Soviet Turkestan Military District's Air Force in 1988


	Soviet Turkestan Military District's Air Force in January 1, 1988


	From 1979 to 1989, the Soviet Turkestan Military District's Air Force units continuously conducted missions over Afghanistan. As the units settled at airports near the Afghan border they were frequently deployed throughout the war. The three fighter-bomber regiments and a front bomber regiment became the subordinate to the 34th Fighter Bomber Air Division from 1984.

Weekdays on Kokayty airport in the eighties

Soviet Su-17 Fitter bombers at Mary-2 air base


	During eleven years, just the 136th Fighter Bomber Air Regiment performed 17 500 missions in Afghanistan! The Air Army's work horse was the Su-17 Fitter fighter-bomber type. During the war 16 of the Soviet front air force's 31 lost Su-17's was lost by the Soviet Turkestan Military District's Air Force.



			* basic version of the type, Su-17 Fitter




				The 136th Fighter Bomber Air Regiment's Su-17M3 Fitter-H bomber at Chirchik airport after the war. The 168th Fighter Bomber Air Guard Regiment's mark is displayed on the side of the bomber.


	Soviet Turkmenistan Military District's Air Force’s combat loss over Afghanistan between 1979 - 1989:




		Below: 87th Independent Reconnaissance Air Regiment's Su-17M3 Fitter-H and Su-24MR Fencer-E type at Hanabad airport

	In the eighties the Soviet Turkestan Military District's Air Force types were modernized as well. Starting from 1984 they received three squadrons of used Su-24 Fencer-B front bombers, then between 1986 and 1988 one of the 87th Independent Reconnaissance Air Regiment's squadrons were retrained to Su-24MR Fencer-E reconnaissance aircraft. With the new high-performance Su-24's the farthest points of Afghanistan became accessible from the airports near the Soviet border.

Left: Modern Soviet Su-24 Fencer-B long range tactical bomber of the 735th regiment at Khanabad airport.

735th Front Bomber Air Regiment's Su-24 Fencer-B Bombers

87th Independent Reconnaissance Air Regiment


	Since 1988, the Soviet Turkestan Military District Air Force became independent again as the 49th Tactical Air Army. The 115th Guard Fighter Air Regiment's old MiG-21bis Fishbed-L type was also replaced in 1989 by the advanced MiG-29 9.13 Fulcrum-C type.

Kokayty's camouflage MiG-29s in full color.

Black and white photos of the 115th Guard Fighter Air Regiment’s MiG-29 Fulcrum.

Air Show at Khanabad


	In 1988 the Soviet army withdrew from Afghanistan. Then in 1989, to reduce military expenses the Soviet Turkestan Military District and the Central Asian Military District has been merged. The 49th Tactical Air Army also merged into the 73rd Tactical Air Army. Until 1992 only one Military District remained again in Soviet Central Asia.

Tags:
Soviet Union, USSR, Soviet Air Forces, VVS, Cold War, Turkmenistan Military District's Air Force 1988, 49th Fighter Bomber Air Division, Chirchik, 136th Fighter Bomber Air Regiment, 136th Fighter Bomber Aviation Regiment, Chirchik, Su-17M3 Fitter-H, 156th Fighter Bomber Air Regiment, Mary-2, 156th Fighter Bomber Aviation Regiment, Mary-2, Su-17M3 Fitter-H, 217th Fighter Bomber Air Regiment, 217th Fighter Bomber Aviation Regiment, Kzyl-Arvat, Su-17 Fitter-C, 735th Front Bomber Air Regiment, 735th Front Bomber Aviation Regiment, Khanabad/Karshi, Su-24 Fencer-B, 115th Guard Fighter Air Regiment, 115th Guard Fighter Aviation Regiment, Kokayty, MiG-21bis Fishbed-L, MiG-29 9.13 Fulcrum-C, 87th independent Reconnaissance Air Regiment, 87th independent Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment, Khanabad/Karshi, two squadrons Su-17M3 Fitter-H, Su-24MR Fencer-E, 162nd independent Helicopter Regiment, 162nd independent Helicopter Regiment, Kagan, Mi-6 Hook, Mi-26 Halo, Mi-8 Hip, Mi-24V Hind-E, Afganistan, Afgan War, Mikoyan and Gurevich, Sukhoi, Mil

Облако тегов:
Союз Советских Социалистических Республик, СССР, Военно-воздушные силы, Холодная война, Туркестанского военного округа, Туркестанского ВО, ТуркВО, 49-я воздушная армия, 49-я ВА, 115-й гвардейский истребительный Оршанский орденов Кутузова и Александра Невского авиационный полк, 115-й Гв. иап, МиГ-29 9.13, МиГ-21бис, Кокайды, 34-я авиационная дивизия истребителей бомбардировщиков, Чирчик, 136-й авиационный полк истребителей бомбардировщиков, 136-й апиб, Су-17М3, Чирчик, 156-й авиационный полк истребителей бомбардировщиков, 156-й апиб, Су-17М3, Мары-2, 217-й авиационный полк истребителей бомбардировщиков, 217-й апиб, Су-17, Кзыл-Арвата, 735-й бомбардировочный авиационный полк, 735-й Бап, Су-24, Карши/Ханабад, 87-й отдельный разведывательный авиационный полк, 87-й орап, Су-17M3, Су-24MР, Карши/Ханабад, 162-й отдельный вертолётный полк, 162-й овп, Ми-26, Ми-6, Ми-8, Ми-24В, Каган, Афганистан, Афган войны, Микоян и Гуревич, Сухой, Мил