Russia and the United States will conduct a nine-day joint military exercises starting from from Friday. Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Vladimir Drik said the drills, code-named “Vigilant Eagle,” will involve air force servicemen from both countries who will conduct a simulated operation to free an airplane hijacked by terrorists. He said the exercises will involve two stages in which Russian and American fighter jets and long-range radar detection airplanes will take part. Mr. Drik said the headquarters of the exercises will be based in Russia's Khabarovsk and Colorado Springs in the United States and the back-up headquarters will be set in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia, and Anchorage in Alaska. The exercises are a part of the Russian-U.S. action plan to improve military cooperation and compatibility of the two countries.Following the exercises, representatives of the Russian and U.S. forces will meet in Colorado Springs in September to evaluate the drills and sign a protocol confirming the results.