15th Transport Aviation Brigade explained

Unit Name:	15th Transport Aviation Brigade
Dates:	1992 – present
Country:	Ukraine
Type:	Transport
Garrison:	Boryspil International Airport, Kyiv Oblast^[1] ^[2]
Commander1:	Colonel Dmytro Filatov
Identification Symbol Label:	Air Force Sleeve patch Left Arm
Identification Symbol 2 Label:	Roundel
Identification Symbol 3 Label:	Fin flash
Identification Symbol 4 Label:	Aviation branch insignia collar
Aircraft Helicopter Cargo:	Mi-8
Aircraft Recon:	An-30
Aircraft Transport:	An-24, An-26, Tu-134

The 15th Transport Aviation Brigade "Aircraft Designer Oleg Antonov" is a formation of the Ukrainian Air Force.^[3]

History

In 1995, the regiment received Antonov An-30B aircraft and personnel from the disbanded 86th Independent Long-Range Reconnaissance Squadron.

On February 17, 1997, the 1st ATR was reformed as the 15th Transport Aviation Brigade.

In 2001 the brigade was known as 15th Aviation Special Purpose Brigade.^[2]

In 2008, officers of the unit restored the children's aircraft modeling laboratory from scratch.

Russo-Ukrainian war

Since the spring of 2014, the unit's servicemen have taken part in the war in eastern Ukraine.^[4]

On August 22, 2018, by the Decree of the President of Ukraine, the 15th Transport Aviation Brigade was awarded the honorary title "after the aircraft designer Oleg Antonov".^[5]

Components

• 1st Transport Squadron - Antonov An-26, a single Antonov An-24 and a single Tupolev Tu-134A-3. Its tasks are the transportation of cargo, personnel and senior members of the armed forces and the state.
• 2nd Aerial Photography Squadron “Blakytna stezha” - An-30B aircraft which carry out international observation missions under the “Open Skies” Treaty, performing aerial inspections.
• 3rd Helicopter Squadron - Mil Mi-8 of various versions for transportation of high-command officers and leaders of the state.

Aircraft

• An-24^[3]
• An-26^[3]
• An-30^[3]
• Tu-134^[3]
• Mi-8^[3]

Operations

• Participated in the war in Afghanistan from 1981, and performed both standard tasks, aerial photography of the territory for mapping and special tasks: visual monitoring of Mujahideen groups, vectoring of combat aircraft on weapon caravans and assistance in SAR operations.
• Brigade was involved in response Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster.
• Supported Ukrainian operations in UN missions in the former Yugoslavia, Iraq), and Africa (Angola, Sierra Leone.
• Brigade have actively participated in anti-terrorist operations in East Ukraine.
• International observation missions under the “Open Skies” Treaty, performing aerial inspections.

Accidents

• On June 6, 2014, An-30B, airframe number 80, was shot down by Russian separatists over Slavyansk, Donetsk Oblast.^[6]
• On March 20, 2017, 38-year-old warrant officer of the 15th brigade Ruslan Bondar died near Novotroitske, Donetsk region.^[7]

References

• Book: Karpov , Victor V. . Tabachnyk, Dmytro V. . Ukrainian Military Symbols . Lybid . 2006 . Kyiv . 180 . 966-06-0453-X .

50.3547°N 30.9117°W

Notes and References

1. Air Force
2. Ukrainian Armed forces on January 1, 2001
3. News: Yuri . Ihnat . In Ukrainian Airforce . People's Army . ElVisti . . Ukrainian . 2008-07-31 . 2008-08-22 .
4. Web site: Відкриття пам'ятника загиблим членам екіпажу АН-30 . 2021-08-20 . 2015-07-23 . https://archive.today/20150723135314/http://www.borispol.org.ua/blog/otkrytie_pamjatnika_pogibshim_chlenam_ehkipazha_an_30/2015-06-15-10 . dead .
5. http://uprom.info/spec-news/newarmy/viyskova-chastina-otrimala-im-ya-aviakonstruktora-olega-antonova/ Бригада транспортної авіації Збройних сил України отримала ім'я авіаконструктора
6. Web site: Ukrainian Armed Forces An-30B Carries Out Open Skies Treaty Observation Flights over Southern Italy. 27 September 2019.
7. http://www.5.ua/regiony/dorobliu-141530.html Якраз збирався одружитися