Open Skies - Russland skal sjekke US baser - Tyler Rogoway

Photo via Tyler Rogoway

Russia is sending one of its two Tu-214ON observation aircraft the United States under the Open Skies Treaty, which gives signatories the opportunity to fly surveillance missions over each other’s territory, including the most sensitive of locales. Less than a month ago, an older Tu-154-ON aircraft flew a route that touched on, among other things, the secretive flight test facilities at Area 51 and the Nevada Test Site. The aircraft also made photo runs over many of America's most important military installations in the Southwestern United States. However, the Tu-214-based planes have been a particular point of contention between the two countries and the U.S. government briefly refused to certify them as being compliant with the treaty’s terms last year.