Russian Missile Test Warning Diverts US Air Force Flight

A United States Air Force C-17 cargo plane en route from New Zealand to Antarctica was forced to turn back to Christchurch due to a potentially hazardous space activity warning.

The warning was issued due to a Russian missile launch. The American C-17 Globemaster aircraft, using call sign ICE28, took off from Christchurch, New Zealand, around 9:00 a.m. local time on Tuesday but returned less than three hours later. New Zealand’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) advising pilots of the hazard.

A CAA spokesperson revealed on Wednesday that Russia's state air traffic management corporation made them aware of a planned missile launch and associated potential hazard to international airspace within New Zealand’s Oceanic Flight Information Region. The Diplomat characterized Russia's warning as a dummy warning of a dummy missile, an information operation and another example of Russia’s reckless hybrid warfare.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said the information Russia provided was unclear. The NOTAM NZZO B3996/26 reported a foreign agency missile launch and returning space debris until August 27, imposing flight restrictions from 58 and 68 degrees south, approximately 1,900 km southwest of New Zealand’s South Island. New Zealand's Starboard stated there are no Russian vessels in the area of the supposed launch.

The Diplomat suggests Russia's action is an act of intimidation and show of force, using international rules and their gaps as a shield. RedState noted that some media headlines hyped the routine test launch as a Russian threat to the USAF flight, but the aircraft and crew were never in danger. The New Zealand government has asked for more information about the launch.