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Aviation History
1982
1982 - 2514.PDF
WORLD'S AIR FORCES ALBANIA Albanian People's Army Air Force Cut oft politically from both East and West, Albania relied on Communist Chinese equipment until relations between China and Albania were broken in 1978. Albania's extremely hard-line Communism finds even the Warsaw Pact countries' political ideals "re actionary" and it remains to be seen if the country moves back to the fold which it left in 1968. The APAAF had some 90 combat air craft delivered while friendly with China, but attrition and lack of easily available spares will have reduced this number. The Chinese supplied 20 Shen yang F-7s (MiG-21s), possibly based at Shijak near the capital city, Tirana. Albania also received 36 F-6s (MiG-19s) used in the fighter-bomber role, 36 F-4s (MiG-17s), and about the same number of F-2s (MiG-15s). Most of the F-6s and F-4s are based at Durazzo and Valona. Transport aircraft include three Il-14s, ten An-2s, and about 30 Mil and Mi-4 helicopters. The training chain is Yak-11, Yak-18, then MiG-15UTI. BULGARIA Bulgarian Air Force As a member of the Warsaw Pact, Bulgaria is supplied by the Soviet Union. Latest type in the inventory is the MiG-23BM Flogger ex port version of the Soviet AF MiG-27 Flogger. Operated in the fighter- bomber / reconnaissance role, the Floggers are thought to be replacing approximately 100 MiG-17s in service. About 36 Floggers are understood to have been delivered. For air defence the BAF has about 60 MiG-21 F/MF, while another interceptor regiment operates the all-weather MiG-19PM. An unknown number of Mi-24 Hind attack helicopters are in service. Transports comprise about 50 An-2s, An-14s, An-24s, An-26s, and TH4s, with two Tu-134s and a Yak-40 in the VIP role. Approximately 40 Mi-4 and Mi-8 helicopters are supported by a smaller number of Mi-2s and Ka-26s. Basic train ing is on Yak-lls and Yak-18s, pro gressing through L-29, L-39C, MiG- 15UTI, and MiG-21U. The small Bul garian Navy operates six Mi-4s and some Mi-2s. CZECHOSLOVAKIA Ceskoslovenske Letectus The Czecho- slovakian Air Force contributes two Air Arms to the Warsaw Pact. The 7th Air Army is tasked with air de fence, while the 10th Air Army is assigned to tactical support. The Armies are arranged along Soviet lines, with each regiment having up to three squadrons. The CL operates both the ground-attack and interceptor versions of Fogger, the MiG-23BM and -23MF respectively. Air defence is also the role of 250 MiG-21s in 18 squad rons, while another 80 MiG-21RFs are assigned to the tactical reconnaissance role. Su-20s are in service with the ground-attack squadrons, phasing out the Su-7s, and MiG-17s in that role. EASTERN EUROPE (WARSAW PACT) At least one squadron of Mi-24 Hinds are operational in the assault/gunship role, backed up by Mi-4s and Mi-8s, and a smaller number of Mi-2s. The helicopter force is arranged as one CZECHOSLOVAKIA TYPE MiG-23 Flogger B MiG23 Flogger F MiG-21 Fishbed MiG-21 Fishbed H Su-20 Fitter F Su-7 Fitter A MiG-17 Fresco C Mi-2 Hoplite Mi-4 Hound Mi-8 Hip Mi-24 Hind D IL-14 Crate An-24 Coke An-26 Curl Let. L410M Tu-134 Crusty L-39 Albatros L-29 Delfin Zlin 326 NO 50 30+ 200 20 + 60+ 50 + 30 + 30 70 30 20 + 40 5-10 5-10 20 1 50 100 50+ ROLE AD Attack AD Recce Attack Attack Attack Scout Transport Transport Assault/ gunship Transport Transport Transport Utility VIP Trainer Trainer Trainer Mi-4 regiment and three independent squadrons operating the Mi-24s, Mi-8s, and Mi-2s. Two transport regiments fly 40 Il-14s, a mix of An-24s and An-26s, Avia-14s, Lot L-410M Turbolets, and a VIP-configured Tu-134. Trainers include a few Yak-lls, Zlin 326s, L-29s, and L-39s, plus MiG-15UTI as lead-in to operational conversion. EAST GERMANY Luftstreitkrafte The only Warsaw Pact country to place its forces under Soviet command in peacetime. The LSK shares East Germany with the Soviet 16th Air Army which, equipped with some 1,000 aircraft, is larger than the LSK of the host country. Organised on Soviet lines, the LSK operates six air-defence regiments with MiG-21s. Each regiment has three squadrons with 12 to 16 aircraft each; latest acquisition is the MiG-23MF/BF. One squadron is in service and is re- 1354 FLIGHT International, 6 November 1982
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