PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) will participate with Mexico’s National Defense Forces (SEDENA) in AMALGAM EAGLE 19, a live-fly exercise, being conducted July 16-19, 2019.
This exercise will consist of flights along the U.S. and Mexico border by various aircraft capable of detection and interception. Planning for the exercise was conducted with full respect for the sovereignty of each country.
Representatives from NORAD, USNORTHCOM, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Air and Marine Operations Center, and the Transportation Security Administration will participate in the exercise, while participants from Mexico will include members of their Air Force, Civil Aviation Authority, and Air Traffic Control Agency.
The exercise will focus on the following objectives:
• Improve the operational and communications capabilities between NORAD and USNORTHCOM, and SEDENA to provide a common operational picture;
• Conduct detection, identification and interception operations of simulated illicit or threatening air targets, through the exchange of information;
• Continue working on the design and use of communications protocols regarding illicit aircraft transiting U.S. - Mexico airspace; and,
• Execute procedures to improve interception and transfer of targets of interest between Mexico and the United States
NORAD's mission – in close collaboration with homeland defense, security and law enforcement partners – is to conduct aerospace warning, aerospace control and maritime warning in defense of North America.
USNORTHCOM is responsible for homeland defense, defense support of civil authorities and theater security cooperation. USNORTHCOM provides Department of Defense capabilities for disaster response operations in support of the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency, NIFC and state and local officials.
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For more information about NORAD or USNORTHCOM, refer to http://www.norad.mil/ or http://www.northcom.mil/