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Press Releases
Press Release | March 12, 2019

NORAD Air Defense Exercise Over Central and Eastern Colorado

NORAD and USNORTHCOM Public Affairs

Peterson AFB, Colo.  –  

North American Aerospace Defense Command will conduct air defense exercise flights over central and eastern Colorado today between 10:00 a.m. and noon MDT.

 

Citizens of Arapahoe, Douglas, El Paso, Elbert, Lincoln, Kiowa and Prowers counties may see NORAD F-16 fighter jets and a general aviation Beechcraft Baron aircraft flying as low as 2,000 feet during this exercise.

 

In order to test responses, systems and equipment, NORAD routinely conducts exercises using a variety of scenarios, including airspace restriction violations, hijackings and responding to unknown aircraft. All NORAD exercises are carefully planned and closely controlled.

 

The defense of North America is NORAD’s top priority. NORAD is on alert around the clock, every day. For 60 years, NORAD aircraft have identified and intercepted potential air threats to North America in the execution of its aerospace warning, aerospace control and maritime warning missions.

 

Operation NOBLE EAGLE is the name given to the military response following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and applies to all air sovereignty and air defense missions in North America. NORAD is a bi-national command focused on the defense of both the U.S. and Canada, the response to potential aerospace threats does not distinguish between the two nations, and draws on forces from both countries.