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The Tanks Are Coming: Russia Introduces Tank Units to Airborne Forces and Naval Infantry
Jamestown Foundation ^

Posted on 04/04/2018 9:47:16 PM PDT by ameribbean expat

The Airborne Troops (Vozdushno-Desantnye Voyska—VDV) have been much less affected by the military reforms initiated in 2008 than any of the other services in the Russian Armed Forces. Unlike the Ground Forces, the VDV has pointedly retained its divisional structure, despite plans to move toward a brigade-centric model in both 2009 and 2012 (Vzglyad, May 27, 2009; April 9, 2012). That said, however, the VDV’s units have undergone certain notable changes regarding their number and organization, as well as concerning the provision of new equipment. For instance, in 2013, three air-assault brigades were resubordinated to the VDV (The 11th, 56th and the 83rd); and in 2014, the former 45th Spetsnaz (special forces) regiment and the 38th Signals regiment were reorganized into brigades under the airborne forces (Mil.ru, October 21, 2013; TASS, January 1, 2015; Vpk-news.ru, June 4, 2015). Additionally, the VDV’s reconnaissance companies are being reorganized into intelligence battalions, with the introduction of electronic warfare (EW) and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) companies. Originally meant to be completed by 2014, the deadline for this had since been pushed back to sometime in 2018 (Vpk-news.ru, August 6, 2013; Krasnaya Zvezda, March 7, 2018).

Also of interest has been the introduction of new equipment to VDV units: first and foremost the BMD-4M amphibious infantry fighting vehicle and the BTR-MDM Rakushka armored personnel carrier, both of which began arriving in 2015. So far, five battalion sets, 31 BMD-4Ms and 16 BTR-MDMs, have been delivered (Mil.ru, February 2). In 2016, the 106th Airborne Division received two sets, followed by two sets to the 31st Air Assault Brigade in 2017, and one set for the 76th Air Assault Division in February 2018 (Bmpd.livejournal.com, February 7).

Additionally, the Russian defense ministry is introducing T-72B3 tanks to six airborne companies. In July 2015, the then-commander of the VDV, Colonel General Vladimir Shamanov, said the equipping process would be complete before the end of that year (RT, July 29, 2015). And indeed, his statement appeared to be supported by an Estonian source from early 2016, which claimed that the Russian 76th Air Assault Division had received 10–12 T-72s. (Postimees.ee, February 2, 2016). The six VDV tank companies will reportedly be expanded into battalions by the end of 2018 (Vzglyad, May 24, 2016; Vesti.ru, August 1, 2016). Since that announcement in 2016, however, the further expansion of the tank companies into battalions has obviously met with financial difficulties (Krasnaya Zvezda, August 1, 2017; Desantura.ru, July 31, 2017; TASS, May 24, 2016). So far, only three such battalions have been filled out, and all in 2018: one tank battalion each in the 7th and 76th air-assault divisions, respectively, and one within one of the VDV’s air-assault brigades (TASS, July 31, 2017).


TOPICS: Military/Veterans
KEYWORDS: army; redarmy; russia
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To: Spktyr
Attempting to take a city away from Ivan when he’s had time to prepare? Really, really, really, really bad idea. Ivan is a past master of urban warfare and does it like nobody else.

Especially is his *God of Battle*- massed artillery- is in the area. And make that double especially if tac air support is unavailable or impractical due to wx or urban collateral damage.

21 posted on 04/05/2018 12:15:07 PM PDT by archy (Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Except bears, they'll kill you a little, then eat you.)
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To: ameribbean expat
Also of interest has been the introduction of new equipment to VDV units: first and foremost the BMD-4M amphibious infantry fighting vehicle and the BTR-MDM Rakushka armored personnel carrier, both of which began arriving in 2015.

But those are not their only air-droppable armor assets. Wonder if they've air-dropped a T-14 yet. Maybe on 02 August, we'll find out.


22 posted on 04/05/2018 12:28:40 PM PDT by archy (Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Except bears, they'll kill you a little, then eat you.)
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To: archy

Yup, because if you’re in Ivan’s city, Ivan really doesn’t care about collateral damage as long as you either die or go away. Messy, but highly effective.


23 posted on 04/05/2018 11:12:56 PM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: snoringbear

Russia has a “heavy lift capability”. At one time, and maybe they still do, have the largest air cargo transport plane in the world.

