Russian military aviation has a long and turbulent history. Understanding that line helps to place current doctrine: much of what the VKS does today traces directly back to the Soviet legacy.
| Period | Name | Character |
|---|---|---|
| 1912–1917 | Imperial Russian Air Service | Pioneer phase, First World War |
| 1918–1991 | Soviet Air Force (VVS) | Mass, ground-oriented, GCI-controlled air force |
| 1991–2015 | Russian Federation Air Force (VVS) | Independent service, decline after 1991 |
| 2015–present | VKS | Merger of air, space and air defence |
Two historical lessons resonate strongly:
- Operation Barbarossa (1941): in the first weeks 4,000–5,000 Soviet aircraft were destroyed, largely on the ground. The trauma of a wiped-out air force anchored the emphasis on dispersal, hardened shelters and air defence.
- Korea (MiG-15 vs. F-86): technically competitive equipment, but inferior pilots and rigid tactics. The lesson — quantity and ground control over individual initiative — stuck.
Remember
The Soviet air force consistently had lower priority than the Army and the Strategic Rocket Command. NATO led in air-force doctrine; the Soviet Union copied and duplicated. That "follower" position explains much of the current set-up.