Recurring “Falcon Virgo” Exercise for Washington D.C. Trains Airspace Control and Restriction.
Operation “Falcon Virgo”, a planned air defense exercise over the U.S. national capital region, will take place on Jan. 14-15 and again on Jan. 25-26, 2021. The exercise, which is a โroutine air defense exerciseโ according to a media release from the North American Air Defense Command, will include โexercises with a variety of scenarios, including airspace restriction violations, hijackings and responses to unknown aircraft. All NORAD exercises are carefully planned and closely controlledโ
The exercise, which is expected to be significant, will include U.S. Army Cessna UC-35A twin-engine executive and priority cargo jet aircraft, an unspecified version of the โU.S. Navy King Air 300 aircraftโ, one Coast Guard MH-65D Dolphin helicopter, a Cessna 182T light, single engine general aviation aircraft to be operated by the Civil Air Patrol and U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon multiroleย tactical fighters. Officials said that, โSome portions of the exercise could involve flights at approximately 2,500 feet and may be visible from the groundโ.
This Falcon Virgo exercise is a recurring, support activity in support of Operation NOBLE EAGLE, which, โplaces emphasis on the surveillance and control of airspace over Canada and the United Statesโ. In NORADโs media release about the exercise, they emphasized that, โThis exercise is a part of NORADโs routine training programโ.
The exercise is interesting for a number of reasons that include the integration of numerous and varied aircraft types working together in mutual support of the homeland security mission. Prior to the September 11, 2001 terror attacks along the eastern U.S., integrated air defense exercises received little attention. Additionally, the role of U.S. assets such as U.S. Coast Guard aviation has expanded to include the Homeland Security mission and border patrol assistance.
The inclusion of at least one Civil Air Patrol Cessna 182T light general aviation aircraft could suggest that, while not confirmed, one scenario being simulated during the planned training exercise could be enforcement of airspace security and the SMI (Slow Movers Intercept) mission training.
In previous instances such as the November 18-22, 2019 training exercise โAmalgam Dart 20-4โ at McGhee Tyson Airport near Knoxville, Tennessee, Civil Air Patrol light aircraft were used to simulate unresponsive aircraft entering a restricted airspace. During this exercise, F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft from the District of Columbia Air National Guardโs 113th Wing practiced security inspection and escort flights in close proximity to Civil Air Patrol Cessna 182T aircraft.
