114th Tactical Aviation Brigade (Ukraine)

The 114th Tactical Aviation Brigade (114 BrTA'', military unit A1349) is a military unit of the Ukrainian Air Force.

114th Tactical Aviation Brigade
Active1992 – present
Country Ukraine
Branch Ukrainian Air Force
TypeTactical Aviation
SizeBrigade
Part ofPvK "Zachid"
Garrison/HQIvano-Frankivsk
Decorations
For Courage and Bravery
Commanders
Current
commander		Evgeniy Kadymovych Karzhau
Aircraft flown
FighterMiG-29
TrainerL-39

The brigade is composed of fighter aircraft - MiG-29 fighters.

According to the organizational and personnel structure, the brigade is under the command of the Air Command "West".

History
Line-up of personnel of 114 BRTA

January 21 (June)[1] In 1991, the 114th Tallinn Red Banner Fighter Aviation Regiment of the Soviet Air Force was withdrawn from the city of Milovice (Czechoslovakia), where it was part of the Central Group of Forces. The regiment was armed with MiG-29 fighters. At that time, the 145th Fighter Aviation Regiment, also armed with MiG-29s, was based in Ivano-Frankivsk.

The personnel of the regiment swore allegiance to Ukraine on January 19, 1992.[2]

In accordance with the directive of the Minister of Defense dated December 2, 2002, the 114th Fighter Aviation Regiment was merged with support units, resulting in the formation of a tactical aviation brigade.[2]

Since December 1, 2005, the fighter aviation brigade has been on combat duty for the first time with the Ukrainian Air Defence Forces.[3]

The flight crew is engaged in planned flight activities, and has repeatedly successfully performed flight tasks, flight-tactical exercises at Ivano-Frankivsk, Saky, Belbek, Lymanske, Lutsk, and Ozerne airfields.

In 2006, for the first time since 1993, the flight and tactical training of the aviation squadron was conducted, and finally, the aviation brigade participated in the command and staff training of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine "Clear Sky". During these exercises, Major Serhiy Golubtsov made a training and combat sortie and forced a conditional violator of the state border to land at a designated airfield.

From March 12 to April 7, 2007, at the base of the fighter aviation brigade, a flight training session was held with the fighter aircraft of the United Rapid Response Forces of the Ukrainian Air Force in order to prepare for the class of fighter aircraft of the Air Force of the Ukrainian Air Force on MiG-29 aircraft for complex types of flight training.

In April 2007, the flight crew successfully completed the task of meeting with the aviation flight crew of the Ukrainian Air Force on ground targets.[4]

On August 24, 2009, the aircraft of the 114th Brigade participated in the aviation part of the Independence Day Parade in Kyiv.

In connection with the holding of UEFA Euro 2012, the MiG-29 (b/n 55) was on combat duty to cover the airspace of Ukraine during the football tournament.

In the second half of 2012, the MiG-29 (b/n 55) together with its "brother" MiG-29 (b/n 54) were repainted in blue-yellow camouflage colors and became the so-called "pseudo-Sokols." The planes were painted in these colors for a demonstration flight over the Hostomel Airport during the Aviasvit-XXI exhibition.[5]

Russo-Ukrainian War
Main article: Russo-Ukrainian War

Since the beginning of the Russo-Ukrainian War in 2014, the entire personnel of the unit has been on combat duty. In the summer of 2014, a consolidated group was formed, which participated in combat sorties to strike at militant columns.[6]

For a search zone flight, a typical load of the MiG-29 consisted of two outboard fuel tanks, two units of unguided C8 rockets, and sometimes, if the fuel supply allowed, a pair of RBC bomb cartridges. The first sorties of MiG-29s to isolate the area of hostilities were marked on August 5. In the Donetsk region, the search zones were designated in Yenakiieve, Shakhtarsk, and Amvrosiivka districts, and in Luhansk - around Luhansk.[7]

To ensure an almost continuous presence in the search areas, the MiG-29 flew up to three sorties per day for each side (although not every day).[7]

Despite this, the terrorists shot down the first MiG-29 (b/n 02) already on August 7. Its pilot, not understanding the situation, made an approach to the checkpoint of the DPR forces and was hit by a MANPADS as a result. But there is still no accurate data about the MiG-29 (b/n 53) shot down on August 17 near Luhansk.[8] According to some data, this was the last sortie of the "twenty-ninth" to isolate the area of hostilities. The risk of losing aircraft from air defense means, as well as, most likely, the failure of equipment caused by intensive operation, forced the military leadership to stop attempts to perform tasks in the isolation of combat areas. In total, at least five MiG-29s were involved for these purposes - not only from the 114th but also possibly from other aviation brigades.

Airmen decorated for combat actions include:

  • Lieutenant Colonel Mykola Mykolayovych Hayovchyk
  • Colonel Dmytro Oleksandrovich Makarov
  • Major Yakushevsky Oleksiy Viktorovych

On March 16, 2017, senior ensign Denega Vadym Vasyliovych tragically died in the area of the city of Sloviansk.[9] On November 3, 2017, Nesterenko Anatoliyovych Valery died of a sudden heart attack.[10]

On May 16, 2019, ensign Jus Vasyl Bogdanovych died during a two-sided battle from a fatal wound as a result of mortar shelling of the combat positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces by terrorists near the village of Vodiane, Volnovakha Raion. On February 24, 2022, Vasyl Volodymyrovych Khmelnytskyi (March 30, 1980 – February 24, 2022) was killed as a result of a missile attack by a military unit.

