California Air National Guard F-15s are flying a series of air defense exercises, intercepting light aircraft flown by the Civil Air Patrol in the lead up to Super Bowl 50. The Federal Aviation Administration will institute a temporary no-fly zone over parts of San Francisco Bay region during the event on Feb. 7. “Civil Air Patrol is proud to again partner with the US Air Force on this vital homeland security exercise. The opportunity to ensure safe skies around Levi’s Stadium is a mission CAP takes very seriously,” CAP National Commander Maj. Gen. Joe Vazquez said in a release. NORAD is conducting two Falcon Virgo air defense exercises to prep alert ANG F-15s from the 144th Fighter Wing at Fresno for the mission at the end of next week. A pair of California CAP Cessna 182s are simulating low/slow threats for the drills Jan. 25 and Feb. 3, while a third aircraft will fly overhead communications relay for the event. Unit F-15s are ?also currently flying at Red Flag preparing for their first deployment with the Eagle.
F-15E fighters from the 335th Fighter Squadron of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., arrived in the Arabian Peninsula last week for a multilateral exercise hosted by the United Arab Emirates. Alongside the Strike Eagles, A-10s from the Maryland Air National Guard are also participating in this year's Desert Flag…