Overflights Planned To Begin Midnight Tuesday

The North American Aerospace Defense Command and its geographical component, the Continental United States NORAD Region (CONR), will conduct a three-day exercise -- Falcon Virgo 11-04 -- beginning about midnight Tuesday in the National Capital Region, Washington, D.C.

The exercise is comprised of a series of training flights held in coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Capital Region Coordination Center, the Joint Air Defense Operations Center, Civil Air Patrol, U.S. Coast Guard and CONR’s Eastern and Western Air Defense Sectors. Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s flights are scheduled to take place between 2330 and 0530 EST. Thursday’s flights are scheduled to take place between 2330 and 0130 EST.

Exercise Falcon Virgo is designed to hone NORAD’s intercept and identification operations as well as operationally test the NCR Visual Warning System. Civil Air Patrol aircraft, Air Force F-16’s and a Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin helicopter will participate in the exercise. These exercises are carefully planned and closely controlled to ensure CONR’s rapid response capability. NORAD has conducted exercise flights of this nature throughout the U.S. and Canada since the start of Operation Noble Eagle, the command’s response to the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

In the event of inclement weather, the exercise will take place the next day, until all training requirements are met. If bad weather continues, officials will then make a decision to postpone or cancel the exercise.

FMI: www.norad.mil