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Military air defense drill set for Philly next week

With Pope Francis due the city in two weeks, military aircraft will conduct an airspace protection exercise in the Philadelphia area next week, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) announced Friday.

A video still from a wing camera during a NORAD Falcon Virgo airspace protection exercise. (Photo from YouTube.com)
A video still from a wing camera during a NORAD Falcon Virgo airspace protection exercise. (Photo from YouTube.com)Read more

With Pope Francis due the city in two weeks, military aircraft will conduct an airspace protection exercise in the Philadelphia area next week, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) announced Friday.

The "Falcon Virgo" training flights are slated to take place early Tuesday, from 12:01 a.m. to 2 a.m.

NORAD said in a statement the exercise was designed to "hone NORAD's intercept and identification operations as well as train personnel at participating locations."

The drill is part of series conducted by NORAD in response to the 9/11 terror attacks 14 years ago.

Civil Air Patrol aircraft, Air Force C-21 and F-16 aircraft, and a Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter are expected to participate in the exercise.

The Federal Aviation Administration has said flight restrictions will be in place in Philadelphia's airspace during the papal visit. Drones, as well as model aircraft or rockets, parachute operations, agricultural spraying, banner towing, utility or pipeline patrols, aircraft or helicopters operating from ships or private yachts, flight training and some other types of operations will be prohibited during the event.

A NORAD spokesman could not immediately say whether the timing of the exercise was related to the papal visit.

If there is inclement whether on Tuesday, the exercise will be conducted Wednesday evening into Thursday morning.