15th Transport Aviation Brigade

15th Transport Aviation Brigade
Active	1992 – present
Country	Ukraine
Branch	Ukrainian Air Force
Type	Transport
Garrison/HQ	Boryspil International Airport, Kyiv Oblast [1] [2]
Commanders
Current commander	Colonel Dmytro Filatov [3]
Insignia
Air Force Sleeve patch Left Arm
Roundel
Fin flash
Aviation branch insignia collar
Former Insignia
Aircraft flown
Cargo helicopter	Mi-8
Reconnaissance	An-30
Transport	An-24, An-26, Tu-134

The 15th Transport Aviation Brigade "Aircraft Designer Oleg Antonov" is a formation of the Ukrainian Air Force. ^[3]

History

15th Aviation Special Purpose Brigade

15th Transport Aviation Brigade before August 15, 2008

In 1995, the regiment received Antonov An-30B aircraft and personnel from the disbanded 86th Independent Long-Range Reconnaissance Squadron.

On February 17, 1997, the 1st ATR was reformed as the 15th Transport Aviation Brigade.

In 2001 the brigade was known as 15th Aviation Special Purpose Brigade. ^[2]

In 2008, officers of the unit restored the children's aircraft modeling laboratory from scratch.

Russo-Ukrainian war

Since the spring of 2014, the unit's servicemen have taken part in the war in eastern Ukraine. ^[4]

On August 22, 2018, by the Decree of the President of Ukraine, the 15th Transport Aviation Brigade was awarded the honorary title "after the aircraft designer Oleg Antonov". ^[5]

Components

• 1st Transport Squadron - Antonov An-26, a single Antonov An-24 and a single Tupolev Tu-134A-3. Its tasks are the transportation of cargo, personnel and senior members of the armed forces and the state.
• 2nd Aerial Photography Squadron “Blakytna stezha” - An-30B aircraft which carry out international observation missions under the “Open Skies” Treaty, performing aerial inspections.
• 3rd Helicopter Squadron - Mil Mi-8 of various versions for transportation of high-command officers and leaders of the state.

Aircraft

• An-24 ^[3]
• An-26 ^[3]
• An-30 ^[3]
• Tu-134 ^[3]
• Mi-8 ^[3]

Operations

• Participated in the war in Afghanistan from 1981, and performed both standard tasks, aerial photography of the territory for mapping and special tasks: visual monitoring of Mujahideen groups, vectoring of combat aircraft on weapon caravans and assistance in SAR operations.
• Brigade was involved in response Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster.
• Supported Ukrainian operations in UN missions in the former Yugoslavia, Iraq), and Africa (Angola, Sierra Leone.
• Brigade have actively participated in anti-terrorist operations in East Ukraine.
• International observation missions under the “Open Skies” Treaty, performing aerial inspections.

Accidents

• On June 6, 2014, An-30B, airframe number 80, was shot down by Russian separatists over Slavyansk, Donetsk Oblast. ^[6]
• On March 20, 2017, 38-year-old warrant officer of the 15th brigade Ruslan Bondar died near Novotroitske, Donetsk region. ^[7]

References

1. (in Russian) Air Force Archived 2009-01-12 at the Wayback Machine
2. (in Russian) Ukrainian Armed forces on January 1, 2001
3. Ihnat, Yuri (2008-07-31). "In Ukrainian Airforce". People's Army (in Ukrainian). Vinnytsia: ElVisti. Retrieved 2008-08-22.^{[ permanent dead link ‍]}
4. "Відкриття пам'ятника загиблим членам екіпажу АН-30". Archived from the original on 2015-07-23. Retrieved 2021-08-20.
5. Бригада транспортної авіації Збройних сил України отримала ім'я авіаконструктора на http://uprom.info/
6. "Ukrainian Armed Forces An-30B Carries Out Open Skies Treaty Observation Flights over Southern Italy". 27 September 2019.
7. http://www.5.ua/regiony/dorobliu-141530.html Archived 2017-04-11 at the Wayback Machine Якраз збирався одружитися

• Karpov, Victor V.; Tabachnyk, Dmytro V. (2006). Ukrainian Military Symbols. Kyiv: Lybid. p. 180. ISBN   966-06-0453-X.

50°21′17″N30°54′42″E / 50.3547°N 30.9117°E / 50.3547; 30.9117