The North American Aerospace Defense Command and its geographical component, the Continental United States NORAD Region, will conduct exercise Falcon Virgo 17-04 Tuesday night into Wednesday morning in the National Capital Region, Washington, D.C., with flights scheduled to take
place between approximately midnight and 2:30 a.m. (EST).
In the event of inclement weather, the exercise will take place the following morning. If bad weather continues, officials will then make a decision to postpone or cancel the exercise.
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, and the Eastern Air Defense Sector.
Exercise Falcon Virgo is designed to hone NORAD’s intercept and identification operations as well as operationally test the NCR Visual Warning System and training personnel at the JADOC. U.S. Air Force F-16 and C-21 aircraft, Civil Air Patrol C-182 aircraft, and a U.S. Coast Guard MH-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.
As the continental United States geographical component of the bi-national command NORAD, CONR provides airspace surveillance and control, and directs air sovereignty activities for the CONUS region. CONR and its assigned Air Force and Army assets throughout the country ensure air safety and security against potential air threats.
Since Sept. 11, 2001, CONR fighters have responded to more than 5,000 possible air threats in the United States and have flown approximately 68,000 sorties with the support of Airborne Warning and Control System and air-to-air-refueling aircraft.
