Defending D.C.:NORAD Announces Overnight Exercise

NORAD,the North American Aerospace Defense Command,and its geographical component,CONR,the Continental US NORAD Region,will be holding training flights over the Washington,D.C. area overnight Tuesday into Wednesday from 12 am until 2 am,in support of Operation Noble Eagle,the air defence operation instituted following 9-11.Such exercises are held periodically to hone NORAD's intercept and identification operations and operationally test the National Capital Region Visual Warning System and train Joint Air Defense Operations Center (JADOC) personnel;they also ensure CONR's rapid response capability.Besides the US Air Force,the drills will include the US Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter;Civil Air Patrol aircraft;and the participation of the FAA and the National Capital Region Command Center.The Coast Guard conducts armed helicopter overwatch as part of its counterterrorism mission.*
CONR is based at Tyndall Air Force Base,Florda,and directs both the Western Air Defense Sector (WADS) at McChord Air Force Base in Washington state and the Eastern Air Defense Sector (EADS) based in Rome,New York.CONR's principal weapons systems are the F-15 Eagle and the F-16 Fighting Falcon provided by the 10 Air National Guard fighter wings of First Air Force.CONR's assets also include the US Army 2nd Battalion 263rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington,D.C.,where the JADOC is also located.Typically a number of Canadian Forces personnel are detailed to CONR as well.*
Since 9-11,CONR's fighter aircraft have responded to more than 5,000 possible air threats in the US and flown more than 62,500 sorties supported by Airborne Warning and Control (AWACS) and air to air refueling aircraft.
EADS counters all threats with vigilant detection,rapid warning and precise tactical control of NORAD and NORTHCOM forces,with its vision being to detect and defeat the next air attack on America.*
The highly integrated air defence system of NORAD allows us to identify,track,and if necessary,engage both external and internal aerospace threats,said NORAD and US Northern Command (NORTHCOM) Commander Admiral William Gortney,US Navy.NORAD adds aerospace warning,aerospace control and worldwide maritime warning in the defence of North America.NORAD's Deputy Commander and Commander,Canadian Element is Lieutenant-General Pierre St.-Amand,CMM,CD.

Special Report:NORAD Announces Test Flights Over DC Area

NORAD,the North American Aerospace Defense Command,has alerted the public that it will conduct a series of test flights over the Washington,DC area between 11pm and 5:30am on Monday and Tuesday nights,June 18-20.The exercises will be coordinated with the Federal Aviation Administration and other authorities.F-16 Fighting Falcon interceptors,as well as a U.S. Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin helicopter and civilian aircraft,will be participating in the drill.According to NORAD,the flights are a test of interception and identification operations,as well as a certification process for new command and control personnel.Since the 9-11 attacks,NORAD has been routinely patrolling the skies over New York,Washington and other big U.S. cities,as well as over Camp David,the presidential retreat in Maryland's Catoctin Mountain Park.The U.S. Coast Guard contributes heavily armed helicopters to Washington,DC's security.NORAD is the binational U.S.-Canadian military organisation that ensures the sovereignty of the continental airspace.