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NORAD Plans Exercise In Washington Region

WASHINGTON (AP) -- NORAD is planning an exercise this week in the Washington region to enhance its skills and test a warning system.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command will conduct exercise Falcon Virgo 12-01 Wednesday morning.

The exercise is designed to hone NORAD's intercept and identification operations and test the region's visual warning system. Civil Air Patrol aircraft, Air Force F-16s and a U.S. Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin helicopter will participate in the exercise.

These flights will take place between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m.

A civilian Beechcraft King Air aircraft will also fly patterns about 1,000 feet above ground level between 12:30 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. to help calibrate systems and equipment.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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