Missile forces and artillery - RViA - genus ground forces, is considered the main means of fire and nuclear destruction enemy during combat operations. The MFA includes missile, rocket, artillery brigades, regiments and divisions, as well as individual and part of divisions, brigades and military bases Russian army.
Photo: Anti-tank gun MT-12 Rapier (RIA Novosti / Pavel Lisitsyn)
Day missile forces and artillery - as an official holiday, the day when military personnel accept congratulations - appeared on October 21, 1994, after the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. But the defenders of the homeland were honored during the Great Patriotic War, after a large-scale and extremely important operation"Uranus", carried out on November 19, 1942.
"Uranus"
The results of Operation Uranus, one might say, changed the course of the Second World War and the success of the counteroffensive of Soviet troops during the Battle of Stalingrad. It was 80 minutes of the most powerful, pre-prepared and carefully planned artillery barrage - as a result, our soldiers managed to break through the Nazi defenses, on which Germany had placed great hopes. The enemy’s plans were destroyed, and at that moment the artillery of the Southwestern and Don Fronts launched another fire strike, reinforcing the success and eliminating personnel and enemy equipment. Afterwards, a 76-day offensive by Soviet troops began, which ended in the defeat of the German group.
Photo: Captured German at Stalingrad, globallookpress.com
In difficult times for Russia, when our army had to defend its territory from occupation, artillery was respectfully called the “god of war.” This nickname stuck and came into use after Stalin’s landmark speech in 1940. Then Marshall Soviet Union said:
- In modern warfare, artillery is God... Anyone who wants to adapt to a new modern way must understand that artillery decides the fate of the war.
And in Battle of Stalingrad artillery clearly demonstrated that it really decides fate. It was after this attack, taking into account the role of guns and missiles, that Artillery Day was established - November 19.
In 1961, the name of the holiday was changed. Then this was associated with the reorganization in the army - on the basis of the artillery and missile formations of the Ground Forces, the Rocket Forces and Artillery branch was formed as a separate branch. Of course, due to confusion and all sorts of changes, the holiday lost touch with historical event The Great Patriotic War, from 1988 to 2006, Rocket Forces and Artillery Day was celebrated every third Sunday in November. But after that, everything returned to stock; now this day is celebrated, as at the very beginning, on November 19.
Photo: RIA Novosti / Pavel Lisitsyn
Story
Artillery is the oldest branch of the Russian army - it is almost 500 years old. And during this time, a lot has changed - it all started with homemade throwing devices, capable in some cases only of frightening the enemy, and continues with innovative, best missile systems in the world, which by their very appearance make it clear that Russia is reliably protected and will fight with us hopeless and extremely dangerous.
The first mentions of artillery are found already in the 14th century - then, during the defense of Moscow from the troops of the Khan of the Golden Horde Tokhtamysh in 1382, the city guards used primitive artillery pieces - “great cannons”, as well as short-barreled cannons that showered enemy troops with iron loaded into the bowl elements and stones. These shells were called “mattresses”. And there were also “launchers” - another type of projectile that was used to attack the enemy from a distance.
The first cast cannons appeared in Russia only under Ivan III. Before him, weapons were cast abroad and brought to us, but after that, the craftsmen gained experience and mastered production, which was later put into production. At that time, artillery deservedly became integral part Russian troops on campaigns - the guns were equipped with wheels and tied to carts and carts - and were delivered to the front line. At the same time it was founded Cannon order- This is a sectoral ministry that was tasked with monitoring the process of casting guns, supplying them to the army and manufacturing ammunition in sufficient quantities.
In 1586, the legendary Moscow foundry worker Andrei Chokhov made a cannon with an equestrian image of Tsar Theodore Ioannovich. Later it would be called the Tsar Cannon. Then, during the reign of Ivan the Terrible, artillery became an independent branch of the military.
Photo: Tsar Cannon, RIA Novosti / Valery Shustov
Artilleryman's Day is now
The Day of Rocket Forces and Artillery is not celebrated on a large scale in Russia - rocket men are modest, responsible and a little stern people. Perhaps the main tradition of this day is laying flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow. Also on November 19, local military parades and reviews are held throughout Russia, accompanied by artillery salutes.
According to tradition, on November 19, military personnel congratulate each other and thank relatives, friends and colleagues from related units for their kind words and wishes. If among your friends there are officers and warrant officers, cadets, defense industry workers, military contractors and conscripts, veterans of war, labor and the Armed Forces associated with missiles, be sure to congratulate them on this day.
The Russian “Gods of War” have their own holiday, which was celebrated 74 times in a row in 2018, and the anniversary is celebrated 75 times in 2019.
The date of this holiday has not changed since 1944, when November 19 was given festive fireworks in honor of the artillerymen.
