The Vigilant Eagle international exercises, in which the Russian Air Force and the North American Aerospace Defence Command are taking part and which are aimed at combating air terrorism, are about to start in the Far East and Alaska.

Their main task is practicing interaction between controlling bodies and plane crews during joint action to intercept, accompany and handover planes captured by mock terrorists, head of the press service of the Eastern Military District Alexander Gordeyev said. The maneuvers are being held on US territory, in Canada and Russia - in Khabarovsk, Anadyr and the Kamchatka Peninsula. The practical phase of the Vigilant Eagle exercises starts tomorrow.

The exchange of information between the parties concerned is ensured by the Russian A-50 Mainstay Airborne Early Warning and Control Aircraft (AEW and C) and by the Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) on the part of the US and Canada.

As the scenario has it, first a US plane takes off and flies along the Anchorage -Anadyr- Anchorage route. Next a Russian plane takes off from the Anadyr airfield. Interceptor aircraft attempt to force a passenger airliner, allegedly seized by terrorists, to land, Editor-in-Chief of the "Independent Military Review "magazine Viktor Litovkin says.

"Those who are in the zone where the seized airliner is flying, take action. All the others offer support. One must be quick to react."

Such military exercises are of great importance in the fight against terrorism and one more important point here, the area chosen for these exercises - the Far East and Alaska - was not accidental, Viktor Litovkin says:

The seizure of Boeing airliners by terrorists resulted in the attack on the International Trade Centre. Such events have occurred in a number of countries. The task the US, Russian and Canadian pilots are facing is to learn how to be warned and to react in time.

Therefore, it is very good that despite differences in international relations, the pilots are interacting in combating terrorism. The zones of responsibility and the air space of three countries - Canada, the US and Russia are involved where the three countries are very close to each other.

"Combating air terrorism is one of the most important tasks for the power structures of big states today, Director of the Centre for Strategic Conjuncture Ivan Konovalov says.

"There are military exercises for combating terrorism, including air terrorism and terrorism at sea. Joint exercises by ground forces are also aimed against international terrorism. Joint exercises between the Russian and French air forces were held for the first time recently.

The annual military exercises, codenamed "Vigilant Eagle", have been held since 2009 every two years: one year they involve exercises in actual flight, and the next year, command and control exercises.

Source: Voice of Russia