148th Fighter Wing F-16s depart in support of Amalgam Dart 21-02 [Image 5 of 5]

DULUTH, MINNESOTA, UNITED STATES

03.19.2021

Photo by Audra Flanagan 

North American Aerospace Defense Command

Aircraft maintenance personnel from the 148th Fighter Wing, Minnesota National Guard perform end of runway checks on F-16 fighter aircraft prior to take off from the Duluth Air National Guard Base in preparation for the North American Aerospace Defense Command's Arctic air defense exercise, Amalgam Dart 21-02, March 20, 2021.  The 148th Fighter Wing will provide Airmen and F-16 fighter aircraft in support of Amalgam Dart 21-02.  The exercise will run from March 20-26 and range from the Beaufort Sea to Thule, Greenland and extend south down the Eastern Atlantic to the U.S. coast of Maine.  Amalgam Dart 21-02 provides NORAD the opportunity to hone homeland defense skills as Canadian, U.S., and NATO forces operate together in the Arctic.  A bi-national Canadian and American command, NORAD employs network space-based, aerial and ground based sensors, air-to-air refueling tankers, and fighter aircraft controlled by a sophisticated command and control network to deter, detect and defend against aerial threats that originate outside or within North American airspace.  NATO E-3 Early Warning Aircraft, Royal Canadian Air Force CF-18 fighter aircraft, CP-140 long-range patrol aircraft, CC-130 search and rescue and tactical aircraft, and a CC-150T air refueler; as well as U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter aircraft, KC-10 Extender refueler, KC-146 Pegasus, KC-135 Stratotanker, as well as C-130 and C-17 transport aircraft will participate in the exercise.  (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Audra Flanagan)

• Date Taken: 03.19.2021
• Date Posted: 03.20.2021 14:16
• Photo ID: 6564846
• VIRIN: 210320-Z-BQ052-0021
• Resolution: 8256x5504
• Size: 12.45 MB
• Location: DULUTH, MINNESOTA, US