DEFENDING OUR SKY
by Andrei Garavsky

Source: Krasnaya Zvezda, December 23, 2006, p. 3
Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
December 27, 2006 Wednesday

DEPUTY COMMANDER OF RUSSIAN AIR FORCE LIEUTENANT GENERAL AITECH BIZHEV
SPEAKS ABOUT PROSPECTS FOR THE UNITED REGIONAL AIR DEFENSE SYSTEM OF
RUSSIA AND BELARUS; Lieutenant General Aitech Bizhev, Deputy Commander
of the Russian Air Force, reports that the united regional air defense
system of the union state of Russia and Belarus will include all air
defense forces of Belarus and a part of the air defense forces of
Russia. Along with this, the united regional air defense system will
remain a part of the united air defense system of the CIS countries.

Lieutenant General Aitech Bizhev, Deputy Commander of the Russian
Air Force, reports that the united regional air defense system of the
union state of Russia and Belarus will include all air defense forces
of Belarus and a part of the air defense forces of Russia. Along
with this, the united regional air defense system will remain a part
of the united air defense system of the CIS countries. Bizhev also
reported about cooperation of Russia in this field with Armenia,
Kazakhstan and Tajikistan.

Bizhev said, "The main part of the united system is constituted by
the air defense forces of Belarus. On the part of Russia these are
units of the special command and sixth army of the air force and air
defense forces."

Bizhev is convinced that an agreement will be signed soon on the
level of defense ministries of the two countries and will give the
right to Russian and Belarusian commanders to use air defense forces
and means included into the united regional system in cooperation.

The Russian air force commander will be able to use forces and means
of the air defense forces of Belarus from the central command of the
Russian air force and air defense forces. The air force and air defense
forces commander of Belarus will be able to use only the forces and
means of Russia that are included into the united regional system.

Into the united regional system Russia included only the forces and
means of the air defense forces being necessary for Belarus. Bizhev
stressed, "Our air defense forces means in the Urals area, in the
Far East or in the Caucasus are not interesting for Belarus. For
guarding of the external border of the union state of Russia and
Belarus our means included into the united regional system mean a
very significant reinforcement."

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin approved the proposal
of the Russian government regarding signing of an agreement with
Belarus on joint guarding of the external border of the union state
in the airspace and establishment of the united regional air defense
system of Russia and Belarus. By his resolution the Russian President
instructed the Russian Defense Ministry and Foreign Ministry to hold
negotiations with the Belarusian party and to sign this agreement
with Belarus after settlement of all issues.

According to Bizhev, a meeting of the coordinating council of the
united air defense system of the CIS countries will be held in Yerevan
on February 17 of 2007. A new united regional air defense system on
the Caucasus will be presented at the meeting. This system will be
a counterpart of the united regional system of Russia and Belarus.

There is the 102nd Russian base deployed in Armenia that includes air
defense units armed with S-300 air defense missiles systems, as well
as Erebuni air base where MiG-29 fighters are based. The air defense
forces of Armenia were modernized in 2006 with support of Russia. The
modernization included repair of armament, control and communication
systems, as well as re-training of Armenian servicemen for operation
of S-300.

Bizhev says that in the next few years Russia and Kazakhstan will
also continue cooperation in the framework of the united air defense
system of the CIS countries despite that lately Astana has tried to
be independent from supplies of Russian armament.

Bizhev stresses, "With Kazakhstan we continue cooperation under all
agreements. It is an active participant of the united air defense
system of the CIS. It has a very strong air defense system and a high
combat readiness of airplanes."

Bizhev says that due to the economic boom Kazakhstan is actively
developing its air force and air defense forces. Along with this,
Kazakhstan tries to be independent from Russia in armament and combat
hardware supplies and is conducting active negotiations with other
countries on purchase of air defense and communication equipment.

Kazakhstan is also developing equipment of its own.

According to Bizhev, for any country participation in the united air
defense system is better than development of the air defense system
of its own because this is very expensive.

As to the command post of the air force and air defense forces of
Tajikistan, it is being fitted out with the newest equipment of Russian
manufacture. It is likely that already by the middle of February of
2007 command of the air force and air defense forces of Tajikistan
will be able to receive all information about the air situation on
the CIS territory similar to the information available to the central
command post of the air force and air defense forces of Russia.

The sets of equipment made by Nizhny Novgorod-based plant Nitel were
shipped to Tajikistan on December 17 from Chkalovsky airfield in the
Moscow Region. Among them are air navigation devices, communication
means and automated control systems for the commander of the air
force and air defense forces and defense minister of Tajikistan.

According to Bizhev, exercises of air force and air defense forces of
the CIS countries Combat Commonwealth-2007 will be conducted between
July and August at the Russian training range Ashuluk in the Astrakhan
Region. Armenia, Russia, Belarus, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan already
submitted applications for participation.