MOSCOW. Jan 18 (Interfax-AVN) - Lieutenant General Igor Khvorov, commander of Russia's long-range aviation, said on Wednesday that long-range warplanes will accomplish training and combat missions and launch missiles at strategic theaters of operation in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans in 2006.
"Efficiency of long-range aviation's combat training will grow in 2006 as it is planned. In particular, our rocket carriers will accomplish a series of training and combat missions at the maximum range during a strategic command post exercise in Armed Forces C2 and during several other large-scale exercises," Khvorov told Interfax-Military News Agency.
During these exercises, crews of strike aircraft, primarily Tu-95MS and Tu-160 strategic rocket carriers, will fire missiles at specific targets, he said. "We will make launches of missiles, including the most up-to-date Kh-555, at both maximum range and across the Russian state border," he noted.
Khvorov stressed that one of the exercises involving long-range aviation will take place in the vicinity of the Sea of Japan in the Far East.