Chinese, Russian Navies Conduct Joint Supply, Escort Drill in Mediterranean

Chinese and Russian naval ships conducted replenishment and escort drills Tuesday in the Mediterranean in the ongoing joint naval exercise code-named "Joint Sea 2015-I".

During the replenishment drill starting at around 10:00, the Russian cruiser Moskva, the Chinese missile frigate Weifang and the Russian frigate Ladnyy moved towards the Chinese supply ship Weishanhu.

After half an hour, the cruiser and frigates received resupply from the supply ship.

"The ship which needed to be resupplied considered Weishanhu as a reference point. It must stop at a fixed point and keep a fixed distance with our ship. Meanwhile, officers and equipment on both ships must get ready for resupply," said Wang Ke, captain of the supply ship Weishanhu.

The escort drill started at around 14:00 on Tuesday. All nine ships from both countries formed a formation and completed the simulated escort mission.

The supply and escort drills have helped China and Russia improve capability for joint operation involving different types of vessels. They have also conducted information sharing in detecting targets at sea or in the air, showing intensified strategic mutual trust.

The exercise lasting from May 18 to May 21 is the farthest one that the Chinese navy has taken part outside home waters.

It is the second time the Chinese and Russian navies have jointly sailed in the Mediterranean. The first was when vessels from the two countries successfully escorted a Syrian chemical weapons shipload in January last year.

[rayzhang]

Huge respect to Russia & China's contribution in WW2~