The Russian-Norwegian 'Pomor-2012' naval drills will begin in the Arctic shortly
The five-day exercises will be held in the Barents and Norwegian seas involving Russia’s Udaloy-class Admiral Chabanenko anti-submarine destroyer, the Sukhoi Su-33 (Flanker-D) carrier-based multi-role fighter jet, the Ilyushin Il-38 (May) anti-submarine warfare aircraft and the Ka-27 (Helix) anti-submarine helicopter will take part in the drills,
according to a Russian Northern Fleet spokesman.
The Norwegian frigate Fritdjof Nansen moored in the Barents Sea port of Severomorsk, the home base for the Russian Northern Fleet, earlier this week as its crew took part in Victory Day celebrations in the nearby port of Murmansk and joined a military parade with some 700 Russian soldiers and officers.
Russia and Norway have carried out the annual Pomor naval drills since 2010 to practice interoperability in the environmentally fragile Arctic area.
The exercises include firing of live artillery rounds at simulated surface and aerial targets, anti-submarine warfare drills, anti-piracy operations, and search-and-rescue missions. Last year, the drills in the Barents and Norwegian seas involved Russian Udaloy class destroyer Vice Admiral Kulakov from the Northern Fleet, Norwegian Fridtjof Nansen class frigate Helge Ingstad, coastal guard vessels and naval aircraft.
The Russian-Norwegian agreement on delimiting the sea border and cooperation in the Barents Sea and the Arctic Ocean came into force in July 2011 after 40 years of negotiations.