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NORAD NEWS
News | Aug. 8, 2012

NORAD will conduct exercise flights to test its response capability

By NORAD and USNORTHCOM Public Affairs

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. – The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) will conduct exercise flights on Thursday morning to early afternoon as they practice intercept and identification procedures. Exercise flights will take place near Ontonagon, Michigan and in the southeastern states of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.

Those in the areas between Isle Royale National Park and the Ottawa National Forest, to include Ontonagon, Michigan, may hear and/or see NORAD-controlled fighter jets in close proximity to military or military contracted aircraft, which will be taking on the role of Tracks of Interest (TOI). Those in the areas between Gainesville, Florida and Douglas, Georgia as well as between Douglas, Georgia and Sumter, South Carolina may also hear and/or see NORAD-controlled fighter jets in close proximity to military or military contracted aircraft. These exercises are carefully planned, closely controlled and include exercising NORAD's response to airspace restriction violations, hijackings and responding to unknown aircraft.

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

NORAD is the bi-national Canadian and American command that provides maritime warning, aerospace warning and aerospace defense for Canada and the United States. The command has three subordinate regional headquarters: the Alaskan NORAD Region at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska; the Canadian NORAD Region at Canadian Forces Base Winnipeg, Manitoba; and the Continental NORAD Region at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida.

For further information, please contact NORAD and USNORTHCOM Public Affairs at (719) 554-6889 or visit our Web sites at www.norad.mil or www.northcom.mil