The 806th Fighter Bomber Air Regiment
in Mongolia and Soviet-Iranian border in 1979

The Soviet Airforce selected Lutsk airport to test the new Su-17M2 ‘Fitter-D’ tactical bomber aircraft. The technical staff of the 806th Fighter Bomber Air Regiment traveled to Komsomolsk Na Amure factory. Unfortunately, there was only theoretical training in the factory, so the staff was dissatisfied.

The first new Su-17M2 ‘Fitter-D’ aircraft arrived at Lutsk airport in October 1975. Later, thirteen new aircraft arrived with An-22 cargo airplanes in January 1976 from the factory. The new aircraft had many technical problems.

The regiment received incorrect blueprints and did not receive testing equipment for the aircraft's. There were many problems with the weapon systems. For example:

• The new MBDZ-U6-68 multiple bomb rack could not be attached to the aircraft because the bores were drilled incorrectly!
• The rocket pod and the bomb could not be used at the same time. The electric system of the aircraft was not sufficient for it.

The weapon system was not ready. The armaments were incompletely integrated into the aircraft.

The technical staff experienced a lot of technical shortcomings. The Ministry of Aeronautics also visited the airport to investigate these faults. Later, the bugs were fixed at the regiment.
 

The Soviet 806th Fighter Bomber Air Regiment's Su-17M2 'Fitter-D' bomber aircraft used SPS-141V ECM pod

The 806th Fighter Bomber Air Regiment was very busy in 1979, they have been involved in two important missions with Su-17M2 ‘Fitter-D’ bomber aircraft.

On February 17, 1979, the Chinese People's Liberation Army attacked Vietnam. Therefore the Soviet Union sent reinforcements to Mongolia close to the Chinese border to support Vietnam. The 806th Fighter Bomber Air Regiment moved to Mongolia too, so they could show China the strength of the Soviet Union.

The regiment received the alarm on February 18. They collected operational planes, equipment, maps. The pilots planned routs and drew maps. The equipment was loaded into the Antonov An-12 ‘Cub’ aircraft and then 48 Su-17M2/UMs ‘Fitter’ took off on 16 March from Lutsk airport. The 806th Fighter Bomber Air Regiment arrived in Mongolia in three days.

The First Day:
The commander of the regiment lead the 48 aircraft at 7800 meter high, from a Su-17UM. They landed three hours later at Engels airport. Here they admired the Myasishchev M-4 'Bison' four-engined strategic bomber. They spent the night at Kustanay airport.

The Second Day:
They arrived at Kamen-on-Obi airport in the forenoon. There was a lot of snow and -30 degrees. The lunch tasted very bad. They arrived at Belaya airport in the afternoon, where they parked beside the Tu-22M2 bombers, after a beautiful blond woman greeted them at the quarters. Everybody’s mood was lifted after that.

The Third Day:
They arrived at Borzya airport. From there they flew over to Mongolia. The 2nd and3rd squadron stayed at Choibalsan airport, the first squadron later moved to Choir airport.

The 806th Fighter Bomber Air Regiment returned to Eastern-Europe Lutsk airport On March 31.
 

Before the Afghan war the 806th Fighter Bomber Air Regiment sent one squadron with Su-17M2 ‘Fitter-D’ bombers to near the Iran border at Kzyl-Arvat airport. This squadron was suitable to nuclear offense and was stationed here in order to keep the Iranian forces at bay.

The regiment received the alarm on December 25, 1979. The task was to arrive in two days to near the Iran border at Kzyl-Arvat airport and protect the Soviet-Iranian border during the Afghan invasion. One Su-17M2 ‘Fitter-D’ squadron landed at Kzyl-Arvat airport on December 27. This squadron remained in Turkmen SSR until the end of March 1980.

The 806th Fighter Bomber Air Regiment’s both missions was carried out without loss in 1979!

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Photos: Yury Mikhailov, Nicholas Fedorenko collections



Tags:
Soviet Union, USSR, Soviet Air Forces, VVS, Cold War, Carpathian Military District's Air Force 1988, 14th Tactical Air Army, 289th Fighter Bomber Air Division, Lutsk, 806th Fighter Bomber Air Regiment, Lutsk, Su-17M2 Fitter-D, 806th Fighter Bomber Aviation Regiment, Sukhoi


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Союз Советских Социалистических Республик, СССР, Военно-воздушные силы, ПрикВО, Прикарпатском ВО, 14-я воздушная армия, 14-я ВА, Прикарпатского военного округа, 289-ю авиационная Никопольскую Краснознамённую дивизия истребителей-бомбардировщиков, Луцк, 289-ю адиб, 806-й ордена Суворова авиационный полк истребителей-бомбардировщиков, 806-й Апиб, Су-17М2, Луцк, Сухой