All news

Russia's Pacific Fleet ships drill elements of anti-submarine and anti-mine defence

MOSCOW, September 13. /ITAR-TASS/. Within the scope of the comprehensive checkup of the operational readiness of the Eastern Military District /EMD/, the ship groups of Russia's Pacific Fleet /PF/ have completed the phase of deployment in the sea areas in the Primorsky (maritime) and Kamchatka sectors, an official at the Defence Ministry's press-service and information department told ITAR-TASS.

PF ship groups and hunter killer groups have finalized a passage from permanent stations to areas of concentration in the Sea of Japan (East Sea) and the Sea of Okhotsk. The Defence Ministry official said, "While moving along the route to designated areas, the ships, supported by anti-submarine aviation, accomplished tasks of organizing anti-submarine defence in the close zone and hunted submarines by means of under-keel, towed, and submersible search systems".

Besides, the ships drilled an element of anti-mine defence arrangements when cruising in formation, while training sessions for the officers of the watch were conducted on board the ships. Upon reaching deployment areas, the ships began to monitor long-range air and surface situation by means of onboard radio systems.

The Defence Ministry official pointed out, "The deployment of multiple-type striking groups and multiple-type anti-submarine forces of the Pacific Fleet in the Kamchatka and Primorsky sectors was carried out for the purposes of accomplishing missions to ensure a favourable operational mode, defend the State border in the underwater environment and inflict a defeat on the striking ship groups of a simulated enemy".

The surprise comprehensive checkup of the EMD operational readiness has been conducted by the Defence Ministry since September 11 on an order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Federation. The checkup, which will continue until September 18, is involving about 100,000 servicemen of combined-arms units of the District, the Commands of the EMD, Air Defence, and Pacific Fleet, as well as those of Long-Range and Military Transportation Aviation.