KYIV. Nov 13 (Interfax-AVN) - The Ukrainian Navy's Ternopol corvette has started training for participation in the NATO-led Operation Active Endeavor, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry press-service told Interfax-AVN on Monday.
It noted that during a visit to Greece's Suda Bay naval base the corvette had started a ten-day training, aimed at refining merchantmen navigation control in the Mediterranean.
First and foremost, Ukrainian sailors aim to refine actions, conducted by NATO ships during anti-terror Operation Active Endeavor. An Italian PT boat acts as a training partner of the Ukrainian corvette during the Mission Oriented Training (MOT).
In the course of the joint training, the Ukrainian crew will be able to master techniques, envisioned by Operation Active Endeavor, before it actually embarks on fulfilling real missions as part of a multi-lateral naval task force. With this end in view, a U.S., an Italian, and a Spanish officers currently work aboard the Ternopol, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said.
The Ukrainian corvette is currently deployed off Greece's Crete Island. In addition to tactical maneuvers, the joint training program includes operational liaison, comprising radio communications, merchantman interrogation procedures, and reports to the task force commanding officer.
The Ukrainian boarding team will also conduct training aboard the Italian PT boat.
The Ukrainian corvette has been fitted with the cutting-edge Semarcom communications equipment, and surface surveillance hardware, enabling the Ukrainian corvette to employ the Automated Identification System.
The Ternopol was commissioned in February 2006. It was built by the Kyiv-based Leninskaya Kuznitsa shipyard and became the first ship to be fielded with the Ukrainian Navy since 1994.
The Ternopol has a length of 71 m, a beam of 10 m, a displacement of 950 tonnes, and a speed of 30 knots. The ship is commanded by Captain 2nd Rank Serhiy Izotov.