NORAD Exercise planned

[JohnFB]

My friend Dave in NH alerted me to this ............. interestingly it's hard to find much news about this on the web. Except for readmedia, the only other note I could find was at NY State military affairs site.

Get your scanners ready!!

*******************


TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, FLA. (10/13/2009)(readMedia)-- The Continental United States NORAD Region, a geographical component of the North American Aerospace Defense Command, will conduct a three-day homeland defense exercise, Falcon Dart, beginning Oct. 14 along the eastern seaboard and in New England.
This exercise is designed to train CONRs intercept and identification operations and will involve fighters out of Barnes Air National Guard Base, Mass., Jacksonville ANG, Fla., Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla., and aircraft from other federal agencies.

Residents may hear aircraft noise and see aircraft flying at various times throughout the day.

Air Force B-52 Stratofortresses will simulate tracks of interest during the first day of the exercise. The Eastern Air Defense Sector, based in Rome, N.Y., will direct Air Force F-15 Eagles to intercept the B-52s along the eastern seaboard.

F-15s from the Florida Air National Guards 125th Fighter Wing based in Jacksonville and the Massachusetts Air National Guards 104th FW based at Barnes ANGB will be launched to intercept the B-52s.

On days two and three of the exercise, Air Force C-21s (military version of the Lear Jet 35A business jet) and Civil Air Patrol fixed-wing aircraft will simulate tracks of interest in the Ashland, N. H., area. F-15s from Barnes ANGB, along with fixed and rotary-wing aircraft from U.S. Customs and Border Protection will be launched to intercept the TOIs.

CONR, along with its Eastern and Western Air Defense Sectors, provides airspace surveillance and control and directs all air sovereignty activities over the continental United States.

NORAD has conducted exercise flights of this nature throughout the U.S. and Canada since the start of Operation Noble Eagle, the commands response to the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

As the Continental United States geographical component of the bi-national command NORAD, CONR provides airspace surveillance and control and directs air sovereignty activities for the CONUS Region. CONR and its assigned Air Force forces throughout the country ensure air safety and security against potential air threats.

Since Sept. 11, 2001, CONR fighters have responded to more than 2,300 possible air threats in the United States and have flown more than 54,000 sorties with the support of Airborne Warning and Control System and air-to-air-refueling aircraft

[OPS1]

Thanks for the heads up John! Time to turn on my Mil Air Bank!

[kenny]

Thanks for the heads up, I'll be monitoring

[kenny]

10:30 - 228.9 - Slam 1, 33 working Huntress(not heard) radar/squawk checks

[OPS1]

Not picking up much of anything here in Boston.

Only brief, in-audible transmissions on 260.9 (HUNTRESS) and TAC-3 (300.125) so far.

[N1BHH]

Not picking up much of anything here in Boston.

Only brief, in-audible transmissions on 260.9 (HUNTRESS) and TAC-3 (300.125) so far.

Right about the time of your post I was hearing some of that (260.9), weak as well. Also heard some aircraft talking with Casino Royale on 252.1, they were talking about some problem, but unable to get a good copy. Even though I was on Great Hill, there wasn't much I could hear.

[JohnFB]

Unless you lived on the southern coast, or have a really tall antenna set-up, Wed was pretty much a bust.

SLAM 33 x2 Flt scrambled around 1030L, heard on the usual 228.900 freq, and headed south to W105. PACK 61 x2 Flt was down there already waiting.

If the game plan was to intercept some B-52s flying "off the coast," I do not know the success level. I do know that after an hour, the SLAMs did not know what they were supposed to do [300.125] and that they were asking if they were supposed to head 'south.' And the real chuckle was SLAM 33 stating that the TOI tracks they were receiving were actually the PACKs.

PACK 61 dragged them south towards Norfolk and I didn't hear from them again for over 2 hours. Meanwhile SLAM 31 x2 Flt scrambled around 1430L and also headed south. They soon checked in with SLAM 33 on 288.900 and received words [too far away to be intelligible by me]. I was surprised that SLAM 33 was still out there, presuming they had landed after I went to sleep around 12 noon. SLAM 33 eventually came back & landed .... I don't know what happened to SLAM 31.

Other boards have posted that there was some activity down south with AWACS and FL fighters, so someone had some good scanning.

Thu & Fri should be more active with local intercepts around the general Concord, NH area.


Oh .... I never heard a thing on 260.900, but there were some VT guys playing up north ........ might have been them.

And it was RODD 36 or 34 on 252.100 discussing some training flight issues.

[Maine45]

The morning session was very quiet up here; the only thing I would have to add is that there was a bit of traffic on GIANT KILLER W-105 VHF 135.225 around 11:15 local. Audible, but not by much. I think it was tankers (Pack #'s ??) with talk of heading down to Norfolk.

Around 14:00, there was another burst of activity: Mass ANG air to air on 259.90, 300.125 & 260.90; lots of tanker traffic with Pease PACK OPS on 321.00; somebody repeatedly keying up but not speaking on 364.20; and some possibly related comms with Boston Center ACK Sector 269.30.

Missed all the callsigns or they weren't sayin'. Maybe Thursday will be more entertaining.

