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Tank forces Armed Forces The Russian Federation is a branch of the armed forces in the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the main striking force of the Ground Forces and a powerful means of armed warfare, designed to solve the most important tasks in various types of combat operations. The basis of the tank forces are tank brigades and tank battalions of motorized rifle brigades, which have great resistance to the damaging effects of nuclear weapons, firepower, high mobility and maneuverability. They are able to make fullest use of the results of fire (nuclear) destruction of the enemy and in a short time achieve the final goals of the battle and operation.

Just as medieval knights protected themselves from arrows and blows from sabers, swords, pikes and other bladed weapons with various kinds of iron armor and chain mail and had a covering shield in battle, at the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th centuries the idea of ​​​​creating a machine that would cover the crew with armor arose from rifle and machine gun fire and shell fragments and at the same time would have weapons to engage enemy fire. This idea was embodied in an armored tracked vehicle - a tank capable of not only protecting the crew from rifle and machine-gun fire and shell fragments, but also hitting the opposing enemy with its fire, moving off roads, overcoming wire fences, trenches and other obstacles on the battlefield.

The tank was a new type of military equipment and a means of combat during the machine period of the war. It was possible to create such a machine only with high level the development of science, certain technical capabilities and the presence of powerful industry, mainly mechanical engineering. The invention and construction of the tank became possible with the presence of an engine internal combustion, tracked propulsion, weapons and armor, and also thanks to the enormous work of scientists, engineers and technicians from many countries, and above all Russian specialists.

The idea of ​​​​creating a combat vehicle that combines weapons, protection of soldiers and mobility has its roots in extreme antiquity. IN historical research There are descriptions of battle carts, which were intended to protect armed soldiers when attacking enemy troops. Battle wagons are similar in concept to the vehicle that is now called a tank. But the tank arose on a different basis and in a different era - in the era of the machine period of war, the mechanical engine, armor and firearms.

The invention of the tank is based on modern technology, and primarily cars and tractors, which are the closest predecessors of the tank. It is no coincidence that inventors tried to use them to create a combat vehicle protected by armor. Many projects are known, but they could not be implemented due to weak technical base. Only after the invention of the internal combustion engine and tracked propulsion was it possible to implement these projects, and the First World War was a powerful impetus for the creation of the tank.

One of the first creators of the project for a combat tracked vehicle, later called a tank, is engineer V. D. Mendeleev, the youngest son of the famous Russian scientist D. I. Mendeleev. According to his design, the tank was supposed to weigh about 170 tons, have a 120 mm cannon, a machine gun and armor up to 150 mm. It was a bold project for that time, which in some respects is close to modern tanks. Of course, too much weight would require the installation of a very powerful engine, and the tank itself would have little maneuverability. At the same time, the idea of ​​​​creating such a powerful machine was quite worthy of attention. However, in Russia, due to poorly developed industry, such a tank could not be built.

In 1914, shortly after the outbreak of the First World War, Russian inventor A. A. Porokhovshchikov presented a design for a tracked armored vehicle, which he called an all-terrain vehicle. During testing, the all-terrain vehicle easily walked through deep sand at a speed of about 25 versts per hour, and the vehicle overcame all the potholes and uneven spots on the way easily, without slowing down. True, it was tested without weapons. However, later it was planned to install a rotating turret with a machine gun on the all-terrain vehicle. Thus, the vehicle built by A. A. Porokhovshchikov had all the basic elements of a modern tank and showed good qualities during testing. However, work to improve the prototype was stopped.

And in 1915, designer P.P. Lebedenko built a three-wheeled car of a very original design. Famous Russian scientists N.E. participated in the creation of this unique tank. Zhukovsky and B.S. Stechkin. The tank had two engines, weighed 49 tons and, according to calculations, was supposed to move at a speed of 4 km/h. It, of course, bore little resemblance to a modern tank, but the creation of such a vehicle finally predetermined the future ways of building tanks using tracked propulsion.

At the direction of the Soviet government, the creation of armored automobile detachments began in 1918. Armored detachments and armored trains, being the predecessors of tank forces, played an important role in the fight against foreign military intervention and in the civil war of 1918-1920. Armored trains and armored cars were successfully used on all fronts of the civil war. The presence of armored units not only enhanced the power of rifle and cavalry formations, but also had a positive effect on their morale. Tank designs were also developed in other design bureaus. In 1920, a competition was held in which the first prize was awarded to the design of an amphibious tank armed with a 76-mm cannon. The second competition took place in 1922. It examined seven projects of Soviet tanks of various types. Thus, the Soviet state, in conditions of devastation, famine, and a severe civil war, created tanks that tsarist Russia could not even dream of.

Already in 1920, conditions arose that made it possible to begin the formation of tank detachments. The first staff of the tank detachment was approved by order of the Revolutionary Military Council on May 28, 1920. The detachment included three tanks, several cars, motorcycles and a train. The presence of rolling stock made it possible to move tanks to the desired direction faster and without wasting motor resources. In addition, the technical capabilities of tanks, which could not yet make long marches, were also taken into account.

In 1929 it was created Central Administration mechanization and motorization of the Red Army. Tanks became part of the mechanized forces. In 1930, the 1st Mechanized Brigade had a tank regiment consisting of 110 tanks. As of 1932, the 1st Mechanized Corps had over 500 tanks.

The creation of mechanized and tank units marked the beginning of a new branch of troops, which received the name of armored forces. The Central Directorate of Mechanization and Motorization in 1937 was renamed the Automotive and Armored Directorate. By the end of 1937, the Red Army already had 4 tank corps, 24 separate light and 4 heavy tank brigades.

In December 1942, the armored forces began to be called armored and mechanized forces. The Office of the Commander of Armored and Mechanized Forces was formed and the position of Commander of Armored and Mechanized Forces was introduced.

In 1953, the position of chief of armored forces was introduced. The Soviet Army had up to 60,000 T-54/55 tanks in service; they formed the backbone of the Soviet Army and were part of the armored strategy. The creation of the T-55 made it possible to conduct fighting in a nuclear war.

According to information from the USSR Ministry of Defense, as of January 1, 1990, there were 63,900 tanks, 76,520 infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers in service. In the period 1955-1991. Soviet tank forces were the strongest in the world.

IN modern form tank troops are the main impact force Ground forces and a powerful tool armed struggle, designed to solve the most important tasks in various types of combat operations. Further development and increasing the combat capabilities of tank forces is carried out mainly by equipping them with more advanced types of tanks, which optimally combine such important combat properties as high firepower, maneuverability and reliable protection.

On the second Sunday of September, Russia celebrates Tankman's Day to commemorate the great merits of armored and mechanized forces in defeating the enemy during the Great Patriotic War, as well as for the merits of tank builders in equipping the country's Armed Forces with armored vehicles.

Well, in order to properly congratulate a real tanker, you need to give him a pleasant and worthy gift. And on this occasion, we offer you to drink flag tank troops in our online store, which, by the way, also widely presents tank troops paraphernalia. You will be pleasantly surprised not only by the low prices and excellent quality of the goods along with fast delivery. Don't know what to please your tanker? You can make him “modest, but very useful gift": buy a mug or flask on this theme.

