History UsefulNotes / RedsWithRockets

** The Soviet Union first adopted the new AK-74--there was varying levels of adoption in other countries before the Soviet Union Collapsed (for example, Soviet-aligned Mongolia used the AKM more generally, and the AK-74 for specialized troops, whereas East Germany and Poland manufactured their own local models.

** The RPK-74 is the 5.45x39mm variant that came along with the AK-74.

* [[http://world.guns.ru/grenade/gl02-e.htm RPG-7]] - RPG does not stand for Rocket Propelled Grenade, which was a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backronym backronym]]; RPG stands for ''Ruchnoy Protivotankoviy Granatomyot'', "hand-held anti-tank grenade-launcher", so "RPG Launcher" is an incorrect usage. Much loved by worldwide armed forces both real and fictional. The version that [[IKEAWeaponry breaks down into two pieces]] is the paratrooper model. Also notable in that its functional simplicity has caused a US arms company, Airtronic, to make their own copy of it. It is still loosely considered a rocket-propelled design because of the second stage rocket boost that ignites after the first (designed to shoot the warhead forward a safe distance upon firing). Contrast with the earlier RPG-2, which did not have a booster (hence drastically shorter effective range and accuracy) and thus is merely a "recoilless gun" by definition.

** The Soviet Union first adopted the new AK-74--there was varying levels of adoption in other countries before [[TheGreatPoliticsMessUp the Soviet Union Collapsed]] (for example, Soviet-aligned Mongolia used the AKM more generally, and the AK-74 for specialized troops, whereas East Germany and Poland manufactured their own local models.

* '''Boris Gromov''' was commander of the Soviet 40th Army during the Russian involvement in Afghanistan, and was the last Soviet soldier to leave the country. After the GreatPoliticsMessUp, he became Governor of Moscow.

* [=MiG-15=]: The famous fighter of UsefulNotes/TheKoreanWar, many were actually covertly flown by Soviet pilots. Unfortunately designated "Fagot" by NATO (It's actually pronounced [[ItsPronouncedTROPAY Fah-gett/fah-goh]] if you're trying to avoid that little landmine).

During the UsefulNotes/ColdWar, Reds With Rockets were easily usable bad guys (often {{Mooks}} - they're positively churned through in a battle in ''Film/TheLivingDaylights'') for Western media, although a few good ones could turn up (in an episode of ''Series/{{MacGyver}}'', a Soviet soldier who Mac earlier spared lets him and two others leave Afghanistan). There are probably tonnes of Soviet and Russian examples with them as heroes.

* Su-27 "Flanker": the counterpart to the [=MiG-29=], it fills the air-superiority role, making it the Russian equivalent to the F-15 and F-14. It also entered service in the 80s, flying from both runways and carrier decks.

We crossed half the world,\\

One of the few Western examples of the Soviet military as good guys is ''Film/EnemyAtTheGates'', which is set during the UsefulNotes/SecondWorldWar, when the USSR [[http://www.nh.gov/nhsl/ww2/ww47prt.html were good guys]], at least compared to ThoseWackyNazis so to speak.

** Some AK variants aren't even traditional [=AKs=]. The Finnish Rk.62 and Rk.95 TP are arguably [=AKs=] "as-they-should-have-been". Giving these rifles a sturdy milled receiver combined with double the original AK sight radius blesses the rifle and shooter with accuracy competitive with the average AR-[=15A2=]. The Israeli Galil is the Rk.62 in either 5.56 or 7.62 NATO, featuring several variants of compactness, with the default ARM version being a Swiss Army Knife gun capable of cutting barbed wires and opening bottle caps.

** It's also pretty cheap. For the filming of ''Lord Of War'', it turned out to be cheaper to borrow 3,000 real rifles from a Czech arms dealer than get 3,000 replicas.
*** Those weren't even AK's, they were Czech VZ-58 rifles; a completely unrelated firearm.

* R-73/AA-11 "Archer": One of the world's best short-range air-to-air missiles, with an "off-boresight" capability, allowing to be launched up to 60 degrees from an aircraft's centreline via a helmet-mounted sight. Led to a lot of missiles in response, especially after some mock dogfights where German (via the old UsefulNotes/EastGermany) [=MiG-29=]s whipped American F-16s, including Sidewinder upgrades.

** A useful note on Soviet naming conventions for ships: surface warships were overwhelmingly named after cities and regions (and very rarely famous political leaders, which was common after 1991), while submarines were given numbers. Ergo, ''Red October'', while catchy to western audiences, could not be a submarine name, whereas TK-208 can and is.
* Tu-16 "Badger": The standard Soviet tactical bomber during much of the early UsefulNotes/ColdWar, with two big jet engines and capable of carrying either conventional or nuclear bombs. Phased out of service near the end of the Cold War in favor of more modern designs, but still in PRC service in form of Chinese-built copies.

* Tu-22M "Backfire": A CoolPlane, designed for medium-range anti-shipping and bombing strikes. Gave NATO planners headaches throughout the 1980s.

* An-124 "Condor": A strategic transport plane, one of the largest in the world. Useful for humanitarian work as well as military stuff, UsefulNotes/{{NATO}} have actually recently been hiring these from Russian and Ukrainian companies to transport stuff like helicopters and tanks. Development continues, including commercial version.

