Russian armed forces start large-scale air-defence military exercises in eastern Russia 2103133

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Defence News - Russia
 
 
Thursday, March 21, 2013, 10:48 AM
 
Russian armed forces start large-scale air-defence military exercises in eastern Russia.
More than 500 weapon systems, 50 aircraft and some 2,000 troops have been deployed in a large-scale air-defense exercise in eastern Russia, military officials said on Wednesday, March 20, 2013. The exercise beginning on Wednesday in the Republic of Buryatia saw the use of S-300 surface-to-air missile systems, Osa (SA-8), Buk (SA-17), Strela (SA-7) and Shilka ZSU-23-4 antiaircraft missiles, Igla man-portable SAM missiles, and Pantsir-S gun-missile systems, Eastern Military District press officer Lt. Col. Alexander Gordeyev said.
     

Russian SA-8 Osa air defense missile system during live firing exercises (Archive image)
     

Gordeyev said the Pantsir-S systems were delivered to the district in late 2012.

The system combines a wheeled vehicle mounting a fire-control radar and electro-optical sensor, two 30-mm cannons and up to 12 57E6 short-range missiles. The Pantsir can engage targets at a range of 20 kilometers (12 miles) with missiles and at 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) with cannons.

The exercise is designed to test the readiness of the district’s air-defense forces and combat aviation to perform joint missions and rehearse a range of combat training tasks in modern warfare, Gordeyev said.

The exercise, under the command of Eastern Military District chief Adm. Konstantin Sidenko, will last through mid-April