By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Bishkek : Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan will conduct joint air defence drills in October, the Kyrgyz defence ministry said Thursday.
The “Chistoye Nebo (Clear Sky) 2012” exercise will be held Oct 5-16 in Kyrgyz, Tajik and Kazakh airspace and involve the interception of cruise missiles.
Russia will be represented by a group of experts from Air Force staff, MiG-31 Foxhound interceptors and an A-50 Mainstay AWACS plane deployed at the Kant airbase in Kyrgyzstan.
Kazakhstan’s three airbases will host the active phase of the drills. The former Soviet republic will also deploy five air defence brigades and command staff.
In line with the concept of the exercises, Kyrgyzstan will play the role of a “designated adversary” with its L-39 Albatros combat trainers and Su-25 Frogfoot ground attack aircraft.
Tajikistan will be represented by Air Force command staff.
The exercises will be held as part of military cooperation among member countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).