Russia flew a military observation plane over Washington D.C. on Wednesday -- over the Capitol, the Pentagon and CIA Headquarters -- in a flight permitted under U.S. compliance with the Open Skies Treaty, U.S. officials have confirmed to CBS News' David Martin. CNN first reported the overflight.

Under the Open Skies Treaty, first signed in 1992, 34 countries including the U.S. and Russia allow member states to conduct unarmed observation flights in order to foster transparency about military activity and help monitor arms control and other agreements.

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In 2016, Russia requested permission to equip its observation aircraft with digital electro-optical sensors, which some member states thought might allow Russia to collect more detailed intelligence. In June 2016, the U.S. allowed a Russian jet with the technology to fly over the U.S.

Observation flights by member countries are allowed over the entire territory of other member states. States have to provide 72 hours' advance notice of their flyover plans, but the host country, under the treaty, may not restrict access to any part of its territory except for safety reasons. In the past, Russia has been accused of unfairly restricting some of its territory from view, in particular, over Chechnya or within 10 kilometers of its border with Georgia, according to the Arms Control Center.

The treaty was signed during President George H.W. Bush's presidency, though President Dwight Eisenhower had the idea for it. He felt that transparency between the U.S. and Russia would reduce the risk of direct conflict between the two, according to the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation. Moscow didn't think much of the idea at the time, but after the Cold War, Russia reconsidered when Bush brought it up again.</s>An unarmed Russian air force reconnaissance jet flew over several government buildings and landmarks in the nation's capital Wednesday — including the Pentagon, the Capitol, the National Mall and the White House — ABC News has confirmed.

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The flight, over what is normally some of the most secure airspace in the nation, was allowed under the Treaty of Open Skies, which allows participating countries the opportunity to take aerial imagery anywhere over a participating country's territory to promote transparency about military activities.

The Russian jet, a Tupolev Tu-154M, also flew over the Central Intelligence Agency headquarters in Virginia, as well as Camp David and Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.

According to flight data obtained from the aircraft monitoring website Flightradar24, the Russian aircraft took off from Dayton, Ohio, Wednesday morning.

In a second flight Wednesday afternoon, the aircraft flew over Bedminster, New Jersey, where President Trump is taking a working vacation during White House renovations.

The Russian flights, first reported by CNN, were conducted under the Open Skies Treaty, signed by 34 countries, including the United States and Russia.

Open Skies allows for unarmed aerial surveillance flights over the entire territory of a participating country.

The United States flies Open Skies missions over Russian territory. "They come here just like we go there," a U.S. official said. "It's a mutually agreed process."

The U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) noted that unclassified imagery gathered in March 2014 during a German-U.S. flight over Russia's border with Ukraine helped prove Russian military activities in eastern Ukraine despite Russian denials.

The official said Russia typically flies Open Skies missions in the United States over command infrastructure, key locations and other critical infrastructure. That includes flights over national security landmarks in Washington, through airspace that is always off-limits to American civilian aircraft.

Russian Open Skies flights in the U.S. are coordinated with the Federal Aviation Administration and carry U.S. Air Force personnel who serve as escorts.

The DTRA would not confirm Wednesday's Russian flights but said a typical mission conducted under the treaty has multiple flights taking place over several days.

Per stipulations in the Open Skies Treaty, visiting aircraft are allowed to use specific wet film equipment or digital sensors to take aerial surveillance photos that are later shared with the host nation.

The U.S. flies OC-135B aircraft when it conducts such missions over Russia and other countries.

ABC News' Jeff Cook and Erin Dooley contributed to this report.</s>An unarmed Russian Air Force aircraft overflew the US Capitol, the Pentagon, Central Intelligence Agency and Andrews Air Force Base at low altitude on Wednesday as part of a longstanding treaty that allows the militaries of the United States and Russia to observe the other from the air, according to two people familiar with the flight.

The flight was part of the Treaty on Open Skies, which allows military aircraft from the United States and Russia and other nations to fly aerial observation flights to observe military sites of the 34 signatory nations.

The Russian Air Force Tupolev Tu-154 on Wednesday afternoon passed at around 3,700 feet over downtown Washington and Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, where Air Force One is based, according to tracking website Flightradar24.

The jet is authorized to enter P-56, the highly secure airspace surrounding the White House.

A second flight by the same jet is planned for between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. Wednesday, when the Russian jet will overfly Bedminster, New Jersey, where President Donald Trump is vacationing, according to two people familiar with the US government-approved flight.

