Russian Airborne Troops (VDV) News:

Growing in strength

In the Yaroslavl region will be revived 299th Airborne Regiment

Military Drills Get Underway in Russia With 1,500 Paratroopers Taking Part

Ivanovo VDV snap exercise

Russian Airborne Forces Division Relocated to Arctic Amid Drills

The main goal of the current snap drills is to assess combat readiness of Russian forces deployed in the Arctic region, according to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – A division of Russian Airborne Forces has been relocated from Ivanovo to the Arctic amid ongoing snap combat readiness drills in the country, the Defense Ministry said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered to bring the country's Northern Fleet to full alert in a snap combat readiness exercise on March 16. The drills involve 38,000 military personnel, 3,360 pieces of equipment, 41 ships, 15 submarines, and 110 airplanes and helicopters.

"Ilyushin Il-76 [Candid] airlifters delivered the servicemen and military technology to the military airfield in the Arctic, where the military servicemen from the Russian Airborne Forces are to perform various [drill] tasks," the ministry said in a statement.

Russia notified the countries of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) of the snap Northern Fleet exercises that are taking place on March 16-21, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov said on Tuesday.

Read more: http://sputniknews.com/military/20150318/1019650730.html#ixzz3UinWiGLS

VDV Forces form rapid-reaction units capable of deploying within 24 hours

All Airborne Forces formations have established rapid reaction units capable of deploying within 24 hours. “The can be used to perform missions both on the territory of the Russian Federation as well as outside its borders,” noted Airborne Forces commander General Vladimir Shamanov.


“Due to this initiative, we have sharply increased the intake at the Ryazan Airborne Forces Academy. Last year we accepted 540 applicants for the higher professional development course (officer), and 570 for the middle professional education course (sergeant). The first lasts five years, the second 2 years and 10 months,” the general said.

http://sdelanounas.ru/blogs/60144/

http://nortwolf-sam.livejournal.com/808508.html

Pics of VDV training.

Also rumors that the plans of forming another VDV brigade are being cancelled or downgraded in scope.

TR1 wrote:http://nortwolf-sam.livejournal.com/808508.html

Pics of VDV training.

Nice...


Looks like an asian "curly" from the 3 stooges  

Russian airborne force unit to get new combat gear for Arctic mission

The new outfit is to ensure comfortable conditions for the body in the Far North and transpolar regions’ landing missions at air temperatures minus 50 degrees Celsius

MOSCOW, March 31. /TASS/. Paratroopers of the Airborne Forces formation in Ivanovo (Central Russia) will get new combat garments for the Far North and transpolar missions, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman for the VDV Lieutenant Colonel Yevgeny Meshkov said on Tuesday.

"The new outfit is to ensure comfortable conditions for the body in the Far North and transpolar regions’ landing missions at air temperatures minus 50 degrees Celsius," Meshkov said.

According to him, the paratroopers’ combat garment comprises several elements in which soldiers can take dynamic actions and also remain motionless for a long time in the cold. "Paratroopers in this garment will be able to wait out strong winds with sleet not suffering health damage even staying motionless. The uniform is designed for quick change and putting on of any of the garment element depending on the conditions," the spokesman said.

The Ivanovo paratroopers were among the airborne formations involved in a surprise inspection of the troops’ combat readiness in the Arctic that was conducted in the period from March 16 to 21. During the maneuvers they landed, in particular, on the Novaya Zemlya and Franz Joseph Land archipelagos and then took part in an exercise to defend the Olenegorsk airfield and the Northern Fleet headquarters from a simulated enemy.

Russian paratroopers, post-Soviet security bloc forces to drill landing on Arctic ice floe

The paratroopers will participate in a training humanitarian search and rescue expedition to the Arctic Pole

MOSCOW, April 6. /TASS/. Paratroopers from Russia’s Ivanovo and Pskov airborne divisions and rapid reaction forces from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member states are preparing for landing on a drifting Arctic ice floe, Russian Airborne Force spokesman Yevgeny Meshkov said on Monday.

"Russian paratroopers are preparing jointly with the rapid reaction force contingents at the Olenya airfield in the Murmansk Region for landing on an ice floe drifting in the Arctic Ocean to participate in a training humanitarian search and rescue expedition to the Arctic Pole," the spokesman said.

