|-----
| Soko Gazelle Gama
| 
| Yugoslavia/
France
| Anti-Tank
| HN-42M/45
| 32
| Total of 69 Gazelle Helicopters.[8]
|-----
| Soko Gazelle
| File:Soko SA-342L HERA.jpg
| Yugoslavia/ France
| Light Utility/Reccon
| HO-42/45
HI-42 Hera
| 29
| Total of 69 Gazelle Helicopters.[8]
|-----
| Mil Mi-8
| 
| Russia
| Medium Transport Helicopter
| Mi-8T / HT-40
| 18
| Four Mi-8s overhauled recently, two Mi-17's waiting for an overhaul.
|-----
| Mil Mi-17
| File:Mi-17 of SAF.jpg
| Russia
| Medium Transport Helicopter
| Mi-17 / HT-47
| 2
| Plans to acquire 2 Mi-171Sh.
|
|-
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | UAV's
|-----
| Orbiter UAV
|
| 
Israel
| Reconnaissance UAV
|
| 30[9]
|
|}
Accidents
- MiG-29 crashed on 7 July 2009, killing Lieutenant Colonel Rade Randjelovic and a soldier Milan Ulemek on the ground.[10]
- G-4 Super Galeb crashed on September 28, 2008
- Soko J-22 Orao crashed on May 21, 2008
- Soko J-22 Orao crashed on June 3, 2010[11]
Aircraft markings
The Serbian Air Force roundel was officially adopted in 2006. The roundel is an adapted version of the former Royal Yugoslav Air Force roundel which ceased to exist in 1943. It is composed of a blue trim on the outside rim followed inward by the Serbian national colours red, blue, and white, with a white cross in the centre with blue trim.
The Air Force also uses a low visibility roundel of the same design only replacing the traditional roundel colours of red,blue and white with two gray colour variations of light and dark for contrast, these roundels have most recently been placed on refurbished MiG-29s. Most other aircraft continue to use the standard coloured roundel.
Ranks and insignia
| Generals | Officers | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Ranks in Serbian | Генерал General |
Генерал-Потпуковник General-Potpukovnik |
Генерал-Мајор General-Major |
Бригадни Генерал Brigadni General |
Пуковник Pukovnik |
Потпуковник Potpukovnik |
Мајор Major |
Капетан Kapetan |
Поручник Poručnik |
Потпоручник Potporučnik |
| Ranks | General | Lieutenant General | Major General | Brigadier General | Colonel | Lieutenant Colonel | Major | Captain | Lieutenant | Sub-Lieutenant |
| NCOs | Soldiers | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| |
| Ranks in Serbian | Заставник I класе Zastavnik I klase |
Заставник Zastavnik |
Старији Водник I класе Stariji Vodnik I klase |
Старији Водник Stariji Vodnik |
Водник Vodnik |
Млађи водник Mlađi vodnik |
Десетар Desetar |
Разводник Razvodnik |
| Ranks | Warrant Officer, 1st class | Warrant Officer | Senior Sergeant 1st class | Senior Sergeant | Sergeant | Junior Sergeant | Corporal | Private 1st class |
See also
- Serbian Air Force history
- Air Force of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia / Serbia and Montenegro
- SFR Yugoslav Air Force
- Yugoslav Royal Air Force
- Republika Srpska Air Force
References
- ^ News (2007). "Serbian AF restructures". Aircraft Illustrated. 40 (1): 16.
{{cite journal}}:|last=has generic name (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|quotes=(help); Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - ^ http://news.webshots.com/photo/1276190535061271690VsIcIN
- ^ http://www.vs.rs/index.php?content=781f64a8-f737-102b-bdc2-a0672172d7df
- ^ Serbian Fulcrum Crash Kills Display Pilot, Air Forces Monthly magazine, September 2009 issue, p. 80.
- ^ http://www.scribd.com/doc/7371884/SRV-1
- ^ http://jmr.janes.com/public/jmr/surface_to_air.shtml
- ^ http://www.emportal.rs/en/news/serbia/78647.html
- ^ a b Gazelle
- ^ [1]
- ^ MIG-29 Crashes In Serbia, Pilot Dies
- ^ Pilot survives military plane crash
- Air Forces Monthly Magazine, Aeroflight
- Vazduhoplovstvo Srbije na Solunskom frontu 1916-1918, Vladeta D. Vojinovic, 2000
- Srpska Avijatika 1912-1918; MJV, Sky, EUROSINI; 1992
- Inventory of Air Force http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/waf/yugo/serbaf_current_inventory.htm
- http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/waf/yugo/jkrv/yugo-af1-home.htm
External links
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