Don’t be alarmed if you see multiple fighter jets soaring above the skies today.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is poised to conduct a training exercise over southern British Columbia, encompassing Vancouver Island, between 1 and 3 p.m. today, Wednesday September 20th.
This operation will involve NORAD CF-18 Hornet fighter jets collaborating with the Canadian Air Defense Sector at 22 Wing North Bay, Ontario, and civilian air traffic control in the Vancouver area to rehearse response procedures.
While these aircraft will predominantly operate at elevated altitudes, there may be instances where they are visible to the general public, affording bystanders the opportunity to observe the interception or escorting of military and civilian-like aircraft by CF-18 Hornets.
The training will primarily transpire along the southeastern coastline of Vancouver Island and to the south of Williams Lake.
To put responses, systems, and gear to the test, NORAD frequently runs air defense drills with a mix of scenarios, like violations of airspace rules, hijacking situations, and dealing with unidentified aircraft.
Every NORAD exercise gets a lot of planning and close monitoring, and this specific training was coordinated with NAV Canada.
Protecting Canada and the United States is NORAD’s number one concern. They call it Operation NOBLE EAGLE, and it’s all about keeping the skies safe and secure in North America.
For the past 65 years, NORAD’s planes have been on the lookout for potential airborne threats, intercepting them as part of their aerospace warning and control missions.
