24th Air Army
Open-knowledge reference entry
The 24th Air Army was an Air army of the Soviet Air Forces, active from 1980, and probably inactivated in 1992. Its headquarters was located at Vinnitsa.
First formation (1949–1968)
From 1949 to 1968, the 16th Air Army in the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany was designated the 24th Air Army.
2nd Separate Heavy Bomber Aviation Corps 1960–1980
2nd Separate Heavy Bomber Aviation Corps was established in August 1960 at Vinnitsa from elements of HQ 43rd Air Army of the Long Range Aviation.
Units in 1961:
199th Separate Guards Long-Range Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment (Nezhin, Chernigov Oblast) with Tu-16R
13th Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Division (Poltava, Poltava Oblast)
15th Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Division (Ozernoye, Zhitomir Oblast)
106th Heavy Bomber Aviation Division (Uzin, Kiev Oblast)
Units in 1978:
199th Separate Guards Long-Range Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment (Nezhin, Chernigov Oblast) with Tu-22R
13th Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Division (Poltava, Poltava Oblast)
15th Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Division (Ozernoye, Zhitomir Oblast)
106th Heavy Bomber Aviation Division (Uzin, Kiev Oblast)
24th Air Army from 1980
Redesignated 24th Air Army VGK ON (Russian: 24-я воздушная армия Верховного Главного командования оперативного назначения for 24th Air Army of the High Command with an Operational Purpose) on 1 August 1980. Soviet tactical aviation armies were subordinated to the military districts and the army groups abroad. Directly subordinated to the Air Force High Command were six air armies:
Three air armies of the High Command with Strategic Purpose (воздушная армия Верховного Главного командования стратегического назначения (ВА ВГК СН)) - 30th, 37th and 46th for the strategic bomber force.
One air army of the High Command for the Military Air Transport Aviation (воздушная армия Верховного Главного командования военно-транспортной авиации (ВА ВГК ВТА)) - 61st for the strategic airlift assets.
Two air armies of the High Command with Operational Purpose (воздушная армия Верховного Главного командования оперативного назначения (ВА ВГК ОН)) - 4th (in the Polish People's Republic) and 24th (mostly in the Ukrainian SSR). In peacetime these two air armies were directly subordinated to the Air Force High Command.
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