Northern Fleet Carrier Group Started Long-Range Cruise

07.12.2011 Aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza Kuznetsov left Northern Fleet (NF) main base Severomorsk and headed for the Barents Sea. Departure of the aircraft carrier kicks off shaping of NF carrier group consisting of large ASW ship Admiral Chabanenko and auxiliary vessels – rescue tug Nikolai Chiker, tankers Sergei Osipov, Vyazma, and Kama.

"The coming deployment of the NF carrier group was preceded by long-standing and intensive preparations", specified the carrier group's commander Capt 1 rank Sergei Popov. "The crews held a number of joint drills with pilots of the deck-based air wing, practiced control of fighter aviation from the cruiser's deck and land-based airfields. The carrier group is absolutely ready to accomplish all assigned tasks worldwide", concluded the interviewee.

Long-range cruise of the NF carrier group will be held in accordance with the Russian Navy Combat Training Plan. The ships will perform duties in the Northeast Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea.

The purpose of the deployment is maintaining of naval presence in key regions of the World Ocean. The particular attention will be paid to security of shipping and other kinds of Russia's maritime economic activities.

The cruise will be held under the flag of NF Deputy Commander Vice Admiral Alexander Vitko and will last several months. During the cruise, crews of the surface ships will improve naval skills and practice joint actions with aviation including fire drills. Joint exercises with ships of Baltic and Black Sea fleets will be carried out as well. NF ships will conduct a number of visits and formal calls at foreign ports.