MOSCOW. July 23 (Interfax-AVN) - The 31st detached permanent- readiness airborne brigade under command of Colonel Nikolai Nikulnikov launched an active stage of the five-day command post exercise (CPX) at a training ground near Ulyanovsk on Wednesday, Airborne Chief-of-Staff Lieutenant General Nikolai Staskov told Interfax-Military News Agency.
"The first stage of the CPX was devoted to practicing in detail various variants of receiving and using mobilization resources and hardware. Today the brigade headquarters and commanders of detached battalions started practicing the tactics of paratroopers' actions during the preparation of units for landing operations and loading hardware on platforms under the supervision of Major General Gevorg Isakhanyan, chief of the Airborne Forces combat training department. They are also taking tests in loading hardware on IL-76 Candid planes," Staskov said.
The CPX will continue with dropping an airborne party of two paratrooper battalions. "July 25 has been chosen the main day for parachute jumps and airdropping of combat hardware on jet parachute systems, and July 26 has been chosen the reserve day. The personnel and hardware will be dropped from IL-76 planes that will operate from the Vostochny airfield near Ulyanovsk," the general said.
Staskov stressed that the CPX will end with live firing within paratrooper companies. "Results of the exercise will be summed up at the 31st brigade headquarters in Ulyanovsk on July 27," he said, adding that Isakhanyan will sum up the results.