The North American Aerospace Defense Command will conduct exercise flights today in the skies in the vicinity of Minneapolis and Duluth, Minn., to Fargo.
The flights will take place in the early afternoon, and people may hear and see NORAD fighter aircraft in close proximity with Department of Defense-contracted general aviation aircraft as they practice intercept and identification procedures.
NORAD has conducted exercise flights 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.
Each exercise flight uses a scenario to test NORAD's response, systems and equipment. Scenarios could include counter-drug operations, aircraft in distress, aircraft defecting, hijacking, unknown aircraft, dangerous military activity, temporary flight restriction violation or airborne terrorist.
