Russian Military Reform

With the announcement of the creating of the 1st Tank Army, it is a good opportunity to review the major command structure of the Ground Forces.

Western OSC

1st Guards Tank Army - Naro-Fominsk - apparently will command the combat maneuver units in the Moscow Region. Being formed.
6th Combined Arms Army - St Petersburg - commands the Ground Forces in the old Leningrad MR
20th Guards Combined Arms Army - Mulino - commands the Ground Forces in the old Central or Moscow MR less those being assigned to the new 1st Tank Army. Talk of HQ being moved to Voronezh.

Southern OSC

49th Combined Arms Army - Stavropol - commands the Ground Forces in the western side of the old North Caucasus MR
58th Combined Arms Army - Vladikavkaz - commands the Ground Forces in the eastern side of the old North Caucasus MR

Central OSC

2nd Guards Combined Arms Army - Samara - commands the Ground Forces in the old Volga-Ural MR
41st Combined Arms Army - Novosibirsk - commands the Ground Forces in the old Siberian MR

Eastern OSC

5th Combined Arms Army - Ussuryysk - commands the Ground Forces in the southern side of the old Far East MR
35th Combined Arms Army - Belogorsk - commands the Ground Forces in the northern side of the old Far East MR
29th Combined Arms Army - Chita - commands the Ground Forces in the eastern side of the old Transbaykal MR
36th Combined Arms Army - Ulan Ude - commands the Ground Forces in the western side of the old Transbaykal MR
68th Army Corps - Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk - commands the Ground Forces on Sakhalinsk and the Kuriles

There are 3 other Army size / type formations of mixed Ground Forces, Naval Infantry and Coastal troops of the Navy under Naval Command.

Northern Coastal Command - Severomorsk - commands the Ground Forces and Naval Coastal forces in the new Northern OSC
Kaliningrad Special - Kaliningrad - commands the Ground Forces and Naval Coastal forces in the Kaliningrad Region.
Crimea Special - Sevastopol - commands the Ground Forces and Naval Coastal forces in the Crimea Region.

The Airborne Forces would also be another Army equivalent size force.

Some Ground Force units would be under the direct control of the OSC's or General Staff but a typical Army organization would include;

- up to 6 Motor Rifle or Tank brigades
- C3 brigade or Command, Control and Communication
- Logistic brigade
- SSM brigade
- SAM brigade or regiment
- Artillery brigade or regiment
- Engineer brigade or regiment
- Chemical battalion or regiment
- Intelligence or Reconnaissance brigades were being tested and 1 per Army was envisioned. But after the decision to increase the brigade reconnaissance companies to battalions not sure.
- An Air Force Helicopter Regiment is to be assigned in support of each Army.

NOTE - the two Armies (29th & 36th) in the old Transbaykal MR only have 3 brigades between them and other then having a C3 and logistic brigade each. Only have 1 unit between them of the other support units so not sure of the logic of having 2 Armies with the assets of only one.

George1 wrote:Interesting! Restore Army Air Force and Air Defense

"In accordance with the plan of activities of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation until 2020 to August 1, the control of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Air Force Command and Air Defense Air Force, members of the four military districts will be reorganized according to the 6 th, 14 th, 11 th and 4 th Army Air Force and Air Defense, "- a spokesman said.

Most Air Force units have reverted to their previous names and honors.
Also it is planned to form a Helicopter Brigade in each OSC, this would be the second.

I'm not convinced about if aircrafts and helicopters* must be in the Army, since the Air Force knows better the material, their use and capabilities. And being vulnerable material it is important a very optimized use of it in overall terms.

At same time I think the Army is the right position for the air defence, coastal defence and strategic missile units that work with land based arms, because the missiles and the rocketts are basically ammunition like the artillery ammunition.

In my view it would be interesting for every country to go to a structure like this:

- Army (including all the land based forces in the mainland plus Sakhalin).
- Navy (including all the ship based forces, plus the own bases in the mainland and the islands).
- Aerospace Force (including all the aerospace based forces, plus the own bases in the mainland and the islands).

- Airborne Trops (including to be the land forces for the islands except Sakhalin).
- Aerial support (for the Army, the Navy and the Airborne Troops).

