MOSCOW. Aug 31 (Interfax-AVN) - Mil Mi-8 helicopter pilots of the Russian Strategic Rocket Forces made a number of search-and-rescue night flights on August 17-22, a representative of the Forces told Interfax-AVN on Monday.
"Mi-8 crews made radio-technical search flights in the day and search-and-rescue flights above water at night. There were search-and-rescue night flights above land, as well," he said.
Aviation unit commanders practiced the planning of search-and-rescue operations, he said.
The exercises aimed to develop search-and-rescue formulas for simple and complicated weather patterns, including the landing of paratrooper units on marked and unmarked grounds, the source said.
The practice took place at the Vladimir and Teikovo bases in keeping with the Strategic Rocket Forces training plan. Thirty-two pilots and flight engineers, two Antonov An-26 and three Mil Mi-8 MT helicopters took part in the drill. They performed 68 flights.