Massachusetts Air National Guard F-15 Conduct Exercises over Lake George, Glens Falls, Granville This Morning

LATHAM, NY (07/09/2014)(readMedia)-- Two F-15 Eagle Fighters from the Massachusetts Air National Guard's 104th Fighter Wing, located at Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield, Mass., will be flying missions over an area in Vermont, Massachusetts and New York which includes Lake George, Glens Falls, Cambridge and Granville.

The air defense exercises will take place between 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. this morning.Residents in these areas may see or hear increased aircraft activity.

The F-15 fighter jets will train with the Civil Air Patrol. The Civil Air Patrol will be flying a low-speed civilian propeller aircraft.

This exercise is being conducted to facilitate training for alert pilots on intercept procedures, ensuring the Massachusetts Air National Guard is prepared to defend the Northeast airspace against any airborne threat.

These exercises are carefully planned, closely controlled and include exercising airspace restriction violations, hijackings and responding to unknown aircraft.

The 104th Fighter Wing is equipped with the F-15 Eagle. One mission of the 104th is Aerospace Control Alert (ACA), providing armed fighters ready to scramble to protect the northeast from any airborne threat. The unit is responsible for protecting a quarter of the nation's population and one third of the Gross Domestic Product.