In fact aerial support would be a lot more than combat support. Aerial transport, including the biggest aircrafts, aerial radars, tankers, electronic war aircrafts... can be also important as support for other forces.

*: The entire concept of the helicopter would need a revision the following years, because is becoming too vulnerable to work in the combat line with human crews.

eehnie wrote:I'm not convinced about if aircrafts and helicopters* must be in the Army, since the Air Force knows better the material, their use and capabilities. And being vulnerable material it is important a very optimized use of it in overall terms.

At same time I think the Army is the right position for the air defence, coastal defence and strategic missile units that work with land based arms, because the missiles and the rocketts are basically ammunition like the artillery ammunition.

In my view it would be interesting for every country to go to a structure like this:

- Army (including all the land based forces in the mainland plus Sakhalin).
- Navy (including all the ship based forces, plus the own bases in the mainland and the islands).
- Aerospace Force (including all the aerospace based forces, plus the own bases in the mainland and the islands).

- Airborne Trops (including to be the land forces for the islands except Sakhalin).
- Aerial support (for the Army, the Navy and the Airborne Troops).

In fact aerial support would be a lot more than combat support. Aerial transport, including the biggest aircrafts, aerial radars, tankers, electronic war aircrafts... can be also important as support for other forces.

*: The entire concept of the helicopter would need a revision the following years, because is becoming too vulnerable to work in the combat line with human crews.

almost all the armies of the world have separate army aviation

George1 wrote:almost all the armies of the world have separate army aviation

Under this proposal, it would be also separate of the Air/Aerospace Force, but in a different way, it would not be merged to the Army. It would be separate like the current Airborne Troops.

I think to have a separate structure of the Air/Aerospace Force would help to the leadership of the Group taking more into account this specific role, but without going to a merge with the Army.

As I would not consider the Airborne forces as an Air infantry and would not place them in the structure of the Air/Aerospace Force, I would not consider the Aerial support forces as an Army aviation and would not place them in the Army structure. The Airborne Troops are infantry in nature, but work with aerial transport. The Army aviation is Air/Aerospace force in nature, but work to support to other forces. I think it is important to mix not forces of different nature.

Also, one of the most important reasons to go not to a merge with the Army is that the Aerial support forces need not different material to work in support of the Army, in support of the Navy or in suppor of the Airborne trops except some anti-ship or anti-submarine weapons. The rest would be the same (air vs air support, radars, transports, tankers, electronic war...), and it would not be right in my view to have separate Army aviation, Navy aviation and Airborne aviations, or to leave the last two without Aerial support.

Well, it would be a different concept, a different view.

New pontoon bridging brigade to be formed;
https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=auto&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fria.ru%2Fdefense_safety%2F&sandbox=1

Brief article on the new 127th Reconnaissance Brigade stationed in Crimea. This is the second such brigade in the Russian Army.
http://redstar.ru/index.php/newspaper/item/24762-razvedchiki-pyatogo-pokoleniya

George1 wrote:Putin signed a decree on the establishment of the Russian Armed Forces mobilization reserve

This has been talked about for awhile and is about time. A strength of the Western military's is having a strong trained force ready at short notice for active duty. Have wondered why the Russians don't make Military Duty for 2 years, with the second year being on 48 hour recall to their service unit.

Defense Ministry published some figures for the spring draft:

- On draft boards caused more than 700 000 people, of which 150 145 is intended (including around 500 from the Crimea and Sevastopol)
- 19% of recruits - more than 28 000 people - have higher education
- Evaded the call around 3 500 people
- In the alternative civilian service is directed 324 people (of its passage in 1118 people)
- Designed to more than 35 000 people, trained in military occupational specialties, including about 30 000 - DOSAAF Russia (as well as more than 4 000 people, with specialties related military occupational)
- Scientific battalions already are serving 452 people.

Russian Defense Ministry is forming new armies

These include two tank armies, two Air Force and Air Defense armies

MOSCOW, August 10. /TASS/. The Russian Defense Ministry is in the process of creating new, expanded armies.

