Helping NORAD Fighters Train To Protect The Super Bowl

Members of the Arizona Wing took to the skies Thursday, 10 days before Super Bowl XLIX, as part of a Continental U.S. region of NORAD air-defense exercise preparing fighters to protect the airspace around Phoenix’s University of Phoenix Stadium, site of the football championship game.

The air-defense exercise is set for Thursday morning, terminating around 1330 PST, to allow inter-agency partners to practice airspace violation procedures. The exercise consists of a series of training flights conducted in coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration, Customs and Border Protection and CONR’s Western Air Defense Sector, along with the Civil Air Patrol.

Three Civil Air Patrol aircrews were involved, with two planes serving as intercept target aircraft for an F-16 fighter from the 162nd Fighter Wing, based at Tucson International Airport. Another plane flew “high bird,” handling communications from the ground and other aircraft.

The Arizona CAP aircrew is trained to simulate either threat or duress flights that inadvertently or purposely enter into restricted airspace, warranting the scramble of, and resultant intercept by, the U.S. Air Force fighter aircraft.

First Air Force/CONR officials have conducted exercise flights of this nature throughout the U.S. since the start of Operation Noble Eagle, the command’s response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

(File image from previous training exercise)

FMI: www.gocivilairpatrol.com