Airborne troops to form backbone of future Russian rapid reaction forces

[Zarvan]

08 June 2015

Airborne troops will be used to form the backbone of new Russian rapid reaction forces in the coming years, according to Russian airborne forces (VDV) commander Colonel General Vladimir Shamanov.

"There is a plan to create Russian rapid reaction forces based on the VDV. The new forces are supposed to be able to maintain operations both as a self-sufficient unit and as a part of the land force on a separate attack axis," Col Gen Shamanov told official news agency TASS on 4 June.

He did not provide a target date for the plans to come to fruition, but did note than the intention was for approximately 80% of the bolstered airborne forces to be professional soldiers rather than conscripts.

Airborne troops to form backbone of future Russian rapid reaction forces - IHS Jane's 360

 

[truthseeker2010]

they already have plans to increase airborne forces from current 35,000 to 72000. But do they have the airlift capability with the air force to transport them, they do have decent number of il-76 and an-12, but doubling the force, even the us is cutting down airborne forces(from 49000 to 35000) , despite their airlift capability is in the class of their own.
@jhungary @vostok

 

[jhungary]

they already have plans to increase airborne forces from current 35,000 to 72000. But do they have the airlift capability with the air force to transport them, they do have decent number of il-76 and an-12, but doubling the force, even the us is cutting down airborne forces(from 49000 to 35000) , despite their airlift capability is in the class of their own.
@jhungary @vostok

As I said in another thread, US Doctrine called for a single Airborne jump for all US Airborne unit. And for that to happen, they need a combination of 400 C-17, C-5 and C-130. That is for 49,000 Deployable Airborne troop

Russia have no where near the number of Strategic Airlifter (About 140 Large Transport such as AN-22 or AN-124) and some 100 smaller transports)

But that is not the main problem for VDV, the main problem is Russian Air Force could not establish Air Supremacy in theatre when up against US/NATO forces. or maybe even the Chinese (I do think Russia can gain Area Air Superiority with the Chinese), Which made up all the Neighbour Russia have in the region. It would be quite a hazard if Russia decided to go for a Divisional (12,000 troop) or even Brigade (4,500 troop) Jump as traditional wisdom suggest a Brigade size jump without Air Supremacy will have a 30-45% attrition rate and about 55% attrition rate for a divisional jump.

When you combine the fact that Russia can not efficiently support one Airborne division, the goal for a 75,000 Airborne force seems surreal. Maybe that 75,000 mean soldier that undergone Airborne Training instead? Or as we trooper say "Airborne Tabbed"? Because the US have about 150,000 soldier airborne qualified of those, 49,000 are deployed in Airborne posting.

And by the way, where did you heard the US Airborne Command is going down to 35,000? They just trimmed to 49,000 2 years ago..

 

[GR!FF!N]

Russia always had a massive airborne forces..During 2nd World War,it rose to nearly a million forces.

 

[truthseeker2010]

As I said in another thread, US Doctrine called for a single Airborne jump for all US Airborne unit. And for that to happen, they need a combination of 400 C-17, C-5 and C-130. That is for 49,000 Deployable Airborne troop

Russia have no where near the number of Strategic Airlifter (About 140 Large Transport such as AN-22 or AN-124) and some 100 smaller transports)

But that is not the main problem for VDV, the main problem is Russian Air Force could not establish Air Supremacy in theatre when up against US/NATO forces. or maybe even the Chinese (I do think Russia can gain Area Air Superiority with the Chinese), Which made up all the Neighbour Russia have in the region. It would be quite a hazard if Russia decided to go for a Divisional (12,000 troop) or even Brigade (4,500 troop) Jump as traditional wisdom suggest a Brigade size jump without Air Supremacy will have a 30-45% attrition rate and about 55% attrition rate for a divisional jump.

When you combine the fact that Russia can not efficiently support one Airborne division, the goal for a 75,000 Airborne force seems surreal. Maybe that 75,000 mean soldier that undergone Airborne Training instead? Or as we trooper say "Airborne Tabbed"? Because the US have about 150,000 soldier airborne qualified of those, 49,000 are deployed in Airborne posting.

And by the way, where did you heard the US Airborne Command is going down to 35,000? They just trimmed to 49,000 2 years ago..

82nd Airborne Division To Lose Famed 'Airborne' Status
Army Dropping Number of Paratrooper Units | Military.com

Sir the cap is at 49000, but currently there 8 BCT's (3 air assualt and 5 airborne) so with 4413 troops in each infantry bct, it comes at around 35000 troops. I might be wrong, so sorry in advance.

 

[jhungary]

82nd Airborne Division To Lose Famed 'Airborne' Status
Army Dropping Number of Paratrooper Units | Military.com

Sir the cap is at 49000, but currently there 8 BCT's (3 air assualt and 5 airborne) so with 4413 troops in each infantry bct, it comes at around 35000 troops. I might be wrong, so sorry in advance.

Well, that was the rumor happened in 2014, it blew past 2015.

82nd did not lose their jump status nor their jump training, however, the only news I can find in civilian source was the sad news of 2 trooper died during training jump with the 82nd in April 2015

18th Airborne Corps suspends jumps following death - Fayetteville Observer: Military & Fort Bragg News

US Army currently have 7 BCT plus special troop (Psy Op and Special Recon) and special force unit made up the 49,000 Airborne number

Airborne BCT included

1 BCT 82nd Airborne Division
2 BCT 82nd Airborne Division
3 BCT 82nd Airborne Division
4 BCT 82nd Airborne Division
4 BCT 25th Infantry Division
20th Engineering BCT
173 Airborne BCT

Special Force and Special Troop Included

HQ - XVIII Airborne Corp
US Army SOCOM
75th Ranger Regiment
4th Psy Op Group
8th Psy Op Group
4 LRSC (Long Range Surveillance Companies)
2 Pathfinder Companies

All that make up the 49,000 number