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The Sky Of The CIS Does Not Unite Everyone

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  • The Sky Of The CIS Does Not Unite Everyone

    Agency WPS
    DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
    October 25, 2004, Monday

    THE SKY OF THE CIS DOES NOT UNITE EVERYONE

    Another command-staff exercise of the CIS joint anti-aircraft system
    was conducted in Moscow last Tuesday. CIS republics organize such
    exercises practically every year. The majority of post-Soviet
    republics, which joined the CIS joint anti-aircraft system in 1995,
    participate in such exercise regularly. The CIS anti-aircraft system
    consists of Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia,
    Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine. The Central Staff of
    the Russian Air Force reports that at present the CIS Joint
    anti-aircraft system consists of 31 anti-aircraft missile units, 15 air
    squadrons and units of the pursuit aviation, 23 radio-technical units,
    three detached electronic warfare units and two scientific and
    educational institutions. At first sight, this is a substantial force.

    In the meantime, not all these units participate in protecting the sky
    of the CIS. For instance, only Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan,
    Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan participated in the
    command-staff exercise in October. Ukraine, Georgia and Turkmenistan
    did not take part in the exercise. This is a usual thing.

    Ukraine usually participates in international anti-aircraft exercises
    only on a bilateral basis. It sends its anti-aircraft units to the
    Ashuluk firing range (Russia) every year. Georgia does not practically
    have anti-aircraft units. Turkmenistan has not been taking part in
    military exercises in the CIS for the past ten years.

    It should be noted that Uzbekistan has participated in such exercise
    for the first time over the past five to seven years. This year the
    crews of the Su-27 fighters operated from the Khanabad airbase, where
    US warplanes involved in the anti-terrorist operation in Afghanistan
    are deployed. It's not ruled out that the Pentagon's radio-technical
    services monitored the exercise of the Joint anti-aircraft system. The
    interest of the Uzbek Air Force in defending its airspace in
    cooperation with CIS republics is natural. As is known, a jetliner
    carrying Talibs crossed the border and landed in Tashkent in 1998. At
    present Uzbekistan's policy toward Russia is more loyal. Uzbekistan has
    left GUUAM, and cooperates with Russia within the framework of the
    Shanghai Organization of Cooperation. This is why its participation in
    the recent joint exercise is a natural move.

    It should be noted that Russia is in charge of organizational issues
    within the framework of the Joint system. Belarus and Kazakhstan, which
    have anti-aircraft units and skilled servicemen, assist Russia.
    Anti-aircraft units of these republics showed the best results. In
    particular, Kazakh fighters landed near Novorossiisk, and Russian
    fighters landed in Karaganda and other regions of the CIS. Belarusian
    pilots coped with similar tasks. Around ten Russian and Belarusian
    airdrome were involved in the exercise. The crews of Belarusian command
    posts of operational commands of the Ground Force, operational-tactical
    commands of the Air and Anti-Aircraft Force, units of the Air and
    Anti-Aircraft Force and the Ground Force were involved in the
    maneuvers.

    In the meantime, the joint command-staff exercise was conducted under
    the command of Russian generals. Lieutenant-General Aitech Bizhev,
    deputy secretary of the coordinating committee of the CIS anti-aircraft
    force, control the exercise. Colonel-General Boris Cheltsov, Chief of
    the Central Staff of the Russian Air Force, participated in the
    maneuvers. The staff of the CIS Joint anti-aircraft system stated that
    around ten combat tasks linked with protection of the air border of the
    CIS were solved during the exercise. In particular, control bodies
    polished cooperation during different situations. Units focused on
    operation against violators of the air border, assistance to jetliners
    in emergency situations and prevention of terrorist acts.

    In all over 1,500 servicemen and over 70 warplanes and helicopters
    (Su-27, MiG-29, MiG-31, Tu-22M3, Mi-8 and Ka-26) were involved in the
    exercise, anti-aircraft units used the S-300, S-125 and S-75 complexes.
    The A-50 long-range radio-locating surveillance plane participated in
    the maneuvers in the Caucasian region. The A-50 guided fighters to
    targets.

    Translated by Alexander Dubovoi

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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