Baltic Fleet Bal and Bastion crews drill strikes at surface ships.

Crews of the Bal and Bastion mobile coastal missile systems of the Baltic Fleet are training to deliver strikes at surface ships of the conditional adversary during a planned exercise, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

Bastion missile launch (Picture source: TASS)

"The crews of the mobile coastal missile systems are drilling cohesiveness while transferring the launchers into action. The vehicles are being camouflaged. Protection is organized for military columns on the march and in positioning areas. Sometimes, it is done with the help of drones," the ministry said.

In accordance with received target indication, the Bastion and Bal crews carried out electronic launches of anti-ship missiles at the surface targets of the conditional adversary and changed their positions covertly. About 200 servicemen and around 30 units of automotive and specialized hardware of a mobile coastal unit are engaged in the drill.

The Baltic Fleet’s missile men are permanently on station to protect and defend the maritime borders and the coast of the Kaliningrad region.

The mobile coastal missile system K-300P Bastion (SSC-5 Stooge by NATO classification) is equipped with anti-ship cruise missiles P-800 "Oniks" (SS-N-26 Strobile) and is designed to destroy various-class surface landing warships, convoys and aircraft carrying groups as well as individual warships and radiocontrast ground targets in conditions of intensive fire and electronic counteraction. A Bastion battery consists of four self-propelled K-340P launchers; 1-2 combat control vehicles and four transloaders. It is in service with the Russian Armed Forces. It has also been exported to Syria and Vietnam.

The Russian Armed Forces adopted the Bastion mobile coastal missile system for service in 2010. Three Bastion battalions came into service with the 11th separate missile artillery brigade of the Black Sea Fleet deployed near Anapa. A Bastion battery was deployed on the Crimean coast in 2014.

Mobile coastal Bal complex with Kh-35 missiles controls territorial waters and straits, naval bases and other coastal facilities protect from landing operations. It can be engaged in ordinary and complicated conditions day and night. Targeting is fully autonomous after launch in conditions of fire and electronic jamming by the adversary. The range is 120 km with Kh-35 missile and 260 km with Kh-35U missile.

© Copyright 2019 TASS. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.