From the very beginning of the Second World War, tanks became the main striking force of the ground forces of literally all warring parties. The Germans were the first to effectively use tanks based on advanced tactics, “bringing them to their knees” in a fantastically short time. Western Europe and almost defeating the Soviet Union.

From the moment he came to power, Adolf Hitler was obsessed with the idea of ​​​​revising the decisions of the Treaty of Versailles. Realizing that neither England nor France would agree to this peacefully, Germany immediately began preparations for war. In a very short time, the Germans managed to create a fairly powerful military industry, capable of producing almost all types of weapons for the Luftwaffe - air force, Kriegsmarine - navy and ground forces of the Wehrmacht.

The reform of the army was carried out at a very rapid pace in all areas, so that the Germans were not immediately able to achieve qualitative changes for the better in everything. But if we talk about tanks, then almost everything was done at once - testing, adoption, elimination of deficiencies, development of instructions for use, exercises, organization of repair work, and so on. What took England and France two decades to achieve, without much success, took Germany only 5 years; it was during this period that combat-ready tank forces using advanced tactics were created. Similar rates were demonstrated only in the USSR, but little was known about this in Europe.

At the end of the 30s, the strategic doctrine of Germany was the theory of “lightning war” blitzkrieg. The war was supposed to be waged at an exceptionally high pace and ended victoriously in the shortest possible time. The point, of course, was not that German strategists were “too lazy” to fight for a long time, but that Germany had neither the strength nor the means to conduct a long, sometimes positional military campaign. The then state of the German economy did not make it possible to provide the army with the necessary amount of weapons, ammunition and equipment for a long time, at least more than 6 months. So the blitzkrieg strategy was as attractive as it was dangerous.

According to this doctrine, the decisive role was assigned to tank forces and aviation, used in close cooperation with each other. The tank units were supposed to cut the enemy army into several parts isolated from one another, which were then supposed to be destroyed by aviation, artillery and motorized infantry. The tanks had to conquer all important control centers of the enemy side as quickly as possible, preventing the emergence of serious resistance.

The theory was indeed impressive, but the failure of the first strike, delivered by all available forces, programmed the transition to a protracted war unacceptable for Germany. The element of adventurism contained in the “blitzkrieg” greatly embarrassed the German Minister of War, Field Marshal von Blomberg, and the Commander-in-Chief of the ground forces, Colonel General von Fritsch. Hitler was infuriated by the warnings of these honored military leaders, who enjoyed great authority among the troops.

Back in 1937, von Fritsch, at one of the meetings with the Fuhrer, expressed his disagreement with his plans to conquer “living space,” and von Blomberg at the beginning of 1938 presented the Fuhrer a report in which he argued that “Germany is not in danger of being attacked by anyone.” sides." Many generals and officers of the Wehrmacht listened to the opinion of senior military leaders.

Not wanting to tolerate “the opposition in his ranks,” Hitler solved this problem very “elegantly.” Baron von Fritsch was accused of homosexuality, which was considered a criminal offense in Germany, and was removed from office. The accusation was completely untrue, especially since the witness who gave false testimony against the Colonel General was very quickly executed, but the job was done. The officer's court of honor acquitted von Fritsch for lack of proof of guilt, but Hitler, of course, did not want to reinstate him, giving him command of the 12th Artillery Regiment, which was another humiliation for a military man of such a high rank. Commanding this regiment, Colonel General von Fritsch died in September 1939 near Warsaw. According to eyewitnesses, the baron himself sought death on the front line and, when a shrapnel broke his femoral artery, he forbade him to bandage the wound and bled to death.

In relation to von Blomberg, an even more sophisticated method was chosen - he, a 60-year-old father of already adult children, was “accidentally” introduced to a very beautiful and seductive girl of 24 years old. The Field Marshal General fell in love with her and, as an “honest man,” got married. Moreover, Hitler fully approved of the marriage and even, together with Goering, was a witness at the ceremony. True, immediately after the wedding it turned out that the newlywed was in the recent past a prostitute involved in several thefts. As a result of the ensuing scandal, von Blomberg was forced to resign and emigrate.

So on February 4, 1938, Adolf Hitler took over as Supreme Commander of the German Armed Forces. Now no one was “getting in the way” of the Fuhrer, obsessed with his aggressive plans. The German generals, judging by the memoirs of military leaders, were hurt and shocked by the events that took place, but did not dare to protest. No one even resigned did not consider it possible to take advantage of this in the classic way expressions by officers of all armies of their categorical disagreement with their superiors. Thus the highest German leadership firmly linked its collective destiny with the personal destiny of Adolf Hitler. However, despite the absence of open discontent on the part of the generals, the Fuhrer never changed his suspicious attitude towards them, which he retained both in times of great victories and in times of severe defeats. However, it was still far from defeat, but for now the Wehrmacht, led by the Fuhrer, went from victory to victory. At first, these victories were bloodless: thus, the Anschluss and the annexation of Austria were carried out without a single shot. And it was precisely in this “joining” campaign that the Fuhrer wished to see German armored forces. General Guderian led the 2nd Panzer Division on a 700-kilometer march. To the surprise of the “father of German tanks,” the campaign went quite successfully; on such a long route, only 30% of the combat vehicles broke down, most of which, however, managed to “get into service” for the parade that took place on March 15 in Vienna.

Guderian's old enemy, Colonel General von Bock, hastened to attack the “young” armored forces, accusing them of general technical unreliability and inability to make long marches. Fedor von Bock was not alone in his criticism, but the Fuhrer, as well as Guderian, was not impressed.

In 1938, the basis of German armor tank forces were Pz. I and Pz. II (short for PanzerKampfwagen armored fighting vehicle). Pz. I model 1935 weighed about 6 tons, had a maximum armor of 13 mm, was armed with two 7.92 mm machine guns, engine power was 100 hp, maximum speed 40 km/h, cruising range 140 km, crew consisted of two people.

This tank, which was more of a wedge with a rotating turret, was the “first sign” of German tank building and was already outdated by 1938. The crew felt uncomfortable in it, the technical reliability of the tank was not too high, and the absence of at least some kind of gun left the Pz. I have no chance of surviving a meeting with any cannon tank of any enemy. The Spanish Civil War, where the Germans helped the Francoists, showed this perfectly. Fight against Soviet T-26 and BT-5 Pz. I could do it in two ways: hide or “run away.” Pz. II model 1937 was more powerful, weighed about 9 tons, maximum armor 15 mm, range 200 km, maximum speed 40 km/h, crew 3 people and, most importantly, was armed with a 20 mm automatic cannon and 7.92 mm machine gun.

The presence of a cannon significantly increased the combat capabilities of the tank, but still Guderian understood that the Pz. I and Pz. II, which are essentially training vehicles, do not provide qualitative superiority over tanks that were in service with developed European countries. Therefore, the general made every effort to increase the production of Pz. III and Pz. IV.

