303rd Mixed Aviation Division
Division Overview and Command Relationships
The 303rd Mixed Aviation Division (303-я смешанная авиационная дивизия) is a formation of Russia’s Aerospace Forces (VKS) under the 11th Red Banner Air and Air Defence Army (11-я Краснознамённая армия ВВС и ПВО) of the Eastern Military District. The division has a mixed composition—fighter, bomber, and assault aviation—tasked with air defense, air superiority, strike, and close air support missions across Khabarovsk Krai and Primorsky Krai. Its area of responsibility includes the approaches over the Sea of Japan and Sea of Okhotsk, the Far Eastern land border regions, and support to the Pacific Fleet’s coastal defense and maritime air operations.
Headquarters Location and Administrative Identification
Headquarters is reported at Khurba, Komsomolsky District, Khabarovsk Krai, in proximity to Komsomolsk-on-Amur. The administrative/military unit number associated with the division headquarters is reported in open sources as в/ч 62231 (military unit 62231). Russian authorities do not routinely publish official confirmations for unit identifiers, but these numbers appear in Russian public registries and media references and are widely used in open-source order-of-battle compilations.
Subordinate Regiments and Basing
The division’s known constituent regiments and garrison airfields are: 18th Guards Assault Aviation Regiment (в/ч 78018) at Chernigovka Air Base, Primorsky Krai; 22nd Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment (в/ч 77994) at Tsentralnaya Uglovaya Air Base near Artyom, Primorsky Krai; 23rd Fighter Aviation Regiment (в/ч 77984) at Dzemgi Air Base on the northern edge of Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Khabarovsk Krai; and the 277th Bomber Aviation Regiment (в/ч 77983) at Khurba Air Base, south of Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Khabarovsk Krai. These basing locations are consistent with long-standing public reporting on Far Eastern VKS deployments.
Reported Aircraft Inventories (Open-Source)
Open sources consistently identify the following primary aircraft by regiment, while exact counts fluctuate and are not officially published. Reported equipment includes: 18th Guards Assault Aviation Regiment with Su-25SM and Su-25UB; 22nd Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment primarily with Su-35S and some Su-30SM, with legacy Su-27SM/UB airframes used in diminishing numbers; 23rd Fighter Aviation Regiment primarily with Su-35S, and a small number of Su-30SM/M2 and Su-27UB used for conversion/training; and 277th Bomber Aviation Regiment with Su-34. The specific figures provided—18th GvShAP (24× Su-25SM, 6× Su-25UB), 22nd GvIAP (12× Su-35S, 2× Su-30SM, 4× Su-30M2, 4× Su-27SM, 24× MiG-31BSM), 23rd IAP (29× Su-35S, 4× Su-30SM, 2× Su-30M2, 3× Su-27UB, 1× Su-27UP), 277th BAP (26× Su-34)—reflect one open-source depiction but cannot be independently verified from authoritative official data. Notably, the assignment of MiG-31BSM aircraft to the 22nd GvIAP is not supported by most public basing data as of 2024, which place MiG-31BM/BSM units in the Eastern Military District at regiments such as the 530th IAP (Chuguyevka) and 865th IAP (Yelizovo). Also, “Su-27UP” is not a standard designation in publicly available Russian sources; commonly documented two-seat variants are Su-27UB/UBP. Force structures and on-hand numbers in Russia’s VKS vary due to rotations, maintenance cycles, and re-equipment.
Aircraft Capabilities Relevant to the Division
Su-35S is a long-range multirole fighter with the N035 Irbis-E PESA radar (widely reported detection ranges exceeding 200 km against fighter-size targets), thrust-vectoring AL-41F1S engines, and the ability to employ R-77-1 and R-73/74-series air-to-air missiles as well as guided air-to-surface munitions (e.g., Kh-31). Su-30SM is a twin-seat multirole fighter with the N011M Bars-R radar and in-flight refueling, used for air defense, strike, and maritime roles; Su-30M2 is a simplified twin-seat combat trainer used primarily for conversion and proficiency. Su-27SM/UB are upgraded legacy fighters, with improved avionics and R-77 capability primarily used for secondary and training tasks. MiG-31BSM is a high-speed, long-range interceptor fitted with the Zaslon-AM radar and able to employ long-range AAMs such as the R-37M, optimized for air-defense and barrier patrol missions. Su-25SM is a modernized armored close air support aircraft with improved navigation/attack suites and precision weapons compatibility; Su-25UB is the twin-seat trainer/combat-capable variant. Su-34 is a twin-seat fighter-bomber with a combat radius typically over 1,000 km without refueling, substantial payload capacity (commonly cited up to approximately 8,000 kg), terrain-following capability, and an onboard defensive electronic warfare suite (e.g., Khibiny).
