Air Defence Forces

Soviet Air Defence Force (PVO)

The PVO or voyska protivovozdushnoy oborony, otherwise known as the voyska PVO, or simply the V-PVO was responsible for the defence of Soviet airspace and in particular defence against NATO and specifically American bombers. In the 1980s the responsibilities were broadened to include providing air superiority over concentrations of ground forces – especially along the Army’s main axis of advance and second echelon forces. The PVO is comprised of a significant Command & Control (C2) structure nine Air Defence (AD) Armies and two special zones: Leningrad Military District and the Moscow Air Defence District. Each of these formations has an extensive C2 network, early warning radars, electronic warfare (EW) systems, and a mix of Surface to Air Missile (SAM) units and fighter interceptor regiments. Below is a graphical depiction of the areas of responsibility for the AD formations in Northern Fury. In total the PVO operated over 3,800 aircraft with 2,600 of them being interceptors and the remainder being support, training and transport aircraft; additionally, almost 12,000 SAM systems are in use as well as hundreds of radar and EW sites.

Organizationally each AD Army and the two districts are tailored to its specific task and the threats situation it faced.

2^nd Independent Red Banner AD Army: With an HQ in Minsk this was re-activated in 1986, probably in response to the reorganization of forces and broadening of responsibilities, it is ideally positioned to provide air superiority forces to any conflict with NATO. Most of the SAMs in the Missile Brigades are of the very modern S-300 type, while it is unlikely that US Strategic bombers would be a major threat so there are no pure interceptors but much more agile fighter types able to engage with F-111, Tornados or Mirage IV, eventually all of the MiG-23s would be replaced by Su-27 but that will not happen for several years.

4^th Independent Red Banner AD Army: Mostly responsible for threats emanating from China, and covering a very wide area so this force has more of an intercept role relying on MiG-25 and MiG-31 as well as older SAM systems (SA-2, SA-5). Some older MiG-23s have been replaced with hand-me-down MiG-25s (412^th & 765^th Regt). This Army is quite dispersed so relies on Division structures rather than more centralized Corps.

6^th Independent Red Banner AD Army: Probably the most complex area of any AD Army, the 6^th covers Karelia facing Finland, the Baltics and the northern approach to Moscow. Most of the SAM systems are the most modern available and the aircraft are a mix between fighters and interceptors. The 892^nd Regt was reactivated in 1993 and is destined to receive Su-27s but is currently outfitted with the antiquated Su-15s.

8^th Independent AD Army: Covering the south western approaches over the Black Sea and threats from the Mediterranean region, this army is unlikely to provide air superiority tasks and has significant tactical air forces in the area able to handle any fighter threat. Therefore the key vulnerability from this approach is cruise missiles and potentially long range bombers coming in over Turkey. Most of the SAM systems are the modern S-300 type but there are some older models as well. The weakness in this formation are two regiments of Su-15s which will offer very limited capability against a modern threat.

10^th Independent AD Army: The AD Army with the largest threat of defending against American bombers was the 10^th maintained watch from the Kola Peninsula to the Kara Sea, about 1,000 Km of coastline in the high Arctic on a direct route from North America to Moscow. Relying mostly on its four regiments of modernized MiG-31 and another four of older MiG-25. The regiment of Su-27 will likely be involved in air superiority missions in northern Norway and the aging Su-15s will form a backstop of questionable value until replaced by MiG-31s in the coming year. The SAM units are all of the most modern types and concentrated on the Kola Peninsula.

11^th Independent Red Banner AD Army: The largest AD Army, the 11^th protects the Soviet Far East from attack covering from Vladivostok to the Bering Strait, a distance of 4,500 km, with a total of 12 regiments of aircraft and 24 brigades or regiments of SAMs. The threat from this axis is low however and correspondingly, over half this force is quite dated and bordering on obsolete, the older MiG-23s are little better as fighters than the Su-15s are as interceptors.

12^th Independent AD Army: Concentrated in the southern ‘Stans’ (Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan) facing Iran and Afghanistan, the primary threat facing this force is from Pakistan as both Iran and India are allies and Afghanistan is still in turmoil after the ten-year occupation by the Soviet Army. The two regiments of MiG-25s however will be useful on the off chance that American bombers attempted to infiltrate through the Hindukush mountains. The SAM forces in this army are mostly older types.

14^th Independent AD Army: Patrolling the Siberian region this army is the second most likely to encounter American Strategic bombers and is therefore equipped with very modern systems. Three of the four MiG-31 regiments are modernized SM variants and many of the SAM systems are S-300s. Most of this force however is deployed far to the south, along the Trans-Siberian railway protecting the link to the Far East from attack from both the north and China to the south. In times of higher threat, the aircraft would deploy to a number of dispersal bases to the north.

19^th Independent Red Banner AD Army: Concentrated in the Caucuses facing Turkey and Iran, this army’s role is to guard the southern approach to Moscow by intercepting bomber and cruise missile attacks emanating from the Mediterranean or Red Seas and perhaps from the Indian Ocean. With seven regiments of interceptors, mostly MiG-25, and 21 SAM brigades/regiments in a relatively small area this should not be a problem.

Leningrad Military District: The Leningrad Military District is not part of the PVO, however, the 18^th Red Banner Air Defence Corps does belong to the PVO. In fact, there were several organizational changes in the 1970s and 80’s but when the PVO re-established the 6^th AD Army, the 18^th AD Corps (In Northern Fury) remained in Location to defend Leningrad and was therefore independent of any AD Army.

Moscow Order of Lenin Air Defence District: It is probably not an exaggeration to say that Moscow is the most heavily defended city in the world. As a separate AD command this district is larger than most of the AD Armies with four interceptor and six fighter regiments plus 41 SAM brigades/regiments.

PVO Forces: One of the main functions of forces directly under PVO control was training. The PVO operated many schools for technical training, an Officer academy and three flight training centers flying over 1,200 aircraft.