Northern Fleet Ship-Based Aviation Practices on Coastal Airfield

01.03.2012 Having returned from deployment in the Mediterranean Sea, pilots of 279-th Ship-Based Fighter Regiment started training flights from coastal airfield Severomorsk-3.

Pilots of deck-based fighters Su-33 and training airplanes Su-25UTG are recovering flight skills in polar conditions after more than a two-month break. Flights are held in extreme weather conditions.

Ship-based pilots have carried out four flight drills now, including night ones. During the flights, they perform aerobatics, practice interception of fast-speed high-altitude targets, air engagement, and use onboard armament against land targets.

Earlier on, Russian naval pilots participated in the long-term deployment, performed 15 flight drills and about 150 landings of heavy fighters Su-33 on the deck of aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov. They held over 20 mock air combats and nearly same number of target interception drills.