Destroyer Admiral Chabanenko Gears Up for Northern Eagle 2012 Exercise

02.08.2012 Crew of Northern Fleet (NF) destroyer (large ASW ship) Admiral Chabanenko prepares for the Northern Eagle 2012 joint naval exercise. The maneuvers will take place in the Norwegian and the Barents seas late in Aug. It will be attended by Russian, Norwegian, and US warships.

Prior to the exercise, on Aug 18, crews of Russian Navy's destroyer Admiral Chabanenko, US Navy's Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, and Norwegian offshore patrol frigate Nordkapp will meet in port of Bodø, Norway. The host party prepared eventful cultural program for Russian and American sailors.

To practice interaction among ships, four areas were assigned in the Barents and the Norwegian seas. Under way from Bodø to Severomorsk, crews will hold joint antiaircraft drills, repel attacks of small-size fast-speed sea targets, render assistance to a vessel in distress, rescue a man at sea, practice joint maneuvering day and night, and establish communication amid participating ships.

As was agreed in May 2012 at the final planning conference in Murmansk, Russian and Norwegian naval aircraft will also take part in the Northern Eagle 2012 exercise.

Taking place in Arctic latitudes, the Northern Eagle joint naval exercise is going to be held for the fourth time. Its traditional objective is to practice cooperation amid navies in counter-terror, antipiracy, and rescue operations.

In 2008, the exercise was attended by Russian destroyer Severomorsk, American frigate USS Elrod, and two Norwegian patrol ships Senja and Nordkapp.