Pz. III model 1938 had the following data: weight about 17 tons, maximum armor 30 mm, power reserve 165 km, engine power 250 hp, maximum speed 35 km/h, armament one 37-mm cannon and three 7.92 mm machine guns, the crew consisted of 5 people. Pz. IV model 1938 weighed almost 19 tons, maximum armor 30 mm, engine power 300 hp, maximum speed 40 km/h, armament one 75-mm short-barreled cannon and one 7.92-mm machine gun. The crew consisted of 5 people. This medium tank was intended to support other German tanks with lighter weapons. Despite its solid caliber, the Pz. IV had a low initial projectile speed (380 m/sec) and was intended primarily to destroy enemy personnel with high-power high-explosive fragmentation shells. German tank crews called it a “cigarette butt.” Nothing better than Pz. The Germans did not have IV at that time. Production Pz. III and Pz. IV was deployed extremely slowly, however, the tanks themselves were quite difficult to produce. The production of each of these types in 1938 did not exceed several dozen units.

The situation with the rearmament of the German armored forces was difficult, but the advent of 1939 brought significant relief to Guderian. In March, the Fuhrer ordered the occupation of the Czech Republic and annexing it to the Reich as a protectorate, which was immediately done. Slovakia formally retained its independence, but was completely controlled by Germany. The Germans inherited a well-developed Czech industry, capable of producing many types of weapons.

To his great delight, Guderian discovered that two types of Czech tanks, called by the Germans Pz. 35 and Pz. 38, are very successful, surpassing the Pz in all respects. I and Pz. II, and even comparable to Pz. III. Both tanks were well armored, heavily armed with a 37 mm cannon and two 7.92 mm machine guns each, and reached speeds of up to 40 km/h. The Germans received almost 300 Pz units. 35 and only 20 Pz. 38, but most importantly, the production of these tanks was not only well established at the Skoda and ChKD factories, but could also be significantly increased.

In the fall of 1938, tensions between Germany and Czechoslovakia began to rapidly increase; the Germans wanted to annex the Sudetenland, populated mainly by ethnic Germans, but the Czechs refused. Hitler was ready to fight with Czechoslovakia, but England and France decided to “pacify” the Fuhrer by “allowing” him to “ Munich agreement» Occupy the Sudetenland. The Czechs did not resist, realizing that they could not count on the British and French, and that they themselves would not be able to withstand the Wehrmacht. In September, after joining Sudetenland, the Fuhrer dismissed the last of the “dinosaurs” of the Reichswehr - the Chief of the General Staff of the Ground Forces, General von Beck, replacing him with the more “obedient” General Halder.

Von Beck objected to Hitler's foreign policy course, saying that this course would inevitably lead to an early and large-scale war with England and France, for which Germany was completely unprepared. Apparently, Hitler was in an excellent mood at that time, so this matter was limited to a simple resignation without any “dirty” accusations.

Meanwhile, Heinz Guderian was appointed commander of the armored forces and was given the rank of general of tank forces. Guderian had ample opportunities to build the tank units entrusted to him in accordance with his progressive views, and he set to work with all his indomitable energy. To the best of his ability, the Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces, von Brauchitsch, and his generals prevented him from doing this. Von Brauchitsch still did not consider large tank formations as an offensive operational weapon, but believed that tanks should be assigned to infantry. In addition, many believed that Guderian was “offending” the cavalry, from whose ranks many German military leaders emerged. And in this situation, Guderian was greatly helped by Hitler’s direct support for his actions.

Guderian developed a charter for the armored forces, which formulated the basic principles for training tank crews. Tankers had to be able to: control the tank flawlessly both day and night, open fire quickly and accurately, maintain the tank and weapons, and, perhaps most importantly, maintain the “spirit of tank brotherhood.” Guderian strictly introduced into the consciousness of every German tanker the principle of “one for all and all for one” and was quite successful in this. Perhaps only German submariners had the same “special fighting spirit” as the tank crews.

The “Father of Tanks” understood that he would never have very many tanks and tank crews, so the emphasis in training and combat units was placed on the most thorough training of crews. The tank drivers were especially selected first. If the instructors did not see the cadet’s progress after the first practical classes, then he was immediately transferred to loader or gunner-radio operator. The crew trained to move in mixed columns along with the artillery, engineering and reconnaissance units of the tank division. Such columns were sent on multi-kilometer hikes for 2-3 days along special routes.

Specially seconded navigators from the Kriegsmarine monitored the cadets' adherence to the given course. Gunners and loaders of tank guns, in endless training, sought to meet strict standards - each of their operations was regulated by the second. Instructors from the Luftwaffe trained gunners separately, achieving maximum accuracy from them, and they did not spare ammunition, so their training mainly consisted of practical exercises. The driver was required to have a good understanding of the tank engine and, in general, the structure of numerous mechanisms. The cadets devoted all their free time from classes to maintaining the tank. In addition to combat training, future tankers did intense physical training, often running cross-country races, which increased their overall endurance.

Upon completion of their studies, the worst cadets were mercilessly eliminated. Such training principles were preserved in tank training units until the very end of the Second World War. It was thanks to all its components that German tank crews performed so well in both offensive and defensive operations on all fronts.

To conquer France, the Germans concentrated 2,500 tanks, but what was important was not the total number of vehicles, but the fact that among them there were 329 Pz. III and 280 Pz. IV, which became the main striking force of the Wehrmacht. They were opposed by 3,000 Allied tanks, of which 1,500 were French medium tanks S-35 SOMUA and B1. The rest were French medium tanks Renault D1 and D2, light tanks Renault R-35 and Hotchkiss. In addition, 400 British, Belgian and Dutch tanks opposed the Germans.

French medium tanks were heavily armored (up to 60 mm) and well armed with a 47 mm cannon and machine guns. Their main and decisive disadvantage was their low speed of 15×20 km/h. Not a single German tank could penetrate their thick armor, but they simply “went around” them, leaving dive bombers and artillery to destroy them. French tanks, designed for a positional, “slow” war, could not get anywhere in the conditions of a new, maneuverable war, where the situation was changing hourly.

In the summer of 1939, Hitler turned his attention to Poland, wanting to reclaim lands that had previously belonged to Germany. This was the official point of view, so to speak, for external use, but in fact the Fuhrer, who among those close to him called Poland “ugly and unnatural public education“, wanted to annex the entire territory of its eastern neighbor to the Reich.

But here the interests of Germany collided with the interests of the USSR, which had its own plans for a number of Polish regions. Then Hitler chose to come to an agreement with Stalin, which he quickly succeeded in doing. The parties divided not only Poland, but also spheres of influence in Europe. Hitler did not care about the position of France and England, which gave Poland an official guarantee of maintaining its independence. He was sure that everything, as before, would be limited to a demonstration of external discontent, and nothing more. Although it turned out that even conciliation in politics has its limits, and as soon as Germany attacked Poland on September 1, 1939, England and France declared war on the Third Reich, which on their part immediately took on a strange character. The French themselves called this period from the autumn of 1939 to the spring of 1940 “the strange war”.

