National Defence
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News Release

NORAD Supports Super Bowl XL

NR 2006-01-02 - January 31, 2006

WINNIPEG - The Canadian NORAD Region (CANR) will fly Operation Noble Eagle (ONE) air defense protection missions in the Windsor, Ont./Detroit, Mich. area on Feb. 5 in support of Super Bowl XL at Ford Field.

NORAD is one of the several Canadian and U.S. agencies providing security support to this year's Super Bowl. The security effort includes the FBI, local and state law enforcement, the RCMP, and the U.S. Coast Guard to name just a few. Coordination for the air defense mission requires close cooperation between many organizations, including the Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center, Continental United States NORAD Region, or CONR, Canadian NORAD Region, or CANR, Civil Air Patrol, Air Force and Air National Guard forces, Air Force Flight Standards Agency, Nav Canada, and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.

NORAD is a bi-national Canada U.S. command responsible for the aerospace defense of North America. The mission will involve CF 18s out of Canadian Forces Base Bagotville, Quebec; F 16s out of Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich.; an E-3 Airborne Early Warning and Control System aircraft; and air refuelling tankers.

Enhancing NORAD's capability, the NAV Canada and FAA interior radars feed a comprehensive air picture to defense sectors controlling the air picture, allowing instantaneous communication with relevant agencies.

Since the start of Operation Noble Eagle after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, NORAD regularly conducts missions of this nature throughout Canada and the United States. These ongoing missions are carefully planned and closely controlled to ensure a rapid military response. NORAD aircraft are on alert or conducting irregular patrols throughout the country, seven days a week, 24 hours a day.

As the Canadian geographical component of NORAD, CANR provides airspace surveillance and control, and directs all air sovereignty activities for the Canadian NORAD Region. CANR and its assigned Air Force assets throughout the country ensure air safety and security against potential air threats and have supported special events such as the G-8 Summit and the visits of foreign dignitaries.

Since Sept. 11, 2001, NORAD fighters have responded to more than 2,000 air events in the United States and Canada, and have flown more than 40,000 sorties, or flights, in support of ONE.

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For additional information, contact Capt. Jennifer Faubert, Canadian NORAD Region Public Affairs Officer at (613) 965-2041 or NORAD Public Affairs at (613) 391-5233.

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