Photos from Russia, Iran and China joint naval exercise (Dec 28)...via Naval News Instagram

Note.  Have you been keeping up with this thing?  Russia is the headliner, but China seems to be the "muscle" behind this thing.  Don't know if I'm reading this right but Russia seems to be well versed in hording their resources and letting others do the lifting.  China gets what it wants.  A bigger seat at the table of the mess that is the Middle East.  Additionally they get to poke the US by this action (also remember that the US struck Iranian sites in Iraq today), the Iranians get to show that they have the support of major league powers (in this case Russia and China)...all three walk away happy and Russia got it all without a big investment of resources.  Damn near brilliant.  Tell me where I'm wrong.

not up on my Chinese ship id but that's got to be a Type 52C or D right?  clean ship appears to be well maintained.  maybe less sailing and more maintenance is where we should take our fleet...