It must be said that no one in Europe expected such a quick and complete military defeat of Poland. The Poles had 50 infantry divisions, 1 motorized brigade, 9 cavalry brigades and 900 tanks and wedges. With such forces it was possible to resist for much longer than one month, but in practice it turned out that Polish army was the army of “yesterday”. A significant part of its weapons belonged to the period of the First World War, anti-tank artillery and automatic weapons were completely lacking, tanks and aircraft developed in the early 30s were obsolete. Polish commanders were captivated by the tactical “positional” views of the past world war. The task of the Germans was also greatly facilitated by the extremely unsuccessful strategic deployment of the Polish army, which was trying to cover the entire front from Lithuania to the Carpathians over a distance of 1,500 km. There were absolutely not enough troops for this, so all the available forces of the Poles were scattered over a large area and isolated from each other. The Germans, having placed 5 tank and 6 motorized divisions at the forefront of attacks, supported by 48 infantry divisions, and having complete air superiority, “dealt with” the Polish army “like a textbook.”

The Poles fought valiantly, but it was the valor of the doomed. Many Germans remember the attack of the Polish cavalry brigade "Pomorska" on German tanks. One of the German veterans who commanded Pz. II in the Polish campaign, recalled this attack in this way: “To this day, a chill runs through my skin at the mere memory of the unexpected attack of the Polish cavalry! I can see in front of me an endless chain of horsemen galloping at us with drawn sabers The regiment commander gave the order to open machine-gun fire on the horses’ legs You should have seen with what amazement the captured cavalrymen looked at and felt our tanks. Poor fellows! They were sure that the Germans had all their equipment made of plywood and that they could easily deal with it with their sabers!”

Unlike the cavalrymen, the Polish tankers managed to cause some trouble for their German “colleagues”; the best Polish tank, the 7TR, was well armored (up to 40 mm) and armed with a fast-firing Swedish 37-mm Bofors cannon. This tank was structurally a well-known and slightly modified English export Vickers 6-ton tank.

During the war, there were several cases when these tanks knocked out several German Pz. I and Pz. II without harm to yourself. The Poles had only 169 such tanks, and their successes were private, but it became clear to Heinz Guderian that the Pz. I from combat units must be urgently transferred to training ones, since against a more serious enemy than the Polish army, they will only be a burden. It was time to remove the Pz. II, but Guderian could not afford this, since the release of Pz. III and IV continued to progress at a snail's pace.

In general, Guderian highly appreciated the “debut” of his tanks in this war: “The Polish campaign was a baptism of fire for my tank formations. I came to the conclusion that they were completely justified, and the effort spent on their creation paid off."

Immediately after the end of the Polish campaign, Hitler ordered an offensive in the West against the French army and the English expeditionary force. Absolutely all German generals who adhered to various points views on subsequent military operations, they agreed that it was real madness to attack a strong enemy without a plan and without preparation on muddy autumn soil, limiting the use of tanks, and in conditions of rain and fog, precluding the effective use of aircraft.

Hitler by that time had already become accustomed to not paying attention to the opinion of the generals, having believed in his own military “genius,” but even he was somewhat embarrassed by the unanimity of the military leaders, many of whom, by the way, could not stand each other. Therefore, he cooled down somewhat and ordered the development of an offensive plan through Northern Belgium and Holland towards the English Channel. And the main command of the ground forces developed such a plan in the winter of 1939/40. It was somewhat reminiscent of the “Schlieffen Plan” of 1914; in any case, the main offensive was supposed to be launched in the same place where the German army was then advancing. But if Schlieffen planned, having defeated the allies in Belgium, to break into France and advance in an arc to the Swiss border, then the Fuhrer’s plan, formalized by the staff officers, as main goal set slightly different tasks. Namely: the defeat of the French in Belgium and Holland, the capture of a large bridgehead on the English Channel (to threaten England), the construction of new airfields and submarine bases and “creating the preconditions” for further military operations against the British and French. According to this plan, the German army was drawn into heavy frontal positional battles with the enemy, who was waiting for the German offensive exactly where it was supposed to begin. There was no smell of any “blitzkrieg” here.

At this time, the chief of staff of Army Group A of the Wehrmacht, General Erich von Manstein, proposed a plan for a western offensive to his commander, Colonel General von Rundstedt. According to him, the German army should have delivered the main blow through Luxembourg and Southern Belgium to Sedan, overcoming the Ardennes Mountains and the weak Maginot Line in those places, and go behind enemy lines towards the mouth of the Somme River. Army Group B was supposed to advance “the old way” in Northern Belgium and Holland. Thus, the French and British, captured in a pincer movement, would have to fight an “inverted front” with the enemy advancing from two sides.

The plan was ideologically different from the plan developed by the main command of the ground forces, radically Manstein proposed not partial success, but the complete defeat of the enemy. Guderian helped Manstein in developing the plan regarding the use of large tank formations. He assured Manstein that the tanks would be able to overcome the Ardennes and carry out a rapid breakthrough in the future.

Von Rundstedt appreciated the effectiveness and beauty of his chief of staff's operational plan and sent a note to the Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces, von Brauchitsch, proposing to discuss a new offensive option. After this, the commander had to send several more such notes, as well as a detailed new plan Manstein, but he did not receive any intelligible answer. Von Brauchitsch and his chief of staff, Halder, did not even want to discuss a proposal that, in their opinion, was unrealistic. But as luck would have it for Manstein, his adjutant, Lieutenant Colonel von Treskow, was friends with Hitler’s chief adjutant, Schmundt, and persuaded the latter to show the plan to the Fuhrer. Hitler liked this idea.

Meanwhile, von Brauchitsch removed Manstein, who had bored him, from his post and appointed him commander of the army corps. On the occasion of the new appointment, Manstein was supposed to introduce himself to Hitler as Supreme Commander-in-Chief, which was done. During the presentation, Manstein told the Fuhrer in great detail all the details of his plan and, as a result, finally convinced him that it was advisable to act this way.

The headquarters war game ordered by Hitler also showed all the advantages of Manstein's plan. Ironically, the author and developer himself was soon forced to attack in the second echelon, solving with his corps by no means the main tasks, but the authority of Erich von Manstein among the German generals rose to great heights, and Guderian (and not only him) has since considered him "Germany's best operating mind."

Having launched its offensive on May 9, 1940, the Wehrmacht quickly achieved decisive successes. A purposeful, sudden attack by large tank forces through Sedan to Amiens with access to the Atlantic coast was met only by the greatly extended flank of the French, advancing to Belgium, where, in their opinion, the main German offensive was to take place. The development of events quickly led to the virtual defeat of the uncontrollable Anglo-French troops.

