The exercise NORAD ran late last week to practice its ability to secure the Super Bowl in Detroit was not sufficient, according to command officials. There were “weather issues” that prevented a complete run-through of the exercise, which featured hundreds of personnel and military aircraft—fighters, E-3 AWACS, aerial refuelers—and civilian airplanes. NORAD plans to reconvene the cast for a repeat on Feb. 1. A little “weather” doesn’t stop the Super Bowl, but we realize this was just a test. If it were the “day,” we fully expect NORAD would punch on through.
Amid a high-profile recruiting crisis, Air Force leaders and experts have increasingly noted the challenging long-term trends the service will face in enticing young Americans to sign up—decreasing eligibility to serve, less propensity to do so, and less familiarity with the military. But while those same leaders say there’s no “silver…