Modernization

On June 24, 2012, the MiG-29MU1 (b/n) modernized at the Lviv State Aviation Repair Plant went to the 114th brigade.[11]

On April 10, 2014, the 114th brigade received a repaired MiG-29 fighter (b/n 10).[12]

On January 5, 2015, at the Ozerne airfield, President Poroshenko handed over 2 LDARZ repaired aircraft, MiG-29 (b/n 57) and MiG-29UB (b/n 86) to the Air Force for the 114th Tactical Aviation Brigade.[13]

On December 30, 2015, the Lviv State Aviation Repair Plant handed over the overhauled MiG-29 fighter (b/n 71) to the 114th Tactical Aviation Brigade.[14]

On March 29, 2016, the 114th Tactical Aviation Brigade received 4 MiG-29 front-line fighters (b/n 72, b/n 73, b/n 75, b/n 76) restored by the Lviv Aviation Repair Plant and 2 combat training aircraft L- 39 (b/n 72, b/n 123) restored by the Odesa Aviation Repair Plant.[15]

Structure
  • Management (including headquarters)
  • 1st aviation squadron
  • 2nd aviation squadron
  • Aviation TECH
  • Battalion of communication and radio technical support:
    • Information and telecommunications node
  • Airfield maintenance battalion:
    • Technical company
    • Airfield operating company
    • Gas supply group
  • Company of material support
  • 128 guard company
  • Fire platoon
  • Medical center
  • Automobile CURRENT

[16]

Commanders
  • Colonel Valentin Leonidovych Matyushenko (1988–1993);
  • Colonel Bohdan Stepanovych Spodarko (1993–1995);
  • Colonel Bastron Georgy Yehorovych (1995–1999);
  • Colonel Petro Vasyliovych Granat (1999–2000);
  • Colonel Serhiy Semenovych Drozdov (2000–2002);
  • Lieutenant Colonel Vyacheslav Volodymyrovych Gromov (2002–2003);
  • Colonel Oleksandr Oleksandrovych Kuharenko (2003–2006);
  • Colonel Anatoly Mykolayovych Kryvonozhko (2006–2008);
  • Colonel Serhiy Georgiyovych Bykhovets (2008 – November 17, 2011);
  • Colonel Serhiy Mykolayovych Golubtsov (2011–2015);[17]
  • Colonel Yury Viktorovych Pohorilyy (2015–2018);[18]
  • Colonel Evgeniy Kadymovych Karzhau (since 2018)[19]

Traditions

On June 5, 2009, the brigade received the honorary name – the 114th Ivano-Frankivsk Tallinn Order of the Red Banner Tactical Aviation Brigade.

Since November 18, 2015, as part of the joint military reform, the honorary titles and awards of the Soviet period were removed. The brigade was renamed the 114th Tactical Aviation Brigade.

On August 24, 2022, the brigade was awarded the honorary award "For Courage and Bravery".[20]

Notes
  1. "114th Tallinskiy Red Banner Fighter Aviation Regiment". Archived from the original on 13 February 2013. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  2. "Летюча бригада з «Діброви». Як у Франківську з'явився 114 полк тактичної авіації (ФОТО)". Archived from the original on 7 December 2019. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
  3. Історична довідка 114-ї бригади Archived 2020-01-05 at the Wayback Machine на http://www.zvitiaga.org/ Archived 2020-02-22 at the Wayback Machine
  4. "Архівована копія". Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  5. "Історія одного літака: МіГ-29 б/н 55". MilitaryAviation.in.UA (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 30 November 2020. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
  6. Прикарпатська авіабригада отримала 6 бойових літаків Archived 2020-02-28 at the Wayback Machine на http://www.5.ua/ Archived 2020-02-25 at the Wayback Machine
  7. "У зоні АТО було збито два прикарпатські винищувачі". Archived from the original on 28 February 2020. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  8. "Архівована копія". Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  9. "Книга пам'яті". Archived from the original on 17 February 2019. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  10. "У Франківську прощаються з Валерієм Нестеренком". Archived from the original on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  11. "Су-25, МіГ-29 та L-39 з українським обличчям". Archived from the original on 14 March 2018. Retrieved 2021-02-16.
  12. "Введено в бойовий стрій винищувачі МіГ-29" (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  13. Novosti, R. I. A. (2015-01-08). "С барского плеча. Порошенко и военная техника Украины войскам Украины". РИА Новости Украина (in Russian). Archived from the original on 19 February 2022. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  14. "МіГ-29 б/н 71 «білий» Повітряних Сил ЗСУ". Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 2021-02-16.
  15. "Генеральний штаб ЗСУ / General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine". www.facebook.com (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2021-02-17.
  16. Військова частина А 1349 Archived 2020-02-28 at the Wayback Machine на http://clarity-project.info/ Archived 2022-03-03 at the Wayback Machine
  17. Командир 114-ї бригади тактичної авіації полковник Сергій Биховець склав свої повноваження Archived 2018-12-14 at the Wayback Machine на http://www.firtka.if.ua/ Archived 2020-02-27 at the Wayback Machine
  18. "Про нагородження грошовими преміями військовослужбовців військової частини А1349". Archived from the original on 28 February 2020. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  19. "Командування Повітряних Сил ЗСУ / Air Force Command of UA Armed Forces". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2019-02-08.
  20. Decree of the President of Ukraine from 24 серпня 2022 year № 608/2022 «Про відзначення почесною відзнакою "За мужність та відвагу"» (in Ukrainian)
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