* 9K22 Tunguska "Grison": The ZSU-23-4’s successor, combining a pair of 30mm autocannons with a surface-to-air missile system. It was designed specifically to shoot down heavily armored American aircraft like the A-10 and the AH-64 Apache that Shilka couldn't deal with.
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lun-class_ekranoplan Lun-class ekranoplan, introduced in 1987]] - An ekranoplan is a ground effect vehicle, meaning it hovers above the water. The Lun is gigantic, about the size of the Spruce Goose, and had 6 missile launchers. It flew over the ocean very fast and below radar. Because of budget cuts and the collapse of the Soviet Union, they never went into wide use. The Soviet Union's Crowning Moment of Awesome.
* The instantly recognizable [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mil_Mi-24 Mi-24]] attack helicopter series, easily identified in the "D" model and onward by a "double bubble" cockpit design. Beginning in the late 1960's, the Mi-24 would undergo numerous design changes over it's 40+ years of service for the Soviet and later Russian army. Unique in that it is both a dedicated attack helicopter with a troop transport capability, it has been produced in a wide variety of variants with an equally wide selection of firepower, with variants capable of sporting everything from machine guns, cannons, numerous varieties of rockets, guided [=ATGMs=] and even dumb-fire bombs. This heavily armored attack helicopter has been exported to over 30 nations, seen action in dozens of conflicts, and has appeared in everything from films, to literature to video games. Although it's been gradually replaced in Russian service by the newer Ka-50 and Mi-28 attack helicopters, the Mi-24 is expected to be in Russian use well into the late 2020's, and will likely serve in the armies of other nations for even longer.

** Given to Film/JamesBond in ''Film/AViewToAKill'' for saving the American microchip industry (and by extension because of espionage, the Soviet one as well). It's inaccurately stated he's the first non-Soviet to get one.(well, it IS a film.)

** Satirised in ''Animal Farm'', with the Order of the ''Green'' Banner.

** Appears in ''Film/TheHuntForRedOctober'' and in CaptainErsatz form in the Charles L. Taylor novel ''Show of Force''.
** Wrote ''The Sea Power of the State'', which was translated into English. This troper used it as a major source for his thesis.

Another trope is that any foreign aircraft, even obviously civilian ones, is instantly attacked by the Soviet Air Defense Force with no challenges or questions.
* Averted in the ''Series/MacGyver'' episode "To Be a Man", where Mac is told multiple times to identify himself. Then again, he could hardly say "Ya amerikanskii spion" ("I am an American spy") and he was flying an aircraft that looked military...
* As previously mentioned, some TruthInTelevision there; witness the 1983 shootdown of KAL 007. They might have mistaken it for an American ELINT aircraft. And later they let Matthias Rust through, possibly deliberately to some extent, to land his Cessna in Red Square (in their defense, it was Border Guards' Day. They were all bevved.)
** KAL 007's shooting down might be a slight ''aversion'' of the trope, at least in partial respect: while the aircraft was most definitely shot down, four bursts of more than 200 warning shot rounds were fired by the aircraft that intercepted the liner. Then again, it was night, and 747s do not have night vision equipment.
*** If you read the details of the case, it soon becomes apparent that KAL 007's crew were being criminally negligent and incompetent... if the Soviets hadn't shot the flight down, their extreme (and completely unnoticed) navigational error may have downed the flight anyway. The Russians made numerous attempts to contact the airliner, none of which were noticed. Then again, they also shot down the flight when it was clearly departing Russian airspace. Not to mention their failure to notice that their identification beacon was ''off''. Even more bizarrely, the Japanese ground controllers didn't seem to think it relevant to mention that KAL-007 was over the most dangerous skies in the world when the airliner contacted them. As the Soviet transcript notes:
-->'''General Kamenski''' (Commander of CHAIKA): ''We must find out, maybe it is some civilian craft or God knows who.''
-->'''General Kornukov''' (Commander of Sokol airbase on Sakhalin Island): ''What civilian? It has flown over Kamchatka! It came from the ocean without identification. I am giving the order to attack if it crosses the State border.''
** Later.
-->'''Operations Duty Officer''': ''It may be a passenger aircraft. All necessary steps must be taken to identify it.''
-->'''Air Controller''': ''Identification measures are being taken, but the pilot cannot see. It's dark. Even now it's still dark.''
-->'''Operations Duty Officer''': ''Well, okay. The [shootdown order] is correct. If there are no lights—it cannot be a passenger.''
*** Nor does it help that the U.S. military makes ''extensive'' use of civilian airliner bodies for "command and control" type planes.
*** For KAL 007, the communications problems between the Far East Air Defense command and the commanders in Moscow would be very similar to say, an air defense system in Western Europe and the commanders on North America's West Coast.
*** There seems to be some evidence that they mistook it for a B-52 or an RC-135, both of which would be military aircraft and legitimate targets if they penetrated Soviet airspace. The transcript has the commander of Sokoairbase saying "How many jet trails are there, if there are four jet trails, then it's an RC-135". Later on, when they were giving the Sukhoi its attack orders, they warned the pilot "Don't forget, it [the target] has cannons in the rear there," which only makes sense if they thought it was a bomber.

As mentioned in ImproperlyPlacedFirearms, you will sometimes see 1980s Soviet soldiers wielding AK-47s, when in reality they'd been mostly replaced by AK-74s.

Another common sub-trope is the [[SovietSuperscience Soviet military being equipped with stuff]] that a) was beyond its technology at the time, b) was beyond ''anyone's'' technology at the time or c) beyond the state of military technology ''even today''. Can you say ''Film/{{Firefox}}''? Partly this was because the West over-estimated Soviet tech levels.

There's another trope- "Red Star Added For Your Convenience"- adding Red Stars to ID something as Soviet where there would not be on in real life- usually on pilots' helmets (''Airwolf'' for example).

