Air Forces of the National People's Army explained

Unit Name:Air Forces of the National People's Army
Native Name:German: Luftstreitkräfte der Nationalen Volksarmee
Dates:1 March 1956 – 2 October 1990
Type:Air force
Role:Aerial warfare
Size:44,000 personnel, 800 combat aircraft (1989)
Aircraft Attack:Su-22
Aircraft Fighter:MiG-15, MiG-21, MiG-23, MiG-29
Aircraft Helicopter:Mi-2, Mi-8, Mi-14
Aircraft Helicopter Attack:Mi-24
Aircraft Trainer:L-29, L-39
Aircraft Transport:Il-62, An-2, An-26, Tu-134, Tu-154

The Air Forces of the National People's Army (German: Luftstreitkräfte der Nationalen Volksarmee; LSK) was the Air Force of East Germany. As with the German: [[Land Forces of the National People's Army|Landstreitkräfte]], the German: [[Volksmarine]], and the Border Troops, it was a military branch of the National People's Army (NVA).

At the end of November 1953, a reorganisation of air units saw air units transferred from the Ministry of the Interior directly to the Deputy Minister and Chief of the People's Police. The air regiments were reorganized into the Aero Club 1 (Cottbus), 2 (Drewitz) and 3 (Bautzen), which in turn were divided into two sections. Starting in 1954, additional Z-126 and M-1D from Czechoslovakian production were made available.[1]

On 1 March 1956 the air force was officially established as part of the National People's Army, following the GDR's entry into the Warsaw Pact alliance. Initially the air force (LSK), with its headquarters at Cottbus, was separate from the German: Luftverteidigung (Air Defence, headquartered at Strausberg. It was intended to establish three fighter divisions, an attack aircraft division and an anti-aircraft division. However, eventually only the 1st and 3rd Aviation Divisions and the 1st Flak-Division were created.[2] On 1 June 1957 there was a merger of the two administrations in Strausberg, and the new headquarters was renamed the German: [[Kommando LSK/LV]].

The name Luftstreitkräfte applied originally to the air corps of the German Empire between 1910 and the end of World War I in 1918. However, the West German Air Force adopted the name 'German: Luftwaffe' as used by the Nazi-era air force from 1935 to the end of World War II.

Organization

German: Kommando Luftstreitkraefte/Luftverteidigung (Kdo LSK/LV)

A number of military units and formations were under direct control of the German: [[Kommando LSK/LV]], the Air Force Staff, and the Air Force Command of the NPA, with its HQ in Strausberg.

1st Air Defence Division (1st LVD)

The 1st German: Luftverteidigungsdivision (en: Air Defence Division), with its HQ in Cottbus, was in charge to provide air defence throughout the southern territory of the GDR. The following units were subordinated to that particular division:

3rd Air Defence Division (3rd LVD)

The 3rd German: Luftverteidigungsdivision, with its HQ in Trollenhagen, was in charge to provide air defence throughout the northern territory of the GDR. The following units were subordinated to that particular division:

FO FMTFK

All fighter-bomber aircraft, transport aircraft, reconnaissance aircraft and transport helicopters were under the control of the FO FMTFK (roughly translates into: "Lead unit of the Frontal and Military air units", German: Führungsorgan der Front- und Militärtransportfliegerkräfte). The following units were part of the FO FMTFK:

Offiziershochschule für Militärflieger

The Offiziershochschule für Militärflieger (OHS MF) with its headquarters at Bautzen was the command responsible for providing training, it had the following assigned units:

Insignia

A diamond-shaped symbol identified LSK aircraftdivided into vertical black, red, and gold stripes corresponding to the horizontal fesses or bars on the GDR state flag. The centre of the diamond portrayed the GDR coat of arms: a hammer and compass surrounded by a wreath of yellow grain. The symbol differentiated the German: Luftstreitkräfte from the West German German: Luftwaffe, which displayed a stylised Iron Cross similar to the emblem on German aircraft during World War I.

Uniforms

See also: Ranks of the National People's Army. The uniforms of the two German air forces were also different: following an older German tradition, LSK/LV uniforms were the same stone gray worn by army personnel, modified by distinctive blue insignia (similar in style, but not colour, to World War II German: Luftwaffe ranks) and piping. West German uniforms, on the other hand, were blue with yellow insignia and more closely modelled on those worn by German: Luftwaffe personnel during World War II.

