On October 28, 2023, a civilian aircraft breached restricted airspace around the residence of US President Joe Biden in Wilmington, Delaware. The US Secret Service confirmed the incident and reported that a US F-16 fighter jet was dispatched to intercept the aircraft, which eventually landed safely at a nearby airport.
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The President's schedule was not affected by the intrusion, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will be carrying out an investigation. The Continental US NORAD Region (CONR), which is responsible for monitoring US airspace, revealed that both an MH-65 helicopter and an F-16 fighter jet were deployed to escort the civilian plane out of the restricted area.
The military aircraft used flares to make contact with the pilot of the breached plane. CONR noted that the flares were possibly visible to the public. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) oversees CONR's operations, which employ radars, satellites, and fighter jets to identify and respond to any unauthorized flights over North America.
All such missions are named NOBLE EAGLE and involve the collaboration of both US and Canadian forces.