Food, materials, fuels and lubricants are also planned to be dropped to the ice floe by parachutes to make provisions for the expedition, he added.

Airborne forces will use Arbalet-2 special parachute systems during the landing, the spokesman said.

"After the landing, the servicemen will practise searching for, providing assistance to and transporting people who may suffer in expeditions, aircraft and ship accidents in extreme conditions of the Arctic Pole," the spokesman said.

During the exercise, the troops will also gain skills in setting up a camp, deploying communications means and practice the methods of moving across snow-covered drifting ice floes amid abnormally low temperatures, the spokesman said.

Russia's Airborne Troops to Receive Tanks

According to Airborne Troop Commander Col.-Gen. Vladimir Shamanov, Russia’s Airborne Troops will soon be reinforced with tank units.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russia’s Airborne Troops will soon be reinforced with tank units, Airborne Troop Commander Col.-Gen. Vladimir Shamanov told RIA Novosti on Wednesday.

“In the near future we plan to receive a tank unit to reinforce our firepower,” Col.-Gen. Shamanov said.

Russian Airborne Troops have armored vehicles, but tanks have never been included in their inventory.

The elite military force, nicknamed in Russia the “blue berets” after the hats its soldiers wear, trace its origins to 1930, when the first parachute jump by the airborne troops took place.

Since then, Soviet and subsequently Russian Airborne Troops have participated in a number of military conflicts, including important battles in World War II, conflicts in Afghanistan, Chechnya and South Ossetia.

Read more: http://sputniknews.com/russia/20150506/1021765727.html#ixzz3ZMJUVLns

Which is great news.
Now VDV is a force of elite trained soldiers without tanks, with lightly armoured vehicles (that can be penetrated with HMGs even), that are being used against normally equipped enemy - see 888 war, where VDV had to fight Georgian tanks and BMPs with their BMDs.

The VDV is not a front line force.

The purpose of the VDVs armour is primarily mobility.

Imagine a conflict with an enemy where a VDV operation is planned to take an airfield deep in the rear areas of the enemy forces. To directly land at that airfield would leave the cargo aircraft full of elite troops vulnerable to air defences which should be reasonable around a significant airfield even if there is not a large number of enemy troops or frontline MBTs.

The purpose of the BMDs is that the VDV can land in the middle of nowhere 100km away from their airfield target... the enemy wont know what the target is, but with BMD vehicles they should be able to get to the airfield in less than 2 hours and mount an armoured attack on perimeter security forces with little or no armour and air defence systems... BMDs will stop HMG fire from the front... and their weapons will easily wipe out any resistance at that airfield... once they have captured it they can fly in reserves and then they can start flying in standard units and create a major foothold deep in enemy territory from which they can expand and attack enemy forces from behind... conventional ground forces can link up and really take the fight to the enemy.

GarryB wrote:The VDV is not a front line force.

The purpose of the VDVs armour is primarily mobility.

Imagine a conflict with an enemy where a VDV operation is planned to take an airfield deep in the rear areas of the enemy forces. To directly land at that airfield would leave the cargo aircraft full of elite troops vulnerable to air defences which should be reasonable around a significant airfield even if there is not a large number of enemy troops or frontline MBTs.

The purpose of the BMDs is that the VDV can land in the middle of nowhere 100km away from their airfield target... the enemy wont know what the target is, but with BMD vehicles they should be able to get to the airfield in less than 2 hours and mount an armoured attack on perimeter security forces with little or no armour and air defence systems... BMDs will stop HMG fire from the front... and their weapons will easily wipe out any resistance at that airfield... once they have captured it they can fly in reserves and then they can start flying in standard units and create a major foothold deep in enemy territory from which they can expand and attack enemy forces from behind... conventional ground forces can link up and really take the fight to the enemy.

I'm not saying that VDV should not have a capability to be airdropped with their lighter vehicles at all. The fact that they just have such possibility makes an enemy think of defenses in his rear echelons, thus making his lines thinner - he can't be everywhere (unless it's the PLA we're speaking of).
But the fact is, when it comes to a real conflict, VDV usually fights as a "standard", highly-trained and motivated motor-rifle infantry. To be honest, I'm not aware of any sorts of air drops with vehicles they did during the recent conflicts (but it doesn't mean I'm saying they did not do it, I just don't know much on this subject).
I think they should keep their BMDs, so that when the time comes that they are needed to complete an airdrop mission (1% chance that it will be needed, but still it exists), they will do it. But adding tanks to their ranks is a good sign, meaning that when they fight as usually the do it (old-school, on the ground, without parachuting) they will have better firepower and what is more important, better armour.

