Soviet Naval Aviation (AV-MF, Russian: Авиация военно-морского флота, romanized: Aviatsiya voyenno-morskogo flota, lit.
Russian Navy Aviation managed all land, shore and vessel-based (tender seaplanes and catapult vessels) hydroplanes and aircraft, as well as flying boats.
In particular, Naval Aviation was deployed in defense of Odessa (June–October 1941), in operations in the Crimea and the Black Sea and carried out successful air strikes in the last stages of the conflict on the European and Pacific Fronts.
During the war, Naval Aviation delivered an immense blow to the enemy in terms of sunken ships and crews—two and a half times more than any other unit of the Soviet Navy.
To attack surface ships at long ranges, the Soviet Navy was unique in deploying large numbers of bombers in a maritime role for use by Naval Aviation.
With the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, its assets were inherited by successor states' forces, including Russian and Ukrainian Naval Aviation.