PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. - The North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command annual Homeland Defense exercise is scheduled for Nov. 1-10.
VIGILANT SHIELD 12 is a joint exercise supported by the Joint Coalition Warfare Center and conducted as a command post exercise with a supporting field training exercise in Key West. It’s linked to the Canada Command exercise DETERMINED DRAGON, and runs concurrently with exercise VIGILANT GUARD Arizona.
The overall exercise scenario for VS 12 is based on potential threats to the U.S. and Canada that require extensive military planning to support national objectives and provide multiple military options to the national leadership.
VIGILANT GUARD Arizona is a joint regional exercise sponsored by USNORTHCOM in conjunction with the National Guard Bureau. VG Arizona is designed to improve military processes, procedures and coordination with state and local responders. A primary objective for USNORTHCOM in this exercise is to practice dual status command where an Arizona National Guard officer will assume command over both the National Guard and active-duty forces in Arizona.
USNORTHCOM will also send a Joint Deployable Integrated Air and Missile Defense system and elements of a logistics support facility to Naval Air Station Key West to participate in the VS 12 Field Training Exercise. The event will include Navy ships, Army ground-based radar and missile systems, and Air Force, Coast Guard and Navy aircraft. A primary objective for this exercise is to have air, land and sea forces coordinate their activities to provide a comprehensive, robust aerospace defense capability against multiple threat scenarios at a forward deployed location.
