Russian And NATO Jets In First Combat Exercise

The first ever military exercise involving both NATO and Russian combat aircraft will be staged in coming days, according to information released by NATO on 1 June 2011.

The combined participation of Russian Air Force, Polish Air Force and Turkish Air Force jet fighters in a modern-day threat-countering scenario is intended to boost the ability of all concerned to deal with future 9/11 type attacks.

Named Vigilant Skies 2011, the exercise will be held between 6-10 June and take place over large areas of Eastern Europe, primary Poland and the Black Sea.

Russian And NATO Jets

Vigilant Skies 2011 will involve Russian and NATO jets in two separate terror flight engagement missions.

In the first, a pair of Polish Air Force F-16 multirole combat jets will meet up with, and escort, a terrorist-targeted aircraft in flight, before handing over responsibility to a pair of Russian Air Force Sukhoi jets.

This mission will include a simulated power struggle on board the hijacked airliner which ends badly for the hijackers themselves, but which puts the aircraft's navigation system out of action. Therefore, the Sukhois will also be tasked with guiding the aircraft back to safety.

In the second mission, another target aircraft will be launched, playing the part of an airliner that's already been taken over by terrorists and been steered off course, with loss of communications. In response, both Russian and NATO jets will be scrambled to intercept the flight.

Combat Jets Exercise

According to NATO, the Vigilant Skies 2011 combat jets exercise will test the effectiveness of the CAI (Coordinated Airspace Initiative) set up between NATO and Russia.

"This is the first such counter-terrorism exercise held between NATO and the Russian Federation and will be a major milestone for reaching operational capability of the CAI system", NATO said, in a statement.

"The CAI will improve air safety for the thousands of passengers using international flights between NATO airspace and Russian airspace each day, and the millions of inhabitants on the ground."

See also:

US and Russia in Military Terrorist Exercise

US and South Korea in Joint Military Exercise