What the Russian Air Force Has in the Sky
As war begins with Ukraine, Russia definitely has a numbers advantage.
A look at a Russian MiG-35 fighter jet. [File Photo: Shutterstock]
Russia is the No. 2 airpower in the world, behind the U.S, according to Globalfirepower.com.
The Russian Air Force is based in Moscow and is reported to have approximately 850,000 personnel and 4,173 aircraft, ranging from:
- MiG-35, Yak and Sukhoi fighters
- Special purpose and pursuit aircraft
- Ilyushin and Antonov transports
- Tupolev Tu 22M, Tu 95 bombers
Number Crunch
Russia's Air Force is made up of:
- 772 fighter aircraft
- 739 dedicated attack aircraft
- 445 transports
- 522 trainers
- 132 aircraft designated as special mission
- 1,543 helicopters, of which 544 are designated as attack helicopters
Meg GodlewskiAuthor
Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
Related Stories
Sign-up for newsletters & special offers!
Get the latest FLYING stories & special offers delivered directly to your inbox