PLA Daily: Top 10 military exercises of world in 2012(8)

H. Arctic military exercise of Russia

Exercise time: September 21

Participating country: Russia

Exercise location: In the Arctic Pole areas including the Barents Sea and the Kara Sea, the Pechenga District of the Murmansk state and the coastal test sites of the J Gredeni Peninsula and the Ray Bucky Peninsula

Exercise contents: Cross-military-service joint operations and air-defense operations, military force rapid projection, protection of the northern sailing route of Russia and the Arctic maritime rescue IN the Arctic environment

Concern index: ★★★☆

Reasons for concern: The increasingly fierce competition in the Arctic Pole areas

Military strength committed: More than 20 warships and submarines, 30-odd aircraft, 150-plus weapons and over 7,000 personnel

Expert's comments: With the global climate warming trend, the huge strategic value of the Arctic Pole areas has become increasingly apparent. As compared with Canada's "Cold Reaction" military exercise, the goal of Russia's military exercise aimed at three-military-service joint practical operations to safeguard national interests. It is predicted that Russia will maintain its long-term dominant position in the Arctic Pole areas. (By Gao Yun, with the Department of World Military Research of the PLA Academy of Military Sciences)