Naval strike aircraft to be part of Russian Air Force Naval strike aircraft will be reassigned to the Russian Air Force by the end of 2011, a high-ranking Navy source told RIA Novosti on Wednesday. "The strike component of naval aviation will be transferred under the control of the Russian Air Force by the end of the year," the source said. Naval strike aircraft include Tu-22M3 Backfire long-range bombers, MiG-31 Foxhound interceptors, Su-27 Flanker fighter jets, and Su-24 Fencer attack aircraft. "Black Sea Fleet's Su-24 attack aircraft based in the Crimea under a treaty with Ukraine will remain under control...