On May 22, Guderian's tanks reached the Atlantic coast and captured Boulogne on May 25. On the same day, Guderian intended to launch an attack on Dunkirk, where more than 300 thousand soldiers of the English Expeditionary Force had taken refuge, but this was strictly forbidden to him. “Fast Heinz” could only watch as sea vessels of all types and classes evacuated the British from the trap. He received permission to advance only on the evening of May 26, when it was already too late. Subsequently, Guderian himself, and other German generals and military historians repeatedly asked the question: why did Hitler not allow the capture of the British army, which was in a hopeless situation? Many are inclined to the opinion of Churchill, who believed that in this way Hitler was making a broad “gesture of goodwill” towards England, wanting to conclude a truce.

If this was so, then Hitler’s decision lacked all common sense, since only the capture of almost its entire combat-ready army could make England more accommodating. Be that as it may, the British did not even say “thank you” to Hitler, and the evacuated soldiers in the near future caused the Germans a lot of problems in North Africa. By mid-June numerous french army, considered by many to be the strongest in Europe, was completely defeated. On June 22, 1940, the French government concluded an armistice with the Germans. Moreover, Hitler forced the French to sign it in the same Compiegne Forest and in the same headquarters carriage of Marshal Foch, in which in November 1918 the Germans signed for their defeat in the First World War.

On June 22, 1941, the Red Army had about 23,000 tanks. The German command could not even imagine that the “Soviets” had such a huge tank armada, and the enemy had no more than 10,000 combat-ready vehicles (which was already several times greater than the 3,350 German tanks that were thrown against the USSR).

In fact, by June 1941, there were 12,780 tanks in the five western military districts of the Red Army, of which approximately 10,500 were serviceable. About 1,500 tanks were new types - T-34 and KV. All Soviet tanks were consolidated into 20 mechanized corps, each of which was supposed to number about 35,000 people, 1,000 tanks, 268 armored vehicles and 358 guns and mortars - that is, two tank and one mechanized divisions. In fact, practically none of the mechanical buildings in the state had time to be staffed.

In terms of the number of tanks, the Soviet mechanized corps was superior to any German tank group, of which the Germans had only four: two in Army Group Center and one each in Army Groups North and South. It seemed that the Germans did not have a single chance not only to defeat, but even to survive in battles with 20 giant Soviet mechanized corps. But in practice, everything turned out differently: in the German tank forces, the main thing was not the number of vehicles, but management and organization. In the German tank division of the 1941 model, there were 149 or (in three-battalion divisions) 209 tanks, 27 armored vehicles, 192 guns and mortars, 400 armored personnel carriers, 1,500 trucks, 600 cars and 1,300 motorcycles.

Unlike the Soviet mechanized corps, the main striking force of the German tank division was motorized infantry in vehicles. Thanks to it, the Germans could quickly gain a foothold in the occupied territories, while the Soviet mechanized corps, where there was very little infantry and it moved on foot, could not, even if successful, properly gain a foothold or organize a reliable defense.

The Soviet command experienced the biggest problems in troop control. The Soviet mechanized corps was essentially a huge and unbalanced formation. Its supply with fuels and lubricants (diesel fuel and gasoline of various brands) and projectiles (at least six different calibers) and in Peaceful time was extremely difficult, and in conditions of maneuver warfare it became completely impossible. Almost all gas storage facilities and artillery depots in the border areas were bombed by German aircraft or captured by the Wehrmacht in the first days of the war. Thus, each Soviet tanker could only rely on the fuel and ammunition that were in the tank. When both ended, the tank was blown up or simply abandoned.

The T-34 had shell-proof hull armor due to the large angles of inclination of the 45 mm thick armor plates. The frontal armor was inclined from the vertical by 60° and corresponded to 90 mm thick armor installed at a right angle. Pz. III and Pz. IV could only hit the T-34 by hitting the chassis or stern, but to do this the German tank had to approach 100x150 m, although even this distance did not guarantee success. The long-barreled 76.2-mm T-34 cannon hit the armor of the Pz. III and Pz. IV anywhere from a range of 1,500 m.

In the battles for Moscow, operating from ambushes on advantageous lines of highways and dirt roads, the “thirty-fours” carried out real terror among the German tank units, which were already advancing with all their might. The 4th Tank Brigade of Colonel M.E. especially distinguished itself in such battles. Katukova.

In just one day of fighting, a brigade consisting of 49 tanks (20 of which were T-34s) knocked out and destroyed 43 German tanks, 16 of which were accounted for by the T-34 commander, Lieutenant D.F. Lavrinenko. His crew achieved fantastic results in the battles for Moscow - they managed to knock out and destroy about 50 enemy tanks! The lieutenant was prevented from achieving more by an absurd death - a single random fragment struck him in the heart when he was simply standing next to his tank.

From the first day of the war, the front commands almost completely lost control of the troops. There was a catastrophic shortage of radio stations; those that were available were used little and ineffectively. In the Red Army, before the war, they were accustomed to keeping in touch by wire, which quickly broke down in combat conditions, and through couriers, messengers and other “communication delegates” on cars, motorcycles and horses. In the summer of 1941, all these couriers, as a rule, simply could not find their addressees, and if they did, they handed them hopelessly outdated orders, the implementation of which further complicated the already catastrophic situation. Confusion reigned throughout - the Soviet command lost track of entire armies, while German generals and officers literally knew where every German tank or infantry platoon was, and what combat mission they are performing at this time. The Germans' communications worked flawlessly.

Having spent their material in meaningless marches, Soviet tankers, forced to blow up their vehicles, along with the remnants of other troops, made their way to the east. In those dark days of 1941, the outstanding Soviet T-34 tank “rose as a star” over the battlefields.

The successful operations of the T-34 were such an unpleasant “surprise” for the Germans that Heinz Guderian was forced to make a gloomy forecast: “Very alarming reports about the quality Russian tanks The material superiority of our tank forces, which had existed until now, was now lost and now passed to the enemy. Thus, the prospects for quick decisive victories disappeared.”

“Fast Heinz,” as always, was right: despite the fact that the Red Army lost 20,500 tanks throughout 1941, the USSR did not even think of capitulating. Despite the colossal, incredible losses in manpower and equipment, in December 1941 the Red Army even managed to launch a counteroffensive and push the Germans away from Moscow.

All this meant that the “blitzkrieg” ended in failure, within arm's length of victory. The war was becoming disastrously protracted for Germany, and the German armored forces at the height of the war needed to rearm The T-34 overnight made German tanks obsolete. But this required both time and enormous resources, which Germany no longer had enough of. The time of quick and brilliant victories of the Wehrmacht had passed, a merciless total war for survival had begun.

Maxim Morgunov
To be continued

October 1, 1550 is considered in Russia the day of the birth of the Ground Forces (ST). On this day, Tsar Ivan IV issued a document that laid the foundations for the first permanent army in the Russian state. A military formation of 1,078 provincial nobles was established.

By the end of the year, Ivan IV had six rifle regiments of 500 people at his disposal. In 1647, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich ordered the establishment of a regular army in the state. However, it was possible to create a centralized army only under Peter I.

Until the end of 1917, the Russian Ground Forces consisted of infantry (infantry), cavalry and artillery. During the Soviet years, several new military branches appeared: tank, missile, anti-aircraft, engineering troops, and army aviation. The cavalry disappeared, and the infantry units were reinforced with armored vehicles and were renamed motorized rifle units.

