PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- –
North American Aerospace
Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), will
participate, with the Mexican Air
Force,
in AMALGAM EAGLE 15, a tactical exercise, to be conducted Jun.30 - Jul.2, 2015,
in which Mexico and the United States will respond to an illegal flight
transiting the border of both countries. AMALGAM EAGLE 15 is designed to
enhance air control procedures between both countries and lay the foundation to
streamline a bi-national response.
U.S. representatives
from NORAD, USNORTHCOM, the Federal Aviation Agency, and the Transportation
Security Agency will participate in the exercise, while participants from
Mexico will include members of their Air Force, civil aviation agency, and
federal aviation agency.
The
exercise will focus on the following objectives:
-To facilitate active participation by NORAD and USNORTHCOM and Mexico’s
Ministry of National Defense.
-Exercise and refine procedures for providing mutual warning and passing of
information between the two countries regarding suspicious aircraft or illegal
flight activity.
-Include information exchange systems such as All Partners Access Network
(APAN) and Air and Marine Operations Surveillance System (AMOSS).
-Exercise and refine procedures to monitor, track and coordinate a response to
an illegal flight transiting the U.S./Mexico border.
This activity will consist of flights by various aircraft capable of detection
and interception, the deployment of observers to airports in Monterrey and
Chihuahua, Mexico, and the establishment of communication channels, that will
enhance reaction time, strengthen the existing links between participants of
each nation, and develop its activities from various locations. Planning for
the exercise was conducted with the full respect towards the sovereignty of
each country and never considered having military units or intercepting
aircraft cross the border by either country.
NORAD's
mission – in close collaboration with homeland defense, security, and law
enforcement partners – is to prevent air attacks against North America,
safeguard the sovereign airspaces of the United States and Canada by responding
to unknown, unwanted and unauthorized air activity approaching and operating
within these airspaces, and provide aerospace and maritime warning for North
America.
U.S. Northern Command is responsible for
Homeland Defense and Defense Support of Civil Authorities. USNORTHCOM provides
DOD capabilities for disaster response operations in support of the Department
of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency, NIFC, and state and
local officials.
For
more information, contact NORAD and USNORTHCOM Public Affairs at (719)
554-6889.