The Ukrainian Naval Aviation (, ) is a component of the Ukrainian Navy.
During the breakup of the Soviet Union, significant portions of the Soviet Naval Aviation were based in Ukraine, which were intended to support the Black Sea Fleet. These forces included the 2nd Guards Maritime Missile Aviation Division (Gvardeyskoye, Crimean Oblast), with three regiments of maritime attack Tu-22M2s (5th, 124th at Gvardeskoye, Crimean Oblast and the 943rd at Oktyabrskoye), and the 30th independent Maritime Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment (Saki-Novofedorovka, Crimean Oblast) of Tu-22Ps.«Aviation and Time". 1996, № 5, page 35, and Michael Holm, Red Banner Black Sea Fleet, accessed December 2012.
In the second half of 1997, when Ukraine and Russia agreed on how to split the Black Sea Fleet, Ukraine received 12 planes and 30 helicopters.Новини Управління Прес-служби МО
History
Ukraine inherited large naval aviation units from the Soviet Union. These included large aircraft such as the Tupolev Tu-142 and Tupolev Tu-22M, however these were scrapped under the Budapest Memorandum. Fighters such as the Mig-29 were either decommissioned due to budgetary reasons or transferred to the air force.
The remaining inventory included transport, attack, and anti-submarine warfare helicopters, as well as numerous transport aircraft. Ukraine's naval units, along with some aviation units participated in several deployments such as Operation Atalanta and Operation Ocean Shield.
2014 Russian annexation of Crimea During the Russian military intervention in Ukraine, Ukrainian naval aviation managed to get a number of its aircraft and helicopters airborne from its Novofedorivka airbase to fly to bases in mainland Ukraine on 5 March. This included one Kamov Ka-27PL and three Mil Mi-14PL maritime helicopters, and one Beriev Be-12 amphibian and two Antonov An-26 transports.
More than a dozen aircraft and helicopters, which were undergoing maintenance, had to be left behind. The long-term sustainability of the Ukrainian Navy's surviving helicopters is uncertain after the pro-Russian administration in Crimea nationalised all state owned enterprises, including the Sevastopol Aviation Enterprise, which had provided long-term maintenance and overhaul of the service's helicopters.
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, on 7 May, Ukraine confirmed that Colonel Ihor Bedzay, the deputy commander of the Ukrainian Navy, was killed in action. His Mi-14PS was shot down by a Russian Sukhoi Su-35. The Ukrainian Navy also operates the Baykar Bayraktar TB2 drone along with the Ukrainian Air Force. In November 2022 it was revealed by the UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace that 3 former Royal Navy Sea King helicopters would be sent to Ukraine, to provide anti-submarine warfare and combat search and rescue (CSAR) capabilities.
On the 22 February 2025, a Ukrainian Navy Sea King helicopter crashed near Kulbakine Air Base, injuring the crew and leaving the airframe damaged.
Organization 10th Naval Aviation Brigade All naval aircraft in service are controlled by the 10th Naval Aviation Brigade in Mykolaiv.
10th Naval Aviation Brigade, Mykolaiv Headquarters & Headquarters Company Air Squadron Helicopter Squadron Signal & Radio-technical Support Battalion Airfield & Technical Support Battalion Aviation Technical & Operational Engineering Helicopter Technical & Operational Engineering CSAR Company Logistic Company Meteorological Company Engineer Platoon Security Platoon
One Kamov Ka-27 helicopter is to be stationed on the Hetman Sahaidachnyi (a Krivak III-class frigate). The frigate is able however carry a maximum of two helicopters.
Equipment
Current inventory
AircraftOriginTypeVariantNATO reporting nameIn serviceNotesTransportAntonov An-26Soviet UnionTransportAn-26B-100Curl-A22 in storage.HelicoptersMil Mi-8Soviet Union / UkraineUtilityMi-8MSB-VHip2+Upgraded by the Motor Sich company.Mil Mi-14Soviet UnionAnti-submarine helicopterMi-14PLMi-14PSHaze-A4Kamov Ka-27Soviet UnionAnti-submarine helicopterHelix-A 4Kamov Ka-226 RussiaLight utility helicopterHoodlum1Westland Sea KingUnited KingdomUtilityHU5Mk.413 Six also pledged by Germany in January 2024.Trainer aircraftAntonov An-2Soviet UnionUtility aircraftAn-2TAn-2RColt2Used by the 10th Naval Aviation Brigade.Combat DronesBaykar Bayraktar TB2TurkeyUmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV)
Retired aircraft Mikoyan MiG-29A − Transferred to the Ukrainian Air Force Sukhoi Su-17 − Transferred to the Ukrainian Air Force Sukhoi Su-25 − Transferred to the Ukrainian Air Force Yakovlev Yak-38 Decommissioned in early 1990s. Tupolev Tu-16 Tu-22M − Scrapped following the nuclear disarmament treaty Beriev Be-12 − Non-operational by February 2023 Antonov An-12 − Transferred to the Ukrainian Air Force Antonov An-24 − Transferred to the Ukrainian Air Force Ilyushin Il-18 Tupolev Tu-134 − Transferred to the Ukrainian Air Force. Kamov Ka-25 Kamov Ka-29 Mil Mi-6
Bibliography
References
http://www.db.niss.gov.ua/docs/polmil/Neutrality.pdf