A law enforcement source told CNN that the plane also overflew Camp David, the presidential retreat in the Catoctin Mountains, the Trump National Golf Course in Virginia, and Mount Weather, one of the US government's secret relocation bunkers. United States Air Force personnel were on the flight and the aircraft is capable of a variety of intelligence gathering, one of the people said. The Open Skies Treaty has been in effect since 2002 and over 1,200 flights have been conducted since, which contributes to verification of compliance with arms control agreements, according to the US Defense Threat Reduction Agency. Dan Gaffney, spokesman for the DTRA, declined to confirm the surveilled targets. The agency can only confirm specific locations once a mission is over. "The treaty is designed to enhance mutual understanding and confidence by giving all participants, regardless of size, a direct role in gathering information through aerial imaging on military forces and activities of concern to them," according to the State Department. Law enforcement agencies were given very little warning of these "short notice" flights, which are authorized by the treaty. The Russian aircraft has the ability to perform a variety of intelligence gathering functions, including aerial photography, thermal imaging, and picking up signals intelligence. According to the DTRA, Open Skies flights receive air traffic control priority and are closely coordinated with the Federal Aviation Administration. The treaty flights are fairly common and the same Russian Air Force jet was spotted recently landing at McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita, Kansas. The flight Wednesday is notable because of the high-profile nature of its surveillance targets in the nation's capital. The US Capitol Police sent an alert regarding plans of an aircraft to overfly Washington between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Wednesday. "The aircraft will be large and may fly directly over the US Capitol," according to the alert. "This flight will be monitored by the US Capitol Police Command Center and other federal government agencies." The statement did not mention that the aircraft would be flown by the Russian Air Force. The Russian Embassy in the United States did not immediately respond to a request for comment.</s>Russian spy planes got a low-altitude view of Washington, D.C. – followed by a trip up to the Bedminster, New Jersey golf course where President Trump is staying Wednesday.

The unarmed Russian Air Force Tupolev Tu-154M left Moscow before arriving in southern Virginia, conducting several sweeps of the nation's capital.

The flights are entirely legal and sanctioned in advance by the U.S. under the Treaty on Open Skies, which allows 34 member nations to conduct unarmed overflights over each others' territory.

But the flight took on special significance Wednesday both because of the audacious flight plan selected by the Russians and because of the flurry of investigations over Russian election interference.

Just Wednesday morning, it was revealed that Donald Trump's former campaign chair Paul Manafort had his Virginia home raided by FBI agents working on the special counsel's Russia probe.

The plane was at around 3,700 feet as it passed over downtown D.C., CNN reported, citing Flightradar24. It also passed by Joint Base Andrews, home to Air Force One.

The flight path also took it into southern Pennsylvania near the Civil War battlefield at Chambersburg, as well as a corner of West Virginia.

It also flew near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, Politico reported.

Next on the itinerary was a flight to New Jersey, where Trump is staying at his Bedminster golf course – on a day he fired off tweets touting the U.S. nuclear arsenal and military capabilities amid a stand-off with North Korea.

In late July, a Russian spy plane was pictured flying a reconnaissance mission over one of Britain's top naval colleges, in another Open Skies flight.

'As per the treaty, we cannot confirm any locations until after the mission is over. A typical mission has several segments (flights) taking place over a few days; once this mission is over we can confirm the specific locations per your initial request,' said a Pentagon spokesman asked about the flights.

There have been 1,200 flights since the 2002 Open Skies Treaty was entered into. Officials call it a confidence and security building measure among the 34 states, allowing for verification and compliance with military agreements.

Air Force personnel were on board, according to CNN.

The flights involve unarmed aircraft with digital and film capabilities.

The entire territory of a nation is fair game, although nations get advanced notice of flight plans.

Washington, D.C. is not exempted from the treaty requirements, nor has there been any mention of private facilities such as golf courses owned by the president where he may be staying.

According to the State Department's web site: 'The Treaty on Open Skies establishes a regime of unarmed aerial observation flights over the territories of its signatories. The Treaty is designed to enhance mutual understanding and confidence by giving all participants, regardless of size, a direct role in gathering information through aerial imaging on military forces and activities of concern to them.'

The web site concludes: 'Open Skies is one of the most wide-ranging international arms control efforts to date to promote openness and transparency in military forces and activities.'</s>A Russian military surveillance plane flew through secure airspace over Washington on Wednesday, passing near the U.S. Capitol, the Pentagon and other government buildings, CNN reports, citing two people familiar with the flight. 



The reconnaissance mission by the unarmed Russian Air Force Tu-154 had been agreed by U.S. authorities under the Treaty on Open Skies, which allows military aircraft from signatory nations to conduct observational flights over each other’s territories. The aircraft was unarmed, CNN reports.

