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The Russian Ministry of Defense recently revealed that crews aboard the Pacific Fleet [PF] corvettes engaged in training exercises to counter unmanned surface vehicles [USV] from a hypothetical foe. This took place in Peter the Great Gulf, situated near the coastlines of Russia and North Korea.
During these drills, combat crews identified multiple small targets approaching a Pacific Fleet group at sea, according to Russian military reports. The crews formulated precise procedures for identifying and neutralizing these threats, implementing sector firing techniques to manage a large-scale USV attack.
The corvettes involved in the exercises included the Hero of the Russian Federation Aldar Tsydenzhapov, Rezkiy, Gromkiy, and Perfect. “Machine gun crews from the ships of the Pacific Fleet routinely practice defense tasks to ensure automatic response readiness. Training sessions also include machine gun shooting standards,” stated the Russian Ministry of Defense in a press release. This training is aligned with the fleet’s broader combat training strategy, according to Moscow officials.
Night raids by unmanned Ukrainian surface ships have become a significant issue for the Russian Black Sea Fleet. This isn’t entirely new; these Ukrainian attacks have shown a remarkably high success rate. Russia has lost numerous vessels from its Black Sea Fleet due to this night-time tactic, which capitalizes on low visibility and typically lowers crew readiness during these hours.
Interestingly, this tactic’s effectiveness has caught the attention of local Russian businesses. Denis Oslomenko, the director-general of the PPSH laboratory, mentioned that Moscow is seeking thermal imaging systems to bolster the defense of its Black Sea Fleet. While these systems won’t completely halt Ukrainian assaults, Oslomenko believes they could substantially reduce their success rate. The PPSH laboratory is known for developing thermal imaging cameras, lenses, and sights.
It’s worth noting that this isn’t Russia’s first venture into anti-naval drone exercises. In the spring, the Russian Pacific Fleet conducted a large-scale exercise focused on combating naval drones. Moscow has chosen not to disclose details about the exercise, but in May, Russian forces were observed training to counter drones using machine guns and assault rifles.
From the photographs taken in May 2024, you can spot a DShK machine gun, a model that has been in service since 1938, along with sailors attempting to engage targets using conventional machine guns.
Certainly, every sailor plays a critical role in defending their vessel. However, it raises eyebrows as to why Kalashnikov assault rifles are being used when Russian ships boast advanced rapid-fire artillery systems like the AK-630.
In an exercise near North Korea, on the other side of Russian territory—the Baltic—Moscow commanded the departure of battle mine ships from the Baltic Fleet. The military in Moscow reported that the crew of the small anti-submarine ship Aleksin from the Baltic Naval Base successfully executed mine-laying operations as part of their course tasks and also honed their air defense skills.
“The ship’s mine-torpedo combat unit tackled tasks like laying bottom and floating mines, as well as locating and neutralizing mock enemy submarines using simulated torpedoes, missiles, and bombs,” according to the Russian Ministry of Defense. Additionally, the crew engaged in practice firings from the AK-630 and AK-176 artillery systems, utilizing special illumination projectiles launched by the 152-mm self-propelled howitzer Gvozdika from the Kaliningrad region’s coast. They also practiced destroying floating mines.
During these artillery exercises, all safety measures were rigorously followed. Surface and auxiliary ships of the Baltic Fleet provided support during the combat drills, as noted in the Russian press release.
BULGARIAN MILITARY