Russia’s minesweeper duo uses Skanda USV to neutralize mines in Avacha Bay

Minesweepers Yakov Balyaev and Pyotr Ilyichev from the Troops and Forces in the North-East used a Skanda uncrewed surface vehicle to search and neutralize maritime mines of the mock enemy while completing the K-2 task elements, according to the Russian Navy.

As informed, the Project 12700 Aleksandrit-class minesweepers practiced the tasks of monitoring and reconnaissance search for mock enemy mines in the waters of Avacha Bay.

Specifically, during the drills in the mine threat area, servicemen of the minesweeper Pyotr Ilyichev deployed the Diyez automatic search and mine detection system and the Livadiya sonar, after which one Skanda uncrewed surface vehicle was launched.

With the help of the USV, the minesweeper crew identified uncovered moving mines through the video broadcast, after which the crews destroyed them with the AK-306 artillery system.

The mine search and neutralization tasks were carried out by the minesweeper Yakov Balyaev of a similar project.

The minesweeper Pyotr Ilyichev, built by Sredne-Nevsky shipyard, a part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation, was launched in April 2021.

With a displacement of 890 tons, the Project 12700 minesweepers feature a length of 62 meters and a width of 10 meters. The vessels armed with modern search and detection of mines complexes, surface and underwater autonomous mine-clearance vehicles. They have he largest fiberglass body in the world, according to the Russian defense ministry. A monolithic-fiberglass hull provides for greater survivability during mine countermeasure operations and weighs less than a low-magnetic steel hull, according to the Russian officials.

Earlier on, as part of its training exercise plan, the Russian Navy and Russian Aerospace Forces launched sea- and air-based precision missiles in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea.

As a part of the Russian Navy action group, frigates Admiral of the Soviet Union Fleet Gorshkov and Admiral Golovko fired Tsirkon hypersonic missiles, and the diesel-electric submarine Novorossiysk launched a Kalibr cruise missile at a naval target. At the same time, a Bastion coastal missile system launched an Oniks cruise missile from a designated area on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.

All of the assigned targets were eliminated by direct hits, the navy noted.

The drills took place from 1 to 3 December 2024 according to the combat training plan of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation under the supervision of Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy Admiral Aleksandr Moiseyev.

More than 1,000 troops, 10 ships and support vessels, 24 aircraft, including the Russian Aerospace Forces MiG-31I fighter jets equipped with Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, and Bastion coastal missile systems were involved in the drills.