Hopefully, they will make everything as flexible as possible - depending on the situation, they could be given light vehicles or normal tanks.

Bolt wrote:

GarryB wrote:The VDV is not a front line force.

The purpose of the VDVs armour is primarily mobility.

Imagine a conflict with an enemy where a VDV operation is planned to take an airfield deep in the rear areas of the enemy forces. To directly land at that airfield would leave the cargo aircraft full of elite troops vulnerable to air defences which should be reasonable around a significant airfield even if there is not a large number of enemy troops or frontline MBTs.

The purpose of the BMDs is that the VDV can land in the middle of nowhere 100km away from their airfield target... the enemy wont know what the target is, but with BMD vehicles they should be able to get to the airfield in less than 2 hours and mount an armoured attack on perimeter security forces with little or no armour and air defence systems... BMDs will stop HMG fire from the front... and their weapons will easily wipe out any resistance at that airfield... once they have captured it they can fly in reserves and then they can start flying in standard units and create a major foothold deep in enemy territory from which they can expand and attack enemy forces from behind... conventional ground forces can link up and really take the fight to the enemy.

I'm not saying that VDV should not have a capability to be airdropped with their lighter vehicles at all. The fact that they just have such possibility makes an enemy think of defenses in his rear echelons, thus making his lines thinner - he can't be everywhere (unless it's the PLA we're speaking of).
But the fact is, when it comes to a real conflict, VDV usually fights as a "standard", highly-trained and motivated motor-rifle infantry. To be honest, I'm not aware of any sorts of air drops with vehicles they did during the recent conflicts (but it doesn't mean I'm saying they did not do it, I just don't know much on this subject).
I think they should keep their BMDs, so that when the time comes that they are needed to complete an airdrop mission (1% chance that it will be needed, but still it exists), they will do it. But adding tanks to their ranks is a good sign, meaning that when they fight as usually the do it (old-school, on the ground, without parachuting) they will have better firepower and what is more important, better armour.

Hopefully, they will make everything as flexible as possible - depending on the situation, they could be given light vehicles or normal tanks.

To be honest I'm not sure about the solution; GarryB is right that the VDV is not supposed to be used as a frontline force, but you are right that the VDV has been used as if it is.
The fact is - is that VDV formations are amongst the most combat-ready and experienced  in the Russian military, with the largest proportion of professional servicemen. They are also among the quickest to deploy. Thus in any kind of Georgian war scenario where immediate reaction is critical; they could well find themselves right in the front-line again.

However I'm certain that air-droppability is absolutely essential; for reasons I will go into in a bit. The question is whether they should also be assigned heavier, non air-droppable (but certainly air-deployable) vehicles to double up their current vehicles - effectively each crew will have a reserve vehicle. This will certainly give them additional protection and firepower options in any deployment where airdrops are not required.
Problems:

1). It would increase the logistics tail and the footprint of the formation. Twice the vehicles - means twice the maintenance and check-ups when the formation is at its permanent base. Redeploying the formation will use more fuel if the heavier vehicles are used.
2). More expensive; vehicles/fuel/ammunition/maintenance/training.
3). Training of vehicle crews becomes twice as demanding; instead of mastering 1 set of equipment, they have to master 2 sets, which may differ considerably. It would be difficult to guarantee that crews would be as good with both types of vehicles as they currently are with 1 type of vehicle. Vehicle crews would certainly have to be professional servicemen, not conscripts.
4). If formations are deployed to another location indefinitely or semi-permanently, they may well have to bring both sets of vehicles along just in case; along with all the extra logistical demands that this would entail.

As for air-droppable vehicles; they are here to stay.
First of all - large-scale airdrops are rather more likely than you realize; albeit all of them would assume that air-superiority has been established against an enemy air-force:

a). In conjunction with EW aircraft, ongoing SEAD sorties and suppression of air-defenses (if against a country whose air-defense technology is a couple generations behind or so)
b). In a region where air-defences have been destroyed, and at a sufficient altitude to avoid possible AAA or MANPADs (mobile, independent systems like the Buk that can lie in wait would be something to fear, but in practice such systems are only in service with a handful of militaries around the world)
c). In a region where no enemy air defences are in range (more likely for larger and poorer countries - Central Asia, Ukraine, Mongolia, etc...)

