Naval aircrafts to be reassigned to Air Force in 2011

Russian Navy will hand over attack aircraft and fighters to Air Force till the current year is over, reported RIA Novosti referring to a source in Navy Main HQ. 

Aviation of Strategic Missile Troops will be also reassigned to Air Force in March 2011. 

"Attack component of naval aviation must be handed over to Russian Air Force till the end of 2011", the admiral said. 

According to him, these are mostly long-range bombers Tu-22M3, fighters MiG-31 (regiment deployed at Kamchatka), Su-27, and front-line bombers Su-24 deployed in Baltiysk, Kaliningrad region. 

"The exception is Su-24 bombers of Black Sea Fleet, since their deployment at Crimea is stated in Russian-Ukrainian agreement", said the interviewee. 

He underlined by the way that deck-based fighters Su-33, attack aircrafts Su-25, antisubmarine aircrafts Il-38, and amphibious aircrafts Be-12 (Black Sea Fleet) would remain within the structure of naval aviation. Reassignment of Navy's transport airplanes to Air Force is still doubtful, the admiral said. 

It is not planned to introduce 5-gen fighter to deck-based aviation so far, added the interviewee. 

"MiG-29 deck-based fighters will be commissioned instead", said he. 

Naval Aviation is a branch of Russian Navy. Formerly, it called Air Component of the Navy. Today's Naval Aviation includes missile-carrying, attack, fighter, antisubmarine, search-and-rescue, transport, and special-purpose aviation. 

Missile carriers and fighters are meant for engagement of surface ship groups in ocean and littoral zones; delivery of missile and bomb strikes upon ports, coastal bases, air fields, and other military and industrial objects. Antisubmarine aviation is designed for search, detection, tracing, and destruction of submarines. Fighter aviation is used for control over vast air space and gaining air dominance over sea theaters. 

Search-and-rescue aviation renders assistance to crews of distressed ships and airplanes. Transport aviation provides airlift delivery of marines, passenger and cargo transportation. Special-purpose aviation performs special tasks for the Navy.