Russian surveillance

Russian military to conduct surveillance flight over US

Press TV,

25 November, 2012

Russian Defense Ministry has announced that the country’s military inspectors will begin a survey flight this week above the United States under the international Treaty on Open Skies.

The experts will conduct the flight over the US territory in a Tupolev Tu-154 M/LK-1 aircraft between November 25 and December 3, RIA Novosti news agency reported.

The surveillance flight will start from the Travis Air Force Base in California, and its maximum range will be 4,250 kilometers (2,600 miles).

During the flight, Russian and US specialists will operate surveillance equipment on board of the aircraft as stated in the Treaty on Open Skies.

The Treaty on Open Skies entered into force on January 1, 2002, and currently has 34 member states.

It establishes a program of unarmed aerial surveillance flights over the entire territory of its participants.

The treaty is designed to enhance mutual understanding and confidence by giving all participants a direct role in gathering information about military forces and activities of concern to them.