VANCOUVER, B.C. – Fighter jets from the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) will be conducting training over Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland during the week of November 2-6 in support of security preparations for the 2010 Winter Olympics.
CF-18 Hornets may be seen escorting a contracted civilian Westwind aircraft (which resembles a Learjet) as part of Exercise GOLD, the third and final element of the 2010 Olympic Integrated Exercise Program, which is designed to confirm that federal, provincial, regional and municipal organizations are prepared to respond in a coordinated manner to any emergency that may occur during the 2010 Winter Games. The training is also being done in conjunction with Exercise VIGILANT SHIELD 10, an annual NORAD and U.S. Northern Command exercise.
The training is designed to hone NORAD's intercept and identification operations, and is part of NORAD’s training to support the RCMP-led security operations for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
The Vancouver 2010 Integrated Security Unit (V2010 ISU) is responsible for the overall safety and security of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Training such as this is conducted in close coordination with the V2010 ISU and other safety and security partners.
NORAD is a bi-national United States and Canadian organization charged with the missions of aerospace warning and aerospace control for North America.