[ecps92]

Look for NH Wing CAP to be invovled Today.
Concord Monitor

The new CAP channels are rapidly being found due to Hobbyists/Scannists.

The SNE WIKI grows almost weekly.

I would urge search'n the 138-144 and 148-150.8 Band [FM] for the newer CAP Channels that we have not found yet.
CC 2, Air 1, Air 2 and TAC 1 [All FM, narrowband]

The morning session was very quiet up here; the only thing I would have to add is that there was a bit of traffic on GIANT KILLER W-105 VHF 135.225 around 11:15 local. Audible, but not by much. I think it was tankers (Pack #'s ??) with talk of heading down to Norfolk.

Around 14:00, there was another burst of activity: Mass ANG air to air on 259.90, 300.125 & 260.90; lots of tanker traffic with Pease PACK OPS on 321.00; somebody repeatedly keying up but not speaking on 364.20; and some possibly related comms with Boston Center ACK Sector 269.30.

Missed all the callsigns or they weren't sayin'. Maybe Thursday will be more entertaining.

[kenny]

Sounds like all the players are air borne at this time. They are calling this the "Granite CAP"
Huntress, Northern Lights(Mentioned by Huntress)
Slam 33, 34
CAP Flight 2825 (Civil Air Patrol)
364.2 AICC
228.9 Scramble Pri
260.9 Slam A/A, Slam 33, 34
141.575 FM (127.3) CAP Flight
123.100 CAP Flight?

[N1BHH]

Hearing Omaha 2 being called by Huntress on 228.9. Also SLAM 34.

[N1BHH]

Huntress is using a Boston area transmitter site. Very solid full scale signal here.

[N1BHH]

Some activity on AR 631 Primary frequency, 295.8 being heard here.

[Maine45]

Hearing Omaha 2 being called by Huntress on 228.9. Also SLAM 34.

Oh, good! I thought I heard a Customs a/c (Omaha) in the mix earlier, but then wasn't sure. Caught just one or two brief calls on 228.90, but at very good signal strength. Actually, today's operation has almost all been very easy to hear for a change!

BTW, participants have been bouncing around on various UHF ATC frequencies with Boston Center: 269.475, 282.20 and 349.70. Last heard a couple of minutes ago on the 269.475.

SLAMs (MA ANG F-15s) air to air on 300.125 again; also briefly on 303.00. Does seem to be CAP a/c (c/s HIGH BIRD ?) on 123.10.

Darn, now must go back to work!

[Maine45]

Boston Center: 269.475, 282.20 and 349.70.

That last one should be 348.70, ZBW "CAM" Sector, I believe. Sorry

[kenny]

The afternoon portion of this exercise has started. 15:50
228.9 "Granite CAP" pri
264.85 Slam A/A
303.0 Slam, Hawk OPS
141.575FM(127.3) Civil Air Patrol, CAPFLIGHT 2828
123.100 CAPFLIGHT and DHS

[ecps92]

is there a VHF AM Channel [besides the VHF Aero], there was reference to a VICTOR Channel in the am exercise.

The afternoon portion of this exercise has started. 15:50
228.9 "Granite CAP" pri
264.85 Slam A/A
303.0 Slam, Hawk OPS
141.575FM(127.3) Civil Air Patrol, CAPFLIGHT 2828
123.100 CAPFLIGHT and DHS

[kenny]

is there a VHF AM Channel [besides the VHF Aero], there was reference to a VICTOR Channel in the am exercise.

The Victor channel should be 123.1

[N1BHH]

is there a VHF AM Channel [besides the VHF Aero], there was reference to a VICTOR Channel in the am exercise.

It could be 135.225, I have heard Giant Killer on it before, although I haven't heard anything on it today. They may have something in the 137-140 range, but I haven't heard any in searching, either.

[cdgordon]

Slam 31 airborn calling Huntress on 228.9 then 260.9 w/ no joy. Then active on 303.0 asking if Huntress was still participating in exercises.
After short interval switched back to 228.9 and talked to someone I couldn't hear replying weapons safe, requesting TCAS quiet and then Bullseye check.

chris

[kenny]

Yup, sounds like day 3 of this exercise is getting underway.

[cdgordon]

Unknown if it was this exercise but 2 F16's collided over the Atlantic off SC coast last night. One plane landed safely, 1 crashed with the pilot still missing.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091016/...us_usa_pilot_1

chris

[kenny]

I think that this accident was not part of this exercise but a different training mission completely. On day 1 it was the MA ANG and the FL ANG involved. Yesterday was the MA ANG, DHS, & Civil Air Patrol.
Now back to today, I haven't heard anything for almost an hour now, wonder if the weather has postponed and or canceled it.

[cdgordon]

SLAM units including 31 & 33 arriving back at Barnes now. KBAF tower 251.1

chris

[JohnFB]

Now back to today, I haven't heard anything for almost an hour now, wonder if the weather has postponed and or canceled it.

They went to the Adirondack Airspace Complex ......... too far for full coverage, but they ARd with MAINE 85 flt of 2 on 276.500
SLAM 31 & 32, SLAM 35, 34 & 33
[AR609]