Falcon Virgo Explained

Falcon Virgo is a series of exercises designed to test airspace security, especially around major American cities like New York City and Washington, D.C. They involve both regular military fighter aircraft and air operations centers (to include Air Force Reserve Command and Air National Guard) and Civil Air Patrol forces.

Description

The exercises comprise a series of training flights held in coordination with the United States Northern Command / North American Air Defense Command (USNORTHCOM / NORAD), First Air Force (1 AF), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the National Capital Region Command Center (NCRCC), the Joint Air Defense Operations Center (JADOC), the Continental US NORAD Region (CONR), the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), the U.S. Coast Guard and the CONR's various Air Defense Sectors.[1]

One of the exercises implied the pilots from the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) who orchestrated fake aerial attacks on US cities, such as New York City and Washington DC, to stress-test Air Force and the Coast Guards.[2]

The exercises are planned and controlled to ensure NORAD'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 11 September 2001.[3] [4]

Exercises

References

  1. News: NORAD exercise planned for Washington D.C.. https://web.archive.org/web/20071214134209/http://www.norad.mil/News/2007/121107.html. dead. 14 December 2007. 11 December 2007. NORAD News. 19 July 2018.
  2. News: Civilian Pilots Provide Target Practice. Sheridan. Mary Beth. 17 January 2017. Washington Post. 19 July 2018.
  3. Web site: North American Aerospace Defense Command . 2008-06-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080416234035/http://www.norad.mil/News/2007/121107.html . 2008-04-16 . dead .
  4. Web site: USNORTHCOM Public Affairs. United States Northern Command. United States Northern Command. NORAD exercise planned for Washington, D.C.. NORAD News. North American Aerospace Defense Command. 20 October 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20121006185214/http://www.norad.mil/News/2012/090412.html. 6 October 2012. 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..
  5. News: Falcon Virgo. 13 May 2009. Inside Defense. 19 July 2018.
  6. Web site: Falcon Virgo Returns to Washington. Aid. Matthew. 11 April 2012. matthewaid.com. 19 July 2018.
  7. News: NORAD Tries to Detect Gyrocopters in D.C.. Sisk. Richard. 23 August 2015. Military.com. 19 July 2018.

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