LOON LAKE - People may hear the engine noise and see the maneuvering of two F-15 fighters training over the Adirondacks today.
The jets are from the Massachusetts Air National Guard's 104th Fighter Wing, based at Barnes Air National Guard Base near Westfield, Mass. They'll conduct a practice scramble and intercept exercise over the Loon Lake area between 10 a.m. and noon today, according to a press release issued Tuesday.
The F-15s will train with a Civil Air Patrol Cessna 182 aircraft acting as the target. This exercise, in partnership with the New York Air National Guard's Eastern Air Defense Sector, 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 include exercising airspace restriction violations, hijackings and responding to unknown aircraft.
The Air National Guard assured the public that these training exercises are carefully planned and closely controlled.