14th Air and Air Defense Forces Army
Command Structure and Subordination
The 14th Air and Air Defense Forces Army is a formation of the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) under the Central Military District. According to the provided data, its headquarters is military unit 71592 in Yekaterinburg and it commands, among others, the 17th Army Aviation Brigade (military unit 45123), the Air Group of the 17th Army Aviation Brigade (military unit 45123-2), and the 999th Air Base (military unit 20022). The commander is identified as Major General Vladimir Melnikov.
Headquarters and Leadership
Headquarters location: Yekaterinburg, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russian Federation (military unit 71592). Commander: Major General Vladimir Melnikov (as stated in the provided order of battle). No additional leadership billets are specified in the provided data.
Order of Battle and Equipment Holdings (Provided)
17th Army Aviation Brigade (m/u 45123): approximately 20 Mil Mi-24 attack helicopters and 20 Mil Mi-8MTV-5 multirole helicopters. Air Group of the 17th Army Aviation Brigade (m/u 45123-2): approximately 20 Mi-8MTV-5 and 4 Mil Mi-26 heavy-lift helicopters. 999th Air Base (m/u 20022): approximately 5 Su-25SM and 6 Su-25 attack aircraft, 2 Mi-8 helicopters, 2 An-26 transports, and Orlan-10 and Forpost unmanned aerial vehicles.
Geographic Footprint and Legal Status
The 14th Air and Air Defense Forces Army headquarters in Yekaterinburg provides command and control for VKS assets across the Central Military District. The 999th Air Base is located at Kant, Chüy Region, Kyrgyz Republic, near Bishkek; it has been operated by Russia since 2003 under bilateral agreements and within the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) framework. A 2012 intergovernmental agreement consolidated Russian military facilities in the Kyrgyz Republic and extended the basing arrangement for 15 years with provisions for further extensions. The basing locations of the 17th Army Aviation Brigade and its air group are not specified in the provided data.
17th Army Aviation Brigade: Roles and Capabilities
Primary missions include close air support, armed escort, air assault, medical evacuation, and tactical air transport for Central Military District forces. With about 20 Mi-24 attack helicopters and 20 Mi-8MTV-5 transports, the brigade provides combined attack-lift capability. Mi-8MTV-5 helicopters typically carry up to roughly two dozen troops or approximately 4,000 kg internally and can sling-load similar weights; Mi-24 helicopters provide anti-armor and fire support while retaining limited troop-carrying capacity.
Air Group of the 17th Army Aviation Brigade: Roles and Capabilities
The air group (m/u 45123-2) augments the brigade with additional lift and heavy-transport capability. The presence of 4 Mi-26 helicopters enables movement of outsized cargo and heavy equipment; the Mi-26 is widely cited with a payload on the order of 20 metric tons. The additional approximately 20 Mi-8MTV-5 aircraft expand air assault and logistics throughput and provide flexibility for distributed operations.
999th Air Base (Kant): Roles, Assets, and Employment
The 999th Air Base (m/u 20022) fields a mixed aviation detachment. Su-25 and Su-25SM attack aircraft conduct close air support and strike training missions and can support ground forces as required. Mi-8 helicopters provide transport, search and rescue, and utility roles; An-26 aircraft provide light airlift and liaison. Orlan-10 and Forpost unmanned aircraft are used for reconnaissance, target acquisition, and battle damage assessment. The base hosts regular bilateral and CSTO activities with the Kyrgyz Armed Forces; exact event schedules vary by year and are publicly announced by the parties when held.
Aircraft and Systems Technical Summary
Mi-8MTV-5: multirole, twin-engine helicopter used for troop transport, cargo, and MEDEVAC; typical troop capacity around two dozen and internal payload around 4 metric tons. Mi-24: attack helicopter with armored protection, armed with cannon and anti-tank guided missiles, and a limited troop compartment. Mi-26: heavy-lift helicopter with a widely reported payload up to approximately 20 metric tons internally or underslung. Su-25/Su-25SM: subsonic, armored close air support aircraft; the SM modernization introduces improved navigation and attack systems. An-26: twin-turboprop light transport commonly employed for personnel and cargo movement. Orlan-10 and Forpost: tactical unmanned aircraft used primarily for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; endurance and control ranges vary by payload and control schema.
Infrastructure Capabilities
The 999th Air Base at Kant operates from a concrete runway suitable for Su-25 and light/medium transport aircraft and supports helicopter operations; on-base infrastructure includes standard airfield services such as air traffic control, fuel storage, aircraft maintenance facilities, and munitions storage typical of a VKS forward base. Army aviation brigades such as the 17th normally operate from dedicated helicopter airfields with dispersal pads, hangars, maintenance shops, and forward arming and refueling points; specific facility inventories for the units listed are not detailed in the provided data.
Logistics and Sustainment
Sustainment for the listed units follows standard VKS practice: aircraft spares and munitions are supplied through military logistics channels; Military Transport Aviation provides airlift for personnel and materiel to forward bases as required. The Mi-26 offers an organic heavy-lift option for intra-theater movement of large components and vehicles. Routine rotations of aircraft and crews between home stations and the 999th Air Base are publicly reported by the Russian Ministry of Defense when conducted; exact schedules and movement details are not publicly available.
Training and Readiness
Units subordinate to the 14th Air and Air Defense Forces Army conduct periodic training cycles that include live-fire events for attack aviation, mountain and high-altitude helicopter operations, and joint drills with ground forces. At Kant, Russian aircrews regularly execute training sorties and participate in bilateral and CSTO exercises hosted in the Kyrgyz Republic. Public sources frequently note that aircraft counts at the 999th Air Base fluctuate due to rotations and maintenance.
Data Confidence and Limitations
Aircraft inventories at specific units can vary over time due to maintenance, modernization, and rotational deployments; the quantities listed here reflect the provided data. Exact basing locations for the 17th Army Aviation Brigade and its air group, detailed tail numbers, readiness rates, secure communications parameters, and force protection measures are not provided in the source data and are generally not publicly released; accordingly, they are not included.