The choice of this particular attack was justified by the fact that on November 19, 1942, a powerful artillery strike marked the beginning of the Red Army’s offensive in the Stalingrad area.
Until 1964, the holiday was called artillery day, but this year it got its modern name. This was due to mass saturation Soviet army samples of tactical missile weapons and heavy rocket systems.
In Russia, the artillerymen's holiday was officially established by presidential decree in 2006. On this day, wreaths are laid at the Tomb in Moscow. unknown soldier, burials of artillery marshals N. Voronov and M. Nedelin.
On this day, military units hold ceremonial formations, at which congratulations are read out Supreme Commander-in-Chief, military personnel receive awards for distinguished service, promotions in rank, and commendations for combat training. In the cities where military and military forces units are located, displays of equipment are held and visits to the units are organized for schoolchildren.
In addition to active military personnel and veterans, this holiday can also be celebrated by teachers educational institutions, designers of artillery systems, workers of factories where weapons and ammunition are produced.
Brief history of artillery
The first official mention of the use of “mattresses” (forged cannons) dates back to 1382, when they fired at the troops of Khan Tokhtamysh from the walls of Moscow.
In the 15th-16th centuries, there was an active development of artillery; foundry specialists from Germany and Italy were actively attracted to the Grand Duchy of Moscow; domestic craftsmen also achieved considerable success. An artillery officer in that era was a specialist worth his weight in gold. Often, in addition to directly commanding guns during a siege and on the battlefield, he had to be able to cast a gun himself.
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During the era of Ivan the Terrible, the Pushkarsky order was established, which was in charge of accounting for existing and manufactured artillery pieces, providing troops with gunpowder, cannonballs and transport. In 1586, the “Tsar Cannon” was cast by master Andrei Chokhov, which until 1930 was the largest caliber weapon in the world.
And although the army did not suffer from a shortage of guns, there was no organizational structure artillery. The guns were kept with infantry regiments, in garrisons or in the artillery yard in Moscow, from where they were taken on campaigns when necessary.
The first regular artillery unit was a bombardment company created in 1695 in the Preobrazhensky regiment, the captain of which was Tsar Peter himself. In 1717, the first signal flares were supplied to the troops. Artillery factories increased the number of barrels in the army from year to year.
In the middle of the 19th century, breech-loading guns with a rifled barrel, as well as military artillery rockets, began to appear in the army. In 1894, shells equipped with smokeless powder entered service, which significantly increased the effectiveness of artillery fire.
Second World War became the finest hour of artillery. Rocket systems, powerful long-range guns and self-propelled artillery entered the battlefield. Soviet artillery was always at the center of events - repelling enemy attacks and ensuring the breakthrough of the most powerful fortifications.
Rocket Forces today
In Russia, the main part of the missile and artillery units is part of ground forces as one of the military branches. The purpose of missile and artillery units is to inflict massive fire on the enemy. At special conditions modern missile forces can use shells and missiles with nuclear filling.
Rocket and artillery units are equipped with different types of weapons:
- transportable and self-propelled mortars,
- towed guns,
- self-propelled artillery installations,
- multiple launch rocket systems,
- operational tactical missile systems.
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The coastal forces of the Navy have their own artillery (missile systems "Bal" and "Bastion", artillery systems "Bereg") and Airborne troops(self-propelled gun “Nona”). Also, in small quantities, their own self-propelled artillery and towed guns and mortars are in service with the Border Guard Service and troops National Guard. And this equipment is operated by people for whom R&A day is also a professional holiday.
Ensuring the supply of parts, repairs, technical maintenance weapons, the supply of new military equipment is handled by the Main Missile and Artillery Directorate, which is organizationally part of the Logistics Support of the RF Ministry of Defense.
The Russian fleet of self-propelled artillery today occupies one of the leading places in the world in terms of its numbers and technical equipment.
The training of officers is carried out by the Mikhailovsky Artillery Academy in St. Petersburg and specialized training centers. Specialists in engineering, technical maintenance and ammunition are trained in Penza at the branch of the Academy of Logistics Support named after. Khruleva.
Awards
As in other branches of the military and individual services, artillerymen have their own awards, which are divided into departmental and public.
Departmental awards include those with official state status.
M edal “Marshal of Artillery E.V. Boychuk." Approved by the Order of the Minister of Defense in 2012, which is awarded to military personnel who distinguished themselves during combat operations when performing tasks involving a risk to life.
Insignia " Chief Marshal artillery Nedelin". This award recognizes military personnel, veterans, and civilian personnel for distinguished service in that branch of the military, courage and valor in the line of duty, and for contributions to the promotion of that branch of the military.
Distinctive badge "For Merit". In the Missile Forces and Artillery, soldiers and officers who have contributed significant contribution in the development of missile and artillery troops and increasing their combat readiness.
