MOSCOW. Oct 9 (Interfax) - Joint Russian-Serbian crews of Mikoyan MiG-29 fighter aircraft and Mil Mi-8 helicopters practiced striking at ground targets, and providing air support for ground troops during the main stage of the BARS 2017 flight and tactical exercise at a training range near Voronezh, the Russian defense ministry said on Friday.
"When acting out practice episodes, pilots from the two countries conducted practice bombing, unguided rocket launches and fired airborne cannons at targets on the training ground. The flights were taking place in complex weather conditions," the ministry's department of information and mass communications said in a statement.
The army aviation crews practiced personnel airdrop by a combined method, using descent devices from a hovering helicopter, and landing onto an unprepared site, the statement said.
"The flight personnel also evacuated the mock injured in need of medical assistance, using air winch. Meanwhile, army aviation crews on the ground were providing cover for special-forces units, and the Mi-8 helicopter provided air support. At the conclusion of the training episode, the helicopter crews practiced firefighting using VSU-5 water-discharging devices with a capacity of up to five tonnes of water," the ministry said.
In addition, fighter pilots practiced intercepting aerial targets at long ranges, elements of close air combat maneuvering, as well as complex and top-class aerobatics.
"The flights were taking place in daylight and at nighttime. In all, the fighters and helicopters flew over 30 sorties during this stage of the exercise," the statement said.
The BARS 2017 joint flight and tactical exercise is part of the international military cooperation. It involves joint Russian and Serbian crews operating MiG-29 fighters and Mi-8 army helicopters of the Russian Aerospace Forces. In all, the exercise involves up to 20 pieces of aviation equipment.