Russian Navy warship joins first-ever joint drills with ASEAN states off Indonesia’s coast

The Russian Navy’s large anti-submarine warfare ship Admiral Panteleyev and combat ships from member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) practiced joint tactical maneuvering, communications and rescue at sea during the ARNEX 2021 joint naval maneuvers off the coast of Indonesia, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Friday.

“The active phase of the first ARNEX 2021 joint naval maneuvers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Russian Navy are running near Weh Island near the coast of Indonesia. Combat ships from Russia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Brunei and Myanmar are taking part in the drills. The Russian Federation is represented in the drills by the large anti-submarine warfare ship Admiral Panteleyev,” the statement reads.

During the course of the naval exercise, the warships operating as part of an international task force practiced joint tactical maneuvering, the ministry said.

“The naval sailors also held a communications exercise, in which they exchanged data through radio channels and using signal lights,” the statement reads.

In an episode where a rescue operation at sea was conducted, the participating combat ships tackled a mission of searching for and rendering assistance to an individual overboard, the ministry specified.

“In this episode, a deck-based Ka-27PS helicopter aboard the Admiral Panteleyev was engaged along with helicopters from other ships of the task force,” the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

The participants of the ARNEX 2021 naval maneuvers also accomplished the assignments of holding inquiries of suspicious civilian ships and vessels in distress. They practiced an algorithm of measures in an operation to inspect a suspicious vessel, the ministry added.

“Currently, the warships of the eight countries continue accomplishing tasks at sea,” the Russian Defense Ministry said.