Every Red with Rocket is a graduate of the ImperialStormtrooperMarksmanshipAcademy. Considering differences in Soviet and Western training doctrines[[note]]The Soviet Union trained its soldiers who wielded assault rifles to favor the full automatic setting and fire in short bursts. Western forces preferred to teach either firing in burst mode or in semiautomatic mode.[[/note]], this might have some small basis in reality, but is a {{Flanderization}}. In reality, marksmanship was important and trained into every soldier. In fact, Soviet marksmanship wasn't too shabby, even by modern standards.[[note]] Soviet soldiers were trained to be able to make 350M shots (~385Yds) on human-sized targets with the AKM, and 500M (~550Yds) shots on human-sized targets with the AK-74, all while only using stock military rifles and issued ammo, while only using the stock AK iron sights. For comparison, the modern [[UsefulNotes/YanksWithTanks U.S. Army]] only goes out to 300Yds (~270M) with the [=M4A1=] and electronic optics. The USMC, known for their borderline chauvanistic fixation on marksmanship, only go out to 500Yds (~450M) on the [=M16A4=].[[/note]]
* The MoreDakka design philosophy continued with the Kalashnikov family. As stated above, [=AKs=] are extremely reliable and easy to obtain, but the stereotype also holds that they struggle to match ''Website/TheOnion'' in accuracy. In reality, the AK-pattern rifles have always reached a fair standard of accuracy. The AKM has an official effective range of 350M[[note]] This is actually rather average for assault rifles[[note]], which is long enough to cover just about any distance encountered in typical infantry small arms engagements. onward had accuracy comparable to and in certain conditions better than[[note]]The AK-74, for example, has a standard effective range of 625 meters, but can have an area target capability of up to 1,000 meters with sight adjustments. The M16 has a standard effective range of around 550-600m, with an area target range of about 800-1,000 meters depending on the configuration.[[/note]] most NATO assault rifles, with the inaccuracy problem referring mostly to the early AK-47 line and its foreign derivatives. Since the early models are usually what people think of when someone mentions "Kalashnikovs," expect armchair experts to constantly state that ''all'' [=AKs=] are inaccurate. Moreover, as reliable as they may be, even AK rifles need be properly maintained and fed with decent quality ammunition to reach their full potential. Much of the AK's reputation for inaccuracy comes from the shoddy manufacturing standards observed in AKs not constructed in Russia and without licensing from Kalashnikov Concern.
* Pyotr Grigorenko in his memoirs (''In the underground you can meet only rats'') described a fight in Hungary when ''one soldier'' (already a veteran of WWI and general's bodyguard chosen for experience, but still) made a difference because he refused to replace his rifle (''probably'' Mosin, ironsights only) with [=SMG=] - he thought MoreDakka was a trademark of ImperialStormtrooperMarksmanshipAcademy, and had a chance to demonstrate this. The soldier chose a good position and proceeded to serenely pick off targets ''without misses and scoring only non-lethal called shots'' at a distance over 200 m, which was far too much for others - and [=SMG=]-rattling foes couldn't do anything about it other than to back off and take cover.

* That goes quite far: for example, individual VDV soldier is called 'desantnik', meaning 'landing force trooper'. So almost every SpaceMarine in existence is translated to 'Kosmicheskiy Desantnik', or its shorthand 'Kosmodesantnik'. You see, UsefulNotes/RussianLanguage does not have a word for 'Marine'. The closest equivalent is 'Morskoy Pekhotinets', translated as 'Naval Infantryman'. Now, having 'Space Naval Infantry' is just stupid. On the other hand, 'desantnik' means just any soldier delivered to battlefield by other means than he is fighting and 'desant' means any group of such soldiers. RealLife examples include naval 'desant', airborne 'desant' (by parachute, gliders or helicopters), APC 'desant' (the squad packed into APC or IFV fights on their own feet and are delivered by wheels, so they qualify) and tank-borne 'desant' (a UsefulNotes/WW2 practice of piling a bunch of troopers on every tank or SPG, necessitated by lack of [=APCs=]). Note that a tanker doesn't qualify, because he drives into the battlefield in the same tank he fights with, and APC driver doesn't qualify on the same grounds. On the other hand, the tank (and its crew) qualify, if they are delivered to battlefield by landing ship or airdrop. Given that, the name for Space Marines is evident: they are delivered to battlefield by space ships, so they are clearly 'desant'. If you need to specify (and you need!), use the obvious adjective 'Kosmicheskiy', and here you are.

* [[http://world.guns.ru/assault/as01-e.htm AK-47]] - The ''world famous'' AK. Most produced firearm in history. Scoring probably millions of kills for its users. Appears on the flags of Mozambique and Hezbollah. In fiction, used by every terrorist group going and of course, the Reds With Rockets. However, in a bizarre RealLife case of AKA47, what most people would think are AK-47's are actually the AKM, an updated version created in 1959(whereas the most definitive classic "[=AK47=]" would be the circa 1955 Type III milled receiver). Alternatively, they could actually mean the Chinese [[SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute Type 56]]. The only meaningful differences are the Chinese markings versus Russian markings, a commonly provided swivel for the flip-out bayonet á la SKS (which in Chinese production is called the Type 56 carbine despite the SKS and AK having little relation, as China began production of both weapons in 1956), and that the front sight has an enclosed hood like the SVT-40, instead of the open top of the true AK.
** Also, "AK-47" is not its real designation. The correct way to call this gun is just "AK". It's said that the "47" suffix came about because Western intelligence were essentially fond of classifying stuff with appending the decade of design/manufacture behind the base name, to the point where it stuck even amongst Russians in later years.
** Don't forget its brother the AK-74. Better accuracy, easier handling, and less weight(similar to the AKM due to stamped steel manufacture), but it's not even half so famous despite being essentially a re-chambered AKM. Even many gun people don't know much about it other than that the 4 and the 7 are in reverse order.
** This rifle (AK-74) uses the 5.45x39 round that was developed in 1971 because the United States used the 5.56x45 cartridge in Vietnam and the Soviet command was worried that maybe the capitalists had developed something better than the traditional 30 cal. Mikhail Kalshnikov opposed the new round and the new weapon(to be fair, AK-47 delivered great results in Vietnam War compared to M16). However, the new gun was found to be much more accurate than the AKM and had an extremely flat trajectory over distance and accuracy on part with the M16. Thus it was adopted as the new standard issue rifle of the Soviet Army. The AK-74's round has drastically-reduced recoil compared to the AKM(or any 7.62mm AK for that matter), and features one of the best muzzle compensators in the business, giving it almost comparatively zero recoil. The magazines for the AK-74 are usually made of polymer and are much less dramatically curved than comparably-sized 7.62x39 magazines due to the slimmer round's less noticeable taper. 5.56x45mm magazines for respectively chambered AK variants, like the AK-101, are similarly less curved.

