Media: Russia, China to Hold Joint Naval Exercise

28.03.2012 Russia and China will conduct joint naval exercise late in Apr 2012, reports Chinese newspaper Renmin Ribao referring to Russian Navy Deputy Chief of Staff RADM Leonid Sukhanov.

One of the exercise objectives will be protection of exclusive economic zones of both countries, reports Interfax citing the Chinese newspaper.

According to Renmin Ribao, Russia's Pacific Fleet (PF) will dispatch over 10 warships led by Guard missile cruiser Varyag to attend the exercise. Joint maneuvers will start in Vladivostok, Russia and finish in Qingdao, China. Main phase of the exercise will take place in the Yellow Sea.

"Joint naval exercise will be held within the framework of strategic partnership principles agreed by leaders of the both countries. Armament, support, and protection systems will be practically tested, as well as command and control systems of Russian and Chinese armed forces. Servicemen will practice surface and underwater tactics, test interoperability of combat systems, and effectiveness of automated control system, electronic and information warfare in accordance with methods of present-day naval operations", reported Renmin Ribao citing Leonid Sukhanov.

According to him, "participating naval forces will train prevention of armed conflicts in exclusive economic zones".

First Russian-Chinese joint naval exercise was held on Aug 25, 2005. Each country delegated one ship-based helicopter and three destroyers which, according to scenario, "delivered ASW torpedo and rocket bomb strikes upon enemy ships approaching the patrol zone".