Russian ASW ship Marshal Shaposhnikov. Gulf of Aden. (April 1, 2010)

Russian Pacific Fleet (PF) anti-piracy task unit arrived to the Gulf of Aden and led by large ASW ship Marshal Shaposhnikov (Udaloy-class destroyer) will cooperate with NATO's 151 Squadron and EU NAVFOR, reported Wednesday RIA Novosti citing representative of Pacific Fleet HQ.

PF task unit consisting of large ASW ship Marshal Shaposhnikov, tanker Pechenga and ocean-going salvage tug MB-37 have arrived to the Horn of Africa coast on March 29.

According to him, PF task unit currently receives operating data from Russian Northern Fleet's large ASW ship Admiral Chabanenko which is going to leave the zone of international antipiracy operation and head for Severomorsk in the nearest future.

"By this means Russian Navy carries out rotation of warships which provide continuous presence in the Gulf of Aden to fight piracy", said the PF official.

The task unit led by large ASW ship Marshal Shaposhnikov is the fourth PF unit dispatched to take part in the counter-piracy operation. All ships of the unit have PF marine teams on board. In addition, Marshal Shaposhnikov carries two ship-based helicopters.

The first PF task unit consisting of large ASW ship Admiral Vinogradov (Udaloy-class destroyer), salvage tug Fotiy Krylov, tankers Boris Butoma and Pechenga kept combat watch near Horn of Africa in Jan-March 2009.

The second unit – large ASW ship Admiral Panteleev(Udaloy-class destroyer), salvage tug SB-37, tankers Izhora and Irkut – participated in international operation since Apr 27 till June 7, 2009.

The third PF task unit (large ASW ship Admiral Tributs (Udaloy-class destroyer) , tanker Boris Butoma and ocean-going salvage tug MB-99) patrolled the region since July 30 till Oct 15, 2009. The unit returned to Vladivostok on Nov 16, 2009.