They have been able to do both troop and supply missions to Egypt, Syria and Afghanistan pretty successfully, though there was no real air opposition to them.

Back in Oct. 1973, during the Yom Kippur War, Gen. Sharon had a whole Egyptian army surrounded and was getting ready to pound them to ashes. The Soviets threatened to put their troops into Egypt to prevent this. This force of 3 Airborne Divisions were to be leapfrogged from Yugoslavia to Egypt.

In the face of this Kissinger forced Israel to leave the Egyptian Division alone because the US did not feel it could stop the Soviet invasion.

A truce was signed shortly after this stand-off.

The Soviet Antonov cargo carrier/troop transports are pretty good, and look like they were based on our C5A’s and C17’s (They probably stole the designs to them just like the Red Chinese have been doing the past 60 years).

Don’t forget that the Soviets airlifted several Cuban divisions to Angola in 1974-75 and that ensured a communist victory over Holden, Savimbi and the South Africa forces there.

Never underestimate the capabilities of your enemy.


24 posted on 04/05/2018 11:18:35 PM PDT by MadMax, the Grinning Reaper
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To: PapaBear3625

Quite a lot better. The export T-72s the Iraqis had were not equipped with first line Russian sensors, computers, engines or armor. They were also lacking any of the Russian main line APS systems that were in service at the time - no Shtora, no Drozd, no Arena, not even Arena-E.

As for effectiveness - during the Chechen wars Russia fought, the very same Konkurs missiles gleefully shredding Turkey’s NATO frontline Leopard 2A5s in Syria failed to kill Russian tanks with APS. Chechens reported that unless a large mass saturation attack was mounted with multiple (minimum six, minimum number kept going up) simultaneous launches on the tank with the Konkurs missiles, the missiles would get to a certain range and then look like they ran into a force field as the tank’s APS system took them down.

Remember, this APS performance is against the same Konkurs missiles that are shredding Chobham armor in Syria with single shots. This is why the Army has suddenly filed a crash order for the Israeli Trophy APS after decades of waiting for the Raytheon vaporware Quickkill system.

Almost nobody exports full capability front line tanks to most client nations. Egypt bought a bunch of M1 Abrams tanks from us, for example, but they didn’t get the DU armor, the updated computers, the awesome first line multispectral imaging system, the network warfare upgrades or even the same radios. Same thing goes for the T-72s Russia sent to the Middle East for their clients.


25 posted on 04/05/2018 11:27:15 PM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: MadMax, the Grinning Reaper

The Russians do still have the largest cargo transport aircraft in the world. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonov_An-225_Mriya

The US often contracted the operators of the AN-225 to move our stuff around the world.


26 posted on 04/05/2018 11:34:10 PM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: snoringbear; MadMax, the Grinning Reaper

Russia’s heavy lift capability is so bad that the US was contracting with Russia for aerial logistics support in Iraq and Afghanistan because our feckless Congress didn’t buy enough C-5s or C-17s and we didn’t have enough airlift capability.

Most all of our European partners used Russian or Ukranian airlifters to get to the theater or provide support at least in part.

It’s possible, due to the neglect during the Obama years and how bad our fleet is now, that the Russians *may* have a better functional capability than we do.


27 posted on 04/05/2018 11:41:18 PM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: MadMax, the Grinning Reaper

“Russia has a “heavy lift capability”. At one time, and maybe they still do, have the largest air cargo transport plane in the world.”

Actually, I think they built two of them. Not sure if they’re both flyable anymore though.


28 posted on 04/06/2018 2:44:58 PM PDT by snoringbear (W,E.oGovernment is the Pimp,)
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To: MadMax, the Grinning Reaper
“Never underestimate the capabilities of your enemy.” Did you think of that all by yourself 🙄?
29 posted on 04/06/2018 2:52:40 PM PDT by snoringbear (W,E.oGovernment is the Pimp,)
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To: snoringbear

They only made one and a second was under construction but cancelled. The one they did build is not only still flyable but in regular use. They just upgraded the avionics and it’s in revenue service again.

http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1096664.shtml

However, the Chinese have decided to fund the completion of the second one and potentially produce more for themselves.

https://www.popsci.com/china-will-resurrect-worlds-largest-plane


30 posted on 04/06/2018 6:58:26 PM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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