Aerospace Forces
Organizational Overview (Russian Aerospace Forces)
The Russian Aerospace Forces (Vozdushno‑Kosmicheskiye Sily, VKS) were established on 1 August 2015 through the merger of the Air Force and the Aerospace Defense Troops. The VKS headquarters is in Moscow. As of 2024, Colonel General Viktor Afzalov is publicly identified as the Commander‑in‑Chief of the VKS. The VKS integrates combat aviation, air and missile defense, and space support, and maintains centralized logistics structures that include storage and maintenance bases for airfield technical support.
Unit Identification (military unit 13816)
Military unit 13816 (в/ч 13816) is referenced as part of a VKS Storage Base for Airfield Technical Support, with functional subdivisions described as the Automotive Service and the Electric‑Gas Service. The English wording “Aerospace Forces Automotive and Electric Gas Service of the Airfield Technical Support Storage Base” reflects functional components within the storage base rather than a separate armed service. The unit’s core purpose is to store, maintain, and issue airfield ground support equipment and related materiel for VKS aviation units.
Mission and Functions
The storage base’s mission is to ensure availability and technical readiness of aerodrome technical equipment and ground support equipment required to operate aircraft and airfields. Functions include acceptance and inspection of incoming items; preservation and storage; scheduled and corrective maintenance; calibration and metrology support; preparation for issue and distribution to air units; and technical documentation management throughout the equipment life cycle. The Automotive and Electric‑Gas Services deliver the specialized maintenance and safety functions that enable these tasks.
Automotive Service Responsibilities
The Automotive Service provides scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, repair, and readiness control for wheeled and specialized airfield vehicles and trailers. This encompasses refueling vehicles, aircraft towing tractors, de‑icing and washing vehicles, runway maintenance machinery, and general cargo and support vehicles. Tasks include diagnostics, engine and transmission repair, chassis and brake system maintenance, tire services, corrosion control, and technical inspection in accordance with Russian Ministry of Defence maintenance standards.
Electric‑Gas Service Responsibilities
In Russian military technical terminology, the Electric‑Gas Service typically covers electrotechnical maintenance and gas‑welding/industrial‑gas support. Duties include maintenance and testing of ground power and aircraft start equipment; inspection and repair of electrical wiring, connectors, and control panels specific to ground support equipment; welding and metalwork for structural restoration of equipment frames, tanks, and mounts; and safe handling, storage, and charging operations for industrial gases used in airfield support (notably oxygen and nitrogen), in compliance with fire, explosion, and cryogenic safety regulations.
Command and Control
The storage base operates within the VKS material‑technical support system under the Main Command of the VKS. Tasking and prioritization are coordinated with aviation formations to align equipment availability with sortie generation, seasonal airfield maintenance requirements, and redeployment schedules. Detailed internal command relationships and subordinate elements for military unit 13816 are not published in authoritative public sources.
Location and Disposition
Authoritative public documentation does not disclose the garrison location, facility layout, or subordinate structure of military unit 13816. In the absence of verifiable publication, no specific address, coordinates, or site plan is attributed here.
Infrastructure and Facilities
Airfield technical support storage bases characteristically maintain secure covered warehouses for ground support equipment; heated automotive and electrotechnical workshops; welding bays with dedicated fire suppression; test stands for ground power and air start units; compliant storage for compressed gases and cryogens; vehicle parks and garages; spare‑parts stores and toolrooms; calibration and metrology posts; and loading areas with access to road transport (and in some cases rail). Publicly available records do not specify the exact configuration for military unit 13816.
Equipment Categories Supported
The equipment portfolio managed by VKS airfield technical support bases typically includes aircraft ground power and start units; aircraft towing tractors and tow bars; aircraft refueling trucks and fuel handling systems; de‑icing and washing vehicles; runway sweepers, snow blowers, and other airfield maintenance machinery; hydraulic, pneumatic, and environmental control service carts; mobile oxygen and nitrogen charging systems; airfield lighting and power distribution equipment; and general‑purpose automotive and engineering vehicles. Specific holdings for military unit 13816 are not publicly enumerated.
Logistics and Distribution
Core processes include acceptance and technical inspection, preservation, scheduled maintenance, issue, and recovery of equipment. Distribution to supported air units is conducted via road transport and, where infrastructure is available, by rail shipment. Documentation, stock accounting, and maintenance history are maintained under Russian Ministry of Defence material‑technical support standards to ensure traceability and readiness reporting.
Safety, Security, and Environmental Considerations
Operations involve hazardous materials and energies including aviation fuels and lubricants, compressed gases, cryogens, high‑current electrical systems, and welding activities. Compliance with Russian military regulations on fire safety, explosion protection, electrical safety, oxygen/nitrogen handling, and environmental protection is required. As a military site, access is controlled and security measures are in place; detailed security provisions are not publicly disclosed.
Operational Significance
By centralizing storage and technical upkeep of ground support equipment, this type of unit underpins the generation of sorties, all‑season airfield operability, and rapid redeployment of VKS aviation assets. The Automotive and Electric‑Gas Services directly enable aircraft servicing, refueling, power supply, de‑icing, towing, and runway maintenance across fighter, bomber, transport, and helicopter operations.
Information Gaps and Classification Note
Critical details for a full site appraisal—such as precise location, manpower and equipment tables, facility plans, and specific command relationships—are not available in authoritative public sources. Such information may be classified or otherwise restricted and is therefore not provided.