Two Russian Tu-214ON aircraft after Russia’s final withdrawal from the Open Skies Treaty will be used for reconnaissance purposes. The future of flying vehicles RIA Novosti revealed two military-diplomatic sources.
According to them, the aircraft will be retrained for other tasks. In addition to intelligence, these will include monitoring the security of their own military facilities, test results of various weapons and assessing the effectiveness of exercises.
To do this, you will need to equip them with the necessary equipment. So, in order to use the Tu-214ON as reconnaissance aircraft, you will need to install the most modern electronic and radio engineering equipment.
When designing them, the possibility of widespread modernization was laid, therefore “no one will be scattered with such valuable aircraft,” one of the agency’s interlocutors explained. The aircraft will remain in reserve until the exit procedure is completed.
The Open Skies Treaty was signed in 1992. According to the document, the participating countries can conduct reconnaissance flights over each other’s territory in order to monitor military activities and compliance with existing treaties in the field of arms control.
On November 22 last year, the United States withdrew from the agreement. The American side explained its position by the fact that Moscow allegedly does not comply with the clauses of the treaty. The White House also said that during flights over the United States, Russia monitored the whereabouts of US President Donald Trump. Moscow denies Washington’s accusations.
On January 15, Russia began procedures to withdraw from the Open Skies Treaty. The Foreign Ministry noted that an absolutely unacceptable situation developed after Washington’s decision. Thus, Moscow offered to the remaining participating countries to give guarantees that they will not provide the US with data obtained during reconnaissance flights over Russia. The Foreign Ministry also requested confirmation of its right to fly over American military installations in these countries, but Western states declined to answer.