PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, COLORADO--(Marketwired - Oct. 20, 2015) - North American Aerospace Defense Command will conduct exercise flights today as they practice intercept and identification procedures. The exercise will occur between Quebec City and Mont-Joli, Quebec, along the Saint Lawrence River, between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. EDT.
Although they are scheduled to begin in the afternoon, the flights could be delayed for 18 hours or cancelled due to weather concerns.
People between Quebec City and Mont-Joli along the Saint Lawrence River may hear and/or see low-flying NORAD-controlled fighter jets in close proximity to a civilian aircraft, which will be taking on the role of aircraft of interest.
In order to test responses, systems and equipment, NORAD continuously conducts exercises with a variety of scenarios, including airspace restriction violations, hijackings and responding to unknown aircraft. All NORAD exercises are carefully planned and closely controlled.
NORAD has conducted exercise flights of this nature throughout Canada and the U.S. since the start of Operation Noble Eagle, the command's response to the terrorist attacks that occurred on Sept. 11, 2001.
NORAD is the bi-national Canadian and American command that provides maritime warning, aerospace warning and aerospace control for Canada and the United States. The command has three subordinate regional headquarters: the Alaskan NORAD Region at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska; the Canadian NORAD Region at Canadian Forces Base Winnipeg, Manitoba; and the Continental NORAD Region at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida.
For more information about NORAD, refer to http://www.norad.mil/
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Contact Information:
North American Aerospace Defense Command
(719) 554-6889
www.norad.mil