 

The plane was due to make a second flight later on Wednesday over Bedminster, New Jersey, where U.S. President Donald Trump is vacationing, CNN reported. 

 

The Russian plane can conduct intelligence gathering including aerial photography, thermal imaging, and picking up signals intelligence.</s>WASHINGTON: An unarmed Russian Air Force jet flew over the US Capitol CIA headquarters and Joint Base Andrews at low altitude as part of a treaty that allows the militaries of Washington and Moscow to observe the other from the air.The flight was part of the Treaty on Open Skies, which allows military aircraft from the US and Russia and other nations to fly aerial observation flights to observe military sites of the 34 signatory nations, reports CNN.The Russian Air Force Tupolev Tu-154 on Wednesday afternoon passed at around 3,700 feet over downtown Washington and the Joint Base Andrews in Maryland where Air Force One is based, according to tracking website Flightradar24.The jet is authorised to enter P-56, the highly secure airspace surrounding the White House.A law enforcement source told CNN that the plane also overflew Camp David, the Presidential retreat in the Catoctin Mountains, the Trump National Golf Course in Virginia and Mount Weather, one of the US government's secret relocation bunkers.The Open Skies Treaty has been in effect since 2002.</s>WASHINGTON – A Russian surveillance plane soared through secure airspace over Washington on Wednesday, presumably collecting intelligence as it traveled near the Pentagon, the Capitol and other government buildings, two U.S. officials said.

The Russian Air Force Tupolev Tu-154 aircraft made the flight through the Treaty on Open Skies, which Russia, the United States and 32 other nations have signed. The treaty established criteria under which countries can make unarmed observation flights over the soil of other treaty members in an effort to promote transparency and international arms control efforts, according to the State Department.

The Capitol Police issued an alert Wednesday that warned that an “authorized low-altitude aircraft” would enter restricted airspace between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. The alert did not state who owned the plane, but said it “will be large and may fly directly over the U.S. Capitol.”

“This flight will be monitored by U.S. Capitol Police and other federal government agencies,” the alert concluded.

A Defense Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing operations, confirmed that the flight alluded to was Russian and operating in the area through the treaty.

The flight, first reported by CNN, is expected to be followed by another one Wednesday evening that flies over President Donald Trump’s property in Bedminster, New Jersey, where he is vacationing. According to the treaty guidelines, U.S. airmen are aboard the Russian jet observing when an Open Skies flight occurs.

But Marine Lt. Gen. Vincent Stewart, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, has argued that Russia may be taking advantage of the treaty. He told the House Armed Services Committee subcommittee on emerging threats and capabilities last year that he would “love” to deny future Russian flights over the United States through Open Skies.

“The things that you can see, the amount of data you can collect, the things you can do with post-processing, allows Russia, in my opinion, to get incredible foundational intelligence on critical infrastructure, bases, ports, all of our facilities,” Stewart said in March 2016. “So from my perspective, it gives them a significant advantage.”

The United States carries out similar surveillance flights through the treaty while using an OC-135B, an Air Force observation jet. A Pentagon spokesman, Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, defended the program to reporters last year.

“We have to remember that while we have pretty good intelligence on a lot of the world, a lot of other countries don’t necessarily have that great of intelligence on us,” Davis said. “So, in the interest of transparency and miscalculation on their part, sometimes it’s worthwhile to allow them to have a look at what you’re doing or what you’re not doing.</s>The headlines this morning screamed “Russian surveillance plane soars over the Pentagon, Capitol and other Washington sites,” “A Russian military jet flew over the US Capitol and Pentagon at a low altitude”

But the details are in the “nut graphs” and in the Treaty on Open Skies.

The flights are part of the “Treaty on Open Skies,” the United States, Russia and 32 other countries have signed. It entered into force in 2002. More than 1,200 flights have been conducted over signatories’ countries under the treaty.

The Treaty on Open Skies establishes a regime of unarmed aerial observation flights over the territories of its signatories. The Treaty is designed to enhance mutual understanding and confidence by giving all participants, regardless of size, a direct role in gathering information through aerial imaging on military forces and activities of concern to them. Open Skies is one of the most wide-ranging international arms control efforts to date to promote openness and transparency in military forces and activities.