** The most common AK in Russian service is the AK-74M(typically black furniture, standard side-mount rail, and side-folding non-skeletal stock), chambered for 5.45x39mm. Lots of older [=AKs=], [=AKMs=] and other Kalashnikov models are stockpiled in storage facilities to arm conscripts in case of war or police emergencies.

** The Iraqi Tabuk, which is a semi-auto RPK designed to operate within the lower confines of the SVD, making the Tabuk a "mini-SVD" of sorts.
** The Romanian PSL, commonly mistaken as the "Romanian Dragunov" on account of its visual resemblance to the SVD (the PSL being an AK/RPK design, the SVD being its own with only cosmetic similarity to the AK) or the "FPK". Using fully-powered 7.62x54R on a lengthened RPK receiver, a pair of trained hands can use this to match the accuracy of the SVD even.
** The Yugo M76 by Zastava. Another RPK-based semi-auto support rifle slash make-shift sniper rifle, this one uses the full-power 7.92x57mm aka 8mm Mauser of WWII German fame. Then came the later M95, which switched over to the Russian cartridge, most likely due to 8mm supply issues.
* The only exception to this rule is the [[http://world.guns.ru/assault/chex/sa-vz5-e.html Czech VZ.58]]. It is visually very similar to the Kalashnikov. However, all the similarities other than its calibre are purely external. The VZ.58 is completely different mechanically to the point where the VZ cannot even share magazines with the AK.[[note]]Indeed, it would be fair to say the Vz. 58 has more in common with the American M1/M2 carbines than it does with the AK; of course, this can be turned around to say the AK has more in common with the M1 Garand than it does with the Vz. 58.[[/note]]
** Ditto also with the Chinese Type 81. Cosmetic relative to the classic AK, but very different operating mechanics inside. Probably has more in common with the VZ.58(both of them being of the "short-stroke" variety) in terms of the internals, than the AK. Same for the non-interchangeable magazines.
* [[http://world.guns.ru/rifle/autoloading-rifles/rus/simonov-sks-e.html SKS]], actually came into production just before the end of UsefulNotes/WW2, and was fielded with mixed results in limited trials near the end of the war. Though accepted as standard issue rifle of the Soviet Army in 1949, its service life was CutShort by the arrival of the AK-47, which took over in 1956. While the SKS is chambered with the same round as the AK-47, its slightly longer barrel and higher manufacturing quality makes it more accurate than its counterpart, especially at longer ranges.
** [[RecycledInSpace China, as well as many Soviet Republics]], gave it a second chance by continuing to produce and issue the gun into the 1970s. The Chinese made the [[NamesTheSame completely unimaginatively designed and named Type 56]], which is their copy of the SKS. Many othe countries made their own versions. Some variants, such as the "Type D", can accept 7.62x39 AK magazines, and other variants have a grenade launcher built into them. Before you freak out, the grenade launcher is meant for firing rifle grenades, and just looks like a big muzzle break, recoil compensator, or flash hider.
** The Chinese Type 56 carbines have a reputation of being able to be assembled wrongly, resulting in an exceedingly protruding firing pin that WILL cause a slam-fire upon chambering that keeps cycling until the magazine runs empty.
** Another thing to note about the SKS is that it is allowed practically in any country where a semiautomatic rifle is legal, even in places where owning such weapons involves considerable legal hassles. One of the main reasons why is that it can easily conform to legal requirements. In the United States, an SKS is classified as a "Curio & Relic", meaning that it can be sold without modification, while in Canada, magazines can be simply pinned to five rounds. The other main reason is that it is also cheap and plentiful for a semiautomatic rifle: the days of the $100 SKS are long over, but they are still commonly available in the $300-400 range.
** Like the AK-47, the SKS has an unbelievable market for customization. You can add detachable magazines, rifle grenade launchers, folder "pig-sticker" bayonets (which were standard on some models), enhanced sights, even convert them to futuristic bullpup-configuration.
** Domestically, the SKS is still famous for being used often in Soviet cinema, and thanks to a reluctance to throw anything away, polished and buffed SKS rifles being the standard honor guard weapon in Russia and most CIS countries to this day.
** Before the SKS, the designer, Simonov, had worked on the AVS-36. It chambered the full power rifle cartridge for an automatic firearm. He then used that experience to design the SKS around the full power cartridge, even if it was only going to chamber the weaker one, resulting in a very strong action that is never over-taxed.
* [[http://world.guns.ru/handguns/hg21-e.htm Makarov PM]] - Standard pistol of Soviet guys and popular in real life too. Derived in part from the German Walther PP. As an "AK" handgun, this self-defense pistol replaced early [[http://world.guns.ru/handguns/hg20-e.htm TT]] combat pistol as a standard sidearm after WWII. Now being replaced among with the Yarygin [=PYa=]- also known as the MP-443 "Grach" ("rook").

