Air Assault Battalion (Soviet Union)

19 Air Assault Battalions were formed in the Soviet Army between 1979 and 1981. These units provided airmobile capability to field armies, groups of forces and military districts. Five mobilization air assault battalions were also created, the first in 1981 and the remainder in 1987. Most of these units were disbanded between 1989 and 1991.^[1] This article aims to provide a history of these units.

Separate Air Assault Battalions

• 48th Separate Air Assault Battalion – Activated January 1980 in Khyriv as the 39th Air Assault Brigade's 1st Airborne Battalion. On 31 January, it moved to Termez, without weapons or equipment and was redesignated as the 48th Separate Air Assault Battalion. After spending a month reequipping It deployed over the Afghan border on 25 February 1980 and arrived in Kabul by 24 March 1980. It was subordinated to the 40th Army until 1 March, when it became part of the 66th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade. From March onwards, the battalion fought in operations of the Soviet–Afghan War.^[2] It was absorbed by the brigade on 1 May at Jalalabad.^[3][4]
• 139th Separate Air Assault Battalion – Activated November 1979 in Kaliningrad with 11th Guards Army, disbanded December 1989.^[5]
• 145th Separate Air Assault Battalion – Activated November 1979 in Sergeyevka, Primorsky Krai with 5th Red Banner Army, disbanded December 1989.^[6]
• 899th Separate Air Assault Battalion – Activated December 1979 from 1st Airborne Battalion (351st Guards Airborne Regiment, 105th Guards Airborne Division) in Burg with 3rd Red Banner Army.^[7] The battalion moved to Tambov in the Moscow Military District in March 1989.^[8] It was disbanded in February and March 1991, still at Tambov.^[7]
• 900th Separate Air Assault Battalion – Activated December 1979 from 1st Airborne Battalion (351st Guards Airborne Regiment, 105th Guards Airborne Division) in Schönau, Leipzig with 8th Guards Army.^[7] The battalion transferred to Zaslonovo, Minsk in the Belorussian Military District in March 1989. In October 1989, the battalion was transferred to the Internal Troops.^[9] It was disbanded in November 1989.^[7]
• 901st Separate Air Assault Battalion – Activated October 1979 in Kirovabad with the Transcaucasian Military District. In November 1979, the battalion was moved to Oremov Laz, Czechoslovakia with the Central Group of Forces. In March 1989, it was sent to Aluksne in the Baltic Military District. The battalion moved to Sukhumi in May 1991, becoming part of the Transcaucasian Military District once again. In August 1992, it became part of the 7th Guards Airborne Division. During 1993, it fought in Abkhazia. The battalion moved to Kubinka with the division in October 1993. In February 1994, it became part of the 45th Separate Spetsnaz Regiment as the 901st Separate Spetsnaz Battalion and was disbanded in May 1998.^[10]
• 902nd Separate Air Assault Battalion – Activated November 1979 in Chirchiq from the 3rd Airborne Battalion (351st Guards Airborne Regiment, 105th Guards Airborne Division).^[7] The battalion was moved to Kecskemét with the Southern Group of Forces in December 1979. It moved to Malaryta in the Belorussian Military District during April and May 1989.^[11] The battalion was disbanded in 1992.^[7]
• 903rd Separate Air Assault Battalion – Activated 10 November 1979 in Brest from the 3rd Airborne Battalion (80th Guards Airborne Regiment, 104th Guards Airborne Division) with 28th Army.^[7] It moved to Grodno on 28 March 1987. The battalion was disbanded on 31 December 1989.^[12]
• 904th Separate Air Assault Battalion – Activated 1982 in Volodymyr-Volynskyi with 13th Army, disbanded December 1989.^[13]
• 905th Separate Air Assault Battalion – Activated November 1979 in Fergana, apparently from elements of the 345th Guards Airborne Regiment of the 105th Guards Airborne Division. The battalion moved to Bender soon after and became part of the 14th Guards Army. It was disbanded in December 1989.^[7][14]
• 906th Separate Air Assault Battalion – Activated December 1989 in Khada Bulak with 36th Army, disbanded December 1989.^[15]
• 907th Separate Air Assault Battalion – Activated December 1989 in Birobidzhan with 43rd Army Corps , disbanded December 1989.^[16]
• 908th Separate Air Assault Battalion – Activated December 1989 in Konotop with 1st Guards Army. It moved to Honcharivske in 1984 and was disbanded in December 1989.^[17]
• 1011th Separate Air Assault Battalion – Activated December 1989 in Maryina Horka with the 5th Guards Tank Army, disbanded in December 1989.^[18]
• 1044th Separate Air Assault Battalion – Activated 1 June 1980 in Forst Zinna from 1st and 8th Airborne Companies of the 35th Guards Air Assault Brigade.^[7] The battalion was part of the 1st Guards Tank Army. In November 1981, it moved to Juterbog and transferred to Šiauliai in the Baltic Military District during February and March 1989. In December 1989, it became part of the Baltic Fleet. The battalion transferred to the 107th Motor Rifle Division in June 1991 and was disbanded in October 1991.^[19]
• 1151st Separate Air Assault Battalion – Activated 1980 with 7th Tank Army in Polotsk, disbanded December 1989.^[20]
• 1156th Separate Air Assault Battalion – Activated 1980 in Novohrad-Volynskyi with 8th Tank Army, disbanded December 1989.^[21]
• 1179th Separate Air Assault Battalion – Activated 1980 in Petrozavodsk with 6th Guards Army, disbanded December 1989.^[22]
• 1185th Separate Air Assault Battalion – Activated January 1981 in Ravensbrück with 2nd Tank Army. The battalion moved to Võru in March 1989, becoming part of the Baltic Military District. It was disbanded in October 1991.^[23]

