Sat, Dec 22, 2012
Fifteen Radar Stations Will Track St. Nick Across The Northern Latitudes
Children around the world know the role the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, plays in tracking Santa's Christmas Eve flight around the world. What many don't know is the role an organization in Alaska plays in ensuring Santa makes his deliveries.
U.S. and Canadian servicemembers of the Alaskan NORAD Region, or ANR, utilize 15 radar stations to monitor Santa as he traverses the airspace around the northern latitudes of North America, a mission ANR has successfully accomplished for 50 years. "One of the things we do to help ensure Santa's safety is to track him and make sure we know where he is in case he needs help," said Lt. Col. John Oberst, 176th Air Control Squadron operations officer, Alaska Air National Guard. "During Santa's flight, we send frequent reports on Santa's position to NORAD headquarters."
Like other regions within NORAD, aircraft are on stand-by at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson to intercept and fly alongside Santa and his reindeer to assist in any way. The aircraft assigned to ANR for this mission are part of the 44th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron based at Kadena Air Base, Japan.
The tradition of NORAD tracking Santa dates back to 1955. According to the noradsanta.org web site, "the tradition began in 1955 after a Colorado Springs-based Sears Roebuck & Co. advertisement misprinted the telephone number for children to call Santa. Instead of reaching Santa, the phone number put kids through to the CONAD Commander-in-Chief's operations 'hotline.' The Director of Operations at the time, Colonel Harry Shoup, had his staff check the radar for indications of Santa making his way south from the North Pole. Children who called were given updates on his location, and a tradition was born."
At ANR, servicemembers look forward to the annual opportunity to ensure Santa's safety. "It's definitely a team effort here at ANR, and we look forward to it each year," added Colonel Oberst. When not tracking Santa, the ANR mission is to continuously provide warning of an aerospace attack within the region and will maintain aerospace control to include peacetime air sovereignty and appropriate aerospace defense measures in response to hostile actions within ANR's area of operation. The Regional Air Operations Center (RAOC) component of ANR is comprised of all Active Guard members, Canadian Component servicemembers, and active duty augmentees.
(Image provided by NORAD)
More News
Option Approach An approach requested and conducted by a pilot which will result in either a touch-and-go, missed approach, low approach, stop-and-go, or full stop landing. Pilots >[...]
"Emirates is already the world's largest Boeing 777 operator, and we are expanding our commitment to the program today with additional orders for 65 Boeing 777-9s. This is a long-t>[...]
(Pilot) Reported That There Was A Sudden And Violent Vibration Throughout The Airplane That Lasted Several Seconds Analysis: The pilot was returning to his home airport at an altit>[...]
“This recognition was evident during the TBMOPA Annual Convention, where owners and operators clearly expressed their satisfaction with our focus on customer service, and enc>[...]
Overhead Maneuver A series of predetermined maneuvers prescribed for aircraft (often in formation) for entry into the visual flight rules (VFR) traffic pattern and to proceed to a >[...]
ANN's Daily Aero-Term (11.19.25): Option Approach
See All