• Artillery soldiers during field training. Development of standards by personnel of self-propelled artillery installations. Group of Soviet troops in Germany. 1987
• RIA News

Resource optimization

The Ground Forces of the Russian Federation were formed on May 7, 1992. They included ground units stationed on the territory of the RSFSR, as well as military facilities in the post-Soviet space, in Germany, Cuba, Mongolia and a number of other states. At that time, the total strength of the Army was approximately 1.4 million people.

During the 1990s, personnel were reduced several times. In 2001, there were about 300 thousand people in the Ground Forces. In the mid-2000s, 395 thousand people served in the Army.

The Russian Ministry of Defense does not disclose the exact number of Ground Forces. International Institute Strategic Studies (IISS) in its Military Balance report for 2017 estimated the number of military personnel in the Russian Ground Forces at 270 thousand people.

The Intelligence Agency of the US Department of Defense in the report Russia military power reports the number of ground forces at 350 thousand people. Most Russian experts suggest that about 400 thousand people serve in ground units.

From open data it follows that the Army has 12 armies, an army corps, 8 divisions and more than 140 brigades.

Western analysts believe that in connection with the conflict in eastern Ukraine, the Russian leadership is paying almost paramount attention to the development of the Ground Forces.

The Russian Ministry of Defense notes that the main striking force of the Army is tank troops, which are the largest in the world. According to IISS, available Russian army There are 2700 tanks: 1900 - T-72; 450 - T-80 and 350 - T-90.

The Ministry of Defense considers artillery to be a powerful means of fire defeating the enemy. The Army is armed with about 4,500 artillery pieces, including various types of self-propelled guns. Russia is also the world champion in the number of multiple launch rocket systems: 3,600 units.

According to representatives of the military department, the “backbone” of the Russian Armed Forces are motorized rifle units. The Russian Army has a rich arsenal of armored vehicles. According to IISS, Russian troops have about 21,400 tracked and wheeled armored vehicles on the move.

Structural changes

Despite the impressive numbers, not all problems of the domestic Ground Forces have been solved at the moment. Thus, at the end of 2016, the share of modern equipment in the Army was 42%, with the average figure in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation being 58.3%. It is expected that the situation will improve with the adoption of the State Armament Program (GAP) for the period from 2018 to 2025. Of the 17 trillion rubles planned for the purchase and repair of weapons, the Ground Forces should receive 4.2 trillion (1.6 trillion more compared to the previous GPV).

However, the share of modern technology will increase by the end of this year. This opinion was expressed in an interview with the Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper by the Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces, Colonel General Oleg Salyukov.

“This year, the Ground Forces will receive more than 2.5 thousand units of basic weapons and equipment. Our level of provision with modern weapons will be reached by more than 42%,” Salyukov said.

According to the Army Commander-in-Chief, at the current stage the troops will receive new BMP-3 and BTR-82A, and from 2018 - BMP-2 with the Berezhok combat module installed.

In the coming years, judging by the plans of the Russian leadership, all infantrymen will receive “Ratnik” equipment, and the fleet of ground forces will be replenished with new generation vehicles: T-14 tanks, T-15 infantry fighting vehicles, “Kurganets” and “Boomerang”, self-propelled artillery units ( Self-propelled guns) "Coalition".

• A set of combat equipment "Ratnik" in variants for reconnaissance, including with KRUS "Strelets", as well as a protective set for crews of armored vehicles 6B48 "Ratnik-ZK"
• vitalykuzmin.net

In Washington, the structural changes taking place in the Ground Forces are seen as “a serious challenge to American strategists.” It is argued that Russia is partially returning to the Soviet manning system, although it is not creating such powerful strike forces.

The Pentagon Intelligence Directorate estimates the number of military personnel in one motorized rifle division of the Russian Federation at 9 thousand people (in the Soviet period - 12 thousand). The department believes that Russia is capable of quickly deploying 40 brigades and all eight divisions.

The Russia military power report indicates that the optimal combination of mobility and power lies in the Russian motorized rifle brigade. The strength of the unit is 4521 people. The brigade is armed with 41 T-72B3 tanks, 129 BMP-2, 129 BMP-3, 129 BTR-82A, 129 multi-purpose tractors, 18 Msta-S self-propelled guns and 18 BM-21 Grad.

• Armored personnel carriers BTR-82A
• RIA News

Also of concern to the United States are battalion tactical groups—highly mobile units of the Ground Forces that are capable of effectively carrying out expeditionary missions. The emergence of such units was the result of a reform that began about 10 years ago.

Strengthening foundation

Military expert Dmitry Litovkin believes that, in general, the conclusions of Western analysts correspond to reality. Despite the relatively small share of modern equipment, the combat effectiveness of the Ground Forces has increased significantly.

“It was the battalion tactical groups that took control of Crimea, and the motorized rifle formations demonstrated excellent results in the exercises of recent years. In this context, the Zapad-2017 maneuvers became a kind of result of the rapid development of the capabilities of our army,” Litovkin told RT.

The expert is confident that the foundation for strengthening the Russian Ground Forces was the experience gained in August 2008. Currently, the structure and armament of ground forces is changing under the influence of geopolitical challenges and current military threats.

“NATO’s unfriendly behavior and the tense situation in Ukraine force us to maintain larger formations on our western borders. That's why big role The Ground Forces began to play. The Ministry of Defense decided to recreate several divisions and one tank army. This is an absolutely justified measure in the current situation,” Litovkin emphasized.

The time has come for both me and you to understand the concept of the Russian Armed Forces. What are the types and types of troops? What does the Russian Armed Forces consist of? And what subtleties exist in these concepts?

We'll talk about this in this article.Let's start, of course, with definitions of basic concepts: types and types of troops. Believe me, there will be a lot of interesting things here.

Types of the Armed Forces- formations in the armed forces of a particular state.

• Ground forces.
• Naval forces.
• Air Force.

In general, everything is simple. The branches of the Armed Forces are divided into subtypes, depending on their environment - land, water or air. Okay, let's move on.

Branch of the Armed Forces- an integral part of the branch of the Armed Forces. They can also be separate (more on these later). Includes units and formations, associations that have weapons and military equipment unique to them, apply their own tactics, have their characteristic combat properties and are intended to perform tactical and operational-tactical tasks in combat and operations.

An interesting fact that will help us understand the difference between the branches of the Armed Forces and the branches of the military.

Previously, the “branch of the military” was called the “branch of the weapon.” In total there were 3 types of troops:

• Infantry.
• Cavalry.
• Artillery.

As time went. Science did not stand still. And now we can name a larger number of military branches, because now there are not just 3 “branches of weapons”, but dozens of them.

So. If we summarize all of the above, we can say that branches of troops are components of the branches of the Armed Forces. However, do not forget that there are also certain types of troops that are not subordinate to any branches of the Russian Armed Forces.

