February 10, 2005 :: RIA-Novosti :: News
Later this year, Russian aircraft will participate for the first time in air defense exercises held jointly with other former Soviet republics. The tests will include the latest S-400 air and missile defense system, reports RIA Novosti, citing a press conference by Lieutenant General Aitech Bizhev, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Air Force.
Bizhev is quoted as saying that “We plan to conduct a command-and-staff training exercise at the Central Command Post in April 2005. During the exercise, we will deploy for the first time strategic aviation aircraft as test targets.” Armenia, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Belarus are each said to have requested participation in the exercise, to take place in Kazakhstan, for the purpose of testing “the full range of capabilities of the S-400 air defense complex,” said Bizhev.
Russia has recently announced its own plans to deploy the S-400 in its own territory in 2005. The joint tests of the system would seem to indicate plans to distribute the system on a much wider basis. (Article)
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