NORAD Headquarters Colorado Springs, Colo. - The men and women of NORAD will mark the second anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 with unrelenting vigilance.
Since 9/11, NORAD has scrambled fighters or diverted air patrols more than 1,500 times to respond to possible air threats, and have combined with AWACs and air-to-air refueling tankers to fly more than 31,000 sorties.
"We will win this Global War on Terrorism," said General Ed Eberhart, NORAD's commander. "The skies are safer now, and we are always looking for ways to make them even safer. Securing the skies to ensure the safety of the American and Canadian public is our top priority."
NORAD is a bi-national Canadian and American command that is responsible for the air defense of North America. NORAD has jet fighters on alert throughout North America, supported by air-to-air refueling tankers, airborne and ground-based radar, surveillance systems and satellites.
NORAD officially began operations on 12 May 1958 to defend the airspace of the United States and Canada from long-range Soviet bombers. NORAD's mission continues to evolve to protect the citizens of the United States and Canada.