NORAD to Conduct Exercises Over DC Area Tuesday Morning

Wondering what that sound is up in the air this morning? North American Aerospace Defense Command will conduct exercise flights today as they practice intercept and identification procedures, according to a news release. The exercise will occur over the National Capital Region between 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. EDT.

Although they are scheduled for the morning, the flights could be delayed or cancelled due to weather concerns.

The flights are scheduled to take place either in or around Washington, D.C. and the area encompassing Charlottesville, Frederick, Md., and Mechanicsville, Va. People in this area may hear and/or see low-flying NORAD-controlled helicopters in close proximity to a military or military contracted aircraft, which will be taking on the role of aircraft of interest.

In order to test responses, systems and equipment, NORAD continuously conducts exercises with a variety of scenarios, including airspace restriction violations, hijackings and responding to unknown aircraft. All NORAD exercises are carefully planned and closely controlled.

NORAD has conducted exercise flights of this nature throughout Canada and the U.S. since the start of Operation Noble Eagle, the command’s response to the terrorist attacks that occurred on Sept. 11, 2001.

NORAD is the bi-national Canadian and American command that provides maritime warning, aerospace warning and aerospace control for Canada and the United States. The command has three subordinate regional headquarters: the Alaskan NORAD Region at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska; the Canadian NORAD Region at Canadian Forces Base Winnipeg, Manitoba; and the Continental NORAD Region at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.

For more information about NORAD, refer to http://www.norad.mil/Home.html.

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For more information about NORAD intercept procedures, refer to the FAA website at https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/aim/aim0506.html

PHOTO courtesy of NORAD; photo of F-16 by 1st Lt. Christopher Hoskins