104th Fighter Wing to conduct low-altitude exercise in Vermont today

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BARNES AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, WESTFIELD, Mass.

The 104th Fighter Wing will be conducting homeland alert air defense exercises today, Wednesday, Oct. 25, over Rutland, Vt. and Lebanon and Concord, N.H. The  exercises will end 50 miles east of Burlington.

During the exercise, two F-15C Eagles will intercept and shadow of a low speed, light civilian propeller aircraft operated by the Civil Air Patrol at low altitude. This will practice coordination between the Eastern Air Defense Sector, Federal Aviation Administration and 104th Fighter Wing.

Since the exercise is a no-notice scramble to test the pilots’ readiness to unexpected events, prior notice to the public was withheld.

According to an Air Force press release, these exercises are carefully planned, closely controlled and include exercising airspace violations, hijackings and responding to unknown aircraft. Communities between Westfield, Mass., Northern Vermont and New Hampshire will experience increased aircraft activity during the exercise.