In 2016, Air Force and Air Defence formations of the Southern MD received about 40 pieces of new hardware, Su-25SM, Su-30SM, Mi-8AMTSh, Ka-52, Mi-28N and Mi-26 aircraft.

In December, a regiment set of the S-400 Triumph air defence missile system has been put on combat duty since December 2016, and the Pantsyr-S air defence complex – since January 2017 in Crimea.

In 2017, scheduled rearmament of Air Force and Air Defence formations is continued.