Ukrainian Naval Aviation

The Ukrainian Naval Aviation (Ukrainian: Морська Авіація, romanized: Morska Aviatsiya) is a component of the Ukrainian Navy.

Ukrainian Naval Aviation
Морська Авіація
Sleeve patch of the UNA
FoundedApril 5, 1992
CountryUkraine
BranchNavy
TypeAviation
RoleFleet reconnaissance, patrolling coasts for enemy ships and submarines
Size2,500
Garrison/HQOchakiv Mykolaiv Oblast Ukraine
Commanders
ColonelOleh Zahurskyi
Insignia
Ukrainian Navy Ensign
Roundel
Fin flash
Aircraft flown
PatrolKa-27, Be-12
TrainerAn-2
TransportAn-12, An-24, An-26, Mi-8, Mi-14PL, Ka-226

During the breakup of the Soviet Union, significant portions of the Soviet Naval Aviation were based in Ukraine, which were intended to support the Black Sea Fleet. These forces included the 2nd Guards Maritime Missile Aviation Division (Gvardeyskoye, Crimean Oblast), with three regiments of maritime attack Tu-22M2s (5th, 124th at Gvardeskoye, Crimean Oblast and the 943rd at Oktyabrskoye), and the 30th independent Maritime Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment (Saki-Novofedorovka, Crimean Oblast) of Tu-22Ps.[1]

In the second half of 1997, when Ukraine and Russia agreed on how to split the Black Sea Fleet, Ukraine received 12 planes and 30 helicopters.[2]

History
A Ukrainian Navy Mi-14

Ukraine inherited large naval aviation units from the Soviet Union. These included large aircraft such as the Tupolev Tu-142 and Tupolev Tu-22M, however these were scrapped under the Budapest Memorandum. Fighters such as the Mig-29 were either decommissioned due to budgetary reasons or transferred to the air force.

The remaining inventory included transport, attack, and anti-submarine warfare helicopters, as well as numerous transport aircraft. Ukraine's naval units, along with some aviation units participated in several deployments such as Operation Atalanta and Operation Ocean Shield.[3]

2014 Crimean crisis

During the Russian military intervention in Ukraine, Ukrainian naval aviation managed to get a number of its aircraft and helicopters airborne from its Novofedorivka airbase to fly to bases in mainland Ukraine on 5 March. This included one Kamov Ka-27PL and three Mil Mi-14PL maritime helicopters, and one Beriev Be-12 amphibian and two Antonov An-26 transports.[4]

More than a dozen aircraft and helicopters, which were undergoing maintenance, had to be left behind. The long-term sustainability of the Ukrainian Navy's surviving helicopters is uncertain after the pro-Russian administration in Crimea nationalised all state owned enterprises, including the Sevastopol Aviation Enterprise, which had provided long-term maintenance and overhaul of the service's helicopters.[4]

Organization

10th Naval Aviation Brigade

All naval aircraft in service are controlled by the 10th Naval Aviation Brigade in Mykolaiv.

  • 10th Naval Aviation Brigade, Mykolaiv
    • Headquarters & Headquarters Company
    • Air Squadron
    • Helicopter Squadron
    • Signal & Radio-technical Support Battalion
    • Airfield & Technical Support Battalion
    • Aviation Technical & Operational Engineering
    • Helicopter Technical & Operational Engineering
    • CSAR Company
    • Logistic Company
    • Meteorological Company
    • Engineer Platoon
    • Security Platoon

One Kamov Ka-27 helicopter is stationed on the Hetman Sahaidachnyi (a Krivak III-class frigate). The frigate can however carry a maximum of two helicopters.

A Ukrainian Ka-27 lands aboard the USS Donald Cook during exercise Sea Breeze 2015

Equipment

Current inventory

Note: Due to ongoing events, the following information may be considered outdated. The information listed below is accurate as of January 2022.

Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Maritime Patrol
Beriev Be-12 Soviet Union SAR 2[5] Amphibious search and rescue aircraft.
Transport
Antonov An-26 Soviet Union / Ukraine Transport 2[5]
Antonov An-2 Soviet Union / Ukraine Transport / Trainer 2[6] Transferred from the Ukrainian Air Force and used primarily for training purposes.
Helicopters
Mil Mi-14 Soviet Union SAR / ASW Mi-14PL 4[5]
Mil Mi-8 Soviet Union / Ukraine Utility Mi-8MSB 2[7] modernized by Motor Sich.
Kamov Ka-27 Soviet Union ASW 27/29 4[5]
Kamov Ka-226 Russia Utility 1[5]
Combat Drones
Baykar Bayraktar TB2 Turkey UCAV TB2 6[8][9] 4 on order to be delivered by the end of 2022. [10]

Retired aircraft

References
  1. «Aviation and Time". 1996, № 5, page 35, and Michael Holm, Red Banner Black Sea Fleet, accessed December 2012.
  2. Новини Управління Прес-служби МО Archived 2012-08-04 at archive.today
  3. "Frigate "Hetman Sahaydachniy" joins EU's operation "Atlanta"". Eu.for. 3 Jan 2014. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014.
  4. Ripley, Tim. "Ukrainian navy decimated by Russian move into Crimea". IHS Jane's Defence Weekly. IHS Jane's. Archived from the original on 25 March 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  5. "World Air Forces 2022". Flightglobal. Flightglobal Insight. 2022. Retrieved 18 March 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. "Меценат подарував авіаційній бригаді ВМСУ літак Ан-2". Retrieved 2020-09-27.
  7. "Ukrainian Navy gets upgraded helicopters". www.ukrinform.net. Retrieved 2022-03-18.
  8. "Ukrainian military gets first Turkish Bayraktar UAV complex". www.ukrinform.net. Retrieved 2021-07-27.
  9. GDC (2021-07-27). "Turkey delivers first Bayraktar TB2 UCAV to Ukrainian Navy". Global Defense Corp. Retrieved 2021-07-27.
  10. Ozberk, Tayfun (2021-07-26). "Turkey delivers first armed drone to Ukrainian Navy, much to Russia's ire". Defense News. Retrieved 2021-07-27.
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