MOSCOW. Nov 24 (Interfax-AVN) - Russian paratroopers have made over 150,000 jumps during the current training period, with over 60 combat vehicles also air-dropped, Major General Vyacheslav Borisov, Airborne Forces deputy commander for parachuting training, told Interfax-AVN on Friday.
"It is the first time in the past several decades that we have fulfilled the training plan by 102%. Summing up the results of this training year, parachutists have performed 152,287 air-droppings, with 64 combat vehicles, mostly airborne fighting vehicles, also dropped from aircraft," he said.
Borisov noted that the number of air-droppings from Il-76 aircraft has grown three times as compared with 2005. "More than 19,000 air-droppings were effected from Il-26 aircraft of the military transport aviation," the general said.
He added that the 76th permanent-readiness airborne division under command of Major General Alexander Kolpachenko is reputed the best as far as the parachuting training results are concerned.
As for the tasks for the new training period, Borisov stressed that the main focus will be laid on quality training of volunteer parachuting infantrymen in those units that are shifting to new organization by components. "The 76th division and the 31st separate brigade will be transformed into air-assault units, so their personnel will have to master new types of parachuting, including from helicopters," he said.