Ukraine Army Aviation

The four current Brigades are:

11th Separate Army Aviation Brigade at Kherson

12th Separate Army Aviation Brigade at Novyi Kalyniv, Lviv

16th Separate Army Aviation Brigade at Brody, Lviv

18th Separate Army Aviation Brigade at Poltava

Each Brigade operates two mixed squadrons (Mil Mi-8 and Mil Mi-24, except for the 18th which operates a mix of Mi-2 and Mi-8), while complying to the Conventional Forces Europe (CFE) treaty which limits Ukraine to a total number of attack helicopters of 330.

At the start of 1992 just after independence, Ukrainian Army Aviation had nine regiments and seven helicopter squadrons subordinated to five armies distributed over three Military Districts – Kiev, Odessa and Carpathian.  Over a decade after gaining independence and following numerous restructuring programs aimed at creating a leaner organisation, four Brigades of Army Aviation remain while important new missions were added to the normal role of national defence.  Most evident was the vital role Ukrainian Army Aviation plays in many international peacekeeping missions providing logistical support and airborne policing capacity around the globe.  An example of this is Ukraine’s contribution to the United Nations role in monitoring and peace keeping in various regions of Africa.

11th Separate Army Aviation Brigade – Kherson (red codes)

The 11th Separate Regiment of Army Aviation takes its origins from the 370th Separate Helicopter Squadron, which was formed in August 1961.  Personnel, aircraft and equipment of the Mi-6 equipped 320 Separate Mixed Helicopter Regiment formed the basis of the new unit.  Following independence, the 320th Helicopter Regiment and supporting units were reformed into the 2nd Army Aviation Brigade of the Odessa Military District in 1994.  In 2003 the 2nd Army Aviation Brigade was reformed into the 11th Separate Regiment of Army Aviation and in 2012 further organisational changes saw the title become the 11th Separate Army Aviation Brigade.

The Brigade has a rich history of active duty and spent a decade fighting in Afghanistan where it’s personnel received over 100 medals and awards.   The Brigade’s personnel were one of the first to participate in handling the consequences of the Chernobyl accident in 1986.

12th Separate Army Aviation Brigade – Novyi Kalyniv, Lviv (yellow codes)

Originally established as the 340th Long Range Aviation Regiment in 1943 the unit changed to a Bomber Aviation regiment in 1944.  Then in 1946 it became a Transport Aviation regiment (with the Lisunov Li-2) and lasted as such until 1959 when it converted to a Separate Helicopter Regiment (with the Mil Mi-4 and Mi-6).  The Mil Mi-8 entered service in 1970 and the Mi-26 in 1986.

It was redesignated the 7th Separate Army Aviation Regiment after 1992 and in 2016 became the 12th Army Aviation Brigade.

In the 70s the unit had four squadrons and operated 55-60 helicopters.  Today the unit operates two squadrons.

16th Separate Army Aviation Brigade – Brody, Lviv (yellow codes)

119th Separate Helicopter Regiment was formed in 1995 and became the 3rd Separate Brigade in 2004.  It was redesignated as the 16th Separate Army Aviation Brigade in December 2012.

Today’s main tasks of the unit are to train the helicopter crews for peacekeeping and rescue operations, while in addition transport personnel and cargo and execute VIP flights for the army commanders.  The 16th Brigade also maintains two Mi-24 Hinds on permanent alert (day missions only) for anti-aircraft defence, receiving orders from the Air Defence section of the Air Force in case low speed/low altitude aircraft illegally cross the border.   One specially fitted Mi-8 stands on an all- weather 24-hour SAR alert and has an operating radius of 250km.

Elements of the 16th Brigade are part of the newly created Rapid Reaction Force allowing the flight-crews to fly additional hours.  Currently flight crews not assigned to UN operations abroad fly between 50 and 80 hours annually, while those sent out on a mission accumulate on average between 100 and 250 hours of flight time.  Live air-to-ground firing is practised on a regular basis at the Kaminkubuska Air Force shooting range nearby keeping the unit combat proficiency high.  In addition, regular shooting camps are organised across the country for a two week live firing exercise.

As with the other Brigades, maintenance is performed at 6, 12 and 24-month intervals at the unit level.  For overhaul and upgrades helicopters are sent to the Konotop Aviation Repair Plant “Aviokon” (formerly 57th Repair base), a state-run Ministry of Defence plant in the north of the country.

18th Separate Army Aviation Brigade – Poltava

The 18th Separate Brigade of Army Aviation was formed on March 30, 2015.  It is equipped with Mi-2, Mi-8MSB-V and Mi-24 helicopters.

The Mi-8MSB-V is a significantly modernised Mi-8 by the Ukrainian “Motor-Sic” enterprise and the first examples were received in October 2015.

Aviation Press Limited would like to thank the Ukrainian Army Aviation for their assistance with the article.