203rd Guards Orlovskiy Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment

203-й гвардейский тяжелый бомбардировочный Орловский авиационный полк

Military Unit: 26355, 1994: 24758

Activated 8.41 in Monino, Moscow Oblast, as the 412th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment, but renamed 432nd Aviation Regiment Long-Range while still under activation.

3.12.41 renamed 746th Aviation Regiment Long-Range.

18.9.43 renamed 25th Guards Aviation Regiment Long-Range.

26.12.44 renamed 25th Guards Bomber Aviation Regiment.

21.12.45 renamed 203rd Guards Bomber Aviation Regiment.

1948 renamed 203rd Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment.

1.6.94 renamed 203rd Guards Aviation Regiment of Tanker Aircraft.

1.12.09 absorbed by the 43rd Center for Combat Employment and Retraining of Personnel DA.

Bases:

• Balbasovo, Vitebsk Oblast, 4.46 - 7.11.51 [54 26 21N, 30 17 58E]

• Baranovichi, Brest Oblast, 7.11.51 - 1.6.94 [53 05 51N, 26 02 50E]

• Engels, Saratov Oblast, 1.6.94 - 8.00 [51 28 53N, 46 12 46E] - May 2000 began transfer - complete August 2000

• Dyagilevo, Ryazan Oblast, 8.00 - 2009 [54 38 40N, 39 34 15E]

Aircraft:

• TB-7, 1941-1943

• B-24, 1944-1948

• B-17, 1945-1948

• Tu-4, 1948-1954

• Tu-16, 1954-1962

• Tu-22, 1962-1968 - some Tu-22P were used as late as 1989

• Tu-22K, 1968-1994 (Kh-22 missile in use from 1982)

• Il-78, 1994-2009

Inventory:

• 1991: 32 Tu-22K [CFE treaty data exchange]

• 2000: 8 Il-78 and 12 Il-78M

Subordinated:

• 81st Bomber Aviation Division, 8.41 - 12.41

• 3rd Aviation Division Long Range, 12.41 - 8.42

• 45th Aviation Division Long Range, 8.42 - 12.44

• 45th Bomber Aviation Division, 12.44 - 1948

• 45th Heavy Bomber Aviation Division, 1948 - 5.61

• 22nd Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Division, 5.61 - 12.89

• 15th Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Division, 12.89 - 1.92

• 22nd Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Division, 1.92 - 1997

• 43rd Center for Combat Employment and Retraining of Personnel DA, 1997 - 2009