NORAD general urges Russia to file a flight plan before sending out bombers
NORAD general urges Russia to file a flight plan before sending out bombers
Reuters
Published: Tuesday, October 02, 2007
The commander in charge of defending North American airspace urged Russia yesterday to be more transparent when it sends strategic bombers on long-range patrols toward the United States and Canada. General Gene Renuart, who is based at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., said Moscow does not file flight plans for the patrols, forcing the North American Aerospace Defence Command to scramble planes each time the bombers approach. NORAD has maintained increased vigilance since the 9/11 attacks. "There is increased concern any time you have an unidentified aircraft approaching the airspace of either of the two nations," said Gen. Renuart. "If the Russians would file a flight plan just to state their intent and general routing that they would be on, that would ease one of our concerns." Moscow says security threats have forced it to revive the Soviet-era practice of sending aircraft on patrols beyond its borders.