Glossary of Soviet Terms and Abbreviations

[Taz]

ADD (Aviatsiya Dal'nevo Dyestviya) : Long-Range Aviation, 18th Air Army
AON (Aviatsionnaya Armia Osobovo Naznachenia) : Special Purpose Aviation Army
Aviapark (Aviatsionnyi Park) : Aviation Depot (Airpark)
Aviakhim (Obshchestvo Druzei Aviakhimicheskoi Oborony i Promyshlennosti SSSR) : Society of Friends of the Aerial and Chemical Defence and Industry of the USSR
Aviatrest (Gosudarstvennyi trest aviatsionnoi promyshlennosti) : State Aviation Industry Trust
BAP (Bombardirovochniy Aviapolk) : Bomber Air Regiment
Bombardirovschik : Bomber
Byuro Konstruktsii : Design Bureau
ChMF (Cherno-Morskiy Flot) : Black Sea Fleet
DBA (Dalno-Bombardirovochnaya Aviatsiya) : Long-Range Bomber Aviation (see ADD)
Delta Drevyesina : A timber product consisting of cross-grained layers of birch strip ("shpon") impregnated with phenol-formaldehyde resin, heat-bonded on one or both sides to bakelite film.
Diviziya Vozdushnykh Korablei : Division of Flying Ships
EON (Eskadril'ya Osobovo Naznachenya) : Special Purpose Squadron
Eskadril'ya (Aviatsionnaya) : Squadron (Aviation)
Diviziya : Division (Aviation)
Glavaviaprom (Glavnoe Upravlenie Aviatsionnoy Promishlennosti) : Chief Directorate of the Aviation Industry
Glavvozdukhflot (Glavnoe Upravlenie Vozdushnovo Flota) : Chief Directorate of The Air Fleet
GROSS (Grazhdanskoye Opitnoye Samoletostroenye) : Civil Experimental Aircraft Construction
GUAP (Glavnoe Upravlenye Aviatsionnoy Promyshlennosti) : Chief Directorate of the Aviation Industry
GUGVF (Glavnoe Upravlenye Grazhdanskovo Vozdushnovo Flota) : Chief Administration of the Civil Air Fleet
GVF (Grazhdanskii Vozdushniy Flot) : Civil Air Fleet
IAP (Istrebitel'niy Aviapolk) : Fighter Air Regiment
IA PVO (Istrebitel'niy Aviapolk Protivo-Vozdushnovo Oborona) : Fighter Regiment of the Anti-Air Defence
Istrebitel' : Fighter
Istrebitel'naya Aviaeskadril'ya : Fighter Squadron
KOSOS (Konstruktorskii Ot'del Opytnovo Samoletostroenia) : Experimental Aircraft Construction Development Team
Korpus : Corps (or main body)
Krasnaya Armiya : Red Army
KVF (Krasniy Vozdushniy Flot) : Red Air Fleet
LBE (Legko-Bombardirovichnaya Aviaeskadril'ya) : Light Bomber Squadron
LII (Lyetno-Islyedovatel'skii Institut) : Flight Research Institute
Narkomavprom : State Commissatiat for Aviation
Narkomat Oborony : State Commissariat for Defense
NII VVS (Nauchno-Ispitatel'niy Institut Voyenno-Vozdushikh Sil) : Scientific Test Institute of the Army Air Forces
ODVF (Obshchestvo Druzei Vozdushnovo Flota) : Society of Friends of the Air Fleet
OKA (Otdel'naya Krasnoznamennaya Armia) : Independant Red-Banner Army
OKB (Opitnoe Konstruktorskoe Byuro) : Experimental Design Bureau
OKB MS (Opitnoe Konstruktorskoe Byuro Morskovo Samoletostroeniya) : Experimental Naval Aircraft Design Bureau
ORAP (Otdel'naya Razvedivatel'naya Polk) : Detached Reconnaissance Regiment
Otryad : Group (large flight)
Polk : Regiment
Razvyedchik : Reconnaissance Aircraft
ShAP (Shturmoviy Aviapolk) : Assault Air Regiment
SF (Syevernoe Flota) : Northern Fleet
Shturmovik : Assault Aircraft
TsAGI (Tsentral'niy Aero-Gidrodinamicheskii Institut) : Central Aero-Hydrodynamics Institute
Tsentral'naya Aviatsionnaya Remontnaya Baza : Central Aviation Repair Base
Tsentral'noe Konstruktorskoe Byuro : Central Design Bureau
UVVS (Upravlenie Voyenno-Vozdushnikh Sily) : Directorate of the Air Forces
VMF (Voenno-Morskoi Flot SSSR) : Naval Forces of the USSR
VVA (Voenno-Vozdushnaya Akademiya) : Air Forces Academy
VVS (Voyenno-Vozdushne Sily) : Army Air Forces
Zavod (Gosudarstvenniy Aviatsionniy Zavod, or GAZ) : State Aviation Factory
Zveno : Flight

Eddie.

