09.10.2015.

Exercise BARS 2015 completed

The five-day exercise of Russian and Serbian pilots on MiG-29 fighters and Mi-8 helicopters was officially completed. "Brotherhood of Russian and Serbian aviators - BARS" has completely justified its name, the members of the mixed management of this activity agree. More than 20 flight hours of mixed crews were completed without the slightest disruption of security measures, and during the second flight day, on 7 October, live shooting at the Ashuluk range was conducted.

Fighter pilots bombed SAB-250 targets with R-73 air-to-air missile at altitudes of 9,000 meters and rocketed ground targets by unguided S-8 rocket shells. Their colleagues, Mi-8 pilots, rocketed ground targets also by S-8 unguided rocket shells. The crews of both aircraft types achieved hundred percent effectiveness.

Colonel Sasa Mijailovic, who heads the Serbian pilots, said that the highlight of any training is to be put in a simulated combat situation.

- We fully succeeded in the intention with which we came to Astrakhan. Our pilots have demonstrated that they are able to accomplish combat tasks on equal or similar level as our colleagues from Russian Aerospace Defence Forces. In addition to the large differences in the number of flight hours compared to the hosts, by piloting in joint crews they achieved a high level of synchronization. I wish to thank the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation who offered us their hospitality and allowed us to practice together and share experiences, Colonel Mijailovic says and underlines that the exchange of experiences is what made this activity so important.

Major General Oleg Mikhailovich Cesnakov, Chief of the Main Combat Training of Aerospace Defence Forces of the Russian Federation Armed Forces said that this activity is not designed for the Russian pilots to teach Serbian pilots anything.

- I had the opportunity to visit Serbia and I knew that the preparedness of Serbian pilots would be at a high level. We have never thought that Serbian Armed Forces pilots are less skilled than the Russian ones in anything. I would like to underline one important fact – this exercise is not designed for competition in who is better but to rehearse joint operations in combat situations, General Cesnakov pointed out. He said that the Plan for combat training of Aerospace Defence Forces contains a part related to international cooperation and stressed that he personally believes in the development of cooperation between the Serbian and Russian armies.

The Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation, General of the Army Sergei Shoigu awarded medals for combat cooperation to Colonel Sasa Mijailovic, Majors Dejan Beda, Sasa Ilic and Zoran Jokic. The decorations were presented at the gala dinner on the occasion of the successful completion of the exercise to the Serbian Armed Forces officers by Major General Oleg Cesnakov.