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Twin Hijacking Exercise Tests U.S.
Josey1
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Twin Hijacking Exercise Tests U.S.
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AP Top News at 7 a.m. EDT
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By NICK WADHAMS
Associated Press Writer
June 4, 2002, 2:04 PM EDT
DENVER -- Two jets packed with people took off from airports in the West on Tuesday in a twin hijacking drill designed to improve coordination among American and Canadian agencies.
Fighter jets from the North American Aerospace Defense Command scrambled to respond to the simulated hijackings, and were to run through several scenarios, including one that involved shooting down the planes.
"We're prepared to do it, trained to do it, and ready to do it, but we'd much rather it be the source of last resort," said Marine Maj. Mike Snyder, a NORAD spokesman. "But make no mistake we're ready to do it."
The scenario was planned before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, but Snyder said the events that day helped officials fine-tune the exercise.
The exercise, involving over 1,500 personnel from the United States and Canada, began at about 7 a.m.
One plane, a Delta Air Lines 757, took off from Salt Lake City and was headed to Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage, Alaska. The other was a Navy C-9 airlifter, acting as another airliner. It traveled from Whidbey Island Naval Air Station at Oak Harbor, Wash., to Vancouver International Airport.
Both were packed with military personnel pretending to be civilians. NORAD planned to run through a number of scenarios that would end with the planes landing. Once that occurred, law enforcement officers on the ground were to run through scenarios for dealing with the hijackers.
Such training exercises are held annually. Last year's exercise involved testing defenses against a cruise missile terrorist attack on the Florida Panhandle.
Since Sept. 11, NORAD has flown 22,000 sorties to watch the skies for hijackers and other threats, and fighter jets have responded more than 300 times when a plane raised suspicions -- in many cases because the aircraft was off course or did not identify itself.
"NORAD is very well-trained and exercised regarding this particular scenario," Snyder said.
Among the agencies involved in Tuesday's one-day exercise were the FBI, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the new Transportation Security Administration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Aviation Administration.
* __
On the Net:
NORAD: http://www.norad.mil
Copyright c 2002, The Associated Press
"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
Email this story
Printer friendly format
Top Stories
AP Top News at 7 a.m. EDT
Suharto's Son Denies He Was a Fugitive
Nepal's King Wants End to Rebellion
Serb Police Arrest War Crimes Suspect
India Proposes Joint Border Patrol
By NICK WADHAMS
Associated Press Writer
June 4, 2002, 2:04 PM EDT
DENVER -- Two jets packed with people took off from airports in the West on Tuesday in a twin hijacking drill designed to improve coordination among American and Canadian agencies.
Fighter jets from the North American Aerospace Defense Command scrambled to respond to the simulated hijackings, and were to run through several scenarios, including one that involved shooting down the planes.
"We're prepared to do it, trained to do it, and ready to do it, but we'd much rather it be the source of last resort," said Marine Maj. Mike Snyder, a NORAD spokesman. "But make no mistake we're ready to do it."
The scenario was planned before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, but Snyder said the events that day helped officials fine-tune the exercise.
The exercise, involving over 1,500 personnel from the United States and Canada, began at about 7 a.m.
One plane, a Delta Air Lines 757, took off from Salt Lake City and was headed to Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage, Alaska. The other was a Navy C-9 airlifter, acting as another airliner. It traveled from Whidbey Island Naval Air Station at Oak Harbor, Wash., to Vancouver International Airport.
Both were packed with military personnel pretending to be civilians. NORAD planned to run through a number of scenarios that would end with the planes landing. Once that occurred, law enforcement officers on the ground were to run through scenarios for dealing with the hijackers.
Such training exercises are held annually. Last year's exercise involved testing defenses against a cruise missile terrorist attack on the Florida Panhandle.
Since Sept. 11, NORAD has flown 22,000 sorties to watch the skies for hijackers and other threats, and fighter jets have responded more than 300 times when a plane raised suspicions -- in many cases because the aircraft was off course or did not identify itself.
"NORAD is very well-trained and exercised regarding this particular scenario," Snyder said.
Among the agencies involved in Tuesday's one-day exercise were the FBI, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the new Transportation Security Administration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Aviation Administration.
* __
On the Net:
NORAD: http://www.norad.mil
Copyright c 2002, The Associated Press
"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
Comments
"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
It seems to me if the media would Tell the truth about both issues.
Then maybe those who fly regular, would stand up and voice there opinion on these issues! I personally would rather have armed pilots, Than getting shot down by our Govt.
At least with armed pilots, your survival rate would be better!!
I wonder if they consider a parachute as carry on???
Of course I can play the piano, as long as it has pedals!