“Accelerate the defeat of the enemy”: how the tactics of “vertical coverage” are being improved in the Russian army

Russian troops are working out the tactics of "vertical coverage" at the current company tactical exercises, the press service of the Southern Military District (SMD) reports.

The region of its application is not specified, however, it is known that combined-arms training grounds in the Volgograd region, Stavropol, Adygea, Chechnya, Dagestan, Karachay-Cherkessia, North Ossetia, Ingushetia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia have turned into a conditional theater of military operations (TVD).

The tactics of "vertical coverage" are honed by companies from the battalion tactical groups of the combined arms armies, the Caspian flotilla and the army corps of the Southern Military District.

More than 30 Mi-8AMTSh transport and assault helicopters are involved in the exercises.

“During the exercises, the “vertical coverage” tactic is used, which involves the transfer of motorized rifle units by helicopter in order to pin down and deprive the conditional enemy of maneuver to ensure subsequent actions of the main strike group of troops.

At the same time, combat support is provided by attack helicopters Mi-35, Mi-28N "Night Hunter", Ka-52 "Alligator", - says the website of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

As noted in the military department, during the exercises, increased attention is paid to the movement of military personnel on the battlefield, camouflage, engineering equipment for positions, and overcoming minefields.

The development of the tactics of "vertical coverage" is planned.

The importance of its use in the winter period of training at the beginning of 2022 was told to journalists by the commander of the Southern Military District, General Alexander Dvornikov.

“Unit commanders should hone in the practice of exercises effective methods and methods of conducting combat operations, including vertical coverage, when tactical airborne assault groups are used to capture and hold advantageous lines and areas,” Dvornikov said.

"Support with fire"

The electronic encyclopedia of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reports that "vertical coverage" is one of the forms of "use of forces and means in order to occupy a position advantageous in relation to the enemy."

As experts interviewed by RT explained, the "vertical coverage" tactic arose as a method of using airborne (airmobile) forces.

Recently, this maneuver has been mastered by other troops of the RF Armed Forces and is being improved thanks to the supply of modernized helicopters and modern weapons.

“Everything new is always well-forgotten old.

"Vertical coverage" is, in fact, nothing more than a tactical airborne assault, the successful use of which allows you to pin down enemy forces and ensure subsequent actions of the main strike group of troops.

With proper training and technical support, this can become the prerogative of not only the Airborne Forces, but also, for example, marines and motorized riflemen, ”explained military expert Alexander Khrolenko in a comment to RT.

• Soldiers of the Russian army on exercises

• © Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

Dmitry Litovkin, editor of the Independent Military Review newspaper, shares the same point of view.

In a conversation with RT, the expert noted that the tactics of "vertical coverage" allows you to quickly create mobile strike groups behind enemy lines that contribute to the advancement of the main allied forces.

"Vertical coverage", like other types of landing operations, provides for the transfer of units behind enemy lines.

Depending on the situation and the specifics of the landing mission, massive fire training is carried out before this.

The transfer of units to the rear helps to accelerate the defeat of the enemy and, if necessary, to encircle him in cooperation with the main forces, ”Litovkin emphasized.

Experts recalled that the Soviet Union is considered a pioneer in the development of the concept of "vertical coverage", which paid great attention to increasing the combat capability of the Airborne Forces.

Elements of this tactic were used in the winter of 1942 in the Vyazemsky airborne operation.

Recall that during this battle, several formations of the Red Army were thrown into the territory occupied by the Wehrmacht in order to facilitate the advance of the main forces of the Soviet troops in the direction of Vyazma.

Despite the fact that the paratroopers failed to complete the task, they were able to pull back large enemy forces and inflicted significant damage on him, breaking through after that to their own.

During World War II, the "vertical envelopment" tactic was adopted by various countries of the world, including Western states, where it is still referred to as Vertical Envelopment.

During the Cold War, both transport aircraft and helicopters were used to transfer troops for the purpose of "vertical coverage".

For a more effective use of this tactic, the military leadership of the USSR sought to provide the "blue berets" with standard equipment of the Airborne Forces.

So, for airborne landing of vehicles, armored vehicles and multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS), multi-dome parachute systems MKS-5-128 and PRSM-915 were created.

As Khrolenko noted, today the tactics of "vertical outreach" are being improved all over the world.

In particular, judging by the materials of the American research corporation RAND, projects are being carried out in the United States to increase the transport capabilities of the landing force in such operations.

“The tactic of“ vertical coverage ”is quite effective, time-tested, and given the level of modern technology and equipment, the combat potential of tactical landing is objectively increasing,” Khrolenko argues.

• Practicing the tactics of "vertical coverage" at the exercises "Shield of the Union"

• © Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

According to the expert, in a modern theater of operations there is not always a need to use heavy weapons.

From his point of view, when landing from helicopters, participants in “vertical coverage” can use the entire range of wearable weapons: man-portable missile systems, grenade launchers, drones, mortars, machine guns, compact reconnaissance stations and small-sized electronic warfare equipment (EW).

Dmitry Litovkin drew attention to the fact that today motorized riflemen and paratroopers of the Russian Federation, especially during exercises in the Southern Military District, widely use light vehicles - buggies and ATVs.

The expert believes that such equipment is used to transport personnel, weapons and ammunition of units involved in the "vertical coverage".

“The landing force almost always has to march to enemy positions.

Therefore, it is unlikely that it will be possible to do without transport.

In any case, now very compact weapons have crushing firepower.

I mainly mean portable anti-tank systems.

The Kornet is deservedly considered the best in our army, capable of effectively supporting infantry operations with fire, ”says Litovkin.

"For a variety of tasks"

According to the RF Ministry of Defense, in recent years the "vertical envelopment" tactic has been used in a number of exercises, including with the armies of the CSTO member states.

We are talking about the joint strategic exercise (SSU) "West-2021", the maneuvers "Interaction-2019", "Shield of the Union-2019", "Issyk-Kul - Antiterror - 2018", "Interaction-2018".

In 2020, this tactic was used in the strategic command and staff exercises (SKSHU) "Kavkaz" and "Ocean Shield".

According to Dmitry Litovkin, during the exercises, the Russian army often works out the tactics of "vertical coverage" using a fairly large group of helicopters.

According to the most common scenario of such maneuvers, attack rotorcraft accompany and, if necessary, provide fire support to more than 30 Mi-8AMTSh transport and combat helicopters with paratroopers on board.

“Obviously, with the advent of new helicopter technology and other modern weapons, the participants in the“ vertical coverage ”began to act more efficiently,” Litovkin explained.

From the materials of the military department it follows that the tactics of "vertical coverage" in practice can be used to liberate settlements, counterattacks on the enemy's amphibious assault, and for anti-terrorist purposes.

"Vertical coverage" can be used for a wide variety of tasks and on any type of terrain.

Perhaps the only exception may be mountainous terrain, where the use of helicopters is often limited, ”says Litovkin.

Alexander Khrolenko explains the popularity of the “vertical envelopment” tactics in the Russian army by the nature of the current challenges and threats to the national security of the Russian Federation.

According to the expert, it makes sense to use such a maneuver when carrying out peacekeeping missions, conducting an operation to enforce peace and hack into the enemy’s echeloned defense.

“Tactical landing has a very extensive functionality.

"Vertical coverage" helps to smash the bases, strongholds of the enemy, create garrisons in his rear and, in general, undermine his military potential from the inside.

The effective use of this tactic can radically change the situation in the theater of operations,” Khrolenko summed up.