MOSCOW. April 12 (Interfax) - The Marshal Ustinov missile cruiser has left its base for the Barents Sea as part of a command post exercise of Russia's Northern Fleet, the fleet press service said on Wednesday.
The cruiser will drill interaction with ships and aircraft during the exercise, which began on Monday under the supervision of Northern Fleet Commander Alexander Moiseyev, the press service said.
"Search for and detection of naval targets by various types of aircraft and the further transfer of target designations to the missile cruiser will be drilled among other missions," it said.
On April 10, Russia's Northern Fleet announced the start of a command post exercise into controlling aviation and air defense forces when responding to crises in the Arctic Ocean. The exercise involves up to 1,800 personnel, almost 85 pieces of combat and special equipment, 40 aircraft, and up to 15 ships and support vessels, the fleet's press service said.
The Marshal Ustinov cruiser of Project 1164 is designed for destroying strike groups and large ships, providing combat sustainability for antisubmarine search and strike groups, and collective air defense missions as part of convoys and formations in remote parts of the World Ocean.