MOSCOW. March 22 (Interfax-AVN) - Up to 40 % of the Navy aviation pilots are ready to intercept a target after announcement of combat alert, Navy Aviation Commander Lieutenant General Ivan Fedin told Interfax-Military News Agency on Friday.
Fedin said that a pilot should take off in 16 minutes following the announcement of combat alert. The general added that the readiness of fighter aviation was 16 minutes, that of combat duty forces up to three or four hours.
Having declined to specify the precise number of aircraft, Fedin said that "the Russian Navy aviation has enough assets to monitor fleet responsibility zones and to fulfil tasks of combat duty and combat operation."
Speaking of the air defenses of the fleet responsibility zones, the commander stressed that fleet air defense systems were employed in the Baltic and in the Pacific.
Fedin noted that the air defense system provided for fighter regiments operating in different readiness modes; anti-aircraft missile assets provide cover to specific areas. In addition to that, the Russian Armed Forces include combat duty forces comprising anti-ship aviation, attack and reconnaissance aviation.
The Northern Fleet includes air defense systems of ship formations. In addition to that, operational air defense grouping and corps have been set up to cover "our most powerful Northern Fleet," the commander said. The corps in question reports to the Russian Air Force commander. The 4th Air Force Army operates in the Black Sea providing air defense cover to the Black Sea Fleet.
The Russian Navy aviation now totals more than 600 aircraft. The Soviet Navy aviation operated up to 2,500 planes and helicopters.