Order of Battle of the Soviet Tactical Air Force during the Afghan invasion in 1979. Part One.

There has been a civil war in Afghanistan since 1978. The Soviet Union wanted to avoid Afghanistan from escaping its sphere of influence. The Soviet leadership feared that either the Iranian revolution that broke out in 1978 would spread to Afghanistan or - due to the Pastu tribal affiliation - Pakistan would intervene and because of this Afghanistan would come under the influence of China or the United States. For this reason the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979.

Four Soviet Tactical Air Army took part in the occupation. Two squadrons of Su-17M2 Fitter-D bombers were placed near the Iran border. (806th Fighter Bomber Air Regiment at Kzyl-Arvat airport from 14th Air Army and 168th Guard Fighter Bomber Air Regiment at Mary-2 airport from 34th Tactical Air Army) Both squadrons had first class pilots. These squadrons were suitable to nuclear offense. These two squadrons were stationed here in order to keep the Iranian forces at bay.

The local Soviet Turkestan Military District’s 49th Tactical Air Army’s combat air regiments moved to Afghanistan. The local forces were aided by the neighboring Central Asian Military District's 73rd Tactical Air Army’s regiments.
 

Soviet tactical fighters force:


The Soviet Tactical Air Force Command was anticipated a civil war in Afghanistan, so there was only four high speed combat air squadron in the region. One air squadron of the Soviet 115th Fighter Air Regiment flew over to Afghanistan Bagram airport from Kokayty with MiG-21bis ‘Fishbed-L’ tactical fighters on December 27, 1979. They were the first Soviet high-speed combat air unit in Afghanistan. At first, they escorted the reconnaissance and bombers.

Then, since there was no need for fighter jets, they were used for bombing. They found that MiG-21bis Fishbed-L/N was more suitable for tradition bombing missions than the older MiG-21PFM Fishbed-F and Yak-28I Brewer-C nuclear bomber types at Afghanistan in 1979.


Soviet 115th regiment crew at Bagram airport Afghanistan in 1980:
 

Source: Mihail Pravdivec, Leonid Prokazin collections