Russian-Japanese anti-piracy exercise successfully completed in the Arabian sea.

On January 20 and 21 the anti-piracy exercise between the ships of the Baltic Fleet and the Japanese MSDF was held in the Arabian sea for the first time.

Yaroslav Mudry patrol vessel (Picture source: Russian MoD)

Detachment of Baltic Fleet warships consisting of the patrol escort ship "Yaroslav Mudriy", the tanker "Yelnya", and the sea tugboat "Viktor Konetskiy", as well as the Japanese destroyer "Harusame", practised elements of joint manoeuvring, including using night-time light signalling, and conducted a mutual light information exchange between ships at night.

On the second day, the Russian and Japanese crews began working out a scenario for the release of the ship, captured by mock "pirates". The role of the captured vessel was performed by the sea tanker "Yelnya". During the joint operation, the Russian and Japanese anti-terrorist groups stormed the ship in a matter of minutes and neutralized the "pirates". Then the Baltic Fleet Marines and the Japanese ship inspection team carried out a joint inspection of the ship.

Russian and Japanese naval sailors by means of ship's artillery hit a sea target. After that, naval aviation helicopters from Russian and Japanese ships made cross-flights with landings on the deck of the PES "Yaroslav Mudriy" and the destroyer "Harusame".

The PES "Yaroslav Mudriy", the sea tug "Viktor Konetsky" and the tanker "Yelnya" left the Military Harbor of Baltiysk on October 1 and set a course for the Indian ocean. In December this group of Baltic Fleet ships took part in the Maritime phase of the Russian-Indian exercise "Indra-2019" and the trilateral Russian-Chinese-Iranian manoeuvres "Maritime security Belt-2019". After completing a series of international exercises, a detachment of ships from the Baltic Fleet headed to the port of Salal to replenish supplies and rest their crews.