View source for Organization:Russian Aerospace Forces

{{short description|Air and space service of the Russian Armed Forces}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name                     = Russian Aerospace Forces
| native_name                   = Воздушно-космические силы<br />''Vozdushno-kosmicheskiye sily''
| image                         = Great emblem of the Russian Air-Cosmic Forces.svg
| image_size                    = 200px
| alt                           = 
| caption                       = Emblem of the Russian Aerospace Forces
| start_date                    = {{Start date and age|df=yes|2015|08|01|}}
| disbanded                     = 
| dates                         = {{Start date|1992|8|1}}–present
| country                       = {{Flag|Russia}}
| allegiance                    = 
| branch                        = 
| type                          = {{wipe|Air force}} and [[Social:Space force|space force]]
| role                          = [[Social:Aerial warfare|Aerial warfare]] <br /> [[Social:Space warfare|Space warfare]] <br /> Missile defense
| size                          = 165,000 personnel (2020)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Russian Armed Forces: Military Modernization and Reforms |url=https://fas.org/sgp/crs/row/IF11603.pdf |location=Washington, D.C. |publisher=[[Social:Congressional Research Service|Congressional Research Service]] |date=20 July 2020 |access-date=11 January 2022 |archive-date=17 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417130729/https://fas.org/sgp/crs/row/IF11603.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
| command_structure             = {{Armed forces|Russia|size=25px}}
| garrison                      = Arbat District, Moscow
| garrison_label                = Headquarters
| nickname                      = 
| patron                        = Saint Elijah the Prophet<ref>[https://eng.hram.mil.ru/ ''Main Cathedral of Russian Armed Forces.''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190202095428/https://eng.hram.mil.ru/ |date=2019-02-02 }} Retrieved 2019-02-02.</ref>
| motto                         = 
| colors                        = {{color box|#00BFFF}} {{color box|#202060}}{{color box|#FFD700}}{{colorbox|#DEDEDE}} Light Blue, Dark Blue, gold, silver
| colors_label                  = <!-- or | colours_label = -->
| march                         = {{nowrap|"Air March" ({{Lang-ru|"Авиамарш"}})}} (official march-past of the Air Force)<br />"14 Minutes Until Launch" ({{Lang-ru|"14 минут до старта"}}) (official march of the Space Forces)
| mascot                        = 
| anniversaries                 = Air Force Day<br /> (12 August)
| battles                       = {{plainlist|
*Intervention in the Syrian Civil War
*2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine}}
| website                       = [https://eng.mil.ru/en/structure/forces/aerospace.htm Official website]
| current_commander             = 
| commander1                    = {{Flagicon image|Flag of Russia's Commander of the Aerospace Forces.svg|size=25px}} Army General Sergei Surovikin
| commander1_label              = Commander-in-Chief
| commander2                    = Lieutenant General Viktor Afzalov
| commander2_label              = First Deputy Commander-in-Chief
| commander3                    = {{Flagicon image|Flag of Russia's Commander of the Aerospace Forces.svg|size=25px}} 
 Colonel General Sergey Dronov 
| commander3_label              = Deputy Commander-in-Chief
| notable_commanders            = Colonel General Viktor Bondarev
<!-- Insignia -->| identification_symbol         = [[File:Flag of Russian Aerospace Forces.svg|125px]]
| identification_symbol_label   = Flag
| identification_symbol_2       = [[File:Roundel of Russia.svg|80px]]
| identification_symbol_4       = [[File:Middle emblem of the Russian Aerospace Forces.svg|125px]]
| identification_symbol_2_label = Roundel
| identification_symbol_3       = [[File:Patch of the Russian Aerospace Forces.svg|125px]]
| identification_symbol_3_label = Patch
| identification_symbol_4_label = Middle emblem
| identification_symbol_5       = [[File:Small emblem of the Russian Aerospace Forces.svg|125px]]
| identification_symbol_5_label = Insignia
}}
[[File:Presentation of the banner of Air-space forces 03.jpg|thumb|President Putin presenting the banner of the Aerospace Forces to Viktor Bondarev]]

