Homeland defense exercise wraps up

Published June 15, 2007
By Tyler Hemstreet
62nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs

MCCHORD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- Five F-16 Fighting Falcons staged here this week for an exercise designed to test emergency action procedures throughout the Western Air Defense Sector's area of responsibility and practice strategic planning between WADS, North American Aerospace Defense Command, U.S. Northern Command and Canadian Command.

The aircraft, out of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., arrived here June 8 and were joined later by their crew chiefs and maintainers, who were flown in on a C-17 Globemaster III piloted by a Washington Air National Guard crew, said Master Sgt. Dave Knesek, WANG Detachment 1.

The exercise tested homeland defense operations, information flow and decision-making processes at all levels.

The goal was to demonstrate how well Operation Noble Eagle, the Domestic Event Network and domestic threat conferences combine regarding connectivity and procedures.

McChord was chosen to host the exercise because of the proximity to WADS and the other supporting agencies and the fact that the base has the facilities to support aircrews, he said.

The 62nd Logistics Readiness Squadron's fuels section provided fuel support for the F-16s, while the aircrews and maintainers participated in the exercise.

(Western Air Defense Sector Public Affairs contributed to this article.)