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A Russian destroyer fires missiles during a China-Russia
joint military exercise off China's Shandong Peninsula August 23,
2005. (newsphoto) |
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QINGDAO: Chinese and Russian troops launched a simulated naval blockade yesterday morning, sending 10
military vessels and more than
20 aircraft to take part in their first-ever joint military exercise
dubbed "Peace Mission 2005."
Chinese hardware included
three destroyers, three
frigates, two submarines and more than 20 battle planes of
various types, while Russia contributed the submarine-hunting ship Marshall Shaposhnikov, the missile-guided destroyer Burny, a KA-27
helicopter and an A-50 long-range early
warning aircraft.
The war game began at 11:00 am with two groups of Chinese jet fighters flying across the sky above the
waters off East China's Shandong Peninsula. They fired air-to-air missiles to intercept mock rival
aircraft and took control of the skies over the exercise zone.
The joint naval fleet, comprised of destroyers, frigates and
anti-submarine vessels from
the two navies, then simulated a submarine hunt. Helicopters dropped
anti-sub torpedoes and
destroyers fired depth
charges.
Under the guidance of early warning aircraft, a Chinese submarine
launched a missile to attack supposed rival military vessels. This was
followed by a bombardment from jet fighters and bombers.
The Russian destroyer also fired a Moskit missile to launch a precision
attack against the enemy.
The one-hour blockade, signalling the beginning of the third stage of
the eight-day joint military
drill, was commanded by Lieutenant General Zhang Zhannan,
commander of the North Sea Fleet and Admiral Viktor Fyodorov, commander of
the Russian Pacific Fleet.
Top officers from the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA),
high-ranking government officials, representatives of member and observer
states of the Shanghai Co-operation Organization (SCO), and Chinese and
Russian veterans watched the war games as well as the following procession
of the joint fleet yesterday.
Colonel Srinivasan Lakshmi Narasimhan from the Indian Defence Ministry
told China Daily yesterday that the drill was "very impressive" and showed
good co-ordination between the Chinese and Russian navies.
"It shows the PLA is becoming more open and more self-confident," he
said.
India, together with Pakistan, Iran and Mongolia, joined the SCO this
year as observer countries.
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov headed to the Chinese city of
Qingdao yesterday and is scheduled to watch war games today and tomorrow,
according to the Russian Defence Ministry.
Ivanov will watch troops landing an amphibious force and a battle to capture
Langyatai, about 120 kilometres from Qingdao, said the ministry.
(China Daily) | 
Updated: 2005-08-24 10:52
