The men and women of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) are taking appropriate actions to deter and defeat any possible threats against Sunday’s Super Bowl, according to Mike Perini, NORAD and USNORTHCOM director of public affairs.
“The NORAD and USNORTHCOM staffs have reviewed possible scenarios surrounding Sunday’s game and will be monitoring the various information sources to ensure they maintain the best possible situational awareness,” said Perini.
”We maintain constant vigilance 24 hours a day,” said Perini, “We maintain flexible alert posture and response options and are continually planning and executing prudent measures to deter, prevent or defeat those who would wish to do us harm.”
In this new era of defending the homeland, NORAD and USNORTHCOM are but one part of a multi-layered local, state, federal and military effort protecting the rights and freedoms to which Americans have become accustomed.
NORAD is a bi-national Canadian and American command that is responsible for the air defense of North America. Since Sept. 11, 2001, NORAD has scrambled fighters or diverted air patrols more than 1,700 times to respond to possible air threats and have combined with Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft, or AWACS, and air-to-air-refueling tankers to fly more than 34,000 sorties.
Established as a result of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, USNORTHCOM provides “one-stop shopping” for military assistance to civil authorities in accordance with U.S. laws and as directed by the President or Secretary of Defense. Military assistance is always in support of a lead federal agency, such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency.