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.
The Boeing 747-8 gifted to the United States by Qatar to be used as a “bridge” Air Force One has been painted and is now undergoing its final modifications by the government, the Air Force said June 8.