[dannybou]

These abbreviations list have assisted me more than once. Thanks.

[matteti]

Glossary -- Soviet Union

From the Library of Congress - http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/soviet_union/su_glos.html

Text is too long to fit here (over 70,000 characters)... but here is a sample...

Academy of Sciences (Akademiia nauk)
The Soviet Union's most prestigious scholarly institute, which conducted basic research in the physical, natural, mathematical, and social sciences. Established in 1725 by Peter the Great, it carried out long-range research and developed new technology. Union republics (q.v.) also had academies of sciences. The Academy of Sciences was under the direction of the Council of Ministers.
active measures (aktivnye meropriiatiia)
Covert or deceptive operations (including the creation and dissemination of disinformation) conducted in support of Soviet foreign policy and designed to influence the opinions or actions of the general public, particular individuals, or foreign governments.
Agitprop (Otdel agitatsii i propagandy)
Agitation and Propaganda Department, established by the Central Committee of the party in 1920. Absorbed by the Ideological Department in 1988. The term agitprop means the use of mass media to mobilize the public to accomplish the regime's demands.
AirLand Battle doctrine
A United States Army doctrine, adopted in the early 1980s, for generating combat power by using air and land assets on an extended and integrated battlefield.
all-union
National, with purview throughout the entire territory of the Soviet Union.
all-union ministries
Ministries of the Soviet central government that did not have counterpart ministries at the republic level. Other ministries were termed union-republic ministries (q.v.).
apparatchik
Russian colloquial expression for a person of the party apparatus, i.e., an individual who has been engaged full time in the work of the CPSU (q.v.). Sometimes used in a derogatory sense.
army
In general usage, the armed forces of the Soviet Union except the navy. In military usage, an army in the Ground Forces usually consisted of two to five divisions.
autocephalous
Independent or self-governing; an Orthodox church that was headed by its own patriarch (q.v.).
autonomous oblast
A territorial and administrative subdivision of a union republic (q.v.) or of a krai (q.v.) in the Russian Republic, created to grant a degree of autonomy to a national minority within that krai or union republic. In 1989 the Soviet Union had eight autonomous oblasts, five of which were in the Russian Republic.
autonomous okrug
A territorial and administrative subdivision of a krai (q.v.) or oblast (q.v.) in the Russian Republic that granted a degree of administrative autonomy to a nationality; usually found in large, remote areas of sparse population. In 1989 the Soviet Union had ten autonomous okruga, all of which were in the Russian Republic.

[dannybou]

Nice link indeed.

[Taz]

