15th Transport Aviation Brigade (Ukraine)

History

Components

• 1st Transport Squadron - Antonov An-26, a single Antonov An-24 and a single Tupolev Tu-134A-3. Its tasks are the transportation of cargo, personnel and senior members of the armed forces and the state.
• 2nd Aerial Photography Squadron “Blakytna stezha” - An-30B aircraft which carry out international observation missions under the “Open Skies” Treaty, performing aerial inspections.
• 3rd Helicopter Squadron - Mil Mi-8 of various versions for transportation of high-command officers and leaders of the state.

  Aircraft

• An-24
• An-26
• An-30
• Tu-134
• Mi-8

  Operations

• Participated in the war in Afghanistan from 1981, and performed both standard tasks, aerial photography of the territory for mapping and special tasks: visual monitoring of Mujahideen groups, vectoring of combat aircraft on weapon caravans and assistance in SAR operations.
• Brigade was involved in response Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster.
• Supported Ukrainian operations in UN missions in the former Yugoslavia, Iraq), and Africa (Angola, Sierra Leone.
• Brigade have actively participated in anti-terrorist operations in East Ukraine.
• International observation missions under the “Open Skies” Treaty, performing aerial inspections.

  Accidents

• On June 6, 2014, An-30B board number 80 was shot down by terrorists over Slavyansk, Donetsk Oblast.