Air Force of Serbia and Montenegro


The Air Force of Serbia and Montenegro, also known as the Air Force of Yugoslavia from 1992 to 2003, was the air force of the former Serbia and Montenegro. It had around 300 fighter aircraft, ground attack aircraft, and other aircraft. The air force, in 1998, had about 16,000 personnel. The air force was disbanded when Montenegro voted to secede from the ex-FRY in 2006. The bulk of it was inherited by the Serbian Air Force.

History

Creation and consolidation

Reorganization

Operation Allied Force

Around 50 Yugoslav aircraft were lost during the Kosovo War when NATO aircraft attacked FRY forces in 1999. Six MiG-29s were destroyed in dogfights against F-15s, F-16s, and F-18s. Other MiG-29s were destroyed on the ground when NATO forces attacked the FRY's Batajnica Airfield.

Casualties

The commander-in-chief of the Air Force said that Air Force and Air Defense had 40 killed and 110 wounded personnel in combat.
Air Force and Air Defense used innovative tactics to counter technologically more advanced and numerically superior opponents.
AF & AD C-in-C Lieutenant General Spasoje Smiljanić was promoted to the rank of Colonel General and awarded Medal of War Flag - First Degree.
Deputy of C-in-C Supreme Command Headquarters for the AF Colonel General Ljubiša Veličković was awarded the Medal of War Flag - First Degree. General Veličković was killed in combat.
Air combat
The first Yugoslav planes in the air were the Knights of the 127th LAE with their MiG-29s. Based on publicly released data one could conclude that three MiGs were scrambled from Batajnica Air Base with Lieutenant Colonel Ljubiša Kulačin, Major Nebojša Nikolić and Major Milorad Milutinović in the cockpits and two from Niš Airport. Since Germany had the same type of MiG-29 for a decade, NATO was expected to be successful in jamming radar and communication with GC center. Bearing that in mind and the fact that great numbers of enemy aircraft were in the air backed by four AWACS planes, Yugoslav pilots applied new tactics. They abandoned the usual leader-wingman formations and used fast solo dashes near ground to stay out of sight and then, when close enough to fire their R-73s, engage in a vertical climb trying to get a firing solution with their KOLS laser - IR rangefinder/homing system.
The following pilots were awarded Bravery Medals and promoted to higher ranks:
Other pilots that flew combat missions :
received the Order of the National Hero medal, the highest military medal for their exceptional service during the war.
126. VOJIN Brigade received the Order of the National Hero medal, the highest military medal for their exceptional service during the war.

List of awarded members

AircraftSerialPlaceCrew-
MiG-2918103Batajnica-
MiG-2918104Niš-
MiG-2918106near KruševacMaj. Predrag "Grof" Milutinović, shot down by friendly fire-
MiG-2918107Batajnica-
MiG-2918109near ValjevoCol. Milenko Pavlović†, shot down by NATO-
MiG-2918110PonikveMaj. Slobodan Tešanović, noncombat flight-
MiG-2918111near TitelMaj. Nebojša Nikolić, shot down by NATO-
MiG-2918112near PrištinaMaj. Iljo Arizanov, shot down by possible friendly fire-
MiG-2918113near LoznicaCapt. 1st Class Zoran Radoslavljević†, shot down by NATO-
MiG-2918114near BjeljinaMaj. Slobodan Perić, shot down by NATO-
MiG-29UB18302Batajnica-
G-4 Super Galeb23693 Leteće ZvezdeGolubovci-
G-4 Super Galeb23694 Leteće ZvezdeGolubovci-
G-4 Super Galeb23695 Leteće ZvezdeGolubovci-
G-4 Super Galeb23696 Leteće ZvezdeGolubovci-
G-4 Super Galeb23697 Leteće ZvezdeGolubovci-
G-4 Super Galeb23698 Leteće ZvezdeGolubovci-
G-4 Super Galeb23699 Leteće ZvezdeGolubovci-
G-4t Super Galeb23604Batajnica-
G-4t Super Galeb23606Batajnica-
J-22 Orao25104near ParaćinMaj.Života Đurić†-
J-22 Orao25204Ponikve-
J-22 Orao25205Ponikve-
NJ-22 Orao25532Ponikve-
NJ-22 Orao25533Ponikve-
J-22 Orao25174Ponikve-
J-22 Orao25168Ponikve-
IJ-22 Orao25709Moma center-
NJ-22 Orao25527Batajnica-
J-22 Orao25164Batajnica-
J-22 Orao25152Lađevci-
J-22 Orao25207Lađevci-
MiG-21 Bis17135-
MiG-21 Bis17220Batajnica-
MiG-21 Bis17228Batajnica-
MiG-21 Bis17231Batajnica-
MiG-21 Bis17401Batajnica-
MiG-21 Bis-K17208Batajnica-
MiG-21 Bis17162Priština-
MiG-21 Bis17169Priština-
MiG-21 Bis17170Priština-
MiG-21 Bis17224Priština-
MiG-21 Bis17166Lađevci-
MiG-21 Bis?Batajnica-
MiG-21 Bis?Ponikve-
MiG-21 Bis?Sjenica-
MiG-21 M?Batajnica-
MiG-21 UM16151Batajnica-
An-270301Leskovac-
An-270374Leskovac-
An-270357Leskovac-
Mi-14PL11351Golubovci-
Mi-14PL11352Golubovci-
Mi-14PL11354Golubovci-
Ka-25PL11305Golubovci-
Ka-25PL11306Golubovci-
G-2 Galeb23211Golubovci-
G-2 Galeb23???Golubovci-
G-2 Galeb23???Golubovci-
G-2 Galeb23???Golubovci-
G-2 Galeb23???Golubovci-
G-2 Galeb23???Golubovci-
G-2 Galeb23???Golubovci-
G-2 Galeb23???Golubovci-
G-2 Galeb23???Golubovci-
G-2 Galeb23???Golubovci-
G-2 Galeb23???Golubovci-
G-2 Galeb23???Golubovci-
G-2 Galeb23???Golubovci-
G-2 Galeb23???Golubovci-
G-2 Galeb23???Golubovci-
G-2 Galeb23???Golubovci-
G-2 Galeb23???Golubovci-
G-2 Galeb23???Golubovci-
Utva 7553001Pančevo, Utva-
Utva 75A53263Pančevo, Utva-
Utva 75AG53265Pančevo, Utva-
Utva 75R53166Pančevo, Utva-
Utva 7553213Sombor-
Lasta 9554151Pančevo, Utva-
Lasta 9554153Pančevo, Utva-
Lasta 9554154Pančevo, Utva-
Lasta 9554155Pančevo, Utva-
Lasta 9554156Pančevo, Utva-
Mi-812???Kosovo-
Mi-812???Kosovo

Organization

Structure

1992–1994

Ranks of the ''RV i PVO SRJ/SCG''

Inventory

Successors

The successors are the Serbian Air Force and the Montenegrin Air Force.