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Press Releases
Press Release | June 15, 2020

NORAD AIR DEFENSE EXERCISE PLANNED FOR NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION

NORAD Public Affairs

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo.  –  

The North American Aerospace Defense Command will conduct air defense exercise Falcon Virgo on Tuesday, June 16, between 12:30-2:30 a.m. Eastern Time in the National Capital Region. 

Aircraft participating in the flight exercise include Air Force F-16 aircraft, an Army C-12 aircraft, a United States Coast Guard MH-65D Dolphin helicopter, and Civil Air Patrol Cessna 182T general aviation aircraft. Some portions of the exercise could involve flights at approximately 2,500 feet and may be visible from the ground. If weather prevents regularly scheduled flights, the exercise will commence the next day.

NORAD routinely conducts exercises with a variety of scenarios, including airspace restriction violations, hijackings and responses to unknown aircraft. All NORAD exercises are carefully planned and closely controlled.

Falcon Virgo is a recurring exercise in support of Operation NOBLE EAGLE, which places emphasis on the surveillance and control of airspace over Canada and the United States. The defense of North America is NORAD's top priority and NORAD remains on alert around the clock, every day.

For more than 60 years, NORAD aircraft have identified and intercepted potential air threats to

North America in the execution of its aerospace warning and aerospace control missions, and maintain a watchful eye over Canadian and U.S. internal waterways and maritime approaches under its maritime warning mission.

 

NOTE TO EDITORS: For further information, please contact NORAD Public Affairs at (719) 554-6889 or visit our website at http://www.norad.mil

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