MOSCOW. Jan 27 (Interfax) - Fighter jets and bombers of the Russian Black Sea Fleet's marine aviation have practiced the destruction of a mock enemy ship together with crews of the Bal coastal missile system, the fleet press service said.
"According to the drill scenario, a surface ship of the mock enemy was detected in the Black Sea waters with a sabotage team onboard. The Pytlivy frigate posed as the mock enemy ship. A standby group of aircraft from the Black Sea Fleet's marine aviation and air defense was scrambled to accomplish the mission of a combined strike on the target, and crews of the Bal coastal missile system stationed on the Crimean Peninsula marched towards the position area and deployed for combat duty," the press service said.
"During the first stage of the exercise, crews of Su-30SM multirole fighter jets and Su-24M frontline bombers practiced missile strikes and bombing of the surface target and performed aerobatic maneuvering in the course of approach. At the second stage, Bal crews locked the 'hostile' ship, prepared the complex for combat, and practiced the sequence of actions in the delivery of missile strikes on the mock target on their computers," the press service said.
The drill engaged over 200 servicemen, four Su-30SM, two Su-24M, and a Bal battalion from the Black Sea Fleet's missile and artillery formation.