27th Mixed Aviation Division
Organizational Overview
The 27th Mixed Aviation Division (Russian Aerospace Forces) is headquartered at Belbek, Crimea. It comprises the 37th Mixed Aviation Regiment (military unit 46451), the 38th Fighter Aviation Regiment (military unit 80159), and the 39th Helicopter Regiment (military unit 46453). The division consolidates fighter air-defense, strike/close air support, and army aviation capabilities on the Crimean Peninsula. Open sources attribute the division to the 4th Air and Air Defense Army within the Southern Military District.
Command and Basing
Headquarters and primary fighter operations are at Belbek Air Base (Sevastopol). The 38th Fighter Aviation Regiment (m/u 80159) is based at Belbek. The 37th Mixed Aviation Regiment (m/u 46451) operates from Gvardeyskoye Air Base (Hvardiiske, Crimea). The 39th Helicopter Regiment (m/u 46453) operates from Dzhankoy Air Base (Dzhankoy, Crimea).
Order of Battle Summary (Reported Inventory)
37th Mixed Aviation Regiment, m/u 46451: 6 Su-24M, 6 Su-24MR, 13 Su-25SM, 1 Su-25UB. 38th Fighter Aviation Regiment, m/u 80159: 13 Su-27SM, 2 Su-27, 9 Su-27P, 1 Su-27UP, 6 Su-30M2. 39th Helicopter Regiment, m/u 46453: 12 Mi-35M, 16 Ka-52, 4 Mi-28N, 6 Mi-8AMTSh. These figures reflect a reported snapshot; actual on-hand numbers can vary due to maintenance cycles, attrition, and temporary attachments.
37th Mixed Aviation Regiment: Roles and Capabilities
This composite regiment pairs strike and reconnaissance assets (Su-24M/MR) with close air support aircraft (Su-25SM/UB). The Su-24M provides all-weather tactical strike with a payload up to approximately 8,000 kg and can employ guided munitions such as Kh-25 and Kh-29 missiles and laser/GLONASS-guided bombs; the Su-24MR conducts tactical reconnaissance using electro-optical, infrared, and side-looking radar sensors. The Su-25SM delivers armored close air support and battlefield interdiction with unguided rockets/bombs and selected precision-guided weapons; the Su-25UB is a two-seat trainer with combat capability. Basing at Gvardeyskoye enables centralized maintenance and dispersal for mixed fixed-wing operations.
38th Fighter Aviation Regiment: Roles and Capabilities
The regiment provides air defense, combat air patrol, and fighter escort from Belbek using Su-27-series fighters and Su-30M2. Su-27SM and Su-27P focus on air-superiority and interception with R-27 and R-73 class missiles; the Su-27SM adds upgraded avionics and limited precision strike capability. Su-30M2 is a two-seat multirole/trainer variant used for conversion training and supplementary air-to-air missions. Belbek’s infrastructure supports quick-reaction alert and sustained fighter sorties.
39th Helicopter Regiment: Roles and Capabilities
The regiment combines attack and assault transport aviation at Dzhankoy. Ka-52 and Mi-28N provide day/night attack with 30 mm cannons, rockets, and anti-tank guided missiles (e.g., Ataka and Vikhr-1). Mi-35M offers attack capability with limited troop transport. Mi-8AMTSh supports air assault, logistics, medevac, and armed escort. This mix enables armed reconnaissance, close air support, counter-armor, and air-mobile operations.
