45th Air and Air Defense Forces Army
Organizational Overview
The 45th Air and Air Defense Forces Army is the aviation and air defense component aligned with Russia’s Northern Fleet, responsible for airspace control, strike operations, maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare, carrier aviation, and logistics across the Arctic and North Atlantic approaches. Headquarters is designated military unit 06351. Commander: Lieutenant General Alexander Otroshchenko. The formation employs a mix of fighter, strike, reconnaissance, maritime patrol, helicopter, and transport assets to secure key maritime directions including the Barents, White, and Norwegian Seas.
Order of Battle Summary
Subordinate aviation units include the 174th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment (20 MiG-31BM), the 98th Separate Mixed Aviation Regiment (military unit 75385, 12 Su-24M and 12 Su-24MR), the 279th Separate Naval Fighter Aviation Regiment (military unit 98613, Su-33, Su-25UTG, Su-30SM), the 100th Separate Naval Fighter Aviation Regiment (military unit 61287, MiG-29KR and MiG-29KUB), the 403rd Separate Mixed Aviation Regiment (military unit 49324, Il-38, Il-20RT, Il-22M, An-12, An-26, Tu-134), the 830th Separate Naval Anti-Submarine Helicopter Regiment (military unit 87268, Ka-27, Ka-29, Ka-31), the 89th Separate Aviation Detachment (An-26, Mi-8MTV-5), and the 7050th Aviation Base with its air groups (2nd Air Group Tu-142MR and Tu-142MK; 3rd Air Group An-24 or An-26, An-72, An-12, An-140-100; base inventory noted as An-12, An-24 or An-26, Il-18, Il-38, Ka-27 or Ka-29 or Ka-32, Mi-8).
Basing and Location Assessment
Open sources consistently place principal sites as follows: Monchegorsk Air Base (Murmansk Oblast) hosts the 174th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment and the 98th Separate Mixed Aviation Regiment; Severomorsk-1 (Safonovo) hosts the 403rd Separate Mixed Aviation Regiment and the 830th Separate Naval Anti-Submarine Helicopter Regiment; Severomorsk-3 hosts the 279th Separate Naval Fighter Aviation Regiment and shore-based elements of the 100th Separate Naval Fighter Aviation Regiment; the Tu-142 long-range group associated with the 7050th Aviation Base is based at Kipelovo-Fedotovo (Vologda Oblast). Arctic forward operating locations used for staging and dispersal include Rogachevo (Novaya Zemlya), Nagurskoye on Franz Josef Land, Temp on Kotelny Island, and Tiksi airfield as mission requirements dictate.
Air Defense and Interceptor Capabilities
The 174th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment fields 20 MiG-31BM high-speed interceptors optimized for long-range air defense in the high north. The MiG-31BM incorporates the Zaslon-AM radar and can employ long-range air-to-air missiles including the R-37M, which Russian official sources claim with engagement ranges up to approximately 300 km, as well as R-33 variants. The platform’s high speed and altitude performance enable cruise missile interception, barrier patrols over the Barents region, and escort of high-value assets. Integration with ground-based radar and air defense networks supports layered coverage of Northern Fleet facilities and approaches.
Carrier Aviation Regiments and Current Employment
The 279th Separate Naval Fighter Aviation Regiment operates Su-33 for fleet air defense, Su-25UTG for carrier landing training, and Su-30SM as a multirole complement. The 100th Separate Naval Fighter Aviation Regiment operates MiG-29KR and MiG-29KUB carrier-capable fighters. As of October 2024, the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov remained in prolonged overhaul at Murmansk, and these regiments have been shore-based while maintaining shipboard proficiency via the NITKA carrier aviation training complexes at Saki (Crimea) and Yeysk (Krasnodar Krai). Their core missions include air defense of naval task groups, limited strike, and training for carrier operations.
Strike and Tactical Reconnaissance
The 98th Separate Mixed Aviation Regiment (military unit 75385) operates 12 Su-24M strike aircraft and 12 Su-24MR reconnaissance aircraft. The Su-24M provides all-weather tactical strike capability with guided and unguided munitions, enabling land-attack and maritime strike tasks in support of the Northern Fleet. The Su-24MR is configured for tactical reconnaissance with onboard side-looking radar and electro-optical sensors for route, objective, and battle damage assessment. Co-location with MiG-31BM interceptors at Monchegorsk allows coordinated strike packages under the 45th Army’s air defense umbrella.
Maritime Patrol, ASW, and Specialized ISR
The 403rd Separate Mixed Aviation Regiment (military unit 49324) operates Il-38 maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft, supplemented by specialized Il-20RT telemetry and Il-22M airborne command post and relay platforms, plus An-12 and An-26 transports and Tu-134 utility aircraft. The Il-38 fleet provides long-duration patrols for submarine detection and maritime surveillance; some airframes across the Russian Navy have been modernized to the Il-38N standard with Novella-P-38 mission systems. The Il-20RT supports telemetry during missile and spaceflight tests, and the Il-22M provides airborne command, control, and communications relay for fleet operations and exercises.
