Missile destroyer firing ship-to-air missile

    China and Russia held the “Joint-Sea 2014” naval exercise in the northern East China Sea from May 22 to May 24. Our reporter kept a record.

    Theme: To improve the capabilities of the Chinese and Russian navies to combat maritime security threats; to optimize and standardize the organization and implementation of bilateral military drills; to safeguard and promote regional peace and stability.

    Location: In the waters and airspace of the northern East China Sea to the east of the Yangtze River estuary.

    Subjects: Anchorage defense of naval vessels, joint maritime assault, anti-submarine combat, joint escort operations as well as identification, air defense, rescue of hijacked vessels, search and a live-fire drill.

    Participating Chinese forces: Missile destroyers Zhengzhou, Harbin and Ningbo, missile frigates Yantai and Liuzhou, comprehensive supply ship Qiandaohu, two 022 missile speedboats, two conventional submarines, fixed-wing aircraft and ship-borne helicopters and special forces.

    Participating Russian forces: Guided missile cruiser Varyag, anti-submarine ship Admiral Panteleyev, amphibious ship Admiral Nevelskoy, anti-surface destroyer Bystry, tanker Ilim and tugboat Kalar, ship-borne helicopters and special forces.

    Organization of combat forces: Chinese and Russian vessels were mixed in three formations.

    The first formation was comprised of the Zhengzhou and Ningbo missile destroyers, Qiandaohu supply ship and anti-submarine ship Admiral Panteleyev. Yan Zhengming, head of a Chinese destroyer detachment, was the commander.

    The second formation was comprised of missile cruiser Varyag, anti-surface destroyer Bystry, tanker Ilim and missile destroyer Harbin. Russian captain Sergey Lipilin was the commander.

    The third formation was comprised of the Yantai and Liuzhou missile frigates, amphibious ship Admiral Nevelskoy and tugboat Kalar. Its role was the Blue Army. Wang Xiaoyong, deputy head of a Chinese destroyer detachment, was the commander.

    May 22

     At 6:30 a.m., seven Chinese and Russian vessels, including the Zhengzhou missile destroyer and guided missile cruiser Varyag set sail to rendezvous at Wusongkou anchorage. Another five vessels had departed on the afternoon of May 21.

     At 2:30 p.m., all the vessels in the drill arrived at the designated waters. The three formations anchored in defensive positions. The commanders assigned tasks in the coming drills and carried out multiple simulated exercises.

    At 7 p.m., all the vessels began “anchorage defense” exercises. The three formations were defending in different directions, preventing attacks from armed speedboats and harassment by frogmen.

    At 9 p.m., the anchorage defense exercises ended.