Secondly - large-scale airdrops are not the only scenarios under which air-droppable vehicles would come in handy:

i). Small-scale airdrops, possibly SF operations; an EW vehicle could suppress enemy sensors/comms for the formation, a BTR-MD could get them to the target far quicker and give them an exit plan, a Sprut-SD could augment them with far greater firepower.
ii). Reinforcement of friendly territory, where no airfields are present anywhere near (think - most of Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia or China)
iii). Reinforcement of friendly territory, where airfields have already been destroyed or have been captured by the enemy's advance elements
iv). Helicopter-based assaults or reinforcements, air-droppable vehicles are light enough to be carried by Mi-26s. Such operations could be optimal for flying low in order to avoid radar cover, and the VDV formation when transported this way is less vulnerable to enemy fire than when transported by fixed-wing transports (the Crimea op last Spring was an example of such a missed opportunity).

In addition, air-droppable vehicles are lighter, faster, less maintanance-heavy, have lower ground-pressure, are usually amphibious and tend to be more mobile. This fits in with the sort of terrain where the VDV might well be expected to operate in any case; marshes, mountain-regions, etc... heavier vehicles would tend to slow them down - even if they did have the option to use them.

Just look at the "invasion of Afghanistan"... landing vehicles at an airport and then taking vehicles to attack the local government forces...

In Georgia they landed the VDV via naval forces... that is part of the flexibility of the VDV... they might be landed by sea, or by air... or as in the case of later in the conflict in Afghanistan they might be stationed in country and issued with heavier vehicles to operate on.

Russia's airborne troops alerted within post-Soviet security bloc drill

Russian paratroops arrive in Tajikistan for CSTO exercise

According to earlier reports, 500 Russian paratroops and 60 pieces of equipment, as well as four planes and four helicopters will participate in the drills

MOSCOW, May 14. /TASS/. Russian paratroops from the Ivanovo airborne force have arrived at an airdrome near Tajikistan’s capital Dushanbe for an exercise of the Collective Security Treaty Organization’s rapid reaction force, the Russian Defence Ministry’s press-service has said.

According to earlier reports, 500 Russian paratroops and 60 pieces of equipment, as well as four planes and four helicopters will participate in the drills.

"Special mobile groups on quadricycles and motorcycles, as well as BMD-2KU and BTR-D combat4 vehicles and self-propelled artillery pieces 2-S9 Nona and their crews disembarked from transport planes on the ground," the Defence Ministry said.

At the moment the paratroops are getting ready for a march towards the area of the exercise 200 kilometres away. After negotiating several mountain passes they are to join their counterparts from other CSTO countries in the area of the village of Shaartuz.

Eighteen Ilyushin-76 transport planes and one Antonov-124 Ruslan were used in the airlift. They made about 30 shuttle flights.

In VDV will be reinforced by tank battalions

T-14 on parachutes? or supa dupa Sprut with add-on armor?

http://ria.ru/defense_safety/20150530/1067349024.html

Tank battalions will solve the problem of conflict in the area up to five kilometers, said the commander of the VDV. According to him, there are already a number of activities, which allowed to expand the area of exploration.

MOSCOW, may 30 — RIA Novosti. Airborne assault division Airborne troops will be reinforced tank battalions, said Saturday the commander of the Airborne troops (VDV) of Russia, Colonel-General Vladimir Shamanov.
"We plan to strengthen the firepower due to the fact that airborne assault units will appear in a separate tank battalions. This will allow you to solve a number of problems with antagonism in the direct zone of this action, up to five kilometers. Moreover, we have already held a number of events, which has allowed us to expand the area of exploration. Forming reconnaissance battalions, we are the first companies of these battalions have spetsnaz companies on managed parachutes," said Shamans in the program "General staff" on the radio RSN.
VDV is highly mobile forces of the Russian Armed forces, designed to reach the enemy through the air and conduct combat operations in its rear. Day of Airborne troops is celebrated on 2 August in memory of the first drops landing in 1930.

