Russia, Norway to hold joint naval drills in May

Mar 27 2011 TRDEFENCE

The Russian Northern Fleet and the Norwegian Navy will conduct the Pomor-2011 joint drills in the Arctic in May, a spokesman for the Northern Fleet said. “The exercise will take place in the Barents and Norwegian Seas, and will include firing of live artillery rounds at simulated surface and aerial targets, anti-submarine warfare drills, anti-piracy operations, and search-and-rescue missions,” Vadim Serga said on Thursday. Russia and Norway held similar naval drills last June to practice interoperability during missions in the Arctic. The Norwegian Navy was represented by guided missile frigate Otto Sverdrup, Coast Guard ship Nordkapp, the Orion patrol aircraft, F-16 fighters and Lynx helicopters, while Russia’s Northern Fleet contributed the Severomorsk destroyer, Il-38 ASW aircraft, Su-33 fighters and a Ka-27 naval helicopter