A Typical
Open Skies Mission

When a State Party wants to conduct an observation flight, it is required to give 72 hours notice to the country they wish to observe. They send a message, called a Format 12, to the hosting country with its arrival time and a list of the people who will conduct the mission. The host nation must respond with a Format 13, an acceptance reply. The observed country quickly acquires visas, sets up lodging, and gets everything in place for the observing nation's arrival.⁵²

Upon arrival, the observing State Party has 96 hours to complete the observation mission. Immediately after arrival, the visiting nation's team will go through point of entry procedures-a variety of briefings required by the treaty. These include weather updates, safety hazards, and any other special rules or information. The teams then travel to the Open Skies Airfield, if different than the entry point. An initial inspection of the observation aircraft is then conducted at the Open Skies Airfield. During a passive quota in the United States, inspection of the foreign aircraft will be conducted by DTRA's Technical Equipment Inspectors.

A Russian An-30 arrives at Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C. for a Russia-U.S. joint trial flight, July 28-August 4, 1997.

They look to ensure that the aircraft and sensors comply with those previously certified in accordance with the treaty. A technical equipment inspection can last up to eight hours, but it must be completed at least four hours prior to the scheduled commencement of an observation flight.⁵³

Next, the observing nation's team chief, or mission commander, submits his mission plan to the other country. This is done at least 24 hours before the scheduled takeoff. The observed country reviews the plan to make sure it fully complies with the treaty. They have four hours to review the plan and accept or propose changes. If there are any major concerns, the two parties have up to eight hours to reconcile the flight plan. In the unlikely event that the two parties can not reach agreement, the observing party may cancel the mission. They must then file and submit a written explanation to all other States Parties. A demonstration flight could be flown after the pre-flight inspection. A demonstration flight consists of the observing party flying a racetrack pattern over a target, operating the cameras and equipment to be used for the actual mission flight. If a demonstration flight is added, the observing State Party is given an additional 24 hours, on top of the 96 hours, to complete the mission.⁵⁴

A United Kingdom sensor operator changes the film onboard the British Andover as an American Open Skies official observes the process during a joint trial flight over Scotland in 1996.

A U.S. Open Skies team reviews and discusses a flight plan for a mission over the United States.

The actual mission consists of flying the accepted route and altitude. In some of the larger countries such as Russia and the United States, the mission may require several takeoffs and landings from pre-designated Open Skies refueling airfields to complete the total mission. Such cases may take two or more days of flying. The maximum flight distances of observation flights commencing from Open Skies airfields varies, depending on the size of the observed nation. For example, the maximum distance you can fly from declared airfields in Bulgaria during one mission is 660 kilometers, while in Russia, flights up to 6,500 kilometers are allowed.⁵⁵ Typically, most European nations will require only one day of flying. The 96 hours allowed provides extra days for multiple flights in the larger countries. Additionally, if the weather on the scheduled flying day is not suitable for acquiring the desired imagery, the observing nation may use the extra days to wait for better weather.⁵⁶

A U.S. official greets members of the Ukrainian Open Skies crew after arriving at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, in April 1997.

U.S. officials observe a Bulgarian sensor operator at a sensor control station onboard an An-30 aircraft during a demonstration flight over Dayton, Ohio, July 27, 1998.

Joint Trial Flights (JTFs) are Open Skies missions conducted between two or three States Parties outside the normal quota of either country. While awaiting entry-into-force (EIF) of the treaty,

German officials, and a Belgian observer, watch operations at a sensor control station onboard the OC-135B aircraft during a U.S.-Germany joint trial flight, July 14-25, 1995.

JTFs are routinely being performed between the signatory nations. These flights are designed to look exactly like Open Skies Treaty missions. The most significant difference is in the detailed mission planning stages. During a joint trial flight, there is more planning and discussion between the participating countries. Before each flight, DTRA will generally send the designated team chief and two other representatives to the country that the U.S. intends to fly with. There, they sit down with that country's representatives and develop the plans and schedules for the mission. The mission dates are set; all the payment rules are established such as who pays for hotel rooms; how jet fuel will be purchased; and how the aircraft will be serviced. Visas and customs are also discussed in these planning sessions. By contrast, in an actual treaty mission the observing country is only required to give 72-hour notice prior to arriving.⁵⁸

A Ukrainian An-30 Open Skies aircraft on the tarmac at Borispol in Kiev, Ukraine in June 1998

Planning usually happens months ahead of the actual joint trail flight. Then, about four weeks before the mission, the combined U.S. mission planning team finalizes the route to fly and areas to be imaged. Alternate routes are also developed in case of bad weather or if other circumstances arise. Well before 72 hours prior to arriving, the observing party will send a message to the hosting country listing arrival times and mission personnel. The rest of the JTF mission is conducted like an actual Open Skies Treaty mission. One other difference is that after a joint trial flight, only the two nations involved share the imagery produced. For actual quota missions under the treaty, any signatory nation of the treaty can request a copy of the imagery.

U.S. and Russian officials greet each other after the United States Open Skies team arrives at Kubinka for a joint trial flight, August 1997.

^* This was the only JTF conducted in which the United States used the CV-580. After this mission, the U.S. began using the OC-135B aircraft.