299th Tactical Aviation Brigade
The 299th Tactical Aviation Brigade "Lieutenant General Vasyl Nikiforov" is a formation of the Ukrainian Air Force based at Kulbakino Air Base. The unit is equipped with Sukhoi Su-25 attack aircraft and is tasked with providing close air support for the Ukrainian Ground Forces and the Ukrainian Navy. It is subordinated to Air Command South headquartered at Odessa and has some 950 servicemen. Initially the airbase operated solely Su-25s but in November 2007 it inherited some 20 Aero L-39 Albatros trainer aircraft from a disbanded unit. Known operational aircraft as of 2016 are 13 L-39Cs and 23 Su-25s (of which 5 are Su-25UBs).[1]
299th Tactical Aviation Brigade | |
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Country | Ukraine |
Branch | Ukrainian Air Force |
Type | Brigade |
Size | 950 personnel 65 aircraft |
Part of | Air Command South |
Garrison/HQ | Kulbakino Air Base, Mykolaiv oblast |
Commanders | |
Current commander | Lieutenant Colonel Andriy Yastrebov |
Aircraft flown | |
Bomber | Sukhoi Su-25 |
Trainer | Aero L-39 Albatros |
History
The unit was established as the 299th Instructor-Research Shipborne Aviation Regiment of Soviet Naval Aviation in September 1976.[2] In 1990 it was renamed 299th independent Maritime Assault Aviation Regiment.
In January 1992 the regiment was renamed the 299th Independent Assault Aviation Regiment.
References
- Base Tour; Kulbakino, Ukraine, Air Forces Monthly magazine, May 2008 issue, pp. 36–40.
- "299th Instructor-Research Shipborne Aviation Regiment".