November 19 is the Day of Missile Forces and Artillery in Russia. In the calendar of holiday dates, the date November 19 was chosen due to the fact that in 1942 it was on this day that the first phase of the Red Army’s counteroffensive near Stalingrad began. From July to November 1942, a defensive operation continued, which extinguished the enemy’s offensive impulses, exhausted him and made it possible Soviet troops in difficult conditions, still prepare for the decisive blow. The most important role in the counteroffensive operation was played by the use of Hitler's troops artillery, which in the future served as the basis for the introduction of a new holiday into the calendar of military dates.
The plan for the counteroffensive of the Red Army near Stalingrad, called “Uranus,” was developed by the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command and General Staff since September 1942. The development of the operation plan was led by G.K. Zhukov and A.M. Vasilevsky. On November 13, Uranus was approved. Maintaining the secrecy of the plan made it possible to ensure the surprise of the counteroffensive and, due to the transfer of forces from areas that were not identified as strategically important, a significant superiority in both manpower and equipment was ensured in the attack axes.
Success in Stalingrad operation actually provided a radical change in the Great Patriotic War, and from the defeat on the banks of the Volga Hitler's army, in fact, never managed to fully recover.
In 1944, November 19 became important military date- Artillery Day. An addition to this holiday in the form of rocket troops appeared, for obvious reasons, later - in 1964.
However, when talking about missile forces and artillery, we certainly cannot ignore earlier historical periods. The first mention of the use of guns in our country, generally speaking, refers to the battle against the Horde Khan Tokhtamysh in 1382. During the defense of Moscow, fire was fired from the so-called mattresses (presumably from the Turkish “tyufenk” - gun and the Persian “tufang” - pipe).
This firearm was originally used as a means of defense against city walls. In the same battle, chroniclers (in particular, talking about the Nikon Chronicle) provide materials about the first use of classical cannons, which, according to historians, were mostly of foreign origin.
From the chronicle of 1389:
In the summer of 6879 (1389) the Germans brought armata and fiery guns from the Germans to Rus', and from that hour they learned to shoot with them.
For a long time, by the way, in historical literature the term “from German” (in fact, from abroad) was omitted, which clearly did not add historical authenticity.
And about today...
What are the Russian missile forces and artillery in our time? This is an integral part of the Ground Forces, consisting of missile, rocket, artillery brigades, including high-power artillery divisions, rocket artillery regiments, separate reconnaissance divisions and artillery formations of combined arms brigades and military bases.
As part of the re-equipment and modernization of the Russian army, new equipment is being supplied to the troops, which at the same time changes the appearance of the missile forces and artillery (RV and A). Only recently have the troops been replenished with hundreds of weapons, including 152-mm Msta-SM self-propelled howitzers and 9K51M Tornado-G MLRS. The Tornado-G salvo time with 40 guides is 20 s. This ensures effective destruction of targets across areas with a declared firing range of up to 60 km (some sources report that 60 km is not the limit for a modernized MLRS model).
RV and A receive anti-tank weapons, including Khrizantema-S missile systems. This is an all-weather multi-purpose missile system, designed to destroy not only those that are already in service with a potential enemy, but also their promising versions. "Chrysanthemum-S" is effective against low-flying air targets and small surface vessels. With its help, the enemy’s defenses, including those located in shelters, can be overcome. The complex has high degree protection against various radio interference. The maximum firing range is 6 km, the minimum is 400 m. Carryable ammunition is 15 rounds of ammunition. Automatic charging implemented.
On the eve of the holiday, the head of the Missile Forces and Artillery, Lieutenant General Mikhail Matveevsky, noted that the plans include the transfer of missiles and missiles from the Tochka-U complexes to the Iskander OTRK by 2020. RIA cites a statement from Mikhail Matveevsky:
Currently, all units of the Central Military District are completely rearmed. In addition, rearmament has been completed in the Southern and Eastern Military Districts.
It is worth noting that a feature of the Iskander-M OTRK, which is actively entering service with the troops, is its equipment with automation equipment not only for preparation for launch, but also for the missile launch itself. The developers guarantee that the Iskander-M missile hits the target with a probable deviation of no more than 15 m. At the same time, active work to equip Iskander missiles with all-weather homing heads.
On this day, Military Review congratulates all military personnel and veterans of the Missile Forces and Artillery on the holiday. To the troops themselves - systematic development and improvement!
November 19 - Russia. The holiday was established in 1964 and is celebrated to commemorate the services of artillery in the defeat of the Nazi invaders at Stalingrad.
