This is a fantastic video showing the Russian air force aircraft currently in use (well, at least the ones that it is OK for us to know about, right?).

Brilliantly edited, I dropped everything I was doing just to sit and watch this:

The Russian Defense Ministry published the video to celebrate Russian Aerospace Force Day. I wish every country would do the same, now! What a collection that would be…

Reddit user vivtho took the time to list the aircraft in order of appearance:

• Sukhoi Su-33 ‘Flanker’
• Kamov Ka-27 (Most probably the Ka-27PS ‘Helix-D’)
• Tupolev Tu-95 ‘Bear’
• Tupolev Tu-160 ‘Blackjack’
• Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29OVT ‘Fulcrum’
• Sukhoi Su-27P ‘Flanker-B’
• Sukhoi T-50 PAK FA
• Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29UBT ‘Fulcrum’
• Sukhoi Su-27 ‘Flanker’ (Probably the Su-27SM series)
• Sukhoi Su-27UB ‘Flanker’
• Sukhoi Su-34 ‘Fullback’
• Yakovlev Yak-130 ‘Mitten’
• Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29SMT ‘Fulcrum’

Of special interest is the Sukhoi T-50 (PAK FA), the prototype fifth-generation fighter. So far, only six flying prototypes have been produced, although one was severely damaged by an engine fire after landing. The footage is probably of the sixth prototype, which had its maiden flight in April of this year. The PAK FA (Perspektivny Aviatsionny Kompleks Frontovoy Aviatsii — Future Tactical Air System) is meant to be the successor to the MiG-29 and the Su-27 in the Russian Air Force and has been described as the equivalent to the F-22 Raptor. The twin-engine jet fighter is expected to be introduced by 2018.

The Russian Defense Ministry site says that they are celebrating the 104th anniversary since the VKS (Космические войска России, the Russian Aerospace Forces) was established. 12 August 1912 was the day when an order was signed to include aeronautic staff. The timing may well be right, it was the 6th of March 1912 when Italian forces became the first to use airships in war, using two dirigibles to drop bombs on Turkish troops from 6,000 feet. Certainly Russia bought several non-rigid airships from the British during World War I.

The video is by Pavel Novikov, who recorded the footage over the course of the year from an Antonov An-12 military transport.