[Scan-DC] NORAD exercise planned for Washington D.C.

[Alan Henney]

-----Original Message----- 
Sent: Friday, January 20, 2006 10:57 AM
Subject: NORAD exercise planned for Washington D.C.



Release No.01-01-06
January 20, 2006

NORAD exercise planned for Washington D.C.

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo.   The Continental United States NORAD
Region (CONR) will conduct Exercise Falcon Virgo 06-04 in the National
Capital Region (Washington, D.C.) January 22-23. The exercise
comprises a series of training flights conducted in coordination with
the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Capital Region
Command Center, the Joint Air Defense Operations Center, the Civil Air
Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Air Force Flight
Standards Agency, and the Northeast Air Defense Sector at Rome, N.Y.

Exercise Falcon Virgo 06-04 is designed to test intercept and
identification operations. It will involve multiple Cessna aircraft,
Learjets (C-21 and Citation 550), F-16 fighter aircraft out Andrews
AFB, and an H-60 Blackhawk helicopter all flying at low altitudes
along the Potomac River and around Washington, D.C., late night Sunday
and early morning Monday. In the event of inclement weather, the
exercise will roll over until training requirements are met.

NORAD has conducted exercises of this nature throughout the United
States and Canada since the start of Operation Noble Eagle started
after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. These ongoing exercises
are carefully planned and closely controlled to ensure NORAD's rapid
response capability.

As the continental United States (CONUS) geographical component of the
bi-national North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), CONR
provides airspace surveillance and control and directs all air
sovereignty activities for the CONUS. CONR and its assigned U.S. Air
Force forces throughout the country ensure air safety and security
against potential air threats and have supported special events, such
as the G-8 Summit, the Republican and Democratic National Conventions,
the State of the Union Address, and the Super Bowl.

Since Sept. 11, 2001, NORAD fighters have responded to more than 2,000
possible air threats in the United States, Canada and Alaska and have
flown more than 40,000 sorties with the support of Airborne Warning
and Control System and air-to-air-refueling aircraft.

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