The state of affairs and existing trends in the development of the geopolitical situation in various regions of the world, including the areas of traditional Russian national interests, have clearly demonstrated the growing role of the Air Force and Air Defense Forces as a factor that can significantly influence the balance of power in the international arena. This was clearly demonstrated during the Yugoslav crisis. Therefore, it is natural that special attention is being paid to ensuring the security of Russia's air borders. The performance of any tasks in this area depends to a large extent on the effectiveness of the measures taken to reform the Air Force and Air Defense. On this topic, Yuri Seleznev, a regular correspondent for the North Caucasus Military District, spoke with Lieutenant General Valery Mikhailovich GORBENKO, Commander of the Air Force and Air Defense Joint Forces.

Valery Mikhailovich Gorbenko was born on April 20, 1946, in Engels, Saratov Oblast.

In 1968, he graduated from the V.M. Komarov Yeysk Higher Military Aviation Order of Lenin School of Pilots, and in 1976, he graduated from the Command Department of the Yuri Gagarin Air Force Academy. He has been in his current position since June 1998.

He is a military pilot-sniper and holds the honorary title of "Honored Military Pilot". He has been awarded the Order of the Red Star and the Order of Military Merit.

He is married and has two daughters.

- Comrade Lieutenant General, as you know, the creation of a new integrated branch of the Armed Forces - a unified structure of the Air Force and Air Defense Forces - was a crucial stage in the military reform. Now that the main activities are behind us, we can probably identify the main obstacles that we had to overcome and make our first assessments...

- We proceed from the fact that the core of the military reform program is the creation of a rational Armed Forces with a structure and size that allow for the necessary deterrent potential.

Naturally, the goal of the Air Force's transformation lies within the framework of general objectives. Achieving these objectives should be carried out in stages.

Of course, the organizational unification of the Air Force and the Air Defense Forces into a single branch of the Armed Forces was a milestone for us. In our case, this meant that a separate Air Defense Corps, stationed in the south of Russia, became part of our air force.

I would like to emphasize that the decision of the country's top military and political leadership to unite the Air Force and the Air Defense Forces is a response to the demands of the times. The results of fundamental Russian and foreign military research in this area undeniably demonstrate the potential for reform based on the principle of centralized management of operational and operational-strategic aviation units by the Commander-in-Chief of the unified Air Force.

I will add something else. The development of military art and the global experience of military construction also indicate that the optimal structure of the Armed Forces, which requires the least amount of resources while maintaining high efficiency, is a three-tier structure based on the number of physical and geographical environments in which armed conflict takes place, such as the sea, land, and air (space). This structure is currently employed by the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and several other militarily and economically advanced countries.

At the same time, the Air Force, as an essential component of the new structure, retains its special and exceptional qualities. These include versatility, which allows for effective military operations in various physical environments, rapid response to new challenges, the ability to conduct aerial reconnaissance, and the ability to carry out airborne operations, transport troops, cargo, and military equipment for all branches of the Armed Forces.

As you can see, no other branch of the Armed Forces has such versatility.

- Valery Mikhailovich, in the recent past, the Air Force and the Air Defense Forces were primarily responsible for protecting and defending the entire territory of the former USSR. Has the changing geopolitical situation, including in southern Russia, necessitated adjustments to the global air defense system?

- The main task of the Air Force in the new organizational structure, which includes various types of aviation, anti-aircraft missile forces, and radio engineering troops, is to protect Russia's airspace, detect potential adversaries in a timely manner, and notify relevant agencies.

At the same time, in accordance with the interstate agreements concluded, the Russian Federation cooperates with a number of the former Soviet republics and provides them with assistance in organizing air defence. The joint exercises of the air defence forces of the CIS member states held in 1998-1999 demonstrated the high efficiency of the defensive measures of the interoperable air defence systems of our countries.

