NF warship to participate in FRUKUS-2010

11.03.2010 Source: RIA Novosti, photo: large ASW ship Severomorsk at FRUKUS-2009 (navyclub.ru)

Annual naval exercise FRUKUS-2010 will be conducted off British coast, reported Thursday RIA Novosti citing Pierre Francois Forissier, French Navy Commander-in-Chief.

Warships of four countries – the U.S., Great Britain, France and Russia take part in traditional annual exercise.

"We continuously work on FRUKUS program and every year reach new levels. In my opinion, now we're on pretty high level. This year the exercise will be conducted in Britain", said Forissier.

Ships of four countries will get together in July 2010 in Plymouth, specified the admiral.

Mr. Forissier pointed out that in past years FRUKUS included only simplest elements by analogy with PACEX exercise. Present-day FRUKUS maneuvers are full of new and complicated tasks.

"Now we are ready to step up to fleet level of joint exercises", Forissier said.

One of Northern Fleet warships will participate in FRUKUS exercise this year, said Russian Navy spokesman in his turn.

The history of FRUKUS (until France joined, it was called RUKUS) goes back to 1988 when the USSR, the Great Britain and the USA began to conduct trilateral meetings at academic level; top-ranking diplomats, political analysts and military officials were also involved since the purpose of those meetings was to reduce military tension, especially in sea zone.

Since 1993 the countries proceeded to 'war game' or 'map game' format (in particular, they developed various scenarios and created an international HQ); and in 2005 after France joined the exercise the first sea maneuvers was carried out in the Atlantic. Since that time the four-party naval exercise is conducted annually. In August 2008 the U.S. and Great Britain refused to participate in FRUKUS-2008 in the Sea of Japan due to South Ossetian conflict.

FRUKUS major objective is training of interfleet operability to conduct international operations under the aegis of UN Security Council, i.e. counter-piracy, sensitive technology control, and humanitarian operations.

At FRUKUS-2009 destroyers USS Klakring, HMS York and FNS Tourville represented the U.S., Great Britain and France respectively. Russian Navy dispatched Northern Fleet's (NF) large ASW ship Severomorsk. The exercise was held in France, off Brest.