Russian Combat Aviation: Procurement, Modernization, and Future Outlook

This paper provides an overview of Russian combat aviation modernization and procurement efforts from the period 2006 to 2019, and discusses how the recent endeavors follow from Russian Air Force and naval aviation capability reductions in the 1990s and early 2000s. It divides this topic into three mainparts,focusing inturnonRussian tactical, strategic, and army aviation. Within each section, the paper examines the key combat aircraft and attack helicopters that the Russian military developed or procured from 2006 to 2019. It also considers the future development and potential acquisitions in each category. This paper endeavors only to cover combat aviation and does not include an assessment of other resources, like trainer aircraft, multipurpose helicopters, or specialized assets.