Russian Airborne Troops (VDV) News:

Airborne to receive only 2,500 conscripts this draft as compared to 6,000 in the last draft.

"The cherished path to the vest and blue beret will be closed to some recruits due to the reduced recruitment of young soldiers in the Airborne Forces. Only the best of the best recruits will go there.

Of course, there is no talk of a regular sequestration in the Airborne Forces. The number of Russian winged infantry will remain within 45 thousand people. However, in recent years, in connection with the increased tasks of the Airborne Forces and the arrival of high-tech military equipment in their brigades and divisions, the generals have stepped up the recruitment of contract servicemen. This is precisely what explains the lowering of the landing call bar.

According to the head of the organizational and mobilization department of the headquarters of the Airborne Forces Dmitry Satarov, the demand for conscripts this fall and winter will be limited to 2.5 thousand guys. For comparison, six months ago this figure was 6 thousand recruits. But conscripts from 64 regions of Russia will join all formations and units of the Russian winged infantry, with the exception of the 31st separate airborne assault brigade in Ulyanovsk. For several years now this connection has been completed exclusively by professionals."

Rotary-winged infantry: the airborne forces began to create battalions of a new type

The Ministry of Defense decided to form airborne units as part of the Airborne Forces. Starting next year, such battalions will begin to be created in all brigades and divisions. If necessary, they will be able to quickly arrive at their destination by helicopter. The new type of battalions will further increase the mobility of the Airborne Forces and will finally transform them into rapid reaction forces. Currently, the Airborne Forces have experimental airmobile battalions only in the 31st brigade, which is deployed in Ulyanovsk.
Where the armored train won't rush

The development of the organizational and staff structure of the new type battalions, as well as other guidance documents, will be completed by the end of the year, Izvestia sources in the military department told. And from next year, new divisions will begin to form. According to the plans of the Ministry of Defense, an airborne battalion will appear in each airborne assault brigade. One or two such battalions will be created in each airborne and airborne assault divisions.

Airmobile units, in contrast to the actual airborne troops, are parachuted by helicopters. At the same time, they can land on any terrain. Depending on the conditions, the fighters will jump out of the landed car, descend on cables, and, if necessary, parachute from a height. This allows, during the operation, to quickly concentrate forces in the desired direction, and in places where ground equipment will not reach. In addition, the helicopter fleet can be located directly next to the military camp of the paratroopers.

“The formation of units on helicopters will expand the possibilities for their use,” Colonel Valery Yuryev, chairman of the Union of Russian Paratroopers, explained to Izvestia. - Depending on the situation, the commander will make a decision: to land by parachute or helicopter. In fact, paratroopers can quickly arrive and complete missions in any region on any terrain - in the mountains, in forests, in deserts, anywhere. If necessary, we will emerge from the ground and destroy the enemy.

The first experiments on the use of airmobile forces took place during the Center-2018 exercises. The unit landed behind enemy lines and played a large role in the success of the operation. In the future, this component was involved in all major maneuvers with the participation of the Airborne Forces. The experience of using airmobile units was considered successful. The only thing that delayed the transition to airmobile units was the speed of helicopter construction.

Last year, the head of the Duma Defense Committee and former commander of the Airborne Forces, Vladimir Shamanov, said in an interview with Izvestia that in the coming years "we will move on to the massive saturation of our troops with modern multipurpose and attack helicopters."

In turn, the current commander of the Airborne Forces, Colonel-General Andrei Serdyukov, emphasized in an interview with Izvestia that "airborne assault formations of a new type are capable of independently operating in the enemy's rear in cooperation with military units of army aviation."

Rapid response reform

A large-scale reform of the Russian Airborne Forces began in 2019. It assumes a fundamentally new approach to their use. In Soviet times, the military leadership believed that the blue berets would be used in massive amphibious operations in the European theater of operations. It was assumed that the airborne divisions (VDD) would be parachuted into the enemy's rear in full force. These formations did not have heavy weapons and equipment.

After 1991, only four airborne divisions remained in the Armed Forces, the purpose and use of which could not be decided for a long time. In local conflicts, paratroopers were used simply as well-trained infantry. Several years ago, airborne assault brigades began to be revived as part of the Airborne Forces. These units are equipped with tanks, artillery and drones.

After the completion of the reform, the Airborne Forces should become the backbone of the rapid reaction force. If necessary, they will be able to quickly arrive in any region of the world and solve military and military-political tasks there or conduct humanitarian operations. Therefore, the paratroopers are equipped with everything necessary so that they are able to operate autonomously for a long time, far from their homeland and without the support of other troops. The paratrooper commander will have at hand a wide variety of weapons, vehicles for all occasions, modern control and communications systems, and supplies of material and technical means.

Earlier, Izvestia reported that the Ministry of Defense had decided to start purchasing Sprut-SDM1 self-propelled artillery mounts. In terms of firepower, the vehicles are not inferior to tanks, while they are able to overcome water obstacles and parachute. Airborne operations, in the formations of which they will enter, will be much more efficient, experts said. In addition, according to experts, such a technique is indispensable in areas where there are many water obstacles.

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"As for the Airborne Troops. Today, they have reached a new qualitative level of rapid response to threats to the country's military security, " Sergei Shoigu said.

As part of the build-up of the combat capabilities of the troops, this year it is planned to complete the deployment of the third amphibious assault regiment of the 76th Division in Pskov, and by the end of the year to re-form the 56th amphibious assault brigade into the 56th amphibious assault regiment with a permanent base in Feodosia.

Deliveries of modern weapons and military equipment continue, the share of which has reached almost 72%.

In February, the troops received the tenth battalion set of modernized combat vehicles of the landing force. Two more will be delivered by the end of the year.

The state tests of the protected special purpose vehicle "Typhoon-Airborne" have been completed.

The staffing of the military personnel under the contract is 72% of the total number.

Since the beginning of the year, more than 40 thousand parachute jumps have been made, 44 units of weapons and military equipment have been landed.

https://function.mil.ru/news_page/country/more.htm?id=12350817@egNews