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Soviet Union [USSR] Air Defense of Ground Forces
The Ground Forces relinquished control of air defense for their
field formations in 1948 when the National Air Defense Forces--
later renamed the Air Defense Forces--became an independent armed
service. In 1958, however, Soviet air defense was decentralized
again, and the Ground Forces acquired antiaircraft guns and formed
tactical air defense units. In the 1960s, air defense became an
integral combat arm of the Ground Forces. Since then, Air Defense
of Ground Forces has been independent from the Air Defense Forces,
although coordination of their respective operations remains
necessary.
Air Defense of Ground Forces was equipped with a potent mix of
antiaircraft artillery as well as surface-to-air missiles to defend
Ground Forces units against attacking enemy aircraft. During the
1970s, the Soviet military introduced five new self-propelled air
defense and radar systems into its force structure. In 1989 Air
Defense of Ground Forces operated 5,000 surface-to-air missiles and
12,000 antiaircraft guns organized into brigades, regiments, and
batteries. As of 1989, combined arms and tank armies had air
defense brigades equipped with high-altitude SA-4 surface-to-air
missiles. Motorized rifle and tank divisions had air defense
regiments with the mobile SA-6 or SA-8 for medium- to low-level
protection. Ground Forces regiments had SA-9, SA-13, and ZSU-23-4
antiaircraft gun batteries. Motorized rifle and tank battalions had
surface-to-air missile platoons equipped with new low-altitude,
shoulder-fired SA-16 and older SA-7 missiles.
Data as of May 1989
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