MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russia’s only aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, held the first round of firing exercises in the Barents Sea on Thursday, the head of Russian Navy Northern Fleet’s press service said.
"During the first stage of the Navy exercises, the aircraft cruiser’s crew used radio equipment to drill actions aimed at locking onto air targets approaching the ship from various directions and altitudes, tracking and engaging them," Capt. Vadim Serga said.
Enemy aircraft were played by planes from the Naval aviation regiment of Russia’s Northern Fleet. The second phase will involve shooting at an air target launched from a missile boat.
The Admiral Kuznetsov was constructed at the Mykolaiv South Shipyard, the sole manufacturer of Soviet aircraft carriers and launched in 1985, becoming fully operational in 1995.