The '''Russian Aerospace Forces'''<ref>{{cite web|url= http://tass.com/russia/812184|title= Russia establishes Aerospace Forces as new armed service — Defense Minister|access-date=2017-03-20|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170321081913/http://tass.com/russia/812184#|archive-date=2017-03-21 |url-status=live}}</ref> or '''Russian Air and Space Forces'''<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/04/21/6-dead-in-fire-at-russian-aerospace-defense-research-institute-state-media-a77446 | title=6 Dead in Fire at Russian Aerospace Defense Research Institute – State Media | date=21 April 2022 |newspaper=The Moscow Times}}</ref> ({{lang-rus|Воздушно-космические силы|r=Vozdushno-kosmicheskiye sily}} ({{lang-rus|ВКС|VKS}})) comprise the {{wipe|Air force}} and [[Social:Space force|space]] branches of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Russia established the VKS as a new branch of its military on 1 August 2015 with the merging of the {{wipe|Russian Air Force}} (VVS) and the [[Organization:Russian Aerospace Defence Forces|Russian Aerospace Defence Forces]] (VVKO), as recommended by the Ministry of Defence. The VKS has its headquarters in [[Place:Moscow|Moscow]].<ref>[http://ria.ru/defense_safety/20150803/1160022393.html Шойгу объявил о создании нового вида ВС - Воздушно-космических сил] {{Webarchive|url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150805210305/http://ria.ru/defense_safety/20150803/1160022393.html# |date=2015-08-05 }}, ria.ru/defense, 3 August 2015</ref> Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu explained the merger as improving efficiency and logistical support.<ref>Compare:
[http://tass.ru/en/russia/812184 Russia establishes Aerospace Forces as new armed service — Defense Minister] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160513232430/http://tass.ru/en/russia/812184 |date=2016-05-13 }}, tass.ru, 3 August 2015. - "'The formation of the Aerospace Forces by combining the Air Force and the Aerospace Defense Force is the optimal option for improving the system of the country's aerospace defense,' Shoigu said. [...] 'Now the single command unites aviation, air defense and anti-missile defense troops, space forces and means of the armed forces' [...]."</ref>

==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:<ref name="Janes2015">[http://www.janes.com/article/53416/russia-creates-new-aerospace-force-service-branch Russia creates new Aerospace Force service branch] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151227073639/http://www.janes.com/article/53416/russia-creates-new-aerospace-force-service-branch# |date=2015-12-27 }}, janes.com, 4 August 2015</ref>
*{{wipe|Russian Air Force}}
*{{ill|Air Defense and Anti-missile Defense Forces|lt=Air and Missile Defence Forces|ru|Войска ПВО-ПРО}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Air and Missile Defence Forces |url=https://structure.mil.ru/structure/forces/vks/pvo-pro/structure.htm |publisher=Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation |access-date=23 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180723152628/https://structure.mil.ru/structure/forces/vks/pvo-pro/structure.htm# |archive-date=2018-07-23 |url-status=live }}</ref>
*[[Organization:Russian Space Forces|Space Forces]]

{| class="wikitable"
|+<big>Main Command of the Aerospace Forces</big>
<big>(''Главное командование'' ''Воздушно-космическими силами'')</big>
! colspan="3" |Command Staff
|-
| colspan="2" |'''Commander-in-Chief Aerospace Forces'''<br />(''Главнокомандующий Воздушно-космическими силами'')
|'''Army general / Colonel general'''
|-
| colspan="2" |'''Chief of the Main Staff - First Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Aerospace Forces'''<br />(''Начальник Главного штаба — первый заместитель Главнокомандующего Воздушно-космическими силами'')
|'''Colonel general / Lieutenant general'''
|-
| colspan="2" |'''Deputy Commander-in-Chief Aerospace Forces'''<br />(''Заместитель Главнокомандующего Воздушно-космическими силами'')
|'''Colonel general / Lieutenant general'''
|-
! colspan="3" |Chiefs of branches, deputy commanders:
|-
|'''Commander of the Air Force, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Aerospace Forces'''
(''Командующий Военно-воздушными силами — заместитель Главнокомандующего Воздушно-космическими силами'')

