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CIS Members Hold Joint Air Defense Drills
MIG-29 fighters (archive)
© RIA Novosti. Vladimir Rodionov
MOSCOW, November 28 (RIA Novosti) - Members of the Commonwealth of
Independent States (CIS) started on Wednesday large-scale drills to
test the capabilities of their joint air defense network, the Russian
Defense Ministry said.
`The exercises involve air defense and air force units from Russia,
Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and
Ukraine,' spokesman Col. Alexei Zolotukhin said.
The drills are aimed at improving combat capabilities and
interoperability of the units protecting the CIS airspace. They are
coordinated from the Russian Aerospace Defense Forces' headquarters
outside Moscow.
More than 9,000 personnel, 130 command posts of various levels, about
160 electronic warfare units and some 100 aircraft, including A-50
AWACS planes, are taking part in the exercises.
The drills are part of efforts to build a joint air defense shield for
the CIS, a loose association of former Soviet republics. An integrated
air defense network was set up by CIS-member countries on February 10,
1995.
The main purpose of the network is to ensure the protection of the
member-countries' airspace, early warning of missile attacks and
coordination of joint efforts to neutralize potential air threats.
MIG-29 fighters (archive)
© RIA Novosti. Vladimir Rodionov
MOSCOW, November 28 (RIA Novosti) - Members of the Commonwealth of
Independent States (CIS) started on Wednesday large-scale drills to
test the capabilities of their joint air defense network, the Russian
Defense Ministry said.
`The exercises involve air defense and air force units from Russia,
Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and
Ukraine,' spokesman Col. Alexei Zolotukhin said.
The drills are aimed at improving combat capabilities and
interoperability of the units protecting the CIS airspace. They are
coordinated from the Russian Aerospace Defense Forces' headquarters
outside Moscow.
More than 9,000 personnel, 130 command posts of various levels, about
160 electronic warfare units and some 100 aircraft, including A-50
AWACS planes, are taking part in the exercises.
The drills are part of efforts to build a joint air defense shield for
the CIS, a loose association of former Soviet republics. An integrated
air defense network was set up by CIS-member countries on February 10,
1995.
The main purpose of the network is to ensure the protection of the
member-countries' airspace, early warning of missile attacks and
coordination of joint efforts to neutralize potential air threats.