Structure and ORBAT of Russian Airborne Troops

Russia to Strengthen Airborne Forces With 3 Brigades

MOSCOW, July 31 (RIA Novosti) – The Russian military is to assign an additional three air assault brigades to the Airborne Forces (VDV) in order to boost its rapid reaction capability in future conflicts, VDV commander Col. Gen. Vladimir Shamanov said Wednesday.

“The Airborne Troops will become the core of Russia’s rapid reaction forces, and in order to ensure that…the paratroopers are capable of performing this task, I proposed to the Russian military leadership to reassign three air assault brigades from the Eastern and Southern military districts to the VDV,” Shamanov said in an interview with RIA Novosti.

“My proposal was approved,” he said, adding the brigades could join the Airborne Forces as early as October or November.

The Airborne Forces consist of about 35,000 men deployed in four divisions and a brigade. Despite their elite status, less than 30 percent are currently professionals, though Shamanov said the VDV hopes to have about 80 percent professional soldiers and only 20 percent conscripts in its ranks by 2015.

That ratio is optimal for the creation of a solid basis for mobilization and training purposes, he said, with conscripts having the choice of continuing their service as professional soldiers or officers after a year of mandatory service.

Shamanov also confirmed that the Airborne Forces will soon receive several advanced BMD-4M airborne fighting vehicles and Rakushka armored personnel carriers for testing in field conditions by 2015.

The BMD-4M is the latest modification of an armored combat vehicle that can be para-dropped to provide firepower and support for airborne troops. It features a new chassis, a digital fire control system and high-precision weaponry, including a 100-mm gun.

The 13-ton vehicle has a crew of two and can carry six paratroopers.

The Russian military is expected to acquire at least 1,000 BMD-4Ms under the current rearmament program by 2020, the army says.

Mil.ru reported today on President Putin’s 11 October ukaz transferring administrative and operational control of air assault brigades in Ussuriysk, Ulan-Ude, and Kamyshin from Eastern and Southern MD Commanders to General-Colonel Vladimir Shamanov and the VDV.

The MOD website says the decree is No. 776; it doesn’t appear on Kremlin.ru yet, but may later.

Mil.ru reported VDV commissions are already surveying the condition of weapons, equipment, and facilities in the three brigades, and converting their training program to match that of the VDV.

Shamanov announced that this change, and others, were pending back in early August.

http://russiandefpolicy.wordpress.com/2013/10/21/vdv-gets-armys-air-assault-brigades/

Data on VDV

One can’t call this news. News not discovered or reported promptly is just data. Not less important to this mind. But on with the story . . .

Last summer, VDV Commander General-Colonel Vladimir Shamanov told the press about pending changes in the Russian Airborne Troops’ manning and structure. Not clear if, when, or at what level they’ve been approved. But fait accompli is Shamanov’s style. His influence is larger than his nominal rank and post, and he often gets what he wants.

Specifically (among many things), Shamanov claimed the VDV will:

Upgrade some regiments to brigades;
Establish a logistics brigade;
Raise some companies to battalions; and
Add a third maneuver regiment to each VDV division.

That’s all context . . . last October, chairman of the Union of Airborne of Russia (SDR or СДР), retired General-Colonel Valeriy Vostrotin gave out two data points in a comment to Rossiyskaya gazeta:

“We veterans were satisfied with the news that it’s now been decided to reinforce the VDV significantly, to increase their numbers by another 20 thousand men. For me personally, it’s particularly pleasant that, in 2015 in Voronezh an air-assault brigade with the number 345 will be formed and the banner of the famous 345th regiment, which I once commanded in Afghanistan, will be transferred to it . . . .”

So . . . another 20,000 men for VDV, and a new brigade. Not confirmed, but possibly on the horizon.

Today Russia’s airborne forces are thought to number about 30,000. Down from an “on-hand” strength ranging anywhere from 55,000 to 75,000 in the late 1980s or very early 1990s. Desantura.ru gives figures like that.

Going back to 50,000 would be significant, and would add lots of contractees to the ranks. Equipping a new formation and other new units would not be a minor undertaking either.

http://russiandefpolicy.wordpress.com/2014/06/12/data-on-vdv/

Russia’s rapid reaction force may include army aviation — commander

Russia’s Air Force to receive over 260 new aircraft in 2014 — deputy defense minister
MOSCOW, August 01. /ITAR-TASS/. Army aviation will possibly be included in the rapid reaction force that is being created in Russia on the basis of Airborne Troops (VDV), the troops Commander Colonel General Vladimir Shamanov said on Friday.

He added that the decision on the creation in the Russian Air Force of “some 15 or 17 army aviation brigades has been made.”

“However, this does not preclude in the future as the rapid reaction force is formed on the VDV foundation that such structures may have the directly subordinate overall-support combat component, including army aviation,” Shamanov said on the eve of Russian Airborne Troops Day.

