The Chinese PLA Navy has completed a four-day joint maritime exercise named Security Belt-2023 with the Iranian Navy and the Russian Navy.
After completion of the exercise on 19 March, the PLA Navy’s guided missile destroyer Nanning left the Port of Chabahar in Iran to continue its naval escort mission.
The Security Belt-2023 joint maritime exercise was developed from exercises held by China, Iran and Russia in 2019 and 2022.
Warships of the three countries undertook the four-day exercise in the designated waters off Chabahar in the Gulf of Oman, under the theme of ‘Working Together to Create Security and Peace’. Nanning participated along with Iran’s Jamaran destroyer and Russia’s frigate Admiral Gorshkov, and the three vessels manoeuvered in a predetermined formation.
The exercise featured drills including maritime shooting, joint search and rescue, communications, counter-terrorism and counter-piracy operations. Onboard special operations soldiers targeted and fired at a simulated enemy, successfully destroying it. The navies also carried out a search-and-rescue drill mission.
Nanning commander and captain Qiu Maoxuan said that the joint exercise has increased cooperation between the three navies, and showcased their capability to jointly maintain maritime security.
