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Press Releases
Press Release | June 16, 2014

NORAD jets intercept general aviation aircraft over California

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. – Fighter jets under the control of the North American Aerospace Defense Command intercepted multiple general aviation aircraft in the Temporary Flight Restricted area over Palm Springs, Calif., during the past weekend, June 14-16, 2014.

*             On Saturday, June 14, at approximately 10 a.m. EDT, an F-16 fighter based at Davis Monthan AFB in Tucson, AZ intercepted a general aviation aircraft that was out of communication in the TFR.  The aircraft exited the TFR on its own;

*             On Sunday, June 15, at approximately 1 p.m. EDT, an F-15 fighter based out of Portland, OR intercepted a general aviation aircraft that was out of communication in the TFR.  The aircraft re-established communications and exited the TFR on its own;

*             On Sunday, June 15, at approximately 3:45 p.m. EDT, an F-15 fighter based out of Portland, OR intercepted a general aviation aircraft that was out of communication in the TFR.  The aircraft re-established communications and exited the TFR on its own;

*             On Sunday, June 15, at approximately 9 p.m. EDT, an F-15 fighter based out of Portland, OR intercepted a general aviation aircraft that was out of communication in the TFR.  The aircraft re-established communications and exited the TFR on its own; and

*             On Monday, June 16, at approximately 8:30 a.m. EDT, an F-16 fighter based at Davis Monthan AFB in Tucson, AZ intercepted a general aviation aircraft that was out of communication in the TFR.  The aircraft re-established communications and exited the TFR on its own.

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.

As one of NORAD's critical airspace security partners, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) provides air traffic services for NORAD to safely and effectively perform its mission and to minimize the impacts on normal air traffic operations.

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.