** Don't forget its brother the AK-74. Better accuracy, easier handling, and less weight(similar to the AKM due to stamped steel manufacture), but it's not even half so famous despite being essentially a re-chambered AKM. Even many gun people don't know much about it other than that the 4 and the 7 are in reverse order. Website/{{Google}} annoyingly treats it as a misspelling of 47.
** This rifle(AK-74) uses the 5.45x39 round that was developed in 1971 because the United States used the 5.56x45 cartridge in Vietnam and the Soviet command was worried that maybe the capitalists had developed something better than the traditional 30 cal. Mikhail Kalshnikov opposed the new round and the new weapon(to be fair, AK-47 delivered great results in Vietnam War compared to M16). However, the new gun was found to be much more accurate than the AKM and had an extremely flat trajectory over distance and accuracy on part with the M16. Thus it was adopted as the new standard issue rifle of the Soviet Army. The AK-74's round has drastically-reduced recoil compared to the AKM(or any 7.62mm AK for that matter), and features one of the best muzzle compensators in the business, giving it almost comparatively zero recoil. The magazines for the AK-74 are usually made of polymer and are much less dramatically curved than comparably-sized 7.62x39 magazines due to the slimmer round's less noticeable taper. 5.56x45mm magazines for respectively chambered AK variants, like the AK-101, are similarly less curved.

The infamous Russian fighting vehicle; tough, hard looks, nasty armor, not enough fuel to reach the front line and about as comfortable to drive as a tractor. It has been said that everything the Soviets built, from tanks to washing machines, was built using three times more steel than it needed, because Stalin wanted to inflate the economic figures associated with steel consumption. It has also been said that due to their cramped interiors and stiff controls, the ideal pilot or driver would be a competitive-rowing coxswain (or, in the USA, a 'midget quarterback'). Only the part about fuel is distinctly untrue, as many vehicles had equivalent or greater range than their Western counterparts so their vehicles could make deep advances into the enemy's rear areas once they'd broken through. Whatever the case, Commie hardware sure is tough and keeps going under the most adverse of conditions, with plenty of spare parts to hand and maintenance being relatively simple.

* Su-27 "Flanker": the counterpart to the [=MiG-29=], it fills the air-superiority role, making it the Russian equivalent to the F-15 and F-14. It also entered service in the 80s, flying from both runways and carrier decks. Along with the Fulcrum, the Flanker caused something of a panic in the American military, who had been counting on ConservationOfNinjutsu and weren't sure if their planes could actually stand up against {{Elite Mook}}s. (Their concerns are justified, as both the [=MiG-29=] and the Su-27 are excellent fighters by any standard and can hold their own against Western counterparts, and in some parameters are far ahead.) Out of this panic and resulting LensmanArmsRace came America's current air-superiority fighter, a fifth-generation fighter called the F-22 Raptor; Russia is preferring to focus on upgrading its Fulcrum and Flanker designs into 4.5th-gen fighters, but undoubtedly some actual 5th-gen airframes are in development. (The Flanker's replacement, the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukhoi_PAK_FA Sukhoi PAK FA]], is the only one Russia has gone public with; due to shortage of funds, they are holding off decisions on a [=MiG-29=] replacement until the T-50 program as stabilized.) After the collapse of the USSR, both the Flanker and Fulcrum have gone on to be flown by UsefulNotes/RussiansWithRustingRockets.
** With this said, Russian aircraft workflow ergonomics are at least two generations behind their American counterparts, meaning American pilots can devote ''much'' less attention to managing their aircraft and more to flying and fighting it, particularly in the 5th-Generation F-22 and F-35. American avionics are also better, as is system integration and of course, stealth (which has become America's [[PlanetOfHats "hat"]] in air to air combat).

** The T-34 '''concept''' had been the soundest ever fielded up to 1945: a tank designed in the late 1930s could have been either a heavy, lumbering monster (T-35, Char B1) or [[FragileSpeedster maneuverable, but lightly armored]] (BT, Pzkpfw 38(t), Pzkpfw III, Pzkpfw IV), while a tank designed with the experience or the 1940-1941 campaigns in mind could have been either cheap, lightly armed [[ZergRush and built by the thousands]], or complex, nearly unbeatable in the field, heavily armed, ran by men like Wittmann, but [[AwesomeButImpractical just as expensive as its weight in gold]]. Modern designs like British Comet came too late to be meaningful in war. Only two projects matched every requirement (speed, armor, gun, manoeuvrability) and asked for more: M24 Chaffee and T-34, and the last got it right due to the engine, above all: the only 400-500hp tank engine which could be made to tip the scales at just 750kg dry weight. Before the British Meteor engine came, which was more powerful and even lighter, all other 1941-vintage engines weighed 1000-1200-1500kg easily, while the Chrysler Multi-Bank engine in the Sherman weighed a ridiculous 2384kg (5244lbs!).

** In ''Film/GoldenEye'', Film/JamesBond takes one of these to chase after Natalya, causing quite a bit of damage to St. Petersburg in the process. James, [[HeroesWantRedheads just because she's a redhead...]]
*** In the film, it is mean to be a [=T80U=], but the Russian government wouldn't just lend out its advanced frontline vehicles ([[SarcasmMode the bastards!]]), so the crew took a T-54 and glued cardboard boxes to it to look like reactive armor.
* T-62: Was designed mainly as a hasty reaction to Western developments like the Centurion and M47/M48 Pattons. The Soviets were feeling insecure about their T-55's 100m gun and its power compared to the British L7A3 105mm gun(which continues to be very effective to present day). Since the T-55 chassis didn't permit feasible fitting of a larger cannon, the Soviets did a new tank altogether, while very similar looking, traded strengths and weaknesses in various areas compared to the T-55:

** The first Main Battle Tank(then still classified by the Soviets as a Medium Tank) to use a smoothbore gun, and the only combat vehicle with a 115mm gun. The odd thing about it was that the gun needed to be brought back to about three degrees elevation every time it has to reload, slowing down the effective rate of fire.

