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The Russian Air Force is the air force of the . The Russian Navy has its own air force, the '' Aviatsiya Voenno Morskogo Flota '' (Naval Aviation), or AV-MF. The Russian Army has its own air force too (they are often referred to as "front line aviation" which is not correct in some senses, while another term "army aviation" is correct). HISTORY Aviation in Russia has a long history seeing as military pilot training was started as early as 1910 . Although when World War I broke out the military was not yet at a level of readiness that a major war demands, Russian aircraft production is estimated to have risen to an impressive 4,700 aicraft. After the creation of the Soviet state many efforts were made in order to modernize and expand aircraft production. Domestic aircraft production increased significantly in the early years of the 1930s and towards the end of the decade the Soviet Air Force was able to introduce I-15 and I-16 fighters and SB-2, SB-2 BIS and DB-3 bombers. At the start of WW II the Soviet Air Force had to overcome severe losses, but towards the end of the war it not only managed to confront the Luftwaffe, but also was able to produce some unique and technologically advanced aircraft such as the La-5, Yak-9, Pe-2 and Il-2. During the Cold War, the Soviet Air Force was rearmed, strengthened and modern air doctrines were introduced. At its peak in the 80's it could deploy, in different operation areas, approximately 10,000 aicraft. By the beginning of the 1990s the Soviet Union had an air force that in terms of quantity fulfilled superpower standards. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in December 1991 the aircraft and personnel of the Soviet VVS were divided among the newly independent states. Russia received the majority of these forces, approximately 40% of the aircraft and 65% of the manpower. The VVS was reorganised:
The VVS participated in the First Chechen War (1994-1996) and the Second Chechen War (1999-2002).These campaigns also presented significant difficulties for the VVS including; the type of terrain, lack of significant fixed targets and insurgents armed with Stinger and Strela-2M SAMs . In 1998 the RFAF was merged with the Voyska PVO (Air Defence Force), which is a more common arrangement than operating two independent forces. In 2003 also the aviation assets of the Army -mostly helicopters- were transferred to the VVS. The RFAF continues to suffer from a lack of resources both for procurement and modernisation and pilot training. In 1990s Russian pilots achieved approximately 10% of the flight hours of US Air Force pilots although their pilots are some of the best in the world. The RFAF has been forced to abandon ambitious plans of advanced tactical fighter in favour of upgrades to current aircraft. While suggestions that the only way forward for the RFAF is to cut aircraft numbers to around 300 (a similar size as the Royal Air Force ) are extreme, it is likely that modernisation of the force will involve at least some dramatic cuts in aircraft and bases. CURRENT STATE OF DEVELOPMENT In the 1980's the Soviet Union acknowledged the development of the ATF in the USA and decided that it must develop some sort of equivalent fighter for its own security. Two programs were initiated, one of which was proposed to directly confront America's future F-22 / YF-23 development, this future fighter was designated as MFI; designed as a heavy multirole aircraft, with air-supremacy being of utmost importance. As for the future American X-32 / F-35 projects, Russia also developed a direct counter to confront this future fighter, for this they began the LFI program, that would develop a fighter reminiscent of the X-32/F-35 with a single engine, yet not a full multirole aircraft. Later, Russia would change the designation of the LFI project to LFS, making it a multirole aircraft, primarily emphasizing ground attack capability. During the 1990's, because funding for the Air Force was scarce, the Russian military cancelled the LFI'LFS project and continued with the MFI project, with minimal funding, believing that it was more important than a light aircraft. The only two aircraft that were in competition for the MFI was MiG 's 1.42/1.44 and Sukhoi's S-37/Su-47 , while for the LFI/LFS (prior to its cancellation) several concepts were displayed (MiG I-2000, Vityaz 2000, etc). After the 1990's, the development of MFI was slow, and did not show any major advancements, so Russia initiated a tender for a future aircraft FA of which Sukhoi won in 2002. Along with starting a new program, they cancelled MFI, and instead used these aircraft as a basis for PAK FA's development, making its development faster than would normally be. Through the re-development of PAK FA , it may appear that Russia has reinitiated LFI/LFS program as it is a very light fighter, yet with two engines (''there were concepts for LFI/LFS that had two engines''). MiG Corporation paid especially high attention in developing an LFI/LFS program, and if it continued, would have most likely won. CURRENT INVENTORY Operational Fighters
: Are being modernized to reach Su-27SM level.
: Planned modernization to reach the MiG-29SMT level.
Operational Attack Aircraft
: Planned modernization to reach Su-24M2 level.
: Planned modernization to reach the Su-25SM level.
Long Range Bombers
Strategic Bombers
Reconnaissance/ECM/ELNIT
AWACS
Transport
Refueling Tankers
Prototypes/Experimental
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