According to one of the retired officers of the Aerospace Forces, "the prospects are vague" both for people and for aircraft involved in the implementation of the agreement
MOSCOW, December 18. /tass/. Most of the unique military specialists who worked on the implementation of the Open Skies Treaty (DON) can leave the ranks of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. This was told to TASS by a retired officer of the Aerospace Forces, who was a direct participant in the implementation of the agreement from the Russian side.
"The armed Forces of the Russian Federation are losing valuable specialists with the withdrawal from the treaty. Since for such tasks it is impossible to simply land a pilot or navigator from military transport aviation, for example, - the task is very specific. And, as far as I know, 90% of these people are going to leave the ranks of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation," he said.
According to him, the prospects are vague for both people and aircraft involved in the implementation of the agreement. "These are special planes and specially trained people. If there may still be tasks for pilots, then it is unlikely for other specialists," he stressed.
The interlocutor of the agency believes that currently no one will be engaged in the re-equipment or re-equipment of special aircraft for the DON - it is "too expensive and difficult." "Most likely, at best they will perform some transport tasks, and the latest and expensive Tu-214 may be able to be used for aerial photography over the territory of Russia," the specialist believes.
As another agency interlocutor familiar with the situation noted, a special squadron of AN-30 aircraft based at the Kubinka airbase may be relocated to the Russian Air Force military airfield located in the village of Shatalovo, Smolensk region, or it may be disbanded. "No one will touch Kubinka for at least a year, including specialists who were involved in the implementation of the agreement." - the source said.