Russian jets hold training exercises over Mediterranean

[Hakan]

(Reuters) - Russia's navy said on Friday fighter jets had started training exercises over the Mediterranean Sea, an announcement that is likely to raise tensions in the standoff with Ukraine over the future of Crimea.

Navy spokesman Vadim Serga told Interfax news agency sorties had begun from the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier, which docked last month in Cyprus, and training included tactics for engaging aerial targets and other battle techniques.

The aircraft involved in the training included Sukhoi SU-33 air defense fighters and Kamov Ka-27 anti-submarine helicopters.

The flights would continue if the weather was favorable, Serga said.

He made no mention of Russia's standoff with Ukraine over the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, where Russian forces have taken control.

The U.S. Navy has sent a guided-missile destroyer, the USS Truxtun, to the Black Sea on what it said was a routine deployment scheduled before the crisis in Ukraine.

(Reporting By Katya Golubkova, Editing by Timothy Heritage)

Russian jets hold training exercises over Mediterranean| Reuters
Russian jets hold training exercises over Mediterranean | Europe | Worldbulletin News

 

[LordTyrannus]

Russian Navy HQ sources have said that by 2020 six frigates of Project 22350 Gorshkov-class, six submarines of Project 677 Lada class, two large landing ships of Project 11711 Ivan Gren-class and four class-unspecified ships will be delivered. Due to the obsolescence of the Beriev Be-12 by 2015 they will be replaced with Il-38s. Sukhoi Su-24M aircraft are planned be upgraded to Su-24M2 at the same time.[40][41][42] However, the November 2011 suspension of building of the second and third Lada-class boats throws this particular announcement into doubt.

The Project 636.3 (Kilo-class) diesel-electric submarine Novorossiysk — the first of three such new submarines – laid down at Admiralty Wharves Shipyard, St. Petersburg, on August 20, 2010 is destined to serve in the Black Sea Fleet.[43] Navy sources also say that Project 11356 Grigorovich class frigate will be despatched to the Black Sea.[44] Admiral Grigorovich, the lead ship of the class, was laid down on December 18, 2010 and is expected to be in service 34 months from that date (Oct 2013). Three ships of this class are to be in service in the Black Sea Fleet before 2015.[45]

 

[Parul]

The only ‘war’ we are going to see over Ukraine is a war of worthless words.