Back in place: Russian, US and British ships take part in the Komodo 2025 exercise
The Komodo-2025 naval exercise, which is being conducted by Indonesia, involves ships from Russia, as well as the United States, France, the United Kingdom and a number of other countries. Several tasks will be practiced at these exercises, but the main one is to provide assistance to victims of a humanitarian disaster. Experts note that the participation of Russia and NATO countries in the same maneuvers is a "big shift" dictated by recent events in the foreign policy arena and the new course of the United States.
Together with the U.S. and the U.K.
The Komodo-2025 naval exercise will be held from February 16 to 22. The main events will develop in the waters of the Badung Strait and on the island of Bali. Russia will be represented on them by a detachment of ships of the Pacific Fleet, which includes corvettes "Rezky", "Hero of the Russian Federation Aldar Tsydenzhapov" and medium sea tanker "Pechenga".
The Russian ships have already arrived in Bali to take part in the maneuvers. According to preliminary data, up to 39 countries are expected to participate in Komodo-2025, including Russia, the United States, China, Japan, France, India, the United Kingdom and others. The Indonesians regularly invite North Korea to the exercise as well, but the latter has never sent its ships so far.
The main purpose of the exercise is to improve interoperability between navies in disaster relief and other humanitarian operations.
- "Here it is important to pay attention to which countries have become participants and the fact that they have agreed to interact in the exercise together," Admiral Sergei Avakyants, former commander of Russia's Pacific Fleet, told Izvestia. - This is a big shift and a signal intertwined with recent developments in the foreign policy arena and the new US course.
The admiral noted that Russia has a rich experience of cooperation with the navies of various countries.
- How it will go this time depends on the staff and coordination of actions," he noted. - For example, in the mid-1990s, during joint exercises with the U.S. Navy we used, among other things, combat weapons - mines, bombs, artillery. Now we are likely to practice humanitarian mission, fight against piracy and joint maneuvering.
Sergei Avakyants noted that it is important for Russia to strengthen not only naval cooperation.
- It is important to deepen all kinds of cooperation with the countries of this region, which are complementary and positive towards us, - the admiral is sure. - The exception is the closest US allies, i.e. the English-speaking countries Australia and New Zealand.
Our presence in the Asia-Pacific region will only increase, military expert Captain First Rank Vasily Dandykin believes.
- Now Indonesia is one of the key countries in the region, with a huge population and fast-growing economy," he reminded. - We should not forget that our cooperation began in the middle of the last century. We helped Indonesia to build the Navy - this is a solid basis for good relations.
Humanitarian component
The Komodo-2025 program includes not only the practice of naval actions. Forums for exchange of experience and views between officers and bilateral meetings with representatives of navies of different countries, as well as the International Symposium on Maritime Security will be held ashore.
Why Indonesia is holding such exercises, explained Indonesian Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Muhammad Ali: "We survived the tsunami disaster and received help from other countries. So we have to practice to improve our performance and provide assistance in a targeted way."
He was referring to the December 2004 tsunami, when up to 300,000 people died in the coastal areas of Indonesia and several other nations.
Orruda Exercise
Russia and Indonesia have been actively strengthening naval cooperation in recent years. Last year, the first ever bilateral Russian-Indonesian naval exercises Orruda-2024 took place. The next one will be held in 2026.
The Indonesian authorities highly appreciated Orruda-2024, as Indonesian Ambassador to Russia Jose Tavares noted: "There is a lot of benefit in such exercises. Given the outcome of Orruda, Indonesia and Russia are likely to continue exploring opportunities for joint naval exercises in the future."
Indonesia. Meeting the crew of the corvette "Loud" in the port of Surabaya
Chinese media outlet South China Morning Post wrote: "This is a rare case of cooperation amid an inexorable period of diplomatic and military rivalry across the Asia-Pacific region."
Cooperation with Indonesia
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the USSR participated in the creation of the Indonesian Navy by supplying a large shipment of ships, submarines and other naval equipment, including the light cruiser Irian (called Ordzhonikidze in the Soviet Navy).
Indonesia later used this equipment in resolving the conflict with the Netherlands over West New Guinea. Then military-technical cooperation between our countries was interrupted for a long time.
A sample of the Yakhont missile
In the early 1990s, Indonesia bought almost the entire fleet of the former GDR, which also used Soviet military technologies.
In the 21st century, this country bought an export version of the Onyx missile called Yakhont. Indonesia needs to renew its fleet, and here Russia can help it. Our countries celebrated the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations on February 3 this year.
The Komodo exercise is held every few years. This year they will be held from February 16 to 22, 2025. The following countries will participate in them: Australia, Indonesia, France, India, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, UK, USA, Vietnam, Iran, South Korea, China, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Fiji, Iraq, Italy, Kenya, Laos, Netherlands, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
