PVO.

This is coolbert:

The Soviet Air Defense Forces of the Homeland! PVO Strany. An artifact no longer in existence. At the time of the Cold War, an important and very significant element of Soviet military organization and planning, a massive combat edifice without parallel in the United States alone, much less the rest of the world.

From Suvorov:

"The fact that 3,000 combat aircraft . . . have no operation, financial, administrative or any other connection with the Air Forces has not been grasped by ordinary individuals in the West, nor even by Western military specialists."


"NOT been grasped [at least at the time] . . . EVEN BY Western military specialists!"

Protection of the Motherland from enemy intruding aircraft, presumably during the era of the Cold War [if and when the Cold war became HOT!] those high-flying, manner bomber aircraft of the American Strategic Air Command, B-47 and B-52 bombers carrying nuclear and thermonuclear weaponry with the intent of obliterating the Soviet Union.


"Soviet Air Defence Forces"

"The Soviet Air Defence Forces . . . PVO Strany [Air Defense Forces of the Homeland] was the air defense branch of the Soviet Armed Forces . . .  V-PVO was a branch of the military unto itself, separate from the Soviet Air Force (VVS) and Air Defense Troops of Ground Forces. During the Soviet period it was generally ranked third in importance of the Soviet services, behind the Strategic Rocket Forces and the Ground Forces."

That hierarchy of Soviet military services in importance being from top to bottom:

* Strategic Rocket Forces.
* Ground Forces.
* PVO Strany.
* Air Force.
* Navy.

The PVO Strany an autonomous military service having as constituent elements:

* Interceptor aircraft.
* SAM [surface-to-air-missiles].
* Radars.

And with the addition in time of war only:

* AAA [anti-aircraft-artillery].

AAA of various calibers and types mothballed during time of peace, brought to a level of activation during a time of war only.

The Soviets VERY protective of their airspace, intruders not welcome. VERY trigger happy and skittish at all times. So much so that during the Cold War, it is reputed that as man as forty Soviet aircraft ALONE became victims of the PVO. Soviet airplanes shot down by their own folks, identified for some reason or the other as intruders worthy of destruction. NOT only considered worthy, but made so!!

During the Soviet era the PVO was a separate military service but NOT so now! Those various air defense elements now melded into the Russian air force.

coolbert.