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Air Force Day marked across Russia as Air Force turns 106

Air Force Commander Andrei Yudin said ahead of the holiday that today Russia invests major resources in the Air Force, which helps it perform any missions set by the Fatherland

Pilot group Strizhi Sergey Bobylev/TASS/

Pilot group Strizhi

© Sergey Bobylev/TASS/

MOSCOW, August 12./TASS/. Russian military pilots mark on Sunday their professional holiday, Russian Air Force Day. The Russian Air Force was formed 106 years ago, on August 12, 1912.

Air Force Commander and Aerospace Force Deputy Commander-in-Chief Andrei Yudin said ahead of the holiday that today Russia invests major resources in the Air Force, which helps it perform any missions set by the Fatherland.

"The state is doing very much for the Aerospace Forces, in particular for the Air Force. We are getting new aircraft, high-precision weapons that help us successfully perform all the missions set by the state, including in fight against terrorism," Yudin said.

He said every year the Air Force receives over a hundred new aircraft and helicopters. Next year, it will get the Su-57 fifth generation fighter jet, with the first aircraft going to the Lipetsk Air Base. He also emphasized the growing infrastructure of the airfields and engineering facilities, without which the flights would be simply impossible.

Yudin specifically mentioned world-renowned the Russian aerobatic teams Strizhi and Russian Knights with their unbeatable style and skills. Strizhi (or Swifts) fly MiG-29 fighter jets, while the Russian Knights (Russkiye Vityazi) - Su-30SM fighter jets. The two aerobatic teams are based at the Kubinka Air Base, some 60 kilometers south-west of Moscow.

There are also two ‘unofficial’ aerobatic teams - Sokoly Rossii (Russian Falcons), using Su-30SM and Su-35S fighter jets flown by best aces of the Lipetsk Air Base, and the only in Russia team Berkuty (Golden Eagles) flying Mi-28N (Night Hunter) helicopters. The aircraft of Strizhi and the Russian Knights have easily recognizable paint schemes.

The Russian military aviation was founded on August 12, 1912. The Russian Air Force has been engaged in all wars and conflicts in which the Soviet Union and then Russia have taken part. Military pilots were the first to get the title of Hero of the Soviet Union - the highest award of the former Soviet Union.

The decision to celebrate Russian Air Force Day was taken by the Russian president on August 29, 1997.

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