This is the Rocket Forces special purpose(Strategic Missile Forces) and Airborne Forces (Airborne Forces). We will analyze them at the end of the article.

I depicted all types and branches of the Russian Armed Forces in the form of a diagram. You remember that I love to visualize, right? I love and I can - different things, of course. In general, I got the following.

Now let's talk about each separately. What, why and when is used. Let's go in order.

Ground troops

The Ground Forces are the largest branch of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in terms of combat strength. They are designed to defeat enemy troop groups, seize and hold enemy territories, regions and borders, and repel enemy invasions and large airborne assaults.

The ground forces include the following types of troops:

Motorized rifle troops - the most numerous branch of the military, forming the basis of the Ground Forces and the core of their combat formations. Together with tank forces, they perform the following main tasks:

In defense - to hold occupied areas, lines and positions, repel enemy attacks and defeat his advancing groups;
in an offensive (counter-offensive) - to break through the enemy’s defenses, defeat groupings of his troops, capture important areas, lines and objects, cross water barriers, pursue the retreating enemy;
conduct oncoming battles and battles, operate as part of naval and tactical airborne assault forces.

Motorized rifle troops

The basis of motorized rifle troops are motorized rifle brigades, which have high combat independence, versatility and firepower. They are capable of conducting combat operations in conditions of the use of both conventional means of armed warfare and weapons of mass destruction in various physical, geographical and climatic conditions, day and night.

- branch of the military and the main striking force of the Ground Forces. They are used primarily in conjunction with motorized rifle troops in the main directions and perform the following main tasks:

In defense - in direct support of motorized rifle troops in repelling enemy attacks and launching counterattacks and counterstrikes;

In the offensive - to deliver powerful cutting blows to greater depth, development of success, defeat of the enemy in oncoming battles and battles.

The basis of the tank forces are tank brigades and tank battalions of motorized rifle brigades, which have great resistance to the damaging effects of nuclear weapons, firepower, high mobility and maneuverability. They are able to make fullest use of the results of fire (nuclear) destruction of the enemy and in a short time achieve the final goals of the battle and operation.

(RV and A) - a branch of the Ground Forces, which is the main means of fire and nuclear destruction of the enemy during combined arms operations (combat operations). They are designed to perform the following main tasks:

• gaining and maintaining fire superiority over the enemy;
• defeat of its nuclear attack means, manpower, weapons, military and special equipment;
• disorganization of systems for command and control of troops and weapons, reconnaissance and electronic warfare;
• and others...

Organizationally, RV and A consist of missile, rocket, artillery brigades, including mixed, high-power artillery divisions, rocket artillery regiments, individual reconnaissance divisions, as well as artillery of combined arms brigades and military bases.

(air defense SV) - a branch of the Ground Forces, designed to cover troops and objects from the actions of enemy air attacks when combined arms formations and formations conduct operations (combat operations), perform regroupings (march) and are positioned on the spot. They are responsible for the following main tasks:

• carrying out combat duty in air defense;
• conducting reconnaissance of enemy air and alerting covered troops;
• destruction of enemy air attack weapons in flight;
• participation in the conduct of missile defense in theaters of military operations.

Organizationally, the Air Defense Forces of the Army consist of military command and control units, air defense command posts, anti-aircraft missile (rocket and artillery) and radio technical formations, military units and divisions. They are capable of destroying enemy air attack weapons in the entire range of altitudes (extremely low - up to 200 m, low - from 200 to 1000 m, medium - from 1000 to 4000 m, high - from 4000 to 12000 m and in the stratosphere - more than 12000 m) and flight speeds.

Intelligence units and military units belong to the special troops of the Ground Forces and are designed to perform a wide range of tasks in order to provide commanders (commanders) and headquarters with information about the enemy, the state of the terrain and weather to make the most rational decisions for the operation (battle) and preventing surprise in enemy actions.

In the interests of the Ground Forces, reconnaissance is carried out by regular reconnaissance units of combined arms formations (motorized rifle and tank brigades), special forces formations and units, radio and electronic reconnaissance of army and district units, as well as reconnaissance units and units of the military branches and special forces of the Ground Forces.

In preparation for and during the conduct of combined arms operations (combat operations), they perform the following main tasks:

• revealing the enemy's plan, his immediate preparation for aggression and preventing the surprise of an attack;
• identifying the combat strength, position, grouping, condition and capabilities of the enemy troops (forces) and its command and control system;
• opening objects (targets) for destruction and determining their location (coordinates);
• and others…

– special troops designed to perform the most difficult tasks engineering support combined arms operations (combat operations) requiring special training of personnel and the use of engineering weapons, as well as for inflicting losses on the enemy through the use of engineering ammunition.

Organizationally, engineering troops consist of formations, units and subunits for various purposes: engineering and reconnaissance, engineering and sapper, barriers, obstacles, assault, road engineering, pontoon-bridge (pontoon), ferry landing, engineering and camouflage, engineering and technical, field water supply and others.

When preparing and conducting combined arms operations (combat operations), engineering troops perform the following main tasks:

• engineering reconnaissance of the enemy, terrain and objects;
• erection (device) fortifications(trenches, trenches and communication passages, shelters, dugouts, shelters, etc.) and the construction of field structures for the deployment of troops (residential, economic, medical);
• installation of engineering barriers, including the installation of minefields, blasting operations, installation of non-explosive barriers (anti-tank ditches, scarps, counter-scarps, gouges, etc.);
• demining of terrain and objects;
• preparation and maintenance of troop movement routes;
• equipment and maintenance of crossings on water barriers, including the construction of bridges;
• extraction and purification of water in the field and others.

In addition, they participate in countering enemy reconnaissance and weapon guidance systems (camouflage), simulating troops and objects, providing disinformation and demonstrative actions to deceive the enemy, as well as in eliminating the consequences of the enemy’s use of weapons of mass destruction.

Radiation, chemical and biological defense troops (RKhBZ) - special troops designed to carry out a complex of the most complex measures aimed at reducing losses of formations and formations of the Ground Forces and ensuring the fulfillment of their combat missions when operating in conditions of radioactive, chemical and biological contamination, as well as increasing their survivability and protection from precision and other types of weapons.

The basis of the RCBZ troops are multifunctional separate RCBZ brigades, which include units capable of carrying out the entire range of RCB protection measures.

The main tasks of the RCBZ troops include:

• identification and assessment of the radiation, chemical and biological situation, the scale and consequences of destruction of radiation, chemical and biologically hazardous objects;
• ensuring protection of connections and parts from damaging factors weapons of mass destruction and radiation, chemical, biological contamination;
• reducing the visibility of troops and objects;
• liquidation of consequences of accidents (destructions) at radiation, chemically and biologically hazardous facilities;
• inflicting losses on the enemy using flamethrower and incendiary weapons.

– special troops designed to deploy a communications system and provide command and control of formations, formations and units of the Ground Forces in peacetime and wartime. They are also tasked with operating systems and automation equipment at control points.

Signal troops include nodal and linear formations and units, units and units of technical support for communications and automated systems management, communications security services, courier and postal services and others.

