After WWII ended, Stalin ordered a full withdrawal of the Red Army from Czechoslovakia, of which it had liberated a major part, before the end of 1945. Post-war world order, mainly based upon agreement between the Allies, determined future role of some Central and East European countries for several decades to come. Political development in Czechoslovakia after the war and above all after communist take-over on February 1948 led to country’s political and military affiliation to the USSR. From then until 1989 Czechoslovak foreign policy as well as military build-up was closely tied with Soviet military concepts and global perception pf USSR as a world power.

The 1950s saw Czechoslovakia join the Warsaw Pact in May 1955 and massive build-up of its military. Numerous new air force units were formed, new air bases built, and naturally a number of new pilots trained under the supervision of Soviet advisors. As new units were formed, new equipment was purchased extensively. in the 1950s large numbers of modern MiG-15, MiG-17, and MiG-19 fighters and IL-28 bombers were purchased, while in the 1960s units received Mach-2 MiG-21 fighters and Su-7 fighters-bombers.

Czechoslovak 10th Air Army is 1968

The Czechoslovak 12th Helicopter Regiment, Olomouc

Czechoslovak 10th Air Army is 1973

Czechoslovak 10th Air Army is 1978

Czechoslovak 10th Air Army is 1983

Czechoslovak 10th Air Army is 1988

The last Czechoslovak MiG-15s