Aircraft Report: OC-135B Open Skies

Since 1993, the US Air Force (USAF) has operated three Boeing OC-135B observation aircraft to perform the nation’s unarmed surveillance flights over the participating nations of the Open Skies Treaty.

Initially signed in 1992, the Open Skies Treaty was officially entered into force in January 2002. The agreement allows member states to conduct short-notice, unarmed surveillance flights in each other’s airspace. Designed to promote greater transparency, cooperation and mutual understanding, the treaty enables its 34 members to freely gather information on each other’s military forces and their activities.

For the last 18 years, a pair of US Air Force (USAF)-operated Boeing OC-135B observation support aircraft have carried out the nation’s Open Skies mission. Since 2002, the air arm has conducted 201 overflights over participating countries, with two-thirds of them taking place over Russian airspace. In comparison, Russia has flown a total of 77 missions over NATO member nations in Europe and North America.

Th…