Modern communications troops are equipped with mobile, highly reliable radio relay, tropospheric, space stations, high-frequency telephony equipment, voice-frequency telegraphy, television and photographic equipment, switching equipment and special message classification equipment.

Aerospace Forces

Aerospace Forces of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (VKS RF Armed Forces) - view The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, which began fulfilling its tasks on August 1, 2015 in accordance with the decree of the President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin.

The Russian Aerospace Forces are a new branch of the Armed Forces, formed as a result of the unification Air Force(Air Force) and Aerospace Defense Troops (VVKO) of the Russian Federation.

The general management of Russian aerospace defense is carried out by General base The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, and directly - the Main Command of the Aerospace Forces of the Russian Federation.

The Aerospace Forces of the Russian Armed Forces include:

The Russian Federation (Russian Air Force) is a branch of the forces within the Aerospace Forces of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (Russian Armed Forces).

The Russian Air Force is intended for:

• repelling aggression in the air sphere and protecting command posts of the highest echelons of state and military administration, administrative and political centers, industrial and economic regions, the most important economic and infrastructure facilities of the country and troop groups from air strikes;
• defeating enemy targets and troops using both conventional and nuclear weapons;
• aviation support for combat operations of troops of other types and branches of troops.

decide wide range tasks, the main of which are:
monitoring space objects and identifying threats to Russia in space and from space, and, if necessary, countering such threats;
launching spacecraft into orbit, controlling military and dual-purpose (military and civil) satellite systems in flight and using individual of them in the interests of providing the troops (forces) of the Russian Federation with the necessary information;
maintaining the established composition and readiness for use of military and dual-use satellite systems, means of launching and controlling them, and a number of other tasks.

Let's move on to consider the final type of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

Navy

The Navy (Navy) is view Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (RF Armed Forces). It is intended for the armed protection of Russian interests and for conducting combat operations in the sea and ocean theaters of war.

The Navy is capable of delivering nuclear strikes on enemy ground targets, destroying enemy fleet groups at sea and bases, disrupting the enemy’s ocean and sea communications and protecting its maritime transportation, assisting the Ground Forces in operations in continental theaters of war, landing amphibious assault forces, and participating in repelling landing forces. enemy and perform other tasks.

The Navy includes:

are the main ones for ensuring the exit and deployment of submarines to combat areas and returning to bases, transporting and covering landing forces. They are assigned the main role in laying minefields, combating mine danger and protecting their communications.

- a branch of the Navy, including nuclear-powered strategic missile submarines, nuclear attack submarines and diesel-electric (non-nuclear) submarines.

The main tasks of the submarine force are:

• defeating important enemy ground targets;
• search and destruction of enemy submarines, aircraft carriers and other surface ships, its landing forces, convoys, single transports (ships) at sea;
• reconnaissance, ensuring the guidance of their strike forces and issuing target designations to them;
• destruction of offshore oil and gas complexes, landing of special-purpose reconnaissance groups (detachments) on the enemy coast;
• laying mines and others.

Organizationally, submarine forces consist of separate formations that are subordinate to the commanders of submarine formations and the commanders of formations of heterogeneous fleet forces.

- branch of the Navy forces intended for:

• search and destruction of combat forces of the enemy fleet, landing detachments, convoys and single ships (vessels) at sea and at bases;
• covering groupings of ships and naval facilities from enemy air strikes;
• destruction of airplanes, helicopters and cruise missiles;
• conducting aerial reconnaissance;
• targeting enemy naval forces with their strike forces and issuing target designations to them.

Also involved in mine laying, mine action, electronic warfare (EW), air transportation and landing, search and rescue operations at sea.

The basis of naval aviation consists of aircraft (helicopters) for various purposes. Performs assigned tasks independently and in cooperation with other branches of the fleet, as well as with formations (units) of other branches of the Armed Forces.

(BV) - a branch of the forces of the Navy, designed to cover the forces of fleets, troops, population and objects on the sea coast from the influence of enemy surface ships; defense of naval bases and other important fleet facilities from land, including from sea and airborne assaults; landings and actions in sea, air and sea landings; assistance to ground forces in anti-landing defense of amphibious assault areas of the sea coast; destruction of surface ships, boats and landing vehicles within the reach of weapons.

Coastal troops include 2 types of troops: coastal missile and artillery troops and marine infantry.

Each branch of the military solves certain target tasks independently and in cooperation with other branches of the military forces and naval forces, as well as with formations and units of other branches of the Armed Forces and branches of the military.

The main organizational units of the military units are brigades and battalions (divisions).

BVs are equipped primarily with weapons and equipment of the combined arms type. They are armed with coastal missile systems (CBM) of anti-ship guided missiles, stationary and mobile artillery installations designed to destroy sea and ground targets, special (marine) reconnaissance equipment, etc.

Certain types of troops

(RVSN) is a separate branch of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, a ground component of the strategic nuclear forces. Troops constant combat readiness(we’ll talk about what this actually means in another article on my blog).

The Strategic Missile Forces are intended for nuclear deterrence of possible aggression and destruction as part of strategic nuclear forces or by independent massive or group nuclear missile strikes of strategic targets located in one or several strategic directions and forming the basis of the enemy’s military and military-economic potentials.

The main armament of the Strategic Missile Forces consists of all Russian ground-based mobile and silo-based intercontinental ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads.

(VDV) - a branch of the Armed Forces, which is a reserve of the Supreme High Command and is intended to cover the enemy by air and carry out tasks in his rear to disrupt troop control, capture and destroy ground elements of high-precision weapons, disrupt the advance and deployment of reserves, disrupt the work of the rear and communications , as well as for covering (defense) of individual directions, areas, open flanks, blocking and destroying landed airborne troops, broken through enemy groups and performing other tasks.

In peacetime, the Airborne Forces perform the main tasks of maintaining combat and mobilization readiness at a level that ensures their successful use for their intended purpose.

To be honest, it was only after reading these materials that I understood why the Strategic Missile Forces and Airborne Forces were separated into separate branches of the military. Just look at the quantity and quality of the tasks they perform every day! Both genera are truly unique and universal. However, like everyone else.

Let's summarize the analysis of these fundamental concepts for any citizen of our country.

Summary

1. There is the concept of “branch of the Armed Forces”, and there is the concept of “branch of the armed forces”. These are completely different concepts.
2. A branch of the armed forces is a component of the branch of the Armed Forces. But there are also 2 separate types of troops - the Strategic Missile Forces and the Airborne Forces.
3. Each branch of the military has its own tasks in peacetime and wartime.

The main result for me. I figured out this whole structure. Especially after I drew my diagram. I hope she is correct. Let me throw it here one more time so that we can remember it well together.

Bottom line

Friends, I sincerely hope that you were able to, together with me, if not completely, then partially understand the concepts of “types and types of troops” - the components of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

I would like to note that despite the fact that I was able to understand many of the nuances in this topic, I have not yet been able to understand which branch of the military I belong to.

We'll have to talk to the officers! I promise to post this information on