MOSCOW. Feb 27 (Interfax) - A U.S. OC-135B observation plane will make an observation flight over the territory of Russia under the Open Skies Treaty, Sergei Ryzhkov, head of the Russian national nuclear threat reduction center, said.
"A joint mission of the U.S. and France will make an observation flight over the territory of the Russian Federation on a U.S. OC-135B observation plane from the Khabarovsk (New) airfield under the Open Skies Treaty in the period between February 27, 2017 and March 4, 2017," the report said.
In the course of the flight, which will follow an approved route, the Russian specialists aboard the plane will monitor strict observance of the approved flight parameters and the use of the observation equipment envisaged by the Treaty.
The OC-135B observation aircraft belongs to the type of plane not carrying any weapons. The plane and the observation equipment installed on it (aerial cameras) are certified by international experts, including Russian specialists, which rules out the use of technical devices not envisaged by the Open Skies Treaty.