SEVASTOPOL. May 26 (Interfax-AVN) - A ship in service with the Black Sea Fleet will participate in the NATO-led Sorbet Royal 2005 international search-and-rescue exercise, the Black Sea Fleet headquarters told Interfax-Military News Agency on Thursday.
"The Shakhter salvage tug of the Black Sea Fleet flying the flag of Colonel Vasily Vasilchuk, head of the search-and-rescue directorate, will participate in the exercise," am officer of the headquarters said.
According to him, the ship is expected to leave Sevastopol on June 7.
The exercise, to be conducted in the Gulf of Taranto (Italy) and the Mediterranean on June 17 - July 2, is aimed at refining actions of multinational naval forces, when rescuing a submarine in distress at a depth of 50-200 m, in compliance with NATO standards.
The exercise is expected to see participation of submarines, surface ships, salvage vessels, search-and-rescue airborne groups, and ground-based patrol aircraft of NATO member-states.
The exercise envisions several stages. Crews will undergo basic training, search for the submarine in distress, rescue the submarine crew with the help of divers, deepwater salvage craft, and evacuate the crew with the help of helicopters and salvage vessels.
Sorbet Royal 2005 is expected to involve ships and naval units from such NATO member-states as Great Britain, Greece, Spain, Italy, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Turkey, France, and the U.S., as well as Ukraine, Russia, Israel, and Egypt.