Colonel general / Lieutenant general
|'''Commander of the Aerospace and Missile Defense Forces, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Aerospace Forces'''
(''Командующий Войсками противовоздушной и противоракетной обороны — заместитель Главнокомандующего Воздушно-космическими силами'')

Colonel general / Lieutenant general
|'''Commander of the Space Forces, Deputy Commander-in-Chief Aerospace Forces''' 
(''Командующий Космическими войсками — заместитель Главнокомандующего Воздушно-космическими силами'')

Colonel general / Lieutenant general
|-
! colspan="3" |Functional deputy commanders:
|-
|'''Deputy Commander-in-Chief of  Aerospace Forces for Military-Political Work''' (''Заместитель Главнокомандующего Воздушно-космическими силами по военно-политической работе'')
Major general
|'''Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Aerospace Forces for Logistics''' (''Заместитель Главнокомандующего Воздушно-космическими силами по материально-техническому обеспечению'')
Major general
|'''Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Aerospace Forces for Armaments''' (''Заместитель Главнокомандующего Воздушно-космическими силами по вооружению'')
Major general
|}

===Leadership===

{| class="wikitable"
|+As of October 2022:
! Position
! Name
! Start date
! End date
|- style="text-align:center;"
| rowspan=3| '''Commander of the Aerospace Forces'''
| Colonel General Viktor Bondarev
| 1 August 2015
| 26 September 2017
|- style="text-align:center;"
| Lieutenant General Pavel Kurachenko (''acting'')
| 26 September 2017
| 22 November 2017
|- style="text-align:center;"
| '''Army General Sergei Surovikin'''
| 22 November 2017
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
! colspan=4|
|- style="text-align:center;"
| rowspan=2|'''First Deputy Commander of the Aerospace Forces'''<br />(Chief of the General Staff)
| Lieutenant General Pavel Kurachenko
| 1 September 2015
| unknown<ref name="Janes2015"/> 
|- style="text-align:center;"
| '''Lieutenant General Viktor Afzalov'''
| unknown
|- style="text-align:center;"
! colspan=4|
|- style="text-align:center;"
| rowspan=2|'''Deputy Commander of the Aerospace Forces'''<br />
| Lieutenant General Sergei Dronov
| 1 August 2015
| 2019
|- style="text-align:center;"
| '''Lieutenant General Andrei Yudin'''
| 2019
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
! colspan=4| Deputy Commanders of the Aerospace Forces
|- style="text-align:center;"
| rowspan=2| '''Commander of the Air Force'''
| Colonel General Andrei Yudin
| 1 September 2015
| {{circa|July}} 2019
|- style="text-align:center;"
| '''Lieutenant General Sergei Dronov'''
| {{circa|July}} 2019
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
| rowspan=3| '''Commander of the Aerospace and Missile Defense Forces'''
| Lieutenant General Viktor Gumyonny
| 1 September 2015
| 2018
|- style="text-align:center;"
| Lieutenant General Yury Grekhov
| 2018
| 2021
|- style="text-align:center;"
| '''Lieutenant General Andrei Dyomin'''
| 2021
|
|- style="text-align:center;"
| '''Commander of the Space Forces'''
| '''Colonel General Aleksandr Golovko'''
| 1 September 2015<ref name="Janes2015"/>
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
| rowspan=2| '''Deputy Commander for Work with Personnel'''
| Major General Andrei Kazakevich
| unknown
| unknown
|- style="text-align:center;"
| '''Lieutenant General Aleksandr Maksimtsev'''
| 2019
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
| rowspan=2| '''Deputy Commander for Logistics'''
| Lieutenant General Vladimir Trishunkin
| unknown
| unknown
|- style="text-align:center;"
| '''Lieutenant General Zabit Kheirbekov'''
| unknown
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
| rowspan=3| '''Deputy Commander for Armaments'''
| Colonel Andrei Medvedkov
| unknown
| unknown
|- style="text-align:center;"
| Major General Sergei Meshcheryakov
| unknown
| 2021
|- style="text-align:center;"
| '''Colonel General Yury Grekhov'''
| 2021
| 
|}

=== Order of Battle ===
The Aerospace Forces are organised in air armies.