In the Western Military District (created in 2010 on the basis of the Moscow and Leningrad military districts and the Northern and Baltic Fleets with headquarters in St. Petersburg) there has been created the 6th Leningrad Air Force and Air Defense Army. Its area of responsibility includes 2 million square kilometers of airspace and 3,000 kilometers of the state border. It is armed with Sukhoi Su-34, Su-35S and Su-30MS jets, Kamov Ka-52, Mil Mi-28N, Mi-35, and Mi-MTV5 helicopters, and S-300, S-400 and Pantsir-S air defense systems.

As the Defense Ministry’s press-service and information department said on Monday, the 6th air force and air defense army "incorporates units subordinate to the 1st Air Force and Air Defense command stationed in the 28th territories of the northwestern and central federal districts. Among them there are fighter, bomber, military transport and army aviation units and also radio-technical and air defense missile units."

Also, the Western Military District has formed the 14th Air Force and Air Defense Army, with its area of responsibility consisting of 29 territories of Russia and more than 3,000 kilometers of the state border. It is armed with MiG-31BM interceptor fighters, Sukhoi Su-24M frontline bombers, Mil Mi-8AMTSH, Mi-24 and Mi-26 helicopters and S-300 PS air defense systems. As assistant to the district’s commander, Yaroslav Roshchupkin, told TASS earlier, "the army includes units of the 2nd Air Force and Air Defence Command stationed in the Volga River area, the Urals and Siberia.

In the Western Military District the Defense Ministry plans to create a new tank army by December 1 and another, 20th combined army, will in fact be formed anew. As a senior source at Russia’s General Staff told TASS earlier, most of the units that have been organic to the 20th combined army are being transferred to a newly-created tank army and will have to be replaced by new ones.

The 1st Tank Army will incorporate the Tamanskaya Mechanized Infantry Division and the Kantemirovskaya Tank Division, as well as the 27th Sevastopolskaya Mechanized Infantry Brigade and the 6th Tank Brigade.

"Reformatting the 20th Combined Army, which has been stripped of most of its combat units, is a more complex task," the source said. "At the moment it has incorporated the 9th tank brigade in Nizhny Novgorod. Other tank and mechanized infantry brigades for that army are being formed."

The 1st and 20th armies will have one reconnaissance and one air missile brigade, as well as a logistics brigade, missile and artillery units a helicopter regiment and other units, including reconnaissance and attack drone units. Both will be armed with new generation armoured vehicles - Armata platform-based tanks and the mechanized infantry combat vehicle Kurganets.

Another tank army will be formed near Moscow by December.

"This work is already in progress," a source at the General Staff said. "Research is underway into the locations of control centres and the combat potential and strength of the units. No official documents for creating a second tank army have been signed yet, though," the official added.

Earlier, Airborne Troops Commander Vladimir Shamanov said that on the basis of Russia’s paratroops a rapid reaction force was to be created. The force would have a dual capability of operating on its own or in combination with ground troops.

"We have plans for building up the strength of our airborne and airborne assault divisions to three regiments," Shamanov said. A source at the General Staff told TASS the strength of airborne troops would grow from 45,000 officers and men to 60,000.

New reserve forces?? Younger soldier per capita??

Defense minister calls Aerospace Force creation one of largest reform in Russia’s army

On August 1 the first team of the new armed service’s control center assumed combat duty

MOSCOW, September 11. /TASS/. Merger of the Russian Air and Air Space Forces into the Aerospace Force has become one of the largest reforms in the present-day army, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu told the ministry’s panel on Friday.

"The task set by the supreme commander-in-chief on creation of a new service branch of the Armed Forces was achieved in the planned period," Shoigu said adding that main efforts for the Force’s development "should be focused on solving tasks of strategic deterrence and on re-armament with modern and prospective weapons and military equipment."

At the meeting, Shoigu handed the Aerospace Force Standard to its Commander-in-Chief Col Gen Viktor Bondarev.

On August 1 the first team of the new armed service’s control center assumed combat duty. Two days later, on August 3, the defense minister announced creation of the new armed force.

The Defense Ministry said then that "creation of the new branch of the Armed Forces is prompted by a shift in the center of gravity of the armed struggle towards the air and space sphere and is dictated by the objective need to unite all means and forces responsible for ensuring Russia’s air and space security in a single command."