Air Base Infrastructure Profiles
All four airfields are Soviet-era installations with subsequent upgrades and are configured to support their assigned mission sets. Dzemgi (Komsomolsk-on-Amur) is a major fighter base with extensive apron areas and close adjacency to the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Plant (KnAAZ), facilitating acceptance and integration of new aircraft. Khurba (south of Komsomolsk-on-Amur) is a principal strike base sized for Su-34 operations, with a long concrete runway, parallel taxiways, and dispersal revetments typical of VKS facilities. Tsentralnaya Uglovaya (near Artyom, Primorsky Krai) is positioned in the Vladivostok aviation hub area for rapid access to maritime airspace and air defense duties. Chernigovka (Primorsky Krai) supports tactical assault aviation with infrastructure adequate for Su-25 operations and training. Standard support elements present at such bases include fuel storage (POL), munitions storage areas separated from flight lines, instrument approach systems, ground support equipment shelters, and perimeter security.
Industrial and Logistics Linkages
The division benefits from proximity to the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Plant (KnAAZ), co-located with Dzemgi, which manufactures Su-35S and Su-57 aircraft. This geographic linkage supports initial airframe acceptance, pilot conversion, and depot-level support availability for the Su-27/Su-30/Su-35 family. Overland logistics to Khabarovsk Krai rely on the Baikal–Amur Mainline and regional road networks, while Primorsky Krai units are served by the Trans-Siberian Railway corridor and the port/air logistics hub of Vladivostok. These lines enable routine rotation of aircraft, movement of spares and munitions, and seasonal stockpiling.
Operational Roles and Typical Employment
The 22nd Guards and 23rd Fighter Aviation Regiments conduct air defense and air superiority missions, including quick reaction alert (QRA), barrier patrols, and maritime airspace security in support of the Pacific Fleet. The 277th Bomber Aviation Regiment provides deep interdiction, precision strike, and maritime strike with the Su-34. The 18th Guards Assault Aviation Regiment sustains close air support, battlefield air interdiction, and suppression of enemy ground targets with the Su-25SM. Units routinely participate in Eastern Military District large-scale exercises (e.g., Vostok-series) and conduct live-fire training at regional ranges. Mission tasking integrates with ground-based air defense and regional air surveillance networks.
Integration with Regional Air and Air-Defense Network
The division’s fighter and interceptor elements operate within the 11th Air and Air Defence Army’s integrated air picture, coordinated with ground-based surface-to-air missile regiments equipped with systems such as S-300 and S-400 deployed to protect Khabarovsk and Vladivostok focal areas, among others. Air patrol sectors over the Sea of Japan and inland approaches are deconflicted with Pacific Fleet aviation and civil aviation corridors. Long-range intercept coverage in the Far East also involves MiG-31BM/BSM regiments based elsewhere in the district (notably Chuguyevka and Yelizovo), with tasking coordinated at the army level.
Modernization and Re-equipment (Open-Source Timeline)
Public reporting indicates that the 23rd Fighter Aviation Regiment began receiving Su-35S in the early-to-mid 2010s, achieving two operational squadrons by the mid-2010s. The 22nd Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment transitioned from legacy Su-27 variants to Su-35S and Su-30SM over the latter half of the 2010s. The 277th Bomber Aviation Regiment converted from Su-24M to Su-34 during the 2010s, completing its re-equipment by the late 2010s. The 18th Guards Assault Aviation Regiment has undergone Su-25SM modernization with incremental upgrades fielded through the 2010s. Across the Eastern Military District, MiG-31 units have been upgraded to the BM/BSM standard; however, as of 2024 open sources associate those aircraft primarily with regiments outside the 22nd GvIAP.
Strategic Significance
The 303rd Mixed Aviation Division underpins Russian airpower in the Far East by combining air defense, strike, and close support capabilities across two key regions—Khabarovsk Krai and Primorsky Krai. Its disposition enables defense of critical industrial centers (Khabarovsk, Komsomolsk-on-Amur), maritime approaches to the Sea of Japan, and the Vladivostok naval area, while maintaining capacity for long-range interdiction and support to joint and naval operations. Proximity to domestic fighter production at Dzemgi enhances sustainment and accelerates modernization cycles for frontline units.
Data Confidence and Caveats
Russian official sources rarely publish real-time aircraft counts, basing rosters, or readiness data. Open-source order-of-battle information is derived from a mix of official releases, imagery analysis, procurement records, and local reporting; figures can vary by source and date. The military unit numbers cited for the division HQ and regiments (в/ч 62231, 78018, 77994, 77984, 77983) are widely reported but not formally certified here. The aircraft tallies supplied for each regiment reflect one reported snapshot and may differ from other public compilations; they should be treated as provisional. The MiG-31BSM association with the 22nd GvIAP and the “Su-27UP” designation do not align with most publicly documented unit equipment lists as of 2024. No classified or restricted information is included, and no assessment of current operational readiness or alert posture is provided.