MOSCOW, August 24 (AVN) - On duty forces of the Armenian, Russian, Belarussian and Tajik air defence will mock up 10 consecutive episodes of border violation prevention in the air and on the ground during the Combat Commonwealth 2001 exercise which is to start at the Ashuluk proving range, Astrakhan region, on August 30, a spokesman for the Air Force Staff said on Friday.
S-125 and S-300 SAM battalions, Osa SAM batteries and SU-27 Flanker planes will fire at mock ups of violator planes, drones, combat helicopters and small low-speed aerial targets. SU-24 Fencer frontline bombers and SU-25 Frogfoot attack planes are to hit ground targets faking positions of illegal armed formations. The training also involves radio technical and support units, aviation gunners and jamming units.
In the framework of the exercise Kazakh Air Defence units and formations will hold live firing at the Sary-Shagan testing ground in early September. Combat crews of missile battalions, armed with SAM systems such as S-75, S-200 and S-300 as well as MIG-27 Flogger, MIG-29 Fulcrum and MIG-29 Foxhound fighter crews will be tasked to eliminate dozens of targets faking aerial enemy.
S-125 missile battalions and SU-27 planes of the Uzbek Armed Forces will hold live firing at the Zhaslyk proving range in late September.
Some 30 SAM battalions and 23 combat planes will be involved in the main stage of the exercise.