Air National Guard fighter jets respond quickly to stray aircraft
WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- The military's actions when a small private plane strayed into the no-fly zone over the nation’s capital area May 11 were "just a normal response" that demonstrates the Air National Guard continues to be "ready to respond at a moment's notice," a member of the unit involved said.
(I-Newswire) - Airmen from the District of Columbia Air National Guard's 121st Fighter Squadron scrambled at noon to intercept the stray Cessna aircraft after it violated airspace restrictions. The incident sparked evacuations at the White House and Capitol.
Two F-16 Fighting Falcons took off from Andrews Air Force Base, Md. The Guardsmen approached the aircraft and used short-wave radios to signal its pilot, said Master Sgt. Arthur Powell, 113th Wing spokesman.
The fighter jets fired four warning flares to get the pilot's attention, then escorted the aircraft out of restricted airspace to a local airport in nearby Frederick, Md., according to a statement issued by North American Aerospace Defense Command.
White House spokesman Scott McClellan said that a Black Hawk helicopter assigned to the Department of Homeland Security also escorted the plane.
After the mission, the F-16s returned to Andrews, NORAD officials said.
The aircraft came within three miles of the White House before turning west, Mr. McClellan said. The threat level at the White House was raised to red -- the highest level -- at 12:03 p.m., before the interception was successful, he said.
By 12:11 p.m., the threat level returned to yellow, and the "all clear" was issued three minutes later, he said.
Sergeant Powell called the interception mission "a standard response" to threats against the U.S. capital.
He said aircraft occasionally stray into the no-fly zone over the national capital area, particularly during sunny days.
The 113th Wing, which includes the 121st Fighter Squadron, has served on rotational duty supporting Operation Noble Eagle since shortly after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Sergeant Powell said.
"This is one reason the D.C. area should feel secure," he said. "( Today’s reaction ) shows we're ready to respond at a moment's notice."
by Donna Miles American Forces Press Service
If you have questions regarding information in this press release contact the company listed below. I-Newswire.com is a press release service and not the author of this press release. The information that is on or available through this site is for informational purposes only and speaks only as of the particular date or dates of that information. As some companies / PR Agencies submit their press releases once per week/month or quarter, make sure check the official company website for accurate release dates as our site displays the I-Newswire.com distribution date only. We do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of information on or available through this site, and we are not responsible for inaccuracies or omissions in that information or for actions taken in reliance on that information.
Immerse yourself in mystery and magic with two exciting new casual games from Focus Multimedia and Big Fish Games Studios, one of the world’s leading casual game developers. Hidden Expedition Titanic and Azada join Focus’ popular Revival range of super-budget price games and are available in a store near you.
Edraw Max enables students, teachers and business professionals to reliably create and publish kinds of diagrams to represent any ideas. With large pre-drawn libraries and more than 4600 vector symbols, drawing couldn't be easier!
New range of cards launched to make you the cover star.Hallmark Cards in partnership with OK Magazine has launched an exclusive and exciting new range of greeting cards that gives people the chance to give family and friends the A-List treatment.
Many people choose not to pursue an accident claim. The reasons range from knowing the insurance company will settle; to they don't want the legal hassles and expense.
Many individuals and businesses have always purchased their personal computers from a well-known provider to pre-conceived specifications. Increasingly...
The effectiveness of SEO and PPC Services are directly related to the quality and quantity of the performance data that they have to work with. If you are seeking assistance in achieving a higher ranking on search engine results, then we suggest you visit RankYourWebsites.com, specialist in this area. If you have found your attempts at optimization to prove fruitless, the representatives at RankYourWebsites.com will have a solution to increase your traffic.
http://www.vineyardsforsalein.com/ - online island vineyard for sale, vineyard for sale paso, texas vineyard for sale, washington vineyard for sale, tuscany vineyard for sale, vineyard for sale santa, vineyard for sale California
Mark Flanagan, Managing Director of Manchester health and safety, food safety and fire safety consultancy, Shieldyourself, discussed the Scores on the Doors scheme when he made a guest appearance on the BBC’s 5 Live Radio Show recently.