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

* Units directly subordinated to the High Command (''Части центрального подчинения ВВС'')
* ''operationally subordinated to the High Command'':
**Military Transport Aviation Command (''Командование военно-транспортной авиации'') (Moscow)
** Long-Range Aviation Command (''Командование дальней авиации'') (Moscow)
* ''operationally subordinated to the Western Military District'':
**6th ''Leningrad Red Banner'' Army of Air Forces and Air Defence (''6-я Ленинградская Краснознамённая армия ВВС и ПВО'') (Saint Petersburg)
* ''operationally subordinated to the Southern Military District'':
**4th ''Red Banner'' Army of Air Forces and Air Defence (''4-я Краснознамённая армия ВВС и ПВО'') (Rostov-on-Don)
* ''operationally subordinated to the Central Military District'':
** 14th ''Red Banner'' Army of Air Forces and Air Defence (''14-я Краснознамённая армия ВВС и ПВО'') (Yekaterinburg)
* ''operationally subordinated to the Eastern Military District'':
** 11th ''Red Banner'' Army of Air Forces and Air Defence (''11-я Краснознамённая армия ВВС и ПВО'') (Khabarovsk)
* ''operationally subordinated to the Northern Fleet Joint Strategic Command'':
** 45th Air and Air Defenсe Forces Army (''45-я Армия ВВС и ПВО'') (Severomorsk-2) - uniquely the aviation units of the 45th Army belong administratively to the Naval Aviation and the ground-based missile air defence units belong to the Air Forces air defence branch.

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

* 1st ''Order of Lenin'' Air Defence and [[Engineering:Anti-ballistic missile|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. (:ru:1-я армия противовоздушной и противоракетной обороны особого назначения)
** 4th Air Defence Division ''"Hero of the Soviet Union Lt.-Gen. B. P. Kirpikov"'' (''4-я дивизия ПВО имени Героя Советского Союза генерал-лейтенанта Б.П. Кирпикова'') (Dolgoprudny, Moscow Oblast) (armed with the [[Engineering:S-300 missile system|S-300PM/PS]] and the S-400 missile systems)
** 5th Air Defence Division (''5-я дивизия ПВО'') (Petrovskoe, Moscow Oblast) (armed with the [[Engineering:S-300 missile system|S-300PM]] and the S-400 missile systems)
** 9th Anti-Ballistic Missile Defence Division (''9-я дивизия ПРО'') (Sofrino, Moscow Oblast) (armed with the A-135 anti-ballistic missile system)

[[Organization:Russian Space Forces|'''Space Forces Command''']] (''Командование космических войск'') (Krasnoznamensk, Moscow Oblast)

* 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)

== Ranks and rank insignia ==
;Officer ranks
{| style="border:1px solid #8888aa; background-color:#f7f8ff; padding:5px; font-size:95%; margin: 0px 12px 12px 0px;"
{{Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Armed Forces/OF/Blank}}
{{Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Air Forces/OF/Russia}}
|}

;Other ranks
{| style="border:1px solid #8888aa; background-color:#f7f8ff; padding:5px; font-size:95%; margin: 0px 12px 12px 0px;"
{{Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Armed Forces/OF/Blank}}
{{Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Air Forces/OR/Russia}}
|}

==See also==
*Russian Naval Aviation
*Strategic Missile Forces
*{{wipe|United States Department of the Air Force}}
**{{wipe|United States Air Force}}
**United States Space Force

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://eng.mil.ru/en/structure/forces/aerospace.htm Russian Aerospace Forces official site] (English)


[[Category:Space warfare]]

{{Sourceattribution|Russian Aerospace Forces|1}}