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Air Force of Serbia and Montenegro

The Air Force of Serbia and Montenegro (, RVSiCG), also known as the Air Force of Yugoslavia (JRV; ) from 1992 to 2003, was the air force of the former Serbia and Montenegro. It had around 300 fighter aircraft, ground attack aircraft, and other aircraft.

The air force, in 1990s, had about 16,000 personnel. The air force was disbanded when Montenegro voted to secede from the ex-FRY in 2006. The bulk of it was inherited by the Serbian Air Force and Air Defence.

History

Creation and consolidation

Reorganization

Operation Allied Force

Around 50 Yugoslav aircraft were lost during the Kosovo War when NATO aircraft attacked FRY forces in 1999. Six MiG-29s were destroyed in dogfights against F-15s, F-16s, and F-18s. Other MiG-29s were destroyed on the ground when NATO forces attacked the FRY's Batajnica Airfield.

Casualties

The commander-in-chief of the Air Force said that Air Force and Air Defense had 40 killed and 110 wounded personnel in combat.

Air Force and Air Defense used innovative tactics to counter technologically more advanced and numerically superior opponents. AF & AD C-in-C Lieutenant General Spasoje Smiljanić was promoted to the rank of Colonel General and awarded Medal of War Flag - First Degree. Deputy of C-in-C Supreme Command Headquarters for the AF Colonel General Ljubiša Veličković was awarded the Medal of War Flag - First Degree. General Veličković was killed in combat.

Air combat

The first Yugoslav planes in the air were the Knights of the 127th LAE (127th Fighter Squadron) with their MiG-29s (they were the only unit operating them). Based on publicly released data one could conclude that three MiGs were scrambled from Batajnica Air Base with Lieutenant Colonel Ljubiša Kulačin, Major Nebojša Nikolić and Major Milorad Milutinović in the cockpits and two (Lieutenant Colonel Dragan Ilić, Major Iljo Arizanov) from Niš Airport. Since Germany had the same type of MiG-29 for a decade, NATO was expected to be successful in jamming radar and communication with GC center. Bearing that in mind and the fact that great numbers of enemy aircraft were in the air backed by four AWACS planes, Yugoslav pilots applied new tactics. They abandoned the usual leader-wingman formations and used fast solo dashes near ground to stay out of sight and then, when close enough to fire their R-73s (AA-11 Archer air-to-air missiles), engage in a vertical climb trying to get a firing solution with their KOLS laser - IR rangefinder/homing system.

The following pilots were awarded Bravery Medals and promoted to higher ranks:

  • Major Nebojsa Nikolić
  • Major Slobodan Perić (killed in car accident 30 May 2010)
  • Major Predrag Milutinović
  • Major Iljo Arizanov
  • Captain, 1st class, Zoran Radosavljević, killed in combat

Other pilots that flew combat missions (based on data gathered so far):

  • Colonel General LjubiÅ¡a Veličković
  • Colonel Milenko Pavlovic, commander of 204. Fighter Aviation Regiment, killed in combat
  • Lieutenant Colonel LjubiÅ¡a Kulačin
  • Lieutenant Colonel Dragan Ilić
  • Major Abdul Emeti
  • Major Bora Zoraja
  • Major Dragan Milenković

List of awarded units

250. Rocket Brigade AD received the Order of the National Hero medal, the highest military medal for their exceptional service during the war.

126. VOJIN Brigade received the Order of the National Hero medal, the highest military medal for their exceptional service during the war.

List of awarded members

  • Lieutenant Colonel Života Đurić, Bravery Medal and promotion to higher rank. He was killed when his J-22 Orao hit a hill.
  • Colonel Bela Kis, Bravery Medal
  • Colonel Goran Ostojić, Bravery Medal
  • Lieutenant Colonel Sreto Malinović, Medal of Honor
  • Major Srđan Vukičević, Bravery Medal
  • Major Sava Milenković, Bravery Medal
  • Major Rade Nikčević, Bravery Medal
  • Major Aleksa Milovanović and Captain, 1st class Srđan Jovanović got Distinguished Service Medal's for rescuing downed pilot under enemy fire
  • Captain, 1st class Emilijan Abrt, Bravery Medal
  • Captain, 1st class NebojÅ¡a Mrvljević, Bravery Medal
  • Captain Nenad Bulatović, Bravery Medal
  • Captain Nenad Spasić, Bravery Medal
  • Senior Sergeant, 1st class Dragan Vuković, Bravery Medal
  • Sergeant, 1st class MiloÅ¡ AkÅ¡ić, Bravery Medal
  • Sergeant, 1st class Zdravko Komazec, Bravery Medal
  • Sergeant, 1st class Dragan Đuričić, Bravery Medal

