About observation aircraft

Various signatory countries of the Open Skies Treaty adapt different aircraft for their observation platforms.

The Americans use the Boeing 707 modified as OC135. The Ukrainians use an Antonov-30B inherited from the former Soviet air force fleet. And the Germans use a Soviet-built Tupolev.

Why Tupolev? "Oh, they modified [East German Communist leader Erich] Honecker's personal plane," explained David Rigby, chief of public affairs of the American On-Site Inspection Agency, whose office corridor is lined with large photos of the inspection events.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, May 4, 1997, No. 18, Vol. LXV

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