November 19 - the beginning of the counter-offensive of Soviet troops near Stalingrad in 1942. At the beginning of the operation, on November 18, the artillery of the Southwestern and Don Fronts, with a powerful fire strike, inflicted heavy losses on the enemy and disrupted the entire system of its defense, which allowed the Soviet troops to launch a counteroffensive, which ended in encirclement and defeat German troops near Stalingrad. Until 1964, this holiday was called Artillery Day, because the Missile Forces and artillery as a branch of the military were created in the early 60s on the basis of the artillery of the ground forces and the missile weapons introduced into the troops.
Along with infantry and cavalry, artillery is one of the oldest branches of the military.
The first mention of the combat use of artillery in Rus' dates back to 1382, when, defending against the invasion of Tokhtamysh’s troops, Muscovites “from big guns they were shooting."
Until the 16th century, carriages as such did not exist. The trunks were installed on special oak logs.
Count Arakcheev played a huge role in the transformation of our artillery in the 19th century. He introduced a system of guns of the 1805 model. Of the many dozen types of guns that were in place under Catherine II, only the following were to remain in the field artillery: 12-pound guns of medium and smaller proportions, a 6-pound gun of smaller proportions, as well as unicorns: 1/ 2-pounds, 1/4-pounds on foot, 1/4-pounds on horseback. All these cannons were cast from the so-called “artillery metal”, containing 10 parts copper and one part tin. To aim the guns at the target, before each shot, a quadrant was installed on the barrel along which the gun was aimed. Immediately before the shot itself, it was removed so that the shot did not throw off the aim, and then installed again.
June 21, 1941 soviet government decided on the serial production of M-13 missiles, BM-13 launchers and the formation of missile military units. The first salvo of Katyushas was fired at the enemy on July 14, 1941. Then the battery under the command of Captain IAFlerov struck a concentration of German trains at the Orsha railway junction. The combat effectiveness of the weapon exceeded all expectations. Subsequently, rocket artillery was successfully used in all major operations of the Great Patriotic War. In terms of its power, it had no equal among other means of fire destruction of the enemy.
Heroic traditions are worthily continued by modern generations of military missile and artillery troops of the Russian Armed Forces. They fulfill their military duty with honor and nobility, master the latest weapons and equipment, improve their combat skills, high level which guarantees the completion of the necessary tasks in a wide variety of combat conditions.
Artillery is still playing today vital role as the main striking force in land battles. By the way, it was not Stalin who called artillery the “god of war” for the first time, but the French general Jean Baptiste Vaquette de Gribeauval, who military reform laid the foundation for Napoleonic victories.
Happy holiday, gods of war!
This memorable day allows us to honor soldiers, sergeants and officers of the “god of war” - artillery. Realities have made adjustments, and we are celebrating the day of the missile forces and artillery. But the “god of war” remains such.
The holiday was born during the difficult period of the Great Patriotic War. Powerful artillery bombardment broke the German resistance at Stalingrad and allowed our troops to completely destroy the enemy. It happened November 19 1942, and already in 1944 Artillery Day was officially celebrated on this day.
Artillerymen serve in one of the oldest branches of the military. Artillery was first used by Russian troops in the defense of Moscow from the Tatars in 1382. For a long time in our country, guns were used mainly to protect cities.
Ivan the Terrible began to use artillery as an offensive weapon in all campaigns. Under him, artillery made a breakthrough in its development. Peter I, great reformer not only the country, but also the army, creates the first bombardment company. It was not an independent unit, but was part of the Preobrazhensky Regiment. During this period, the artillery banner was approved.
The use of artillery in right moment changed the course of battles and battles more than once. During the Great Patriotic War, artillery was called the “god of war.” Just before the start of the war, serial production of the famous Katyushas began. In the summer of 1941, our “girls” showed the Germans the character of the Russian “god of war”. The effectiveness of the Katyushas was amazing; at that time there was not only no protection against rocket launchers, but the enemy could not respond with anything like that.
IN post-war period Missile technology is being developed and, as a result, units armed with missile weapons are being formed. During this period, a change appeared in the name of the holiday - Day of Missile Forces and Artillery. Until recently, the holiday was celebrated on the third Sunday in November. Now it's old again historical date– November 19.
As a branch of the ground forces, missile forces and artillery not only have separate units and formations, but also units that are part of other branches of the military. The units' armament consists of tactical and operational-tactical missiles and large-caliber artillery.
The artillery itself includes many units that differ in the weapons they use: anti-tank, howitzer, mortar, artillery reconnaissance and others.
It’s not for nothing that artillery is called the “god of war.” None major operation does not take place without the use of missile troops and artillery. Destruction of nuclear arsenals, concentrations of troops, air defense, control points, this is not a complete list of the tasks facing this branch of the military.
Units that are part of other branches of the military also solve smaller-scale tasks: covering the crossing, clearing the bridgehead, supporting the landing and many others.
The gods of war stand guard every day, protecting our peace from any encroachments and threats.