List of destroyed aircraft

Organization

Structure

1992–1994

  • Air Force and Air Defense Command
  • 333rd Engineering Battalion
  • 322nd Signal Battalion
  • 138th Transport Aviation Brigade
  • 280th Center for Electronic Reconnaissance and Jamming
  • Flight Test Center
  • Aviation Corps
  • 83rd Aviation Brigade
  • 172nd Aviation Brigade
  • 204th Aviation Brigade
  • 98th Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiment
  • 97th Helicopter Regiment
  • 119th Helicopter Regiment
  • Air Defense Corps
  • 210th Signal Battalion
  • 126th Air Surveillance/Intelligence and Guidance Brigade
  • 250th Air Defense Missile Brigade
  • 450th Air Defense Missile Brigade
  • 60th Air Defense Self-Propelled Missile Regiment
  • 230th Air Defense Self-Propelled Missile Regiment
  • 240th Air Defense Self-Propelled Missile Regiment
  • 310th Air Defense Self-Propelled Missile Regiment
  • 311th Air Defense Self-Propelled Missile Regiment

1994–1996

  • Air Force and Air Defense Command
  • 138th Transport Aviation Brigade
  • 280th Center for Electronic Reconnaissance and Jamming
  • Flight Test Center
  • Aviation Corps
  • 333rd Engineering Battalion
  • 172nd Aviation Brigade
  • 98th Aviation Brigade
  • 119th Helicopter Regiment
  • Air Defense Corps
  • 359th Engineering Battalion
  • 210th Signal Battalion
  • 83rd Fighter Aviation Regiment
  • 204th Fighter Aviation Regiment
  • 126th Air Surveillance/Intelligence and Guidance Brigade
  • 250th Air Defense Missile Brigade
  • 450th Air Defense Missile Regiment
  • 60th Air Defense Self-Propelled Missile Regiment
  • 230th Air Defense Self-Propelled Missile Regiment
  • 240th Air Defense Self-Propelled Missile Regiment
  • 310th Air Defense Self-Propelled Missile Regiment
  • 311th Air Defense Self-Propelled Missile Regiment

1996–1999

  • Air Force and Air Defense Command
  • 353rd Reconnaissance Aviation Squadron "Sokolovi"
  • 677th Transport Aviation Squadron "Rode"
  • 890th Mixed Helicopter Squadron "Pegazi"
  • 280th Center for Electronic Reconnaissance and Jamming
  • Flight Test Center
  • Aviation Corps
  • 333rd Engineering Battalion
  • 172nd Aviation Brigade
  • 98th Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiment
  • 119th Helicopter Brigade
  • Air Defense Corps
  • 359th Engineering Battalion
  • 210th Signal Battalion
  • 83rd Fighter Aviation Regiment
  • 204th Fighter Aviation Regiment
  • 126th Air Surveillance/Intelligence and Guidance Brigade
  • 250th Air Defense Missile Brigade
  • 450th Air Defense Missile Regiment
  • 60th Air Defense Self-Propelled Missile Regiment
  • 230th Air Defense Self-Propelled Missile Regiment
  • 240th Air Defense Self-Propelled Missile Regiment
  • 310th Air Defense Self-Propelled Missile Regiment
  • 311th Air Defense Self-Propelled Missile Regiment

1999–2002

  • Air Force and Air Defense Command
  • 353rd Reconnaissance Aviation Squadron "Sokolovi"
  • 677th Transport Aviation Squadron "Rode"
  • 890th Mixed Helicopter Squadron "Pegazi"
  • 280th Center for Electronic Reconnaissance and Jamming
  • Flight Test Center
  • Aviation Corps
  • 333rd Engineering Battalion
  • 172nd Aviation Brigade
  • 98th Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiment
  • 119th Helicopter Brigade
  • Air Defense Corps
  • 359th Engineering Battalion
  • 210th Signal Battalion
  • 204th Fighter Aviation Regiment
  • 126th Air Surveillance/Intelligence and Guidance Brigade
  • 250th Air Defense Missile Brigade
  • 450th Air Defense Missile Regiment
  • 60th Air Defense Self-Propelled Missile Regiment
  • 230th Air Defense Self-Propelled Missile Regiment
  • 240th Air Defense Self-Propelled Missile Regiment
  • 310th Air Defense Self-Propelled Missile Regiment

2002–2006

  • Air Force and Air Defense Command
  • 353rd Reconnaissance Aviation Squadron "Sokolovi"
  • 677th Transport Aviation Squadron "Rode"
  • 890th Mixed Helicopter Squadron "Pegazi"
  • 280th Center for Electronic Reconnaissance and Jamming
  • Flight Test Center
  • Aviation Corps
  • 333rd Engineering Battalion
  • 172nd Aviation Brigade
  • 98th Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiment
  • 119th Helicopter Brigade
  • Air Defense Corps
  • 359th Engineering Battalion
  • 210th Signal Battalion
  • 204th Fighter Aviation Regiment
  • 126th Air Surveillance/Intelligence and Guidance Brigade
  • 250th Air Defense Missile Brigade
  • 230th Air Defense Self-Propelled Missile Regiment
  • 240th Air Defense Self-Propelled Missile Regiment
  • 310th Air Defense Self-Propelled Missile Regiment

Branches and services

Ranks

Officers

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Other ranks

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Inventory

Inventory 1998

Inventory 2003

Successors

The successors are the Serbian Air Force and the Montenegrin Air Force.

References