Ukrainian Naval Aviation
Морська Авіація
Sleeve patch of the UNA
FoundedApril 5, 1992
CountryUkraine
BranchNavy
TypeNaval aviation
RoleFleet reconnaissance, patrolling coasts for enemy ships and submarines
Size2,500
Garrison/HQOchakiv, Mykolaiv Oblast, Ukraine
Commanders
Current
commander		Colonel Oleh Zahurskyi
Insignia
Ukrainian Navy Ensign
Roundel
Fin flash
Aircraft flown
Multirole helicopterWestland Sea King
PatrolKa-27, Ka-29
ReconnaissanceBayraktar TB2
TrainerAn-2
TransportAn-26, Mi-8, Mi-14PL, Ka-226

The Ukrainian Naval Aviation (Ukrainian: Морська Авіація, romanized: Morska Aviatsiya) is a component of the Ukrainian Navy.

During the breakup of the Soviet Union, significant portions of the Soviet Naval Aviation were based in Ukraine, which were intended to support the Black Sea Fleet. These forces included the 2nd Guards Maritime Missile Aviation Division (Gvardeyskoye, Crimean Oblast), with three regiments of maritime attack Tu-22M2s (5th, 124th at Gvardeskoye, Crimean Oblast and the 943rd at Oktyabrskoye), and the 30th independent Maritime Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment (Saki-Novofedorovka, Crimean Oblast) of Tu-22Ps.[1]

In the second half of 1997, when Ukraine and Russia agreed on how to split the Black Sea Fleet, Ukraine received 12 planes and 30 helicopters.[2]

History

A Ukrainian Navy Mi-14

Ukraine inherited large naval aviation units from the Soviet Union. These included large aircraft such as the Tupolev Tu-142 and Tupolev Tu-22M, however these were scrapped under the Budapest Memorandum. Fighters such as the Mig-29 were either decommissioned due to budgetary reasons or transferred to the air force.

The remaining inventory included transport, attack, and anti-submarine warfare helicopters, as well as numerous transport aircraft. Ukraine's naval units, along with some aviation units participated in several deployments such as Operation Atalanta and Operation Ocean Shield.[3]

A Royal Navy Sea King helicopter, the same model now used by the Ukrainian Naval Aviation

2014 Crimean crisis

During the Russian military intervention in Ukraine, Ukrainian naval aviation managed to get a number of its aircraft and helicopters airborne from its Novofedorivka airbase to fly to bases in mainland Ukraine on 5 March. This included one Kamov Ka-27PL and three Mil Mi-14PL maritime helicopters, and one Beriev Be-12 amphibian and two Antonov An-26 transports.[4]

More than a dozen aircraft and helicopters, which were undergoing maintenance, had to be left behind. The long-term sustainability of the Ukrainian Navy's surviving helicopters is uncertain after the pro-Russian administration in Crimea nationalised all state owned enterprises, including the Sevastopol Aviation Enterprise, which had provided long-term maintenance and overhaul of the service's helicopters.[4]

2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine

During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, on 7 May, Ukraine confirmed that Colonel Ihor Bedzay, the deputy commander of the Ukrainian Navy, was killed in action. His Mi-14PS was shot down by a Russian Sukhoi Su-35.[5][6] The Ukrainian Navy also operates the Baykar Bayraktar TB2 drone along with the Ukrainian Air Force.[7] In November 2022 it was revealed by the UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace that 3 former Royal Navy Sea King helicopters would be sent to Ukraine, to provide anti-submarine warfare and combat search and rescue (CSAR) capabilities.[8]

Organization

10th Naval Aviation Brigade

All naval aircraft in service are controlled by the 10th Naval Aviation Brigade in Mykolaiv.

  • 10th Naval Aviation Brigade, Mykolaiv
    • Headquarters & Headquarters Company
    • Air Squadron
    • Helicopter Squadron
    • Signal & Radio-technical Support Battalion
    • Airfield & Technical Support Battalion
    • Aviation Technical & Operational Engineering
    • Helicopter Technical & Operational Engineering
    • CSAR Company
    • Logistic Company
    • Meteorological Company
    • Engineer Platoon
    • Security Platoon

One Kamov Ka-27 helicopter is stationed on the Hetman Sahaidachnyi (a Krivak III-class frigate). The frigate can however carry a maximum of two helicopters.

