NORAD exercise planned for Southern California

The North American Aerospace Defense Command will conduct exercise flights in San Diego and Riverside Counties of southern California today, as 144 Fighter Wing practices its intercept and identification procedures. The exercise will occur between 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Pacific.

California residents between San Diego and Riverside Counties may hear and/or see low-flying NORAD-controlled fighter jets in close proximity to civilian aircraft, which will be taking on the role of an aircraft of interest.

In order to test responses, systems and equipment, NORAD continuously conducts exercises with a variety of scenarios, including airspace restriction violations, hijackings and responding to unknown aircraft. All NORAD exercises are carefully planned and closely controlled.
Although they are scheduled to begin in the morning, the flights could be delayed for 24 hours or cancelled due to weather.

Defense of the homelands is NORAD’s top priority. NORAD is on alert around the clock, every day. For 60 years, NORAD aircraft have identified and intercepted potential air threats to North America in the execution of its aerospace warning, aerospace control and maritime warning defense missions.

Operation NOBLE EAGLE is the name given to the military response posture following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and applies to all air sovereignty and air defense missions in North America. NORAD is a bi-national command focused on the defense of both the U.S. and Canada, the response to potential aerospace threats does not distinguish between the two nations, and draws on forces from both countries.

(Directorate of Public Affairs, Headquarters, North American Aerospace Defense Command, 250 Vandenberg, Suite B016,
Peterson AFB, Colorado Springs, Colo. 80914-3808; Phone (719) 554-6889, DSN 692-6889; NORAD website: www.norad.mil)