Article Posted on : - Aug 04, 2010

A-50 AWACS aircraft. A file Photo.

PETERSON AFB (BNS): The Russian Federation Air Force and the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) will jointly conduct first cooperative air defence exercise ‘VIGILANT EAGLE’ from 8th to 11th August, 2010, at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska and Khabarovsk, Russia.

The exercise will also involve Russian, Canadian and US Air Force personnel operating from command centers in Russia and the United States, NORAD said.

In the exercise, the Russian Air Force and NORAD will launch or divert a fighter aircraft to investigate and follow a US flagged commercial air carrier being taken over by terrorists during an international flight.

This exercise is authorised under a cooperative military agreement signed by the presidents of the Russian Federation and the United States of America. The agreement tasks NORAD, the bi-national US and Canadian command and the Russian Federation Air Force to conduct a live-fly exercise for up to five days.

The Russian and US Airborne warning and control aircraft (AWACS E-3B and A-50) will be also involved along with fighter-interceptor aircraft and refueling aircraft from both countries.

This exercise will increase cooperation between the Russian Federation Air Force and NORAD against air terrorism.