Baku Air Defence District in 1968


	Baku Red Banner Air Defence District in January 1, 1968 North Caucasus, Transcaucasian and Western Turkestan Military District

The Baku Red Banner Air Defence District defended the air space of the Soviet Union in a very sensitive region in the sixties years. Here were the Turkish NATO border, Caspian Sea oil and gas deposits, US friendly Iranian border, South-Russian industrial facilities, etc.

In the sixties years established seventeen Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment in the region. The SA-75 Dvina/Volkhov ‘SA-2’ guide missiles, Su-9 ‘Fishpot’ and MiG-19 ‘Farmer’ interceptors of the Baku Red Banner Air Defence District were able to capture high-altitude and high-speed air targets. The vintage MiG-17 ‘Fresco’ was used against low altitude and slow air targets.




		167th Guard Fighter Air Regiment PVO’s Su-9 ‘Fishpot-A’ air defence fighter at Kopitnari airport




		Soviet MiG-19 pilots of the 627th Guard Air Defense Fighter Regiment PVO. Photo: Tamara Volgina collection


	In the sixties, the Baku Air Defence District got one regiment Su-11 ‘Fishpot-C’ and three regiments Yak-28P ‘Firebar’ interceptor fighter aircraft. These were equipped with more powerful Oryol ‘Skip Spin' radar and R-8M ‘AA-3 Anab’ medium-range air-to-air missile.






			Soviet Su-11 ‘Fishpot-C’s of the 393rd Guard Regiment


		The 2nd Guard Fighter Air Regiment PVO became to fighter-bomber regiment in December 1967 and later moved to the Transbaikal Military District area, in Aug 1969. *

Baku Red Banner Air Defence District Order of Battle in 1968

Unfortunately, the new modern high powered Su-11 ‘Fishpot-C’ and Yak-28P ‘Firebar’ interceptor models were not able to intercepted low-altitude targets. The use of fighter aircraft is illustrated by history below: The Yak-28P ‘Firebar’ of the 171st regiment intercepted an Antonov An-2 biplane defector on 13 March 1967. The An-2 tried to fly over the Black Sea to Turkey. The An-2 didn't have much of a heat signature flying very low over the waves.

The Yak-28P ‘Firebar’ crew wasn't able to get a good missile lock, but the ‘Firebar’ interceptor was able to use its long-range radar to guide the other MiG-17 from 171th regiment to the slow target, which then shut down the biplane into the sea with cannon fire.

MiG-17 fighter of the 166th Guard Fighter Air Regiment PVO




		Ground crew of 627th Guard Fighter Air Regiment PVO in front of their MiG-19P ‘Farmer-B’ interceptor fighter in the sixties.




		Soviet 166th Guard Fighter Air Regiment PVO’s MiG-17 ‘Fresco-A’ at Marneuli, Sandar in the second half of the sixties


	It made the Baku Red Banner Air Defence District's task more difficult that they needed to annihilate a lot of American propaganda air balloons too. The fighter regiments of the Baku Air Defence District used MiG-15UTI ‘Midget’ and Su-7U ‘Moujik’ two-seaters trainer aircraft in the sixties.


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Baku Red Banner Air Defence District in January 1, 1973