NORAD AIR DEFENSE EXERCISE PLANNED FOR NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, CO, UNITED STATES

06.17.2019

Courtesy Story

North American Aerospace Defense Command

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. – North American Aerospace Defense Command will conduct air defense exercise Falcon Virgo Wednesday, June 19, in the National Capital Region with flights scheduled between midnight and 2:30 a.m. eastern.

NORAD tasked U.S. Air Force F-16 aircraft, U.S. Coast Guard MH-65D Dolphin helicopter and Civil Air Patrol Cessna 182T aircraft will participate in Falcon Virgo. Portions of the exercise could involve flights at approximately 2,500 feet and may be visible from the ground. If weather prevents regularly scheduled flights, the exercise will commence on Friday, June 21.

NORAD routinely conducts exercises with a variety of scenarios, including airspace restriction violations, hijackings and responses to unknown aircraft. All NORAD exercises are carefully planned and closely controlled.
Falcon Virgo is a recurring exercise in support of Operation NOBLE EAGLE, which places emphasis on the surveillance and control of airspace over Canada and the United States. The defense of North America is NORAD's top priority and we are on alert around the clock, every day. For more than 60 years, NORAD aircraft have identified and intercepted potential air threats to North America in the execution of its aerospace warning and aerospace control missions, and maintain a watchful eye over Canadian and U.S. internal waterways and maritime approaches under its maritime warning mission.

-30-

NOTE TO EDITORS: For further information, please contact NORAD Public Affairs at [phone] or visit our website at http://www.norad.mil
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter at http://www.facebook.com/NORADCommand and http://www.twitter.com/NORADCommand

• Date Taken: 06.17.2019
• Date Posted: 06.17.2019 13:40
• Story ID: 327919
• Location: PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, CO, US