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Military drills

Russian frigates Admiral Makarov, Admiral Essen hold air defense drills in Mediterranean

The chief of the Black Sea Navy Fleet's press service recalled that it is the second time that the frigates Admiral Makarov and Admiral Essen had held drills in the Mediterranean Sea this year

© Russian Defense Ministry Press Office/TASS

SEVASTOPOL, November 20. /TASS/. The Black Sea Navy Fleet's frigates Admiral Makarov and Admiral Essen have carried out joint exercises aimed at spotting unidentified aerial targets and countering air attacks of a simulated enemy in the Mediterranean Sea, Head of the Fleet’s press service, Alexei Rulev, told reporters on Tuesday.

"During the course of training, the crew of shipboard battle stations identified and classified targets with air defense units destroying simulated enemy aviation by using the air defense systems onboard the vessels," he stated.

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The chief of the Black Sea Navy Fleet's press service recalled that it is the second time that the frigates Admiral Makarov and Admiral Essen had held drills in the Mediterranean Sea this year. In September, they participated in the war games as part of the inter-naval exercises led by the Russian Navy’s commander-in-chief.

Admiral Essen and Admiral Makarov are the second and the third 11356 Project frigates respectively. The vessels have a displacement of 4,000 tonnes, a speed of 30 knots, and a sea endurance of 30 days. These frigates are armed with Kalibr-NK cruise missiles, the Shtil-1 self-defense missile system, the A-190 100mm artillery gun, antiaircraft artillery, a rocket launcher, torpedoes and can carry a Kamov Ka-27 or Ka-31 deck-based helicopter.

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Military drills

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