CROATIAN-AMERICAN MILITARY MANOEUVRE ENDS

SIBENIK, Nov 14 (Hina) - The final part of a three-day joint tactical military manoeuvre of the American and Croatian armed forces called SURFEX 2001, held in the Sibenik waters (central Adriatic) between 9AM and 1PM today, was carried out in line with the plan, Croatian and American military manoeuvre commanders told reporters. The first military manoeuvre of the American and Croatian maritime forces included the U.S. destroyer "Ross" and the expedition aircraft P-3 C "Orion" and Croatian rocket artillery ships "Sibenik" and "Petar Kresimir IV", two rescue ships, two MIG-21 aircraft, a helicopter and a mobile coastal launcher MOL. During the manoeuvre, the Croatian and American officers simulated a joint rocket-artillery attack on a target which in this case was a smuggling ship and an air raid on maritime forces. The American and Croatian officers who participated in the tactical military manoeuvre will analyse the entire manoeuvre and the results of SURFEX 2001 later today at the U.S. destroyer, after which the Croatian officers will escort the U.S. destroyer out of the Croatian territorial waters. (hina) it sb