TYNDALL AIR FORCE
BASE, Fla. – The North American
Aerospace Defense Command and its geographical component, the Continental
United States NORAD Region (CONR), will conduct exercise Falcon Virgo 14-02
Monday night and into Tuesday morning in the National Capital Region,
Washington, D.C. Flights are scheduled to take place between midnight and 2
a.m. (EST).
The exercise is comprised of a series of
training flights held in coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration,
the National Capital Region (NCR) Coordination Center, the Joint Air Defense
Operations Center (JADOC), Civil Air Patrol, U.S. Coast Guard and CONR’s
Eastern Air Defense Sector.
Exercise Falcon Virgo is designed to hone
NORAD’s intercept and identification operations as well as operationally test
the NCR Visual Warning System and certify newly assigned Command and Control
personnel at the JADOC. Civil Air Patrol aircraft and a U.S. Coast Guard MH-65
Dolphin helicopter will participate in the exercise.
These exercises are carefully planned and
closely controlled to ensure CONR’s rapid response capability. NORAD has
conducted exercise flights of this nature throughout the U.S. and Canada since
the start of Operation Noble Eagle, the command’s response to the terrorist
attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.
In the event of
inclement weather, the exercise will take place the following evening. If bad
weather continues, officials will then make a decision to postpone or cancel
the exercise.
As the
Continental United States geographical component of the bi-national command
NORAD, CONR provides airspace surveillance and control, and directs air
sovereignty activities for the CONUS region. CONR and its assigned Air
Force and Army assets throughout the country ensure air safety and security
against potential air threats.
Since Sept. 11, 2001, CONR fighters have
responded to more than 5,000 possible air threats in the United States and have
flown more than 62,500 sorties with the support of Airborne Warning and Control
System and air-to-air-refueling aircraft.