Separate Air Assault Battalions (Mobilization)

• 1154th Separate Air Assault Battalion – Activated 1981 in Shelekhov with 29th Army, disbanded December 1989.^[24]
• 1603rd Separate Air Assault Battalion – Activated December 1987 in Nadvirna with 38th Army, disbanded December 1989.^[25]
• 1604th Separate Air Assault Battalion – Activated December 1987 in Sosnovy Bor with 29th Army, disbanded December 1989.^[26]
• 1605th Separate Air Assault Battalion – Activated December 1987 in Spassk-Dalny with 5th Red Banner Army, disbanded December 1989.^[27]
• 1609th Separate Air Assault Battalion – Activated December 1987 in Kyakhta with 39th Army, disbanded December 1989.^[28]

References

1. "independent Landing-Assault Battalions". www.ww2.dk. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
2. "История 48 десантно-штурмового батальона" [48th Separate Air Assault Battalion History]. 66brigada.org (in Russian). 7 November 2010. Retrieved 2016-02-13.
3. "48th independent Landing-Assault Battalion". www.ww2.dk. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
4. "Афганский ДШБ 39 отдельной десантно-штурмовой бригады." [Afghan DSHB 39th Separate Air Assault Brigade]. dshb-79.narod.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 13 February 2016.
5. "139th independent Landing-Assault Battalion". www.ww2.dk. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
6. "145th independent Landing-Assault Battalion". www.ww2.dk. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
7. Selemenev, Vadim (2 November 2010). "О причинах расформирования 105-й гвардейской воздушно-десантной Венской Краснознаменной дивизии" [Causes of the dissolution of the 105th Guards Airborne Division]. desantura.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2016-02-12.
8. "899th independent Landing-Assault Battalion". www.ww2.dk. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
9. "900th independent Landing-Assault Battalion". www.ww2.dk. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
10. "901st independent Landing-Assault Battalion". www.ww2.dk. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
11. "902nd independent Landing-Assault Battalion". www.ww2.dk. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
12. "903rd independent Landing-Assault Battalion". www.ww2.dk. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
13. "904th independent Landing-Assault Battalion". www.ww2.dk. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
14. "905th independent Landing-Assault Battalion". www.ww2.dk. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
15. "906th independent Landing-Assault Battalion". www.ww2.dk. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
16. "907th independent Landing-Assault Battalion". www.ww2.dk. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
17. "908th independent Landing-Assault Battalion". www.ww2.dk. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
18. "1011th independent Landing-Assault Battalion". www.ww2.dk. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
19. "1044th independent Landing-Assault Battalion". www.ww2.dk. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
20. "1151st independent Landing-Assault Battalion". www.ww2.dk. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
21. "1156th independent Landing-Assault Battalion". www.ww2.dk. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
22. "1179th independent Landing-Assault Battalion". www.ww2.dk. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
23. "1185th independent Landing-Assault Battalion". www.ww2.dk. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
24. "1154th independent Landing-Assault Battalion". www.ww2.dk. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
25. "1603rd independent Landing-Assault Battalion". www.ww2.dk. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
26. "1604th independent Landing-Assault Battalion". www.ww2.dk. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
27. "1605th independent Landing-Assault Battalion". www.ww2.dk. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
28. "1609th independent Landing-Assault Battalion". www.ww2.dk. Retrieved 2016-02-12.