Long-Range Maritime Aviation
The 2nd Air Group of the 7050th Aviation Base operates Tu-142MR and Tu-142MK aircraft. The Tu-142MK furnishes long-range anti-submarine warfare and maritime reconnaissance with endurance exceeding ten hours, supporting surveillance across the Norwegian and Barents Seas and into the North Atlantic. The Tu-142MR variant serves as a long-range communications relay to support connectivity with submerged strategic submarines, complementing shore-based very-low-frequency systems. Operations from Kipelovo-Fedotovo enable coverage beyond the Kola approaches while maintaining access to deep maintenance and support facilities.
Rotary-Wing ASW, AEW, and Assault Support
The 830th Separate Naval Anti-Submarine Helicopter Regiment (military unit 87268) fields Ka-27 series helicopters for anti-submarine warfare and search and rescue, Ka-29 for ship-to-shore assault and utility lift, and Ka-31 for airborne early warning. The Ka-31 carries the E-801 Oko radar to extend radar coverage over the maritime domain from surface combatants or shore bases. These helicopters operate from major surface combatants, amphibious ships, and coastal airfields, providing sea control, anti-submarine screening, convoy protection, and over-the-horizon target detection for Northern Fleet task groups.
Transport and Logistics Aviation
The 89th Separate Aviation Detachment operates An-26 light transports and Mi-8MTV-5 utility helicopters for personnel movement, resupply, and medical evacuation across dispersed Arctic sites. The 7050th Aviation Base’s transport elements, including its 3rd Air Group, employ An-24 or An-26, An-72 short takeoff and landing transports, An-12 medium transports, and the An-140-100 to sustain airlift between Murmansk Oblast, Arkhangelsk Oblast, and Arctic island bases. This transport network underpins rotations to remote garrisons, delivery of critical supplies, and response to weather-driven contingencies.
Airfield Infrastructure and Support
Core operating locations feature long, paved runways and cold-weather infrastructure suitable for heavy aircraft, with de-icing, fuel storage, aviation ordnance facilities, and aircraft shelters. Severomorsk-1 and Severomorsk-3 provide round-the-clock support for patrol, helicopter, and fighter operations, while Monchegorsk supports sustained fighter and strike activity with integrated maintenance and munitions handling. Kipelovo-Fedotovo supports long-range Tu-142 operations with specialized ASW stores, sonobuoy handling, and extended maintenance bays. Adverse Arctic weather imposes frequent icing, crosswinds, and low-visibility conditions, making instrument approach systems and dedicated de-icing capabilities operationally important at these sites.
Arctic Forward Operating Locations
Rogachevo (Novaya Zemlya), Nagurskoye (Franz Josef Land), Temp (Kotelny Island), and Tiksi are used as forward staging fields to extend coverage northward and eastward, enabling shorter response times to areas of interest in the Arctic Ocean and along the Northern Sea Route. These sites support temporary deployments by fixed-wing transports, maritime patrol aircraft as conditions allow, and helicopter detachments for search and rescue, logistics, and domain awareness. Such dispersal increases operational resilience and surveillance reach of the 45th Army’s aviation assets.
Command, Control, and Integration
The 45th Air and Air Defense Forces Army integrates aviation with regional radar, ground-based air defense, coastal defense, and naval task group C2 networks. The Il-22M provides airborne relay during complex operations, while fighter, strike, and ASW units coordinate with Northern Fleet headquarters and sector command posts for airspace management, maritime interdiction, and fleet air defense. Carrier aviation regiments maintain interoperability with shipboard command systems and NITKA training complexes to retain carrier procedures during the Admiral Kuznetsov overhaul period.
Historical Structure and the 7050th Aviation Base
During the late 2000s and early 2010s, Russian Naval Aviation reorganized into aviation bases with numbered air groups; the 7050th Aviation Base managed multiple groups including long-range Tu-142 and transport elements noted above. From 2015 onward, regimental structures were reestablished across the fleet, while legacy air base designations and air groups remained in use for certain functional elements. The aircraft types associated with the 7050th in this report are consistent with the Northern Fleet’s long-range maritime, transport, and helicopter missions documented in open sources.
Operational Reach and Typical Coverage
With MiG-31BM interceptors for long-range air defense, Su-24M strike aircraft for regional precision attack, and enduring maritime patrol assets like Il-38 and Tu-142 with mission durations exceeding ten hours, the formation can cover the Barents and Norwegian Seas, approaches to the GIUK gap, and Arctic archipelagos. Helicopter detachments extend anti-submarine and search-and-rescue coverage around Northern Fleet surface action groups and key straits. The absence of organic fixed-wing AEW within the listed naval aviation units is mitigated by Ka-31 helicopter AEW and by integration with shore-based radar and, when assigned, Aerospace Forces AEW support.
Unit Identifiers and Administrative Notes
Administrative identifiers provided include the following military unit numbers: Headquarters 45th Air and Air Defense Forces Army m/u 06351; 98th Separate Mixed Aviation Regiment m/u 75385; 403rd Separate Mixed Aviation Regiment m/u 49324; 100th Separate Naval Fighter Aviation Regiment m/u 61287; 279th Separate Naval Fighter Aviation Regiment m/u 98613; 830th Separate Naval Anti-Submarine Helicopter Regiment m/u 87268. These identifiers correspond to publicly referenced unit designations associated with Northern Fleet aviation forces.