** It has been documented in some sources that the T-64 was even more of a rush job than the T-62, made to quickly respond to the American M60, German Leopard, French AMX-30, the multitudes of upgraded Centurions, all using the highly effective 105mm [=L7A3=](or M68 in the case of the M60). But especially the Centurion's replacement, the Chieftain. Featuring thick, highly-sloped frontal armor on both glacis plate and turret front, a 120mm [=L11A5=] rifled gun that was much, much longer than the [=L7A3=], and generally good suspension if on a somewhat lacklustre engine. Basically, pants-shitting terror card of the NATO land forces. An unusually quick answer like the T-64 did result in a number of issues:
** Also the first Main Battle Tank of the Soviets to feature an auto-loader: contrary to rumors mostly originating in the US, the mechanism was incapable of pulling the arm of a crew member while in the loading cycle (for starters, it was too sensitive and any such interruption would stall it). The T-64, at the time of its adoption, was possibly the most technologically-advanced tank in service worldwide--like the original T-34, a revolutionary design at its time, this meant for a number of serious complications to operating it in the field (which would have been magnified in an actual war), particularly with its powerplant.

** Other issues like its ammo storage design posing a risk(right at the belly, which means running over a mine...) could have contributed to its absent exportability, besides being a testbed for advanced Soviet tank tech.

** An unusually small (particularly narrow and squat) and cheap tank, but with a big gun. With appropriate ammunition, the 125mm gun is still theoretically capable of defeating any tank in widespread service. On the other hand, while the Soviets experimented with composite armor on T-64, T-72 (at least early models) featured conventional steel armor, which, though of exceptional thickness, could not stand up to the higher tech ammunition of the 1980s NATO tanks (such as M1A1, as shown in the Middle East). Just 7 feet tall and weighing just over 40 tons (in the baseline version), T-72 was considered very cramped even with a 3-man crew. Also, unlike Western tanks, the early T-72 lacked such gadgets as laser range finder and the steering yoke, limiting its tactical usefulness.

** In ''Series/RedDwarf'', Kryten, rather annoyed at the fact that everyone else on the ship is in "Jane Austen World", enters the VR game. In this tank (the same prop from the Bond film in fact), he then proceeds to blow up the gazebo.

** By contrast, Syria's T-72M1 tanks (note: Unlike Iraq above, Syria was the Soviet Union's closest ally in the Middle East, and was home to one of the few Soviet naval bases abroad in Tartus) performed [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-72#Syria shocking well against Israeli tanks in the 1982 Lebanon War]]. While details vary, both sides acknowledged that Syrian armor effectively engaged and destroyed the best tanks [[UsefulNotes/IsraelisWithInfraredMissiles Israel]] had to offer, the M[=60A1=] and famed Merkava in South Lebanon, with few or no losses. Then-president of Syria Hafez Al-Assad described the export model T-72M1 tanks as "The best tanks in the world." Given the prestigious reputation of the Merkava (a very effective T-62 killer) and circumstances where Patton tanks handily outperformed T-72 tanks in other wars, the conflict probably spoke a great deal to the importance of up-to-date parts and training from the manufacturing country for an tank importer (not just Soviet tanks, but in general).

*** As is the Russian T-90, which is a combination of this one with the next tank on the list. The T-72 provides the hull, the T-80 provided the sights and the gun, and a new engine was built from scratch.
* T-80: The first Soviet MBT to use a gas turbine, albeit with its own problems(drank fuel like the M1 Abrams), intended to be the primary Soviet tank of the 1980s. Its low weight and high-power engine made it fast. ''Very'' fast. Unlike other Russian things, earlier models were not famed for their reliability, owing to the revolutionary engine.

* The T-90 continues the legacy of the T-72 by being a product of lessons learnt since the idea of the MBT became real for the Soviet Armor corps. Such as not blindly rushing into making something totally new just for a minor advantage, like the T-62. Like the old D-10 gun, the constantly updated 2A46M(125mm smoothbore D-81T) gun on the T-90 is essentially the same gun that was on the T-64. Calibre width isn't everything. Also, the T-90 proves that a gas turbine engine isn't absolutely required for a fast tank--this being reflected by the Leopard 2 being a close relative of the M1 Abrams, but using diesel and is still very speedy. It also helps that the T-90 continues the tradition of the T-55 and T-72 of being conservative in weight.

** Because of their vulnerabilities versus tanks, IFVs have always been concerned with their profile. The cramped, weapons-packed turret of the BMP-1 is also shared by the American Bradley, but surprisingly, the BMP-2's large turret is much more spacious (and comfortable) than either.
** And then there's BMP-3, which sports [[MoreDakka twin cannons in it's turret – 100mm combination gun and rocket launcher and 30mm autocannon. Oh, and 3 7.62mm machine guns]]. [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill And ATGM launcher]].
* BMD: A closely related design to the BMP's, with the capacity to be dropped out of aircraft. Used exclusively by Soviet and Russian paratroopers.

* Vice-Admiral '''Vasili Arkhipov''' served on the Soviet submarine ''K-19'', and during its nuclear accident was exposed to a high level of radiation trying to fix the broken reactor. His main claim to fame is being another rocket-armed Red who prevented WorldWarIII. During the UsefulNotes/CubanMissileCrisis, an American battlegroup decided it would be a good idea to drop practice depth charges on the Soviet submarine ''B-59'', on which Arkhipov was serving as executive officer. The sub was part of a flotilla. The captain of the sub, concerned that war had already broken out, elected to [[NukeEm fire a nuclear torpedo at the American squadron.]] He was supported by the ship's ''[[PoliticalOfficer zampolit]]''. Arkhipov, who held the same rank as the captain, and who was overall flotilla commander, persuaded the captain to surface and await orders from Moscow. Robert [=McNamara=] credited Arkhipov's actions with "saving the world." Unlike his Voyska PVO counterpart Stanislav Petrov (see above), Moscow appreciated Arkhipov saving their asses, and he ended up a Vice-Admiral and headmaster of Kirov Naval Academy.

