Norway, Sweden make joint intelligence flight over Russia
Norway and Sweden have embarked on a joint inspection flight over Russia as part of the Open Skies Treaty.
The inspections will take place on September 12-16 from a Swedish Saab 340B aircraft, ITAR-TASS reports.
This is not the first Open Skies inspection over Russia this autumn. According to Voice of Russia, US air inspectors conducted aerial observations flights over Russia in late August, while Italy, Greece and Germany did the same earlier this month.
Russia has built an aircraft specially equipped for international aerial inspections under the Open Skies Treaty, RIA Novosti reports. This is a Tupolev Tu-214ON aircraft with Russian-made equipment capable of conducting optic-electronic, radiolocation, radio- and radio-technical reconnaissance. The first plane of this kind was showcased for the first time at the MAKS-2011 International Air Show in the Moscow Region in August this year.
The Open Skies Treaty, signed in 1992 at the initiative of U.S. President George Bush Sr., established a regime of unarmed aerial observation flights over the territories of its 34 member states to promote openness and transparency of military forces and activities.
The Open Skies regime covers the territory over which the State Party exercises sovereignty, including land, islands, and internal and territorial waters. The treaty specifies that the entire territory of a State Party is open to observation. Observation flights may only be restricted for reasons of flight safety; not for reasons of national security. Imagery collected from Open Skies missions is available to any State Party upon request.
