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Press Releases
Press Release | March 10, 2014

NORAD jets intercept general aviation aircraft over Florida Keys

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. – On two occasions today, March 9, 2014, F-16 fighter jets under the direction of North American Aerospace Defense Command intercepted general aviation aircraft in the vicinity of the Florida Keys and escorted them out of Temporary Flight Restricted areas.

The first aircraft was out of radio communication initially, but once communication was established it turned around and proceeded out of the restricted area.  There was also no communication with the second aircraft, prompting the F-16s to intercept the aircraft and escort it out of the TFR.

NORAD's mission in close collaboration with homeland defense, security, and law enforcement partners - is to prevent air attacks against North America, safeguard the sovereign airspaces of the United States and Canada by responding to unknown, unwanted and unauthorized air activity approaching and operating within these airspaces, and provide aerospace and maritime warning for North America. NORAD may be required to monitor, shadow, divert from flight path, direct to land and/or destroy platforms deemed a potential threat to North America.

NORAD is the bi-national Canadian and American command that is responsible for the air defense of North America and maritime warning. The command has three subordinate regional headquarters: the Alaskan NORAD Region at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska; the Canadian NORAD Region at Winnipeg, Manitoba; and the Continental NORAD Region at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. The command is poised both tactically and strategically in our nation’s capital to provide a multilayered defense to detect, deter and prevent potential threats flying over the airspace of the United States and Canada.