* Vice-Admiral '''Vasili Arkhipov''' served on the Soviet submarine ''K-19'', and during its nuclear accident was exposed to a high level of radiation trying to fix the broken reactor. His main claim to fame is being another rocket-armed Red who prevented WorldWarIII. During the UsefulNotes/CubanMissileCrisis, an American battlegroup decided it would be a good idea to [[TooDumbToLive drop practice depth charges on the Soviet submarine]] ''B-59'', on which Arkhipov was serving as executive officer. The sub was part of a flotilla. The captain of the sub, concerned that war had already broken out, elected to [[NukeEm fire a nuclear torpedo at the American squadron.]] He was supported by the ship's ''[[PoliticalOfficer zampolit]]''. Arkhipov, who held the same rank as the captain, and who was overall flotilla commander, persuaded the captain to surface and await orders from Moscow. Robert [=McNamara=] credited Arkhipov's actions with "saving the world." Unlike his Voyska PVO counterpart Stanislav Petrov (see above), Moscow appreciated Arkhipov saving their asses, and he ended up a Vice-Admiral and headmaster of Kirov Naval Academy.

** Also, "AK-47" is not its real designation. The correct way to call this gun is just "AK". You hit the FandomBerserkButton of Russian military buffs if you call it "AK-47". It's said that the "47" suffix came about because Western intelligence were essentially fond of classifying stuff with appending the decade of design/manufacture behind the base name, to the point where it stuck even amongst Russians in later years.

** Also, "AK-47" is [[CriticalResearchFailure not its real designation]]. The correct way to call this gun is just "AK". You hit the FandomBerserkButton of Russian military buffs if you call it "AK-47". It's said that the "47" suffix came about because Western intelligence were essentially fond of classifying stuff with appending the decade of design/manufacture behind the base name, to the point where it stuck even amongst Russians in later years.

* Project ''971'' Schuka/"[[NamesTheSame Akula]]": the current Russian nuclear-powered attack sub; reputedly as quiet as early American [=688/=]''Los Angeles'' class submarines. It can fire a salvo of up to ''[[NoKillLikeOverkill fourteen]]'' torpedoes at once. The naming confusion with the ''Typhoon''-class has confused many a naval geek. (Basically, the 941s -- the missile boats -- came out first and were called "Akula" by the Sovs and "Typhoon" by NATO, in response to a comment by Leonid Brezhnev concerning the submarines. Then the 971s -- the attack subs -- came out and were called "Schuka" by the Sovs and "Akula" by NATO.)

* Lavochkin [=LaGG=]/La series: Another mainstay fighter of the Soviet Air Force, also serving from the beginning until the end of the Great Patriotic War. Like the Yak-1, the [=LaGG-3=] was also mediocre, and was pretty much a [[WalkingDisasterArea Flying Disaster Area]] to boot (it was nicknamed the "Morticians Friend," and pilots joked that its designation stood for "''Lakirovannii Garantirovannii Grob''" (Varnished, Guaranteed Coffin)). This changed when the chief designer decided to refit one with a more powerful radial engine, giving birth to the La-5. Unlike the [=LaGG-3=], this plane was capable of going toe-to-toe with German fighters at low altitude. This finally culminated in the La-7, which entered service in mid-1944, and managed to outperform the now increasingly obsolete planes the Luftwaffe was still fielding up until the end of the war. Postwar, the Lavochkin design bureau brought out the La-9 and La-11, the last piston-engined fighters to enter service with the USSR. Most of these would be exported, like the Yak-9P, to [[UsefulNotes/ChineseWithChopperSupport China]] and [[UsefulNotes/NorthKoreansWithNodongs North Korea]] during UsefulNotes/TheKoreanWar.

* Tu-95 "Bear": The Soviet answer to B-52 with the most appropriate NATO reporting name and roughly equivalent capabilities. The fastest (although not the biggest--that's American B-36) mass-produced prop-driven plane ever and also among the noisiest, with four massive turboprop engines. Like B-52, still in service and are expected to stay in service for the foreseeable future for RussiansWithRustingRockets. Frequently made (and makes) flights near NATO airspace on recon and patrol flights.

* That goes quite far: for example, individual VDV soldier is called 'desantnik', meaning 'landing force trooper'. So almost every SpaceMarine in existence is translated to 'Kosmicheskiy Desantnik', or its shorthand 'Kosmodesantnik'. You see, RussianLanguage does not have a word for 'Marine'. The closest equivalent is 'Morskoy Pekhotinets', translated as 'Naval Infantryman'. Now, having 'Space Naval Infantry' is just stupid. On the other hand, 'desantnik' means just any soldier delivered to battlefield by other means than he is fighting and 'desant' means any group of such soldiers. RealLife examples include naval 'desant', airborne 'desant' (by parachute, gliders or helicopters), APC 'desant' (the squad packed into APC or IFV fights on their own feet and are delivered by wheels, so they qualify) and tank-borne 'desant' (a UsefulNotes/WW2 practice of piling a bunch of troopers on every tank or SPG, necessitated by lack of [=APCs=]). Note that a tanker doesn't qualify, because he drives into the battlefield in the same tank he fights with, and APC driver doesn't qualify on the same grounds. On the other hand, the tank (and its crew) qualify, if they are delivered to battlefield by landing ship or airdrop. Given that, the name for Space Marines is evident: they are delivered to battlefield by space ships, so they are clearly 'desant'. If you need to specify (and you need!), use the obvious adjective 'Kosmicheskiy', and here you are.

* The only exception to this rule is the [[http://world.guns.ru/assault/chex/sa-vz5-e.html Czech VZ.58]]. It is visually very similar to the Kalashnikov. However, all the similarities other than its calibre are purely external. The VZ.58 is completely different mechanically to the point where the VZ cannot even share magazines with the AK.