Russian Ground Forces are now equal to Soviet-era readiness:

Russian troops conduct some 2,000 tactical drills in 2015 — defense minister

We are witnessing of a true revolution, but no one among us realized. It is absolutely fantastic!

http://www.ecfr.eu/page/-/Russias_Quiet_Military_Revolution.pdf

Military Reforms Bolster Russian Army to 'Unprecedented Levels'

The military reforms which Russia has implemented over the past several years have bolstered its Armed Forces to unprecedented levels, German media Der Spiegel reported.

As Russia has been carrying out airstrikes in Syria on terrorist targets, launching strategic bombers, and holding operability tests every several weeks, the US has started to “beat the alarm” over the country's defense capabilities, according to Der Spiegel.

United States Army in Europe Commanding General Ben Hodges said that he has “strong concerns” over the Russian air defense systems and anti-ship missile complexes which can deny access to larges swaths of areas. He pointed out that in case of conflict, Russia could create a defense zone over the Black Sea, keeping NATO away from Russia.

Russia has drastically modernized its military in recent years, implementing the most radical reforms since the end of 19th century, according to Vasiliy Kashin, a Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies (CAS) analyst.

By 2020, Russia’s ground forces will be 70 percent upgraded, standing at only 30% now.

According to Kashin, Russia’s army has become more powerful than all the European armies combined. However, he stressed, the competition with Washington is still tough for Moscow, and it has prompted Russia to focus on the development of nuclear deterrence systems.

Russian air defense compounds and highly mobile special operation forces units are armed well enough to be comparable those of NATO, Mark Galeotti, Professor of Global Affairs at the Center for Global Affairs at New York University.

This pushes NATO officials to take steps aimed at deterrence, as many of them claim that Russia’s military growth threatens their security. For instance, Lithuanian ambassador to NATO Indulis Berzinsh claimed that alliance should be ready to combat Russia in the Baltics.

Read more: http://sputniknews.com/military/20151028/1029215892/military-reforms-russia.html#ixzz3psBXfQOY

For a lack of a better place, will post this here. A nice article on the uses of Goggle Maps in viewing the Russian military;

https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=auto&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Ftopwar.ru%2F&sandbox=1

Three years of Sergei Shoigu;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Af6LIQJR7mY

http://sputniknews.com/military/20151106/1029706428/russian-military-readiness.html

Three new Military Bases to house Combat Brigades are being constructed within 100 km of the Ukrainian / Donbas borders.

1. Kadamovskiy, Rostov is just to the NE of Novocherkassk and is presently used as a Training Range. It will be the home of the 33rd Motor Rifle brigade presently a Mountain brigade and is part of the Southern Command's 49th Combined Arms Army.

2. Boguchar, Voronezh is just north of the Rostov border and is presently a Tank brigade storage and mobilization unit. The unit will be mobilized and become the 1st Tank brigade with the historical battle honors of the 10th Guards Ural Tank Division and will be part of the 20th Combined Arms Army.

3. Valuyki, Belgorod is directly south of Stary Oskol and only 25 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. This is a brand new facility and it has not been officially stated the name of the unit. It is expected to be a Motor Rifle brigade with rumors ranging from a totally new unit or another brigade being transferred there from Mulino or the Central Command. It will be part of the 20th Combined Arms Army of the Western Command.

The top 10 things Shoigu has done in his 3 years as Defense Minister;
https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=auto&tl=en&u=http://topwar.ru/85799-desyat-shagov-sergeya-shoygu.html&usg=ALkJrhiv_mw7nwMaNjsJFngt0EM1VV4KvQ

Shoigu's new military;

https://www.youtube.com/embed/ESxRltbCy0k?rel=0

One of 359 Ammo storage facilities being built at 8 MoD Ammo Depots across Russia. Part of 15 being set up in the newly created Joint Logistics.

http://spetsstroy.ru/press/news/detail.php?ID=42

New Russian artillery brigade formed in Buryatia as part of the 36th Combined Arms Army;
http://bmpd.livejournal.com/1603691.html

Two new engineer brigades formed in Murom. The 1st Field Engineers brigade and the 28th Pontoon Bridging brigade.

http://function.mil.ru/news_page/country/more.htm?id=12070806@egNews