Today, it is impossible to draw clear borders between states in the air, let alone in outer space. Life itself suggests that in this matter, we should not divide, but rather unite our efforts to achieve a common goal: protecting our air borders. Those states that have not deemed it necessary to join a unified air defense system may believe that they can protect their air borders on their own. Well, God bless them. Moreover, this position does not in any way prevent them from subsequently joining forces and resources with the member states of the treaty. I believe that time will tell. It will show who has chosen the most effective and, most importantly, the most cost-efficient form of defending their air borders.

As for our region, the area of responsibility of the Air Force and Air Defense unit under my command, I can confidently say that the units and formations are fully prepared to carry out their tasks, both in peacetime and during special periods. If necessary, we will be able to provide the necessary measures.

This was proven by the recent flight and tactical exercises of the regiments, which were held for the first time in the last three years. Previously, due to a lack of fuel and lubricants, we were forced to limit ourselves to the flight and tactical exercises of the squadrons. Therefore, the regimental exercises are a significant event and a challenging test for us.

This year, the Main Command of the Air Force has been actively working to extend the service life of its equipment and restore it. The results are already being felt, as the condition of aviation equipment in a number of our units has improved. This is confirmed by the findings of a commission from the General Staff, which visited an aviation assault regiment located in Budyonnovsk. The aviators quickly and accurately completed all the assigned tasks. 100% of the aircraft fleet was in proper training and combat readiness.

- The changes for the better are certainly encouraging. But can we talk about a fundamental change in the provision of financial resources, fuel, clothing, and other equipment for your association? Without this, it is difficult to achieve high combat readiness.

- No, I would not be in a hurry to talk about drastic changes in these issues yet. We are well aware of what a difficult period the country is going through, we assess the situation adequately and, in general, do not ask for much. I often have to visit subordinate units, and I know firsthand about people's moods. Our soldier, as is well known, is ready to endure many troubles. Alas, it has become commonplace for there to be delays in the payment of salaries, compensation for housing, and the provision of clothing and other items in exchange for food rations. Yes, people are somehow able to endure these shortcomings. However, there is one thing that is completely unbearable, and that is the lack of aviation fuel. In this situation, pilots lose their sense of professionalism. It is a severe moral blow.

The allocation of an extremely small amount of aviation fuel has led to a significant decrease, and in some squadrons, to a complete loss of air training for some of the flight personnel. Every year, the number of aviators who are separated from the skies for 2 to 4 years increases. The average flight time of pilots has decreased by 10 to 15%. The number of combat-ready "all-weather" pilots is decreasing. At the same time, the intensity of combat duty in the air defense system and the need to maintain strike aviation forces for specific tasks in our region require us to make every effort to train our pilots.

Naturally, we cannot take the position of an outside observer and wait for better times to come. Therefore, we are using various opportunities to maintain the necessary level of pilot training. In this case, all means are good. Along with traditional methods, we are also exploring new and somewhat unusual forms of training. We are actively utilizing the expertise of highly skilled professionals. Fortunately, we have a significant number of such individuals. Just consider the names of Heroes of Russia, Colonels Sergei Borisyuk and Viktor Markelov, Hero of the Soviet Union, Colonel Vladislav Goncharenko, and many other military personnel. They share their knowledge and skills with young people, "putting them on their feet."

I have approved a training program for a group of young pilots on L-39 training aircraft, which includes a 50-hour program followed by their deployment on combat aircraft. I will not hide the fact that this method can only partially solve the problem. However, it is better than not solving it at all.

Next, we try to plan the flights of each regiment and squadron in detail, taking into account the individual training of the pilots and the weather conditions. Sometimes we have to "catch" the weather in order to concentrate as many exercises as possible in each flight.

In addition, we aim to comprehensively address the combat training of various types of aviation and ground-based units of anti-aircraft missile and radio engineering forces during flight-tactical and joint exercises.

Taken together, these and other measures allow us to reduce the gap between the training levels of young pilots and more experienced flight personnel. However, we must acknowledge that there is currently a trend towards disrupted generational continuity among pilots.

So far, we haven't experienced any serious staffing issues. However, this is largely due to significant organizational and staffing changes that have led to the release of a large number of specialists. In fact, we even have a surplus of specialists. For example, we have not yet been able to fill the positions of approximately 40 aviation engineering officers who received their lieutenant's rank this year. On the other hand, we are already experiencing a shortage of specialists in communications, radio engineering, finance, and medical services. I would consider these issues to be part of the broader state-level challenges. It is difficult, if not impossible, to solve such issues within a single association.