By restricting what is required of a basic soldier, the Soviets ensured that any conscripts called from the reserve within five years of demobilization would be quite capable of acting efficiently. They believed that logical and original thought was difficult in face of battle shock, hence men in battle could accomplish only limited and simple tasks which they have learnt to do thoroughly. An operational commander who can count on a reliable execution of a known scheme despite the soldiers' confusion and battle stress would be able to direct and support his tactical forces faster than the command cycle of an improvising enemy.

* Lavochkin [=LaGG=]/La series: Another mainstay fighter of the Soviet Air Force, also serving from the beginning until the end of the Great Patriotic War. Like the Yak-1, the [=LaGG-3=] was also mediocre, and was pretty much a [[WalkingDisasterArea Flying Disaster Area]] to boot (it was nicknamed the "Morticians Friend," and pilots joked that its designation stood for "''Lakirovannii Garantirovannii Grob''" (Varnished, Guaranteed Coffin)). This changed when the chief designer decided to refit one with a more powerful radial engine, giving birth to the La-5. Unlike the [=LaGG-3=], this plane was capable of going toe-to-toe with German fighters at low altitude. This finally culminated in the La-7, which entered service in mid-1944, and managed to outperform the now increasingly obsolete planes the Luftwaffe was still fielding up until the end of the war. Postwar, the Lavochkin design bureau brought out the La-9 and La-11, the last piston-engined fighters to enter service with the USSR. Most of these would be exported, like the Yak-9P, to [[UsefulNotes/ChineseWithChopperSupport China]] and [[NorthKoreansWithNodongs North Korea]] during UsefulNotes/TheKoreanWar.

Apart from the bomber aircraft mentioned [[Main/{{MnogoNukes}} here]], the Soviets also produced some very advanced fighters, helicopters, and some stand-out tanks and [=APCs=]. What often escapes notice is how small a lot of the cockpits were. Russian military leaders in WWII had the bright idea to sort the army by size, making big men infantry, and letting the little men be tank crew. This meant building the tank smaller, and therefore getting thicker armor for the same weight. This philosophy carried forward over time and into areas as disparate as rocket science. Vostok space capsules were tiny, so the first Russian cosmonauts were also small; UsefulNotes/YuriGagarin was about 5'5", whereas American astronauts Alan Shepard and Neil Armstrong were 5'11" and 5'9" respectively. This is another reason to bring in the ladies (see below), as they started to run short on men small enough to fit.

* RVSN (Raketnye voyska strategicheskogo naznacheniya - Strategic Rocket Forces) - the people with MnogoNukes, who controlled the USSR's intercontinental ballistic missiles. The name "Rocket" comes from the fact that the Russians, by and large, use the same word (''raketa'') to mean "missile" and "rocket"- which is also why this entry is called "Reds With Rockets."

** If you're played a UsefulNotes/WorldWarII game involving the Red Army (but '''not''' ''{{Battlefield 1942}}''), you will almost certainly have "fired" this at some point.

Soviet emphasis on operational art is also borne in the organization of their forces. Tactical units like divisions are designed to be "lean and mean", with little in the way of rear-area support. The logistical assets are concentrated at the army level and thus give the army commander operational flexibility to regroup the divisions to adapt to a developing situation. If NATO ground forces moved to fight, then the Soviet Army ''fought to move''.

* Lavochkin [=LaGG=]/La series: Another mainstay fighter of the Soviet Air Force, also serving from the beginning until the end of the Great Patriotic War. Like the Yak-1, the [=LaGG-3=] was also mediocre, and was pretty much a [[WalkingDisasterArea Flying Disaster Area]] to boot (it was nicknamed the "Morticians Friend," and pilots joked that its designation stood for "''Lakirovannii Garantirovannii Grob''" (Varnished, Guaranteed Coffin)). This changed when the chief designer decided to refit one with a more powerful radial engine, giving birth to the La-5. Unlike the [=LaGG-3=], this plane was capable of going toe-to-toe with German fighters at low altitude. This finally culminated in the La-7, which entered service in mid-1944, and managed to outperform the now increasingly obsolete planes the Luftwaffe was still fielding up until the end of the war. Postwar, the Lavochkin design bureau brought out the La-9 and La-11, the last piston-engined fighters to enter service with the USSR. Most of these would be exported, like the Yak-9P, to [[UsefulNotes/ChineseWithChopperSupport China]] and [[NorthKoreansWithNodongs North Korea]] during TheKoreanWar.

* IS tank family: Designed as the successors to the increasingly-obsolete KV series of heavy tanks, and named after the Soviet leader himself, these tanks first saw service in early 1944. From the beginning, they were designed mainly for two purposes: to effectively destroy the newer generation of German tanks, and to storm cities, which it both did extremely well. After the great Patriotic War, some were exported to China and used during TheKoreanWar.

Soviet emphasis on operational art is also borne in the organization of their forces. Tactical units like divisions are designed to be "lean and mean", with little in the way of rear-area support. The logistical assets are concentrated at the army level and thus give the army commander operational flexibility to regroup the divisions to adapt to a developing situation.

** The VVS was divided into the Long Range Aviation which was the actual organization responsible for the air-delivered nuclear weaponry, and the Frontal Aviation organized to serve as the tactical air arm of fronts. Long Range Aviation was disbanded in 1980 and its assets were divided between five strategic air armies.
* Soviet Navy (name in Russian, Voyenno-morskoy flot SSSR - Naval-Military Forces of the USSR) AKA The Red Fleet - The people with the many submarines and ships and many nuclear weapons that went with them, including four VTOL aircraft carriers with Yak-38 "Forger". Acquired a full-size carrier before the end of the USSR. A second ended up unfinished and sold to China (who appear to be using it to prepare for a carrier of their own), while another was scrapped at 40% complete. Also had the Naval Infantry, roughly the Soviet equivalent of the Marine Corps.