At the same time the commander said that the Russian Airborne Troops are prepared upon receipt of its order to act "anywhere in the world."
"Without a doubt. I  was once asked about the visa - we do not need a visa, we need only the order of the Supreme Commander," - said Shamanov, responding to a question.


   

MOSCOW, May 30 - RIA Novosti. Russia risks being drawn into a war today are increasing, according to the commander of the Airborne Troops (VDV), Russian Colonel-General Vladimir Shamanov.
"Unfortunately, the trend shows that the risks increase, and me as manager, responsible for all aspects of the life of the armed forces, which will be actively involved, there is a concern. There is only one wish - to maintain momentum, which under the leadership of the president, we have created "- said Shamanov Saturday the radio" Russian news service ".
At the same time the commander said that the Russian Airborne Troops are prepared upon receipt of its order to act "anywhere in the world."
"Without a doubt. I was once asked about the visa - we do not need a visa, we need only the order of the Supreme Commander," - said Shamanov, responding to a question.


http://ria.ru/defense_safety/20150530/1067352560.html

and one more for tonight lads: VDV no only no visas but also transcontinental    

Shamanov: VDV proposes to create IL-76 MF with a extended fuselage

http://ria.ru/defense_safety/20150530/1067351687.html

MOSCOW, May 30 - RIA Novosti. Russian Airborne offer to implement the program Il-76 MF - Creation of the aircraft fuselage is longer than the fuselage now existing IL-76, said Saturday the commander of the Airborne Troops (VDV), Russian Colonel-General Vladimir Shamanov.

"One of our proposals - is the realization of the program Il-76 MF, which is slightly longer fuselage fuselage now existing IL-76, and it will allow us a to solve a number of problems in transcontinental deployments in a sustainable way" - said Shamanov in the program, "the General Staff "on radio RSN.

Today, he said, "it is necessary to begin development work on the basis of the Ulyanovsk plant". "This will also affect the development of our aircraft," - said Shamanov.

GunshipDemocracy wrote:In VDV will be reinforced by tank battalions

T-14 on parachutes? or supa dupa Sprut with add-on armor?

http://ria.ru/defense_safety/20150530/1067349024.html

Tank battalions will solve the problem of conflict in the area up to five kilometers, said the commander of the VDV. According to him, there are already a number of activities, which allowed to expand the area of exploration.

MOSCOW, may 30 — RIA Novosti. Airborne assault division Airborne troops will be reinforced tank battalions, said Saturday the commander of the Airborne troops (VDV) of Russia, Colonel-General Vladimir Shamanov.
"We plan to strengthen the firepower due to the fact that airborne assault units will appear in a separate tank battalions. This will allow you to solve a number of problems with antagonism in the direct zone of this action, up to five kilometers. Moreover, we have already held a number of events, which has allowed us to expand the area of exploration. Forming reconnaissance battalions, we are the first companies of these battalions have spetsnaz companies on managed parachutes," said Shamans in the program "General staff" on the radio RSN.
VDV is highly mobile forces of the Russian Armed forces, designed to reach the enemy through the air and conduct combat operations in its rear. Day of Airborne troops is celebrated on 2 August in memory of the first drops landing in 1930.

Not likely T-14, maybe a Kurganets-25 equivalent of Sprut-SD.

magnumcromagnon wrote: Not likely T-14, maybe a Kurganets-25 equivalent of Sprut-SD.

I did some google-fu and looks like you are right

Self-propelled gun "Sprut-SD" will surpass the T-90


http://www.arms-expo.ru/news/novye_razrabotki/v_2015_godu_dlya_vdv_poyavitsya_modernizirovannaya_samokhodka_sprut_sd/

An updated version of the self-propelled anti-tank guns "Sprut-SD" should appear before the end of the year. This was announced by first Vice-President of concern "tractor plants" Albert Bakov.

- We're in full swing modernization "Sprut-SD". I'm sure this year we finish this work, - quotes the group's representative TASS.

Bakov said that the upgraded machine will change the level of protection and mobility. In addition, the fire control system will have guns better than the T-90.

The number of Russian airborne troops is more than 45 thousand people, according to Shamanov


According to Vladimir Shamanov, Russian Airborne Troops are prepared upon receipt of its order to operate anywhere in the world.


Russian Airborne Troops are planning joint exercises with the Egyptian special forces in Russia

Airborne assault vehicle falls down in Russia's Siberia due to parachute problem — source