A Ukrainian Ka-27 lands aboard the USS Donald Cook during exercise Sea Breeze 2015
A Ukrainian Navy Bayraktar TB2

Equipment

Current inventory

Aircraft Origin Type Variant NATO reporting name In service Notes
Transport
Antonov An-26 Soviet Union Transport An-26B-100 Curl-A 2[9] 2 in storage.[10]
Helicopters
Mil Mi-8 Soviet Union /
Ukraine		 Utility Mi-8MSB-V Hip 2+ Upgraded by the Motor Sich company.[11]
Mil Mi-14 Soviet Union Anti-submarine helicopter Mi-14PL
Mi-14PS		 Haze-A 4[9]
Kamov Ka-27 Soviet Union Anti-submarine helicopter Helix-A 4[9]
Kamov Ka-29 Soviet Union Assault transport armored helicopter Ka-29TB Helix-B 1[10]
Kamov Ka-226 Russia Light utility helicopter Hoodlum 1[9]
Westland Sea King United Kingdom Utility Sea King HU.5[12] 3[9] Donated by the UK for troop transport and search and rescue missions.[13]
Trainer aircraft
Antonov An-2 Soviet Union Utility aircraft An-2T
An-2R		 Colt 2 Used by the 10th Naval Aviation Brigade.[14]
Combat Drones
Baykar Bayraktar TB2 Turkey Umanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) 12[15] [10]

Retired aircraft

Bibliography

  • Hoyle, Craig (December 2023). World Air Forces 2024. FlightGlobal (Report). London: Flight Global Insight. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  • Wragg, David (23 February 2011). The World Air Power Guide. Casemate Publishers. ISBN 978-1-84468-784-8.
  • International Institute for Strategic Studies (1995). The Military Balance 1995-1996. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-828055-2.
  • International Institute for Strategic Studies (2004). Langton, Christopher (ed.). The Military Balance 2004/2005. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-856622-9.
  • International Institute for Strategic Studies (15 February 2023). The Military Balance 2023 (Report) (1st ed.). Routledge. ISBN 978-1032508955.

References

  1. ↑ «Aviation and Time". 1996, № 5, page 35, and Michael Holm, Red Banner Black Sea Fleet, accessed December 2012.
  2. ↑ Новини Управління Прес-служби МО Archived 2012-08-04 at archive.today
  3. ↑ "Frigate "Hetman Sahaydachniy" joins EU's operation "Atlanta"". Eu.for. 3 Jan 2014. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014.
  4. 1 2 Ripley, Tim. "Ukrainian navy decimated by Russian move into Crimea". IHS Jane's Defence Weekly. IHS Jane's. Archived from the original on 25 March 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  5. ↑ "Russian Sukhoi Fighter 'Hunts Down' A Ukrainian Mi-14 Chopper; Incident Gets Caught On Camera — Watch". www.eurasiantimes.net. 9 June 2022. Retrieved 2022-06-09.
  6. ↑ "A brave Ukrainian colonel died". www.thetimeshub.in. Retrieved 2022-06-09.
  7. ↑ "Incredible Success Of Ukraine's Bayraktar TB2: The Ghost Of Snake Island". www.navalnews.com. 18 May 2022. Retrieved 2022-06-09.
  8. ↑ "Britain sending helicopters to Ukraine for first time - Ben Wallace". BBC News. 2022-11-23. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 Hoyle 2023, p. 32.
  10. 1 2 3 4 IISS 2023, p. 203.
  11. ↑ "Ukrainian Naval Aviation received two Mi-8MSB-V helicopters". Militarnyi. 25 November 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  12. ↑ "Ukrainian Westand SeaKing helicopter. This is a machine in the search and rescue variant of the HU5, created by rebuilding the HAS.5 anti-submarine variant". Twitter (in Polish). PortalMilitarny.pl. 2023-01-21. Retrieved 2023-01-22.
  13. ↑ Jennings, Gareth. "Ukraine conflict: Surplus UK Sea Kings operating in Ukraine". Janes.com. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  14. ↑ Herk, Hans van (25 September 2020). "Overhaul of an An-2 for the Ukrainian Navy". Scramble - Dutch Aviation Society. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  15. ↑ "Trade Registers". SIPRI Arms Transfers Database. Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 IISS 1995, p. 101.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Wragg 2011, pp. 288−289.
  18. ↑ Ukraine Bomber Decommissioning and Transfer Chronology (PDF) (Report). Nuclear Threat Initiative. April 2005. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  19. 1 2 3 4 IISS 2004, p. 95.
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