Russian ship prepares to support NATO’s Operation Active Endeavour

The ship is expected to participate in NATO's maritime counter-terrorist operation in the Mediterranean from 3 to 24 September.

Training and certification are the two main elements of pre-deployment preparations, which aim to ensure that the Russian ship is able to participate effectively in the operation.

It is important that the Russian navy personnel are familiar with NATO standard procedures and communications, and that they have English language skills. Training at sea with Allied ships is also required in order to practise joint manoeuvring and the boarding of suspect ships.

Integration training

The Ladniy left Sevastopol at the beginning of August for the port of Aksaz, Turkey. While in port there, from 6 to 10 August, special equipment is being installed and technical training given. A NATO mobile training team will provide "force integration training" from 11 to 17 August. Once that has been successfully completed, the ship will need to be certified by NATO as ready to join the operation.

The ship is due to move on to visit the port of Taranto, Italy, from 20 to 23 August. The Ladniy will then visit the port Algiers from 27 to 30 August, before heading off to support Operation Active Endeavour from 3 to 24 September.

Second ship

An exchange of letters between NATO and Russia in December 2004 paved the way for preparations for Russia’s support for the operation. The Ladniy is the second Russian ship to support Operation Active Endeavour. The Russian frigate Pytliviy, which participated in the operation in September 2006, was the first ship from a NATO Partner country to actively support the operation. Other Russian ships are expected to be rotated into the operation in future.

Operation Active Endeavour is part of NATO’s maritime contribution to the fight against terrorism. Launched in October 2001, it continues to conduct surveillance and monitoring operations of the major shipping lanes of the Mediterranean. To date, Active Endeavour units have conducted some 119 compliant boardings of merchant vessels at sea.

NATO decided in 2004 to enlist the support of Partner countries, Mediterranean Dialogue countries and other selected nations. Russia became the first Partner to support the operation with a ship in September 2006. Ukraine was the second Partner to contribute, deploying a frigate in June 2007.