Commander-in-chief of the Russian Air Forces Vladimir Mikhailov attends the signing ceremony of the cooperation agreement between the Air Forces and the Russian Orthodox Church. The ceremony was held in the St. Savva Storozhevsky temple in Moscow region.
Photo: Michail Galustov
| Other Photos |
 |
|
 |
Russia’s Strategic Aviation to Conduct Major Exercises
Strategic bombers of Russian Air Forces are to conduct major exercises with launching cruise missiles and mid-air refueling, RIA News agency says with reference to Alexander Drobyshevsky, spokesman of Russian Air Forces.
Aviation is to try new crews during the exercises. “Over 50 percent of the participants are young pilots,” said Drobyshevsky. Tu-160 and Tu-95 bombers will shoot cruise missiles at northern firing grounds, and Tu-22M3 are to practice bomb-release. Some of the tasks, including mid-air refueling, are to be carried out at night.
Exercises of the 37th air army of Russian Air Forces, which unites all divisions and joints of strategic aviation, are to be held from September 26 to September 30, 2006. Air Force Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Mikhailov is to be in charge. The exercises are rather long and geographically large-scale. Strategic bombers are to fly over the Atlantic, the Pacific, and the Arctic oceans, and the Black and the Caspian seas.
The main weapon of Tu-95 and Tu-160 bombers is the strategic cruise missile X-55. Its range is between 2,500 and 3,000 kilometers (depending of modification), its warhead power is 200 kilotons. Besides, 2 more rockets were created on the base of X-55 -- X-65 rocket with non-nuclear warhead, and X-555 with flight range of up to 5,000 kilometers which allows strategic bombers to attack targets which are much farther than their firing range.
www.kommersant.com
|
|
|
