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NORAD NEWS
News | May 24, 2010

Alaska NORAD Region and FBI conduct interagency exercise

By NORAD and USNORTHCOM Public Affairs

ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska – The North American Aerospace Defense Command and its geographical component, the Alaskan NORAD Region, in cooperation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Air Marshal Service, will conduct Exercise Arctic Fencing Interagency Wednesday. The short duration exercise will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Alaska time over the skies of south central Alaska.

Exercise Arctic Fencing Interagency is designed to hone NORAD and ANR’s intercept and identification operations and exercise the handoff procedures between ANR and the FBI when the aircraft lands. In addition, the exercise will provide a training venue for Federal Air Marshals to respond to a situation aboard an airborne aircraft.

Also involved in the planning and execution are the Federal Aviation Administration and Transportation Security Administration.

An Air Force KC-135 jet will take on the role as a track of interest.

ANR provides airspace surveillance and control and directs all air sovereignty activities over Alaska. The 3rd Wing based at Elmendorf Air Force Base will scramble Air Force F-22 fighters to intercept the KC-135.

NORAD and ANR have conducted exercise flights of this nature throughout the U.S. and Canada since the start of Operation Noble Eagle, the command's response to the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

Since Sept. 11, 2001, NORAD has responded to more than 3,300 possible air threats in the United States and has flown more than 55,000 sorties with the support of Airborne Warning and Control System and air-to-air-refueling aircraft.