Kids & Family

Low-Flying Planes Part of NORAD Exercise

Don't be alarmed if you hear low-flying airplanes

North American Aerospace Defense Command and its geographical component, the Continental United States NORAD Region (CONR), will conduct training exercises in Washington D.C.-area skies beginning Monday night.

NORAD said the exercise, Falcon Virgo 12-09, is scheduled for two days barring inclement weather. The flights in the Washington, D.C. area are scheduled to take place between 11 p.m. on Monday and 5:30 a.m. Tuesday. Training will take up the same time frame on Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.

“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 Joint Air Defense Operations Center. Civil Air Patrol aircraft, Air Force F-16s, and a U.S. Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin helicopter will participate in the exercise,” said NORAD.

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According to NORAD, since Sept. 11, 2001, CONR fighters have responded to more than 3,400 possible air threats in the United States and have flown more than 59,000 sorties with the support of Airborne Warning and Control System and air-to-air-refueling aircraft. 


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