President Obama Was Campaigning For Senator Harry Reid

Two private aircraft were intercepted by NORAD fighters in the VIP TFR covering much of the Las Vegas area on Friday during a visit by President Barack Obama. The President was in the city to campaign for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who is up for re-election this fall.

The fighters, on station to enforce the TFR, intercepted the first aircraft, a Cessna 210, at approximately 0705 PDT and the other single engine general aviation aircraft at approximately 0734 PDT. The Cessna landed at the North Las Vegas Airport where it was met by local authorities and the second aircraft landed in Mesquite, Nevada where it was met by authorities.

NORAD's mission – in close collaboration with homeland defense, security, and law enforcement partners – is to prevent air attacks against North America, safeguard the sovereign airspaces of the United States and Canada by responding to unknown, unwanted and unauthorized air activity approaching and operating within these airspaces, and provide aerospace and maritime warning for North America. NORAD may be required to monitor, shadow, divert from flight path, direct to land and/or destroy platforms deemed a potential threat to North America.

NORAD is the bi-national Canadian and American command that is responsible for the air defense of North America and maritime warning.

FMI: www.norad.mil