he 114 brihada taktichnoyi aviatsiyi
(brTA, tactical aviation brigade) of
the Povitryani Syly (PS, Ukrainian
Air Force) is unofficially nicknamed
the ‘Sokoly Prykarpattya’ (‘Carpathian
Falcons’). It has been directly subordinated
to Povitryane Komanduvannya ‘Zakhid’
(PvK ‘Zakhid’, Air Command ‘West’) at Lviv
since December 2004 and has a total of 50
MiG-29s and two L-39 trainers, distributed
between two aviation squadrons.
In common with all Zbroyni Syly Ukrayiny
(ZSU, Ukrainian Armed Forces) units, 114 brTA
was mobilised in the spring of 2014 to fend off
a possible imminent attack from the Russian
Federation. Along with 40 brTA from Vasyl’kiv
air base, it established a MiG-29 detachment
at Dnipropetrovs’k International Airport (see
Ukraine’s MiG-29 experts, April 2017, p84).
The detachment played an active part in
combat operations over the so-called ‘anti-
terrorist operation’ (ATO) zone in the Donbas
area from the outset of hostilities in April 2014.In total, 114 brTA carried out 130 combat
sorties (including air-to-ground tasks) in the
ATO zone by the end of August 2014. Many of
its pilots received awards for their involvement
in the ATO and for gallantry shown in combat
operations. The highest of these was the Order
of Bohdan Khmel’nyts’kyy 3rd Class, bestowed
on four aircrew, including the unit’s current
commanding officer, Col Yuriy Pogorilyy.The MiG-29s based at Ivano-
Frankivs’k International Airport
are tasked with defending the
skies over western Ukraine.
Vladimir Trendafilovski
reports from the foothills of the
Carpathian Mountains.Falcons
Carpathian
T
Above: One of the borrowed MiG-29UB two-seat trainers, ‘99 White’ (c/n 50903024178) of 40 brTA,
prepares to take off from Luts’k reserve air base on November 25, 2016. It is armed with a pair of P-50T
practice bombs that it would subsequently deliver at the nearby Povurs’k range. Archive of Air Command
‘West’ via author Below: A trainee pilot touches down at Ivano-Frankivs’k aboard single-seat MiG-29 9.13
‘71 White’ from 114 brTA. All photos Sergey Smolentsev unless statedhttp://www.airforcesmonthly.com #363 JUNE 2018 // 89