He added that paratroopers already now would like to have army aviation structures within Russia’s assault force, “but the state’s current capacity for this is limited.

Viktor wrote:From 35k to 72k by 2019             

Number of Russian Airborne Forces to be doubled — General Staff

“The Airborne Forces number will be increased first of all by the formation of third air assault and parachute regiments in the current two-regiment forces, as well as by reorganization of a number of existing units into formations,” he said. By December 2014, the 45th separate regiment of the Airborne special task force will be reorganized into a brigade.

“New formations and units that will be deployed throughout Russia are planned to be created as well,” the General Staff source added.

Viktor wrote:Nice  

Russian Airborne Troops in 2014 added three reconnaissance battalion

that means 3 battalions with role like 45th detached recon regiment?

Plans for rebuilding the 104th Airborne Assault Division on the basis of the Ulyanovsk 31th separate Guards Air Assault Brigade.

http://bmpd.livejournal.com/1328007.html

Latest organizational structure diagram that i found

Russia starts forming air assault battalion in Crimea

Under the existing plans, this battalion will be used as the basis to form the 97th air assault regiment in Crimea by late 2019

MOSCOW, May 18. /TASS/. A separate air assault battalion of the 7th Guards air assault (mountain) division will be formed in Crimea by December 1, 2017, Head of the State Duma Defense Committee Colonel-General Vladimir Shamanov told TASS on Thursday.

The air assault battalion will be stationed in Feodosiya and measures for its formation have already been launched, he added.

"By decision of the Russian Defense Ministry’s board, a separate air assault battalion will be formed in the Republic of Crimea by December 1 this year as part of the 7th Guards air assault (mountain) division. The battalion will be stationed near the city of Feodosiya in the eastern part of the peninsula," Shamanov said.

"Measures to form the battalion have been launched and it will be manned with contract servicemen," the Defense Committee head and former Russian Airborne Force commander said.

Under the existing plans, this battalion will be used as the basis to form the 97th air assault regiment in Crimea by late 2019. This will be the third such regiment within the 7th division.

"This battalion is planned to be transformed into the 97th air assault regiment by late 2019 to comprise three air assault battalions, some combat and support units," Shamanov said.


More:
http://tass.com/defense/946429

Russia’s Airborne Forces to form three tank battalions in 2018

The troop strength of the Russian Airborne Force personnel exceeds 45,000

MOSCOW, July 31. /TASS/. Russia’s Airborne Forces in 2018 will form three tank battalions - two in the 76th airborne assault division and 7th airborne assault mountain division and one in an airborne assault brigade, Airborne Forces Commander Colonel-General Andrey Serdyukov told TASS.

"Next year three tank companies will be reformed into tank battalions in two airborne assault divisions and in one airborne assault brigade," Serdyukov said on the eve of the forthcoming 87th anniversary of the Airborne Forces.

Asked when the three other tank companies formed within the Airborne Forces last year would be converted to tank battalions, Serdyukov said research into this possibility was still underway.

Earlier on Monday Serdyukov recalled that tank companies were created in all of Russia’s large airborne units - two divisions and four separate brigades (one company in each).

Troop strength

The troop strength of the Russian Airborne Force personnel exceeds 45,000, he went on. According to him, around 70% of the personnel are military volunteers.

"Our troop strength exceeds 45,000, while around 70% of personnel are military volunteers, and about 30% are conscripts," Serdyukov said.

The general also said that the main goal of the Russian Airborne Force is participating in containment activities in strategic areas and fulfilling tasks in cooperation with other military branches aimed at resolving crisis situations in the period of threat and in the time of war. In the time of peace, the Russian Airborne Force continues to perform tasks concerning strategic deterrence and may also take part in peacekeeping operations.


More:
http://tass.com/defense/958411

The Russian MOD has announced that the Eastern MD’s 83rd Independent Air-Assault Brigade will conduct the first large-scale parachute drop in its history on October 18.

Recall the 83rd transferred from Ground Troops to VDV control almost exactly four years ago. It apparently spent the interval preparing and training to be more airborne than air mobile.

According to the MOD, the Ussuriysk-based brigade will drop combat equipment and personnel. It will proceed to a standard scenario involving seizure of a notional enemy airfield. About 2,000 troops and 400 pieces of equipment will be deployed.

In the evolution’s second phase, the brigade’s airborne and air-assault battalions will conduct a march with a pontoon bridge crossing and combat firings in a mobile defense.

https://russiandefpolicy.blog/2017/10/14/more-airborne/

More force in the West: Pskov news agency reports the 237th Air-Assault Regt has been reestablished in the VDV's 76th DShD. 237th disbanded in 2001. It rejoins the 104th and 234th.

https://informpskov.ru/news/288153.html?utm_source=yxnews&utm_medium=desktop

The 237th regiment was again formed as part of the 76th Guards Air Assault Division.

https://bmpd.livejournal.com/3457385.html