Exercise to Test Aerospace Response Over Washington

American Forces Press Service ^ | Jim Garamone

[SandRat]

WASHINGTON, May 13, 2009 – The North American Aerospace Defense Command will conduct an exercise over the nation’s capital and its suburbs May 15, Defense Department officials said today.

Exercise Falcon Virgo tests the aerospace defense of the national capital area.

Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon jets, Coast Guard Dolphin choppers and Civil Air Patrol Cessnas will participate in the exercise. A number of Falcon Virgo exercises have taken place since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, officials said. The most recent one over Washington was in March.

“The exercise is always held in the middle of the night to not interfere with civilian air traffic,” Pentagon spokeswoman Air Force Lt. Col. Almarah Belk said. “The aircraft involved follow all noise abatement procedures.”

The exercise is in coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Capital Region Command Center, the Joint Air Defense Operations Center, the Continental U.S. NORAD Region, the Civil Air Patrol and the Coast Guard.

Residents in the area can expect flights to occur shortly after midnight and into the early morning hours May 15. The exercise should wrap up during the morning. In the event of inclement weather, it will be cancelled.

Related Sites:
North American Aerospace Defense Command

[max americana]

Does Obeyme want another Photoshop moment?

[ArtyFO]

What a freakin idiot! Now the blacks of DC won’t be able to get any sleep cause jets will be buzzing their homes after midnight. Oh! That’s right, midnight basketball during that time.

[Right Wing Assault]

Why don’t the do it at 10 in the morning and not tell anybody about it? Damn, that would be fun for obie, too, just like when they did it in NYC! He could ride in one of the planes and watch the people scatter like ants. And they could take pictures of him chuckling, since he doesn’t laugh at such things.

[GAB-1955]

Uh... unlike New York, most Washingtonians are used to seeing military aircraft flying around, and the south side and west side are next to a major airport. Panic we don’t, not even during 9/11. I was there, I know.

[Right Wing Assault]

Well, they have airports and jetliners flying around NYC all the time too. They didn’t panic either until the planes smashed into the towers. Seeing two planes hit, people jumping out of the towers, the towers collapsing, and 3000 people dying tends to leave a stronger image than the Pentagon being hit.

I think if they ran a surprise simulated military combat in broad daylight, you might see just a little bit of panic in DC, too.

[GAB-1955]

No, you don’t. It’s been done before here many times.

[Right Wing Assault]

If so, I hope if something really happens, people notice it.