A US crew flying under the Open Skies Treaty over Russia pose next to their OC-135B aircraft, in Ulan-Ude, Russia, 3 March 2006.(OSCE photo)

The Russian Air Force Tupolev Tu-154 on Wednesday afternoon passed at around 3,700 feet over downtown Washington and Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, where Air Force One is based, according to tracking website Flightradar24. The jet is authorized to enter P-56, the highly secure airspace surrounding the White House. A second flight by the same jet is planned for between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. Wednesday, when the Russian jet will overfly Bedminster, New Jersey, where President Donald Trump is vacationing, according to two people familiar with the US government-approved flight.

The Russian Air Force Tupolev Tu-154 aircraft made the flight through the Treaty on Open Skies, which Russia, the United States and 32 other nations have signed. The treaty established criteria under which countries can make unarmed observation flights over the soil of other treaty members in an effort to promote transparency and international arms control efforts, according to the State Department.

While some have argued “that Russia may be taking advantage of the treaty,” Pentagon spokesman, Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, defended the program to reporters last year, according to the Washington Post:.

We have to remember that while we have pretty good intelligence on a lot of the world, a lot of other countries don’t necessarily have that great of intelligence on us…So, in the interest of transparency and miscalculation on their part, sometimes it’s worthwhile to allow them to have a look at what you’re doing or what you’re not doing.

So, “Americans should sleep well at night.”

Lead photo: Members of a Russian crew come off their Tu-154 aircraft as they arrive in the United States, July 2000, before a flight under the Open Skies Treaty.(OSCE photo)</s>The Russian Air Force plane passed over the US Capitol, Pentagon, Joint Base Andrews, CIA, Camp David, and a secret government bunker called Mount Weather, CNN said.

A Russian military spy jet soared over President Trump’s current hometown of Washington, D.C. and New Jersey Wednesday afternoon, according to reports. According to the treaty guidelines, US airmen are aboard the Russian jet observing when an Open Skies flight occurs.

Meanwhile, a US State Department official confirmed to TASS that the path of the observation flight had been completely agreed by Washington and Moscow.

The fly-over is allowed under a 2002 treaty that allows Russian Federation, the United States and more than 30 other countries to fly short-notice, unarmed flights in each other’s territories. The flights are meant to foster transparency about military activity, reduce mistrust or misunderstandings and help monitor arms control and other agreements. “The aircraft will be large and may fly directly over the U.S. Capitol”, the statement said.

The Capitol Police issued an alert prior to the flight noting that an “authorized low-altitude aircraft” would be passing over without announcing its origins.

The U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency would not confirm the Russian flights, but said a typical mission conducted per the treaty has multiple flights taking place over several days.

The Treaty on Open Skies was signed in 1992 and came into force in 2002.

Senior U.S. intelligence and military officials have expressed concern that Russian Federation is taking advantage of technological advances to violate the spirit of the treaty. “We put together the flight plan and with a few exceptions – safety-wise or weather-wise – they are allowed to fly over pretty much the entire territory”. The main purposes of the open skies regime are to develop transparency, render assistance in monitoring compliance with the existing or future arms control agreements, broaden possibilities for preventing crises and managing crisis situations within the scope of the Organizations for Security and Cooperation in Europe and other relevant global organizations.</s>An unarmed Russian Air Force jet flew over several government buildings and landmarks in the nation's capital Wednesday, including the Pentagon, U.S. Capitol, National Mall and White House, ABC News has confirmed.

The jet also flew over the Central Intelligence Agency in Langley, Virginia, as well as Camp David and Joint Base Andrews, both in Maryland.

According to flight data obtained from aircraft monitoring website Flightradar24, the Russian aircraft, a Tupolev TU-154M, took off from Dayton, Ohio, Wednesday morning.

A second flight, which took off from Dayton in the afternoon, shows the aircraft flying over Bedminster, New Jersey, where President Trump is taking a working vacation during White House renovations.

The flights, first reported by CNN, are conducted under the Open Skies Treaty of which 34 countries participate. The treaty allows for unarmed aerial surveillance flights over the entire territory of its participants.

The U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency would not confirm the Russian flights, but said a typical mission conducted per the treaty has multiple flights taking place over several days.

Per instructions in the Open Skies Treaty, the aircraft flown on the missions use specific film equipment aboard the planes to take aerial photos.

Russia typically flies Open Skies missions over command infrastructure, key locations, and other critical infrastructure, a U.S. official said.

"They come here just like we go there," the official said. "It’s a mutually agreed process."

The U.S. flies the OC-135B aircraft when it conducts these same missions over Russia and other countries.

ABC News' Jeff Cook and Erin Dooley contributed to this report.
Unarmed Russian Air Force reconnaissance jets, under the authority provided by international Open Skies Treaty, fly over several Washington, D.C., area government buildings and landmarks as well as the President's residence in Bedminster, New Jersey.