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 14-04 Wednesday
night and into Thursday morning in the National Capital Region, Washington,
D.C. Flights are scheduled between midnight and 2 a.m. (EST).
The exercise is
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.
Due to
inclement weather, this exercise was postponed from the original date. If
inclement weather continues, the exercise will take place the following
evening. If bad
weather persists, officials will then make a decision to postpone or cancel the
exercise.
Exercise Falcon
Virgo is designed to hone NORAD’s intercept and identification operations and operationally
test the NCR Visual Warning System to certify newly assigned Command and Control personnel
at the JADOC. Civil Air Patrol aircraft, Air Force F-16s 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 and provide the opportunity to practice procedures for responding to
airspace violations prior to special security events.
CONR
provides air defense for several special security events throughout the year,
including the State of the Union Address, the Super Bowl, United Nations
General Assemblies, and other events as required.
NORAD conducts 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 occur the
following evening. If bad weather continues, officials will decide 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.