MINSK, August 6. /TASS/. Belarus will hold Air Force and air defense tactical drills under the direction of Air Force and Air Defense Troop Deputy Commander Mikhail Matrosov on August 6-30, the press office of the republic’s Defense Ministry reported on Wednesday.
"The exercise will run in two stages. At the first stage, large formations and military units of aviation, surface-to-air missile and radio-technical forces will practice providing air defense cover for troops in repelling a strike by an enemy’s aerial attack weapons and conducting a maneuver by surface-to-air missile units," the ministry said in a statement.
At the second stage, an active phase of the drills with live-fire will take place after the combat teams of Belarusian surface-to-air missile troops and aviation units redeploy to the Ashuluk training ground in southern Russia, it specified.
During the drills, the troops will test new methods and techniques of employing units in accordance with the requirements of conducting combat operations in present-day conditions, it specified.
"The drills will also practice the combat use of new and upgraded armaments, military and special hardware amid intense enemy electronic interference in a battle against adversary precision weapons and attack unmanned aerial vehicles," the press office said.
The exercise will help raise the preparedness level of commanders and headquarters in exercising command and control of large formations and military units in a battle to repel enemy air strikes and assess the capability and readiness of military commanders and participating troops for accomplishing assigned objectives, it said.