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News of the deployment comes amid claims Russia may be testing nuclear weapons, either to the east or in the arctic, after a spike in radioactivity was reported.
HOW THE 'SNIFFER' TESTS THE AIR
The WC-135 is known as the 'sniffer' or 'weather bird' by its crews because of its unique role in the sky.
It gathers effluent gasses with two scoops on the sides of the fuselage, which then trap fallout particles on filters that the crew can analyse in real time.
They can then use the data to confirm the presence of nuclear fallout and possibly determine the characteristics of the warhead involved.
It can use the materials in the air to confirm the type of explosion, for example, whether it is from a warhead or a power plant.
The WC-135 can also be used to track radioactive activity, which it did after the Chernobyl disaster in the Soviet Union in 1986 and Fukushima in 2011.
One was also deployed near North Korea in anticipation of Kim Jong-un's rocket launches.
A WC-135 was also seen transiting into UK airspace in August 2013 raising speculation it was used in Syria after claims chemical weapons have been used.
The plane has a maximum crew of 33. However, it usually flies with a minimal crew to lessen the risk of chemical exposure.


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