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Posted by Andrew Yee on December 9, 2006, 7:50 pm
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North American Aerospace Defense Command
December 6, 2006
NORAD and U.S. Northern Command support for STS-116
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- North American Aerospace Defense Command
and United States Northern Command provide support to NASA and the shuttle
program's mission with distinctly different but important missions.
NORAD -- the bi-national command responsible for air defense of the North
American air space -- is ensuring airspace safety and security for the
STS-116 launch and landing, providing irregular air patrols to enforce the
FAA's Temporary Flight Restriction zones over the space shuttle and along
its flight path. NORAD support will consist of USAF F-15 fighter planes and
USCG helicopters enforcing the TFR.
The FAA flight restriction is depicted to the right
[http://www.norad.mil/newsroom/news_releases/2006/120606_a_clip_image001.gif
(10KB)], and the associated Notice to Airmen can be viewed in its entirety
by linking to the FAA's Web site at www.faa.gov , and by clicking on the
state of Florida link at the top of the Web page.
NORAD is also prepared to respond to any shuttle emergency by securing the
airspace over necessary Launch Abort Sites should emergency landing be
required.
The safety and security of North American airspace remains NORAD's prime
mission. The command retains a robust air defense posture to maintain air
sovereignty over the continental U.S., Alaska and Canada. Since Sept. 11,
2001, NORAD fighters have scrambled or diverted more than 2,200 times in
response to air events, and NORAD aircraft have flown more than 44,000
sorties (refueling, AWACS, etc.) in support of Operation Noble Eagle.
U.S. Northern Command is the lead U.S. Department of Defense organization
responsible for military incident support to the space shuttle. Support
includes astronaut rescue and recovery and orbiter recovery. USNORTHCOM,
established in 2002 and fully operational Sept. 11, 2003, coordinates U.S.
military for the Department of Defense efforts to assist the space shuttle
astronauts in the event of an emergency. USNORTHCOM will command and
control DoD forces in the event of an emergency mainly through Joint Task
Force-116 under the authority of U.S. Navy Capt. Mike Tillotson.
JTF-116 is made up of operations, information command and control
specialists, and support personnel who understand, focus and employ DoD's
unique capabilities. The JTF works with NASA, DoD installations, the U.S.
military services and other U.S. government agencies like the Department of
Homeland Security and the Coast Guard to accomplish the mission. More than
400 DoD personnel are ready to support the shuttle mission, with 14 members
of JTF-116 on location in Florida monitoring and providing command and
control of DoD forces. A complete list of DoD forces tasked to JTF-116 can
be obtained from the NORAD-USNORTHCOM Public Affairs Office personnel, who
are located in the NASA Media Services Center for the launch.
The mission of USNORTHCOM is homeland defense and civil support. The command
conducts operations to deter, prevent, defeat and mitigate threats and
aggression aimed at the United States, its territories and interests within
the assigned area of responsibility and, as directed by the President or
Secretary of Defense, provide military assistance to civil authorities
including consequence management operations.
A fact sheet about NORAD and USNORTHCOM support to the STS-116 mission is
available at
http://www.norad.mil/newsroom/news_releases/2006/120606_e.html
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