A Russian SU-27 fighter flies alongside Fencing 1220, the target of interest for Exercise Vigilant Eagle, Aug. 8. Vigilant Eagle is a cooperative exercise involving the North American Aerospace Defense Command and the Russian Air Force. The exercise scenario creates a situation that requires both the Russian Air Force and NORAD to launch or divert fighter aircraft to investigate and follow a "hijacked" airliner. The exercise focuses on shadowing and the cooperative hand-off of the monitored aircraft between fighters of the participating nations. Photo by Maj. Michael Humphreys