The "Russian Knights" aerobatic teams on Su-30SM fighters and the "Swifts" on MiG-29s concluded the military parade on Red Square. According to a TASS correspondent, they were followed by Su-25 attack aircraft, painting the sky with smoke in the colors of the Russian tricolor. Simultaneously with the flyover of the aerobatic teams, the parade's television broadcast showed footage of the real combat operations of "Geran," "Inokhodets," "Molniya," "Lancet," and Zala unmanned aerial vehicle crews performing tasks in the special operation zone.
The Su-30SM is a heavy multi-role 4++ generation fighter with thrust vectoring and super maneuverability. The MiG-29 is a light fourth-generation front-line fighter with two engines and a high thrust-to-weight ratio.
For the first time in the parade's history, servicemen of unmanned systems troops marched on the cobblestones alongside participants of the SVO. The broadcast also showed operators on combat duty at control points of the Strategic Missile Forces, Aerospace Forces, and Navy ships.
For the first time since 2007, there was no military equipment on Red Square.
Thus, the May 9, 2026 parade clearly demonstrated a fundamental shift in the structure of the armed forces. While previously the main symbol of power was manned aviation, now the unmanned component – from reconnaissance Zala to loitering "Lancets" and strike "Inokhodets" – is presented as a full-fledged branch of service. The parade combined the Soviet school of aerobatics and drone operators working against the enemy today, showing the continuity of generations and the change in technological paradigm.
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