MOSCOW, RUSSIA — Units of the Russian Pacific Fleet conducted a live-fire exercise in Peter the Great Bay [Sea of Japan]. According to a press release from the Russian Ministry of Defense, the exercises were conducted by the missile boat assault group of the Littoral Fleet [part of the Pacific Fleet]. The missile boats fired P-270 Moskit cruise missiles.
The exercise was planned, the press service of the Pacific Fleet said. The target of the missile strikes was a major naval target. The target was a naval shield imitating an enemy warship. The P-270 missiles hit it at a distance of 100 km.
The Pacific Fleet did not say how many Mosquito missiles were fired in total, but two of them directly hit “adversary enemy shipping.” During the exercises, surface ships and aircraft from the Russian naval aviation guaranteed safety.
Peter the Great Bay
Peter the Great Bay is located in the northern part of the Sea of Japan. The nearest foreign coast is that of North Korea, which is located in the western part of the bay. China also gains access to this part of the gulf, as the Tumangang River flows directly into the Sea of Japan and borders China, Russia, and North Korea.
To the south, the nearest land to Peter the Great Bay is the coast of Japan. The main headquarters of the Russian Pacific Fleet – Vladivostok – is located near the bay. A large part of the exercises of the Russian Pacific fleet takes place in this bay.
P-270 Moskit
The P-270 Moskit is a Soviet anti-ship missile in service since the mid-1980s. Apart from Russia, this missile is also used by China, Vietnam, Egypt, Iran, India, and North Korea.
The P-270 can be launched from a naval platform and an air platform. Range varies by launch platform. If the P-270 is launched from a warship, it can hit a target up to 150 km, while if it is launched from an aircraft – up to 250 km. The missile develops a maximum flight speed of Mach 2.3.
The naval version of the missile flies at a height of 20 meters above sea level. Its guidance system is inertial guidance plus terminal active radar homing. The rocket’s power unit is made up of four ramjets.
The missile can carry conventional and nuclear warheads. The exact classification of the missile is unknown, with varying types reported. This uncertainty is due to the secrecy surrounding an active military weapon.
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