Aircraft

Starting in 1953, East Germany received An-2, La-9, Yak-11, and Yak-18 aircraft and the MiG-15bis/UTI, MiG-17/Lim-5P, An-14A, Il-14P, MiG-9, MiG-19, Il-28, Mi-4, and Ka-26 in 1956 which were provided by the Soviet Union. The first MiG-21s were delivered in 1962. The 1970s saw the introduction of the MiG-23, while Su-22 fighter-bombers were delivered in the 1980s. The latest addition was the MiG-29 in 1988. The inventory also included Soviet-built helicopters along with trainers and other light aircraft manufactured in the Soviet Union.

The East German Air Force was unique among Warsaw Pact countries in that it was often equipped with the most advanced Soviet fighters, instead of downgraded export models. As an extension of the Soviet 16th Air Army deployed in East Germany, the German: Luftstreitkräfte was expected to play a front-line role in any war with NATO. As a result, it was under closer Soviet control than the air forces of other Warsaw Pact states.

After German reunification in 1990, the German: Luftwaffe assumed control over German: Luftstreitkräfte equipment and enlisted some of its personnel. Many of the GDR's military aircraft were obsolete or incompatible with NATO technical standards, and were sold to other countries. However, the German: Luftwaffe did retain the MiG-29 in both air defense and aggressor roles because of its excellent capabilities.

LSK/LV equipment

Equipment of the LSK/LV in 1989:

CategoryEquipmentCountry of originNumberNote
Fighter aircraft/trainersMiG-21F-13/PF/PFM/MF/bis/SPS/U/UM/US227The breakdown includes 87 MiG-21Ms, 62 MiG-21MFs, and 14 MiG-21bis75A, 27 MiG-21bis75B, 37 MiG-21UM.
MiG-23MF/ML/UB43The breakdown includes 32 MiG-23ML, and 11 MiG-23UB.
MiG-23 BN22Although deployed as a fighter-bomber, it was capable of flying at Mach 2 compared to the Soviet MiG-27.
MiG-29A/UB24The breakdown is 20 MiG-29A (9.12A) and 4 MiG-29UB.until 2004. Then 22 sold on to Poland for one symbolic Euro.[3]
Su-22M4/UM3K54The breakdown is 48 Su-22M4s and 8 Su-22UM3Ks.
L-39ZO/V54The breakdown is 52 L-39ZO and 2 L-39V.
L-2951
Transport aircraftAn-2
18
An-26ST/SM/M12The breakdown includes one SM type with electronic warfare specifications, one M type with air surveillance specifications, and 10 ST types with troop transport specifications.
Il-62M/MK3until 1993.The breakdown is two M-type aircraft and one MK-type aircraft.
Tu-134A/AK3until 1992.The breakdown is two A-type aircraft and one AK-type aircraft.
Tu-154M2until 1997
L-41012until 2000
Z-4312 
HelicoptersMi-2S25 
Mi-8T/TB/TBK/PS/BT・Mi-9144until 1997.The breakdown includes 6 radio relay type Mi-9s, 14 mine-laying M-8BTs, 5 Mi-8Ts, 10 Mi-8TBs, 50 Mi-8TPSs, and Mi-8TVKs. There are 50 aircraft.
Mi-24D/P54until 1993.The breakdown is 42 D-type aircraft and 12 P-type aircraft.
Mi-14PL14 
Surface-to-air missilesS-75 Dvina48 
S-75 Volchov174 
S-125 Neva/Pechora40 
S-200 Vega24 
S-30012 

Equipment before 1989

External links

Notes and References

  1. "Administration of the Aero Club (Federal Archive)
  2. Book: Engelhardt, Heinrich . NVA Luftstreitkräfte/Luftverteidigung . Klaus . Naumann . NVA: expectations and reality according to selected documents mediator . Berlin / Bonn /... Herford . 1993 . 3-8132-0430-8.
  3. Book: Bernd . Lemke . Dieter . Krüger . Heinz . Rebhan . Wolfgang . Schmidt . Die Luftwaffe 1950 bis 1970. Konzeption, Aufbau, Integration . de . The Air Force from 1950 to 1970. Conception, construction, integration . Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag . Munich . 2006 . 3-486-57973-8 . 833.

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