Chahbahar, 15 March 2024 (TDI): China, Russia, and Iran held joint naval drills in the Gulf of Oman from 11th to 15th March. The naval exercise, termed as “Security Bond 2024,” aimed at strengthening maritime cooperation and safeguarding regional peace and stability.
The Chinese Ministry of National Defense reported that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy sent three ships to participate in the drills, including the guided missile destroyer Urumqi, the guided missile frigate Linyi, and the comprehensive supply ship Dongpinghu.
Moreover, the naval drills were held in accordance with the annual plan and the consensus reached by all parties. The exercise was organized and implemented in the vicinity of the Gulf of Oman.
Trilateral naval exercise
The first day, participating naval ships from China, Iran, and Russia sailed to the designated waters in sequence. The first subject of firing at sea commences with the Chinese side serving as the subject commander.
After the Iranian ships emplaced the targets, ships from the three countries fired at targets successively in a single column formation. Furthermore, the participating naval ships also drilled on subjects like nighttime firing at sea and light communication.
During the second day, the emergent battle alarm sounded, ships from the three countries rapidly rushed forward in two mixed task detachments to rescue the two hijacked merchant vessels played by the Iranian ships.
In addition, the ships on guard adjusted their positions frequently to ensure the deck fire team could provide effective support and cover for the commandos, who successfully rescued the hostages with the cooperation of sea and air troops.
Lastly, the final phase of the exercise took place on 14th March on the shores of the Iranian city of Chahbahar. As the participating naval ships docked at the Iranian port of Chahbahar, the maritime training phase of the Security Bond 2024 concluded successfully.
In total, the exercise involved more than 20 ships, support ships, and warships of the Russian Navy, PLA Navy, and the Iranian Navy.
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Furthermore, the representatives of Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Oman, India, and South Africa participated as observers in the exercise.
This year’s Security Belt exercise marks its sixth edition. It first took place in the Arabian Sea of the Indian Ocean in 2018. The navies of Russia, China, and Iran on a regular basis participate in this trilateral naval exercise.
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