Open skies: A cooperative Approach to Military Transparency and Confidence Building

Open Skies is the longest held idea in the history of modern arms control. Proposed in the mid-1950s as a bilateral US-Soviet measure, a multilateral Open Skies Treaty comprising all NATO and all former Warsaw Treaty members, including the main successor states to the former Soviet Union, was signed in 1992. Based on the principles of cooperation and openness, the Treaty enables states parties to overfly and observe the territory of one another. Crews of the inspecting and inspected states have to work closely together to attain their objectives. As the imagery taken during observation flights is accessible to all states parties, the Treaty places all members on an equal footing. Open Skies images have already proved themselves in the verification of several arms control agreements as well as in other monitoring missions. Technically, Open Skies images are equivalent and often superior to those taken by commercial satellites or comparable sources, plus more cost effective. A flexible, modern, forward-looking instrument, the Open Skies Treaty practice can and should be adapted to current security needs and technological possibilities.