- Comrade Commander, the recent events in the Balkans and the North Atlantic Alliance's operation against Iraq, "Desert Fox," have revealed an undeniable fact: the role of aviation and air defense systems has undergone a significant transformation in today's world. It is logical to assume that your unit has drawn certain conclusions from these developments.

- Of course, we have been aware of NATO's actions in Iraq and Yugoslavia. It would be a mistake not to learn from them. In my opinion, there are several lessons to be learned. The main one is that in the current situation, with the current level of development of aviation technology, the Air Force is capable of solving not only operational and tactical, but also strategic tasks. This can be done independently, without the involvement of ground forces. However, it is important to note that both Iraq and Yugoslavia had relatively modest military capabilities compared to Russia.

Now, let's talk about practical conclusions. Air defense success is possible with well-established radar and electronic intelligence. By the way, many Russian politicians insisted on transferring our S-300 PM anti-aircraft systems to Yugoslavia as the aggressed party. However, without reliable intelligence of these types, these truly unique systems can only perform limited tasks.

In this regard, I would like to emphasize that the radar and electronic equipment available to our Air Force and Air Defense Association is capable of detecting the takeoff of both individual aircraft and groups of targets at extreme ranges and with very high quality. Moreover, it has enough time to implement a full range of countermeasures, including the transition to combat readiness and the repulsion of attacks.

It is appropriate to mention another simple but important conclusion: it is better to destroy enemy aircraft before they take off. In this regard, the role of strike aviation cannot be overestimated. We have sufficient numbers of strike aircraft, and we have already made relevant adjustments to our combat training plans. We have also adjusted our fighter pilot training program. NATO pilots are known to perform combat missions primarily at night, indicating their excellent night-time training. We have taken this into account in our flight training plans.

I can't say that the methods and forms of combat operations during Operations Desert Storm, Desert Fox, and Resolute Force were any special revelation for us. After all, we also had to take part in modern local conflicts. However, there is a natural change of generations of aviators, methods of conducting armed struggle are being improved. And we simply have to take these factors into account and respond appropriately to them.

We also need to take into account the specific features of the region where we serve. I don't need to remind you about the challenging situation in the North Caucasus. The recent events in Dagestan and now in Chechnya have once again demonstrated the precarious balance in the region. Add to this the proximity of the Caspian Sea, with its abundance of oil, and the declaration of this area as a strategic national interest by several major countries, and it becomes clear how much responsibility lies on the shoulders of our military personnel.

- Undoubtedly, in order to perform one's duties adequately in such harsh conditions, one must possess excellent health. Moreover, the combat readiness of the Air Force depends heavily on the physical condition of its personnel. How effectively is this issue addressed in your unit?

- The entire system of medical support for flight personnel is aimed at increasing the combat readiness of crews, ensuring flight safety, preserving professional health, and extending flight longevity. The system includes regular preventive measures. This is achieved, among other things, through rest in health resorts and sanatoriums.

Unfortunately, after the collapse of the USSR, most of the Ministry of Defense's sanatoriums were located outside of Russia. Currently, the country's Air Force has only three sanatoriums: in Adler, Chemitokvadzha, and St. Petersburg. The situation is further complicated by the fact that, due to the lack of funding for sanatoriums from the federal budget during the summer months, a significant portion of the vacations are sold at negotiated prices. For example, in the first half of 1999, our association received only 427 vacation packages. To be honest, this is clearly not enough.

We see a way out of this situation in the creation and maintenance of health centers for flight personnel. One of these centers is currently operating in Adler, where about 800 people can rest and recuperate for one week during the season. Work is also underway to open another health center on the Black Sea coast in Kabardinka. Last year, 85% of our pilots visited the health center.

As you can see, we do not forget about the health of our military personnel even in these difficult times.

- Thank you, Valery Mikhailovich, for our conversation.