AB Aviatsion'nyi Baza (Aviation Base)
AG Aviatsion'nyi Grupp (Aviation Group)
ADON Aviatsion'nyi Diviziya Osobogo Naznacheniya (Aviation Division for Special Purposes)
APON Aviatsion'nyi Polk Osobogo Naznacheniya (Aviation Regiment for Special Purposes)
APSZ Aviatsion'nyi Polk Samoletov Zaprachikov (Aviation Regiment Aircraft Refuelling)
ARZ Aviatsion'nyi Remont Zavod (Aircraft Repair Works)
ATB Aviatsionnaya Tekhnicheskaya Baza (Aviation Technical Base)
AVAI Armavirsky Voen'nyi Aviatsion'nyi Institut (Armavir Military Aviation Institute)
BAD Bombardirovch'nyi Aviatsion'nyi Diviziya (Bomber Aviation Division)
BAP Bombardirovch'nyi Aviatsion'nyi Polk (Bomber Aviation Regiment)
BKhAT Baza Khananiya Aviatsionnoy Tekhniki (Base of Aviation Equipment Storage)
BKhUAT Baza Khananiya i Utilizachyi Aviatsionnoy Tekhniki (Base of Aviation Equipment Storage and Disposal)
BRAT Baza Rezerva Aviatsionnoy Tekhniki (Reserve Base for Aviation Equipment)
BVAI Balashovsky Voen'nyi Aviatsion'ny Institut (Balashov Military Aviation Institute)
GLITs Gosudarstven'nyi Letno-Ispytatel'nyi Tsentr (State Flight Test Centre)
Gv Gvardiya (Guards) (incorporated in other unit designations)
IAP Istrebitel'nyi Aviatsion'nyi Polk (Fighter Aviation Regiment)
IBAP Instruktsiya Bombardirovch'nyi Aviatsion'nyi Polk (Bomber Instruction Aviation Regiment)
IIAP Instruktsiya Istrebitel'nyi Aviatsion'nyi Polk (Fighter Instruction Aviation Regiment)
IISAP Issledovatel'sko-Instruktorsky Smeshan'nyi Aviapolk (Composite Instruction and Research Aviation Regiment)
IIVP Instruktsiya-Issledovatelsky Vertolet'nyi Polk (Instruction Test Helicopter Regiment)
ITBAP Instruktsiya Tyazhel'nyi Bombardirovch'nyi Aviatsion'nyi Polk (Heavy Bomber Instruction Aviation Regiment)
KVAI Kranodarsky Voen'nyi Aviatsion'nyi Institut (Krasnodar Military Aviation Institute)
NII Nauchno-Issledovatel'sky Islytatel'nyi Institut (State Research and Test Institute)
OBVP Otdel'nyi Boy'nyi Vertolet'nyi Polk (Independent Combat Helicopter Regiment)
ODRAE Odel'nyi Dal'naya Razvedivatel'nyi Aviatsion'naya Eskadrilya (Independent Long-Range Reconnaissance Aviation Squadron)
OIIVE Otdel'naya Issledovatel'sko - Instruktorskaya Vertoletnaya Eskadril'ya (Independent Instructional and Trials Helicopter Squadron)
ORAP Otdel'nyi Razvedivatel'nyi Aviatsion'nyi Polk (Independent Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment)
OSAE Otdel'naya Smeshanaya Aviatsion'naya Eskadrilya (Independent Mixed Aviation Squadron)
OSAP Otdel'nyi Smeshan'nyi Aviatsion'nyi Polk (Independent Mixed Aviation Regiment)
OShAP Otdel'nyi Shturmovoy Aviatsion'nyi Polk (Independent `Stormovik' Aviation Regiment)
OTAE Otdel'naya Transport'naya Aviatsion'naya Eskadrilya (Independent Transport Aviation Squadron)
OTBVP Otdel'nyi Transport'nyi Boy'nyi Vertolet'nyi Polk (Independent Combat Transport Helicopter Regiment)
OUAE Otdel'naya Ucheb'naya Aviatsion'naya Eskadrilya (Independent Training Aviation Squadron)
OVE Otdel'naya Vertoletnaya Eskadrilya (Independent Helicopter Squadron)
OVE REB Otdel'naya Vertoletnaya Eskadril'ya Radiozlektronnoy Bor'by (Independent Reconnaissance/Electronic Warfare Helicopter Squadron)
OVP Otdel'nyi Vertolet'nyi Polk (Independent Helicopter Regiment)
OVP BU Otdel'nyi Vertolet'nyi Polk Boevogo Upravleniya (Independent Combat Control Helicopter Regiment)
OVTAE Otdel'naya Voyenno-Transport'naya Aviatsion'naya Eskadrilya (Independent Military Transport Aviation Squadron)
OVTAP Otdel'naya Voyenno-Transport'naya Aviatsion'naya Polk (Independent Military Transport Aviation Regiment)
RAP Razved'vateln'nyi Aviatsion'nyi Polk (Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment)
SAD Smeshan'naya Aviatsion'naya Diviziya (Mixed Aviation Division)
ShAD Shturmovoy Aviatsion'nyi Diviziya (`Stormovik' Aviation Division)
ShAP Shturmovoy Aviatsion'nyi Polk (`Stormovik' Aviation Regiment)
SVAI Syzransky Voennyi Aviatsion'nyi Institut (Syzran Military Aviation Institute)
TBAD Tyazhel'nyi Bombardirovch'nyi Aviatsion'nyi Diviziya (Heavy Bomber Aviation Division)
TBAP Tyazhel'nyi Bombardirovch'nyi Aviatsion'nyi Polk (Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment)
TsBP i PLS Tsentr Boevoy Podgotovki i Pereuchivaniya Letnogo Sostava (Aircrew Combat Training and Retraining Centre)
TsPAT Tsentr Pokaza Aviatsionnoy Tekhniki (Centre for Display of Aviation Equipment)
UAE Uchebn'nyi Aviatsion'nyi Eskadril'ya (Aviation Training Squadron)
UAP Uchebn'yi Aviatsion'nyi Polk (Aviation Training Regiment)
UfVVAUL Ufa Higher Military Aviation School for Pilots
UVP Ucheb'nyi Vertolet'nyi Polk (Helicopter Training Regiment)
VA VGK Vozdush'naya Armiya Verkhovnogo Glavnokomandovaniya (Air Army of the Supreme Command)
VTAD Voyenno-Transport'naya Aviatsiya Diviziya (Military Transport Aviation Division)
VTAE Voyenno-Transport'naya Aviatsiya Eskadrilya (Military Transport Aviation Squadron)
VTAP Voyenno-Transport'naya Aviatsiya Polk (Military Transport Aviation Regiment)
VVS Voyenno-Vozdushnyye Sily (Military Air Forces)

Eddie

[Riley1965]

Taz,
Thanks for the list!! I'll print it and add it to my notebook which includes the cyrillic alphabet, etc.

Best,
Doc

[Taz]

your welcome doc, glad that the list helps a lot of the forum members :)

Eddie

[Nota Bene]

It's nice to have all this information in one place. :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup

Alexei

[Auke]

The first post states that the RKKVF was the Workers' and Peasants' Red Air Force. The RKKVF however was the civilian air fleet. The VVS was the military air force, as stated in later posts in this topic.

[Nota Bene]

Auke,

RKKVF was the Air Force in 1918-1924. It was renamed to VVS in 1924.

Alexei