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Military

U.S. Department of State



Fact Sheet
Office of the Spokesman
Washington, DC
September 16, 2004


Open Skies Treaty: Second Russian Observation Mission in the United States


During the week of September 20, 2004, the Russian Federation and Republic of Belarus will conduct their second Open Skies Treaty observation mission over the territory of the United States. The Open Skies Treaty entered into force on January 1, 2002. Since entry into force, this is the second observation mission the U.S. is hosting under the Treaty. To date, the U.S. has conducted thirteen observation missions over the territories of the Russian Federation and Republic of Belarus. In June, Russia and Belarus conducted the first of their two observation missions over the U.S. this year.

  • The Russian TU-154 is an unarmed aircraft that was recently certified in accordance with Treaty provisions. It will arrive at Dulles International Airport (a designated point of entry into the U.S.), and the mission will commence from McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas.
  • A U.S. escort team from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) will accompany the Russian team throughout the mission, including on-board the aircraft during the observation flight.
  • The Russian aircraft is equipped with optical cameras. The U.S. will receive a copy of the imagery collected during the mission. Other Open Skies States Parties may also purchase copies of the imagery from Russia.
  • The Russian team will negotiate a mission route of up to 4,800 kilometers. The Treaty allows Russia, as the observing Party, to image any point on the territory of the U.S. along the agreed flight plan.

For further information, please see fact sheets on the Open Skies Treaty at:
www.state.gov/t/ac or www.dtra.mil

2004/991

[End]

Released on September 16, 2004



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