CIS members states to hold air defence exercise

Interfax-AVN military news agency web site
4 Apr 05

Moscow, 4 April: Interaction between on-duty air-defence units of
the CIS member nations against aircraft violating state borders will
be rehearsed during a command-post exercise on Tuesday [5 April],
Lt-Gen Aytech Bizhev, Russian air force deputy commander-in-chief,
has told Interfax-Military News Agency.

“The exercise will feature a check of combat readiness of on-duty
air-defence units in CIS member nations, practice in actions against
aircraft violating borders of the CIS states, and simulation of
rescue provision to aircraft crews in force majeure circumstances,”
Bizhev said.

Air force and air-defence units of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan will take part
in the event.

“The exercise will be peculiar for involving the Russian air force’s
A-50 long-range radar picket aircraft and eight Tupolev Tu-22, Tu-95MS
and Tu-160 aircraft of long-range (strategic aviation),” Bizhev said.

Flights within the framework of the exercise will be performed over
the territory of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia. Warplanes,
including Mikoyan MiG-31 fighters and Sukhoi Su-24 attack aircraft,
will make a total of over 60 flights.

Russian Air Force Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Mikhaylov will supervise
the exercise, which will also involve aviation of the Russian air
base in Kyrgyzstan’s Kant and air-defence units of the 102nd Russian
base in Armenia.

Command-post exercises involving command and control bodies and
on-duty air-defence units of the CIS unified air defence system are
held twice a year – in spring and in autumn.