Russian armed forces to conduct about 3,000 exercises in 2011

01.12.2010 Russian Armed Forces will hold about 3,000 drills and exercises in 2011, including those with missile/artillery firings, reports defense ministry on Wednesday.

New training year in Russian Armed Forces starts on Dec 1.

"In 2011 it is planned to conduct 1,700 company and battalion tactical exercises, 25 experimental and special exercises, about 30 international exercises within the framework of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), and bilateral agreements with foreign countries. Over 1,200 operational activities will be also conducted in the coming year – headquarter exercises and trainings", says official release of Russian defense ministry.

The training year will be finished with large-scale strategic maneuvers Center-2011. Troops will practice wide range of combat training tasks.

According to plans of defense ministry and Navy command, surface ships and submarines will continue to execute various tasks in the World Ocean. In addition, Russian warships will continue regular patrols to secure civil shipping in the Gulf of Aden and off the Horn of Africa in 2011. Participation of Russian naval servicemen in such international naval exercises as FRUKUS-2011, BALTOPS-2011, IONIEX-2011, and search-and-rescue exercise Bold Monarch-2011 is also scheduled. It is planned that Russian warships will pay official calls at over 30 foreign ports.

In order to increase combat capabilities of Strategic Missile Force, 10 launches of various intercontinental missiles will be held in 2011.

On Airborne Troops, it is planned to conduct 10 per cent of parachute jumps in the nighttime. About 30 per cent of combat firings will be held in night conditions as well.

Along with improvement of combat training activities, the emphasis will be also placed upon settling of social problems of military servicemen, retired personnel, and their families, pointed out the defense ministry.

According to the ministry's report, length of a training day will be increased up to 8 hours (10 hours while field drills) in order to improve intensity of combat training. Greater part of training time (up to 70%) will consist of practice. Time for physical drills will be also considerably longer – up to 4 hours a day.

Personnel will be released from all duties not related with combat training.

Main efforts in the coming year will be focused on improvement of individual skills; strengthening of integrity and troops control techniques of military administration authorities in various environments; organization and maintaining of close interaction between various groupings and forces.

During field session of the ministry's assembly held on Nov 25 in Nizhny Novgorod region, Russian defense minister Anatoly Serdiukov reported on the new operational strength of armed forces and praised the work on establishment of four military districts. In his turn, Chief of the General Staff Gen. Nikolai Makarov reported that despite the tight deadline all tasks on reformation of armed forces and combat readiness had been completed on time.