“The Russian Navy and the Chinese Navy submarines for the first time conducted a joint underwater patrol in the Pacific waters,” the Russian satellite news agency on the 27th, the Russian Pacific Fleet News Bureau issued news on the same day that the Russian-Chinese diesel-electric submarines participated in joint patrol operations in the Asia-Pacific region for the first time.
According to the report, the Russian-Chinese underwater patrol began in early August, after the two sides held the “Maritime Joint 2025” joint exercise. The Russian Pacific Fleet’s diesel-electric submarine “Wolf” and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army naval submarine carried out joint patrol along the agreed route in the Japan Sea and the East Sea.
The Sino-Russian Exercise Joint Sea 2025 was held in the sea and airspace near Vladivostok, Russia from August 1st to 5th, local time. After the exercise, the Chinese Navy's guided missile destroyer Shaoxing and the comprehensive supply ship Qiandaohu, three surface ships and two ship-based helicopters, including the Russian Navy's large anti-submarine ship "Admiral Tributs", formed a joint formation to organize joint maritime cruises in a certain sea area of the western Pacific.
According to China media, during the joint cruise, the participating forces of China and Russia worked closely and tacitly to complete joint search and rescue, joint supply, joint escort, joint air defense and other subject exercises in the form of rotating command or joint command.
China's Defense Ministry spokesman Zhang Xiaoping said on Monday that China-Russia had recently successfully held "Maritime Joint 2025" exercises and joint cruises at sea.
Previously, the Chinese and Russian navies had held five joint maritime cruises. Military expert Zhang Junshe said in an interview with the Global Times on the 28th that judging from the information released by Russia, this is another new form of joint maritime patrol launched by the Chinese and Russian navies after the joint patrol of surface ships. He further said that the joint submarine patrol reflects the high degree of strategic mutual trust between the Chinese and Russian armed forces and is of great significance.
"First of all, the difference between submarine patrol lies in its concealment. Submarine is an important force for underwater covert attack. It can carry a variety of weapons, which deters the enemy and has important strategic deterrent significance. Secondly, underwater joint patrol can improve the ability of Chinese and Russian navies to use submarine campaign tactics, enhance their respective navies' underwater search, reconnaissance, attack and other combat capabilities, and help the two navies jointly respond to maritime security threats and maintain regional peace and stability. Third, from the perspective of operational tactics, joint underwater patrols by the two navies can further familiarize themselves with the underwater battlefield environment and improve underwater combat capabilities. " Zhang Junshe analyzed.