At least 20 Separate Air Assault Battalions were formed in the
Soviet Army between 1979 and 1981. These units provided airmobile capability to
field armies,
groups of forces and
military districts. Five mobilization air assault battalions were also created, the first in 1981 and the remainder in 1987. Almost all of these units were disbanded between 1989[1] and 1991.[2] The battalions of the first three separate air assault brigades to be formed (the
11th,
13th and
21st) were designated as separate air assault battalions. The 11th and 13th Brigades formed in 1968 and the 21st in 1972. The 617th, 618th and 619th Battalions were with the 11th Brigade, the 620th, 621st and 622nd were with the 13th, and the 802nd, 803rd and 804th were with the 21st Brigade.[3] This article aims to provide a history of the independent air assault battalions not part of air assault brigades.
Separate Air Assault Battalions
48th Air Assault Battalion – Activated January 1980 in
Khyriv as the
39th Air Assault Brigade's 1st Airborne Battalion. On 31 January, it moved to
Termez, without weapons or equipment and was redesignated as the 48th Air Assault Battalion. After spending a month reequipping it deployed over the Afghan border on 25 February 1980 and arrived in Kabul by 24 March 1980. It was subordinated to the
40th Army until 1 March, when it became part of the
66th Motor Rifle Brigade. From March onwards, the battalion fought in operations of the
Soviet–Afghan War.[4] It was absorbed by the brigade on 1 May at
Jalalabad.[5][6]
65th Air Assault Battalion – Activated November 1985 in
Białogard with the
Northern Group of Forces from the 126th Guards Reconnaissance Battalion. The battalion was enlarged between May and November 1986 to become the
83rd Air Assault Brigade.[7]
902nd Air Assault Battalion – Activated November 1979 in
Chirchiq from the 3rd Airborne Battalion (351st Guards Airborne Regiment, 105th Guards Airborne Division).[9] The battalion was moved to
Kecskemét with the
Southern Group of Forces[17] in December 1979. It moved to
Malaryta in the
Belorussian Military District during April and May 1989.[18] The battalion was disbanded in 1992.[9]
905th Air Assault Battalion – Activated November 1979 in
Fergana, apparently from elements of the
345th Guards Airborne Regiment of the 105th Guards Airborne Division. The battalion moved to
Bender soon after and became part of the
14th Guards Army.[25] It was disbanded in December 1989.[9][26]
Feskov, V.I.; Golikov, V.I.; Kalashnikov, K.A.; Slugin, S.A. (2013). Вооруженные силы СССР после Второй Мировой войны: от Красной Армии к Советской [The Armed Forces of the USSR after World War II: From the Red Army to the Soviet: Part 1 Land Forces] (in Russian). Tomsk: Scientific and Technical Literature Publishing.
ISBN9785895035306.
At least 20 Separate Air Assault Battalions were formed in the
Soviet Army between 1979 and 1981. These units provided airmobile capability to
field armies,
groups of forces and
military districts. Five mobilization air assault battalions were also created, the first in 1981 and the remainder in 1987. Almost all of these units were disbanded between 1989[1] and 1991.[2] The battalions of the first three separate air assault brigades to be formed (the
11th,
13th and
21st) were designated as separate air assault battalions. The 11th and 13th Brigades formed in 1968 and the 21st in 1972. The 617th, 618th and 619th Battalions were with the 11th Brigade, the 620th, 621st and 622nd were with the 13th, and the 802nd, 803rd and 804th were with the 21st Brigade.[3] This article aims to provide a history of the independent air assault battalions not part of air assault brigades.
Separate Air Assault Battalions
48th Air Assault Battalion – Activated January 1980 in
Khyriv as the
39th Air Assault Brigade's 1st Airborne Battalion. On 31 January, it moved to
Termez, without weapons or equipment and was redesignated as the 48th Air Assault Battalion. After spending a month reequipping it deployed over the Afghan border on 25 February 1980 and arrived in Kabul by 24 March 1980. It was subordinated to the
40th Army until 1 March, when it became part of the
66th Motor Rifle Brigade. From March onwards, the battalion fought in operations of the
Soviet–Afghan War.[4] It was absorbed by the brigade on 1 May at
Jalalabad.[5][6]
65th Air Assault Battalion – Activated November 1985 in
Białogard with the
Northern Group of Forces from the 126th Guards Reconnaissance Battalion. The battalion was enlarged between May and November 1986 to become the
83rd Air Assault Brigade.[7]
902nd Air Assault Battalion – Activated November 1979 in
Chirchiq from the 3rd Airborne Battalion (351st Guards Airborne Regiment, 105th Guards Airborne Division).[9] The battalion was moved to
Kecskemét with the
Southern Group of Forces[17] in December 1979. It moved to
Malaryta in the
Belorussian Military District during April and May 1989.[18] The battalion was disbanded in 1992.[9]
905th Air Assault Battalion – Activated November 1979 in
Fergana, apparently from elements of the
345th Guards Airborne Regiment of the 105th Guards Airborne Division. The battalion moved to
Bender soon after and became part of the
14th Guards Army.[25] It was disbanded in December 1989.[9][26]
Feskov, V.I.; Golikov, V.I.; Kalashnikov, K.A.; Slugin, S.A. (2013). Вооруженные силы СССР после Второй Мировой войны: от Красной Армии к Советской [The Armed Forces of the USSR after World War II: From the Red Army to the Soviet: Part 1 Land Forces] (in Russian). Tomsk: Scientific and Technical Literature Publishing.
ISBN9785895035306.