Aircraft Types and Performance (Overview)
Su-24M (NATO: Fencer-D): two-seat, all-weather strike aircraft with a combat radius roughly 600–1,100 km depending on profile and a maximum external payload up to about 8,000 kg. Su-24MR (Fencer-E): reconnaissance variant equipped with electro-optical/infrared and side-looking radar sensors and datalinks; typically unarmed except for self-defense. Su-25SM/UB (Frogfoot): armored subsonic attack aircraft optimized for CAS and interdiction with payload up to approximately 4,000 kg; the UB is the twin-seat trainer/combat version. Su-27-series (Flanker): air-superiority fighters; typical air-to-air armament includes R-27 and R-73 missiles; combat radius commonly cited around 1,000 km depending on load and profile. Su-30M2 (Flanker-C): two-seat multirole/trainer variant with avionics based on the N001V radar family; used primarily for air-to-air training and secondary combat tasks. Ka-52 (Hokum-B): coaxial-rotor attack helicopter with typical range about 460 km; armed with a 30 mm cannon, rockets, and ATGMs. Mi-28N (Havoc-B): night-capable attack helicopter with range about 435 km; armed with a 30 mm cannon and Ataka ATGMs. Mi-35M (Hind-E): attack/assault helicopter capable of carrying troops and ATGMs; range about 450 km. Mi-8AMTSh (Hip): assault transport helicopter supporting rockets, gun pods, and ATGMs; range roughly 600 km with internal fuel.
Airfield Infrastructure and Support
Belbek Air Base features a long paved runway suitable for high-performance fighter operations, hardened aircraft shelters, dispersal aprons, and munitions and fuel storage; public reporting noted substantial runway and taxiway modernization in the late 2010s. Gvardeyskoye Air Base provides a long runway and extensive dispersal areas for mixed fixed-wing activity, including strike and CAS platforms. Dzhankoy Air Base supports army aviation with helicopter aprons, taxiways, and maintenance facilities. Detailed base security measures, munitions stock levels, and current readiness states are not publicly available.
Operational Employment and Mission Sets
The division’s composition supports layered air defense of Crimea and adjacent airspace, tactical strike and interdiction, close air support to ground forces, tactical reconnaissance for targeting and battle damage assessment, armed reconnaissance by attack helicopters, and air assault/transport tasks. Coordinated employment of fighter CAP from Belbek, strike/CAS from Gvardeyskoye, and attack/assault helicopter operations from Dzhankoy enables combined-arms air operations across the peninsula and nearby theaters.
Integration with Regional Air Defense and Maritime Forces
Crimea hosts an integrated air and coastal defense network that includes multiple S-400 long-range surface-to-air missile units and point-defense systems such as Pantsir-S1, under the Southern Military District and Black Sea Fleet’s regional architecture. Fixed-wing and rotary-wing assets of the 27th Mixed Aviation Division operate within this layered air-defense environment and coordinate with Black Sea Fleet aviation and coastal units for regional airspace control and maritime support.
Sustainment and Logistics
Sustainment is conducted through on-base maintenance units and regional depots, with supply lines via road, rail, and sea within the Southern Military District. Typical requirements include aviation fuel (e.g., TS-1), unguided and guided air-to-ground munitions, air-to-air missiles, aircraft spares, and ground support equipment. Organizational and intermediate maintenance are performed at the regiments; deeper overhaul is carried out at specialized repair plants within the Russian Federation. Specific stockpiles, consumption rates, and repair cycles are not publicly disclosed.
Legal and Geopolitical Context
Crimea is internationally recognized as part of Ukraine; Russia has controlled the peninsula since its 2014 annexation. The units and basing described are on territory under Russian control. Public sources sometimes conflate Russian Aerospace Forces and Russian Navy aviation in Crimea; the regiments listed here are VKS formations and are distinct from Black Sea Fleet naval aviation units.
Data Integrity and Notation
Aircraft counts and specific configurations are subject to change due to maintenance, transfers, attrition, and temporary deployments. The 38th Fighter Aviation Regiment appears twice in the source list (once as HQ and once as the regiment) with the same military unit number 80159; this denotes the same regiment headquartered at Belbek. The designation 'Su-27UP' is not a standard VKS designation; open sources commonly reference the two-seat trainer/combat variant as 'Su-27UB'. Exact block/upgrade status of individual airframes cannot be verified from public information, and no classified or real-time data are included.