PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. – Two F-16 fighters under
the direction of North American Aerospace Defense Command intercepted a general
aviation aircraft that was out of communications in the Temporary Flight
Restriction Zone over Los Angeles, Calif, at approximately 11:40 a.m. PDT this
morning.
Once the Cessna 172 aircraft was intercepted and departed
the Temporary Flight Restricted Zone, the aircraft was allowed to continue. The
pilot was directed to contact the Federal Aviation Administration for further
direction.
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.
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.