Sam Spade's San Francisco

Russia's Pacific Fleet will send a new task force led by a missile destroyer with two helicopters to the Gulf of Aden on June 29, a fleet spokesman said on Friday.

About the photo: The Russian Navy's Admiral Tributs, a Udaloy-class destroyer that is the counterpart to the U. S. Navy's Arleigh Burke class destroyer

"A task force, comprising the Admiral Tributs destroyer, the Boris Butoma tanker and the MB-99 salvage tug, will head to the next Monday," the official said, adding that a naval infantry unit would also be dispatched to the region.

The Admiral Tributs is an Udaloy class missile destroyer armed with anti-ship missiles, 30-mm and 100-mm guns, and two Ka-27 Helix helicopters designed for long-range reconnaissance and search missions.

The Russian Navy joined international anti-piracy efforts off the Somali coast in October 2008. Three warships have so far participated in the mission - the Baltic Fleet's Neustrashimy (Fearless) frigate, and the Pacific Fleet's Admiral Vinogradov and Admiral Panteleyev destroyers.

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Also see: Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces

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