July 13, 2016 –
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla – North American Aerospace Defense Command and its geographical component, the Continental United States NORAD Region, will conduct exercise Falcon Virgo 16-RNC Thursday morning in the Cleveland area. The flights are scheduled to take place between 10:00 and 11:00 a.m. (EDT).
In the event of inclemen weather, the exercise will be cancelled.
The exercise is comprised of a series of training flights held in coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration, CONR and the Eastern Air Defense Sector.
Exercise Falcon Virgo is designed to hone NORAD’s intercept and identification operations. Civil Air Patrol aircraft and a United States Air Force C-21 and F-16 aircraft will participate in the exercise.
These exercises are carefully planned and closely controlled to ensure the Continental U.S. NORAD Region's rapid response capability.
The Continental U.S. NORAD Region has conducted exercise flights of this nature throughout the U.S. since the start of Operation Noble Eagle, the command's
response to the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.
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 approximately 68,000 sorties with the support of Airborne Warning and Control System and air-to-air-refueling aircraft.