August 2008 Activation was between 04-26 August 2008 with Ukraine in command.

The August 2008 Activation of BLACKSEAFOR included serialized training program during sea transits and port visits to following ports: Sevastopol (Ukraine), Novorossiysk (Russian Federation) and Batumi (Georgia).

The focus of the August20 08 Activation was to further improve interoperability among naval forces, to review and experiment of the Sub-Concepts for Surface Search and Rescue (BSN-03), Peace Support Operations (BSN–08), CBRN Defense at Black Sea and Harbors (BSN-12), BSF Rules of Engagement (BSN-13), BSF Seamanship Procedures Draft (BSN-14) and Procedures and Common Ship’s Aviation Facilities For Helicopter Operations Draft (BSN-15) to continue PC to PC communication system experimentations. Nevertheless, the scope of the training encompassed further exercising of the adopted BSN Sub Concepts in order to improve the level of training and interoperability within the force.

Change of Command Ceremony (COCC) was conducted in Sevastopol on 06 August 2008 and the BLACKSEAFOR Command transferred from Turkey to Ukraine.

The BLACKSEAFOR August 2008 Activation lasted for 23 days, of which 6 days was scheduled training at sea and 17 days in port.

AUGUST 2008 ACTIVATION (04-26 AUGUST 2008)

Commanding Navy	:	Ukrainian Navy
OPBLACKSEAFOR	:	Radm. (Lh) Mücahit ŞİŞLİOĞLU (TurkeyRadm. (Uh) Victor MAXIMOV (Ukrain)
COMBLACKSEAFOR	:	Radm. (Lh) Victor NOSENKO (Ukrain)
Participating Units	:

Nation	Ship	Type
Bulgaria	BGS SMELI	Frigate
Georgia	-	-
Romania	ROS EUSTATIU SEBASTIAN	Corvette
Russian Federation	RFS AZOV	Amphibious
Turkey	TCG ORUÇREIS	Frigate
Ukraine	UPS SLAVUTICH	Command and Control Ship