Chinese-Russian joint naval task force sails around Japan - JMSDF put on alert

A joint Chinese-Russian naval task force has sailed around Japan following a joint exercise in the Sea of Japan, sailing through a narrow international waterway between two of Japan’s main islands. The joint naval fleet exercise is called Joint Sea 2021

The 10-ship naval task force, split evenly between Chinese and Russian vessels, sailed through the Tsugaru Strait, which runs between the Japanese islands of Hokkaido and Honshu, during their transit from the Sea of Japan into the western Pacific on October 18th 2021.

The Tsugaru Strait is an international waterway that is only 12 miles at its narrowest point. Japan has claimed territorial waters in the straits that extend to three nautical miles (5.6 km) from its coasts, significantly less than the maximum of 12 nautical miles (22.2 km) allowed under international law.

During the first stage of the exercise, the base minesweepers of the Pacific Fleet guided ships of the two countries into the waters of the Sea of Japan. During the passage by sea, the sailors of Russia and China also conducted a training session on organizing communications and joint tactical maneuvering.

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, or JMSDF, kept a close watch on the task group as it sailed close to Japan’s waters, the JMSDF also deployed minesweepers Aoshima and Izushima which witnessed the movements of the Russian and Chinese ships as they transited the Tsugaru Strait. The Japanese also deployed a P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft from its Fleet Air Wing 2 at Hachinohe to monitor the task force.

As the task group made its way down Japan’s east coast, the Russian-Chinese ships carried out a joint search and blockade of a simulated enemy submarine in a designated area. Pilots of ship based helicopters simulated landings on Allied ships while hovering over helipads. The JMSDF continued to monitor its progress, with the destroyers Yamagiri and Takanami taking turns to keep watch while overhead Japan Air Self Defense Force interceptors were scrambled in response to the activity of Kamov Ka-27 and Ka-28 helicopters flying off the Russian and Chinese ships.

Footage shows ships at anchor, Russian sailors on the bridge of a russian ship, helicopter flights, various shots of the flotilla and naval gunfire from the Russian Navy Corvette Gromkiy, pennant number 335

The Russian Navy is represented by warships and support vessels of the Pacific Fleet: the large anti-submarine ship Admiral Panteleev, the corvettes of the project 20380 Hero of the Russian Federation Aldar Tsydenzhapov and Gromkiy, two base minesweepers, a submarine Ust- Bolsheretsk, as well as a missile boat and a rescue tug.

From the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) naval forces, the destroyers Kun Ming and Nan Chang, the corvettes Bin Zhou and Liu Zhou, as well as a diesel submarine, an integrated supply ship and a rescue vessel are involved.

Very recently the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and U.S. Marines conducted an Historic F-35B landing on JS Izumo DDH-183 by U.S. Marine Pilots, this is in response to the increasing build up of Chinese Naval forces. Find out more: https://youtu.be/wINJbVR5OxM

© Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
Published under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0

Additional editing by @OFF TRACK PLACES - Military Aircraft

Hundreds more military videos: https://www.youtube.com/c/OFFTRACKPLACES