Fighter jets intercept small planes near Obama’s country retreat

WASHINGTON, D.C. (BNO NEWS) — Two fighter jets on Saturday afternoon intercepted two small planes near Camp David in Maryland, where U.S. President Barack Obama is spending the weekend.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said two F-15E fighter jets were first alerted when a small plane out of radio communication entered an area where temporary flight restrictions are in place. The area is near Camp David, the country retreat of the president.

The fighter jets intercepted the small aircraft at around 12.17 p.m. EDT and escorted it out of the restricted airspace. “It landed without incident,” NORAD said in a brief statement, giving no other details.

Hours later, a Cessna 210 aircraft also entered temporarily restricted airspace near Camp David. The F-15E fighter jets were again dispatched and intercepted the civilian aircraft at approximately 6.56 p.m. EDT. “[The aircraft] landed at Carroll County Regional Airport where it was met by law enforcement,” NORAD said.

The statements gave no other details about the incidents, but there was no indication that the planes had approached Camp David on purpose. Obama and the First Family arrived at Camp David on Saturday and are spending the weekend at the retreat.

There has been a series of similar incidents in recent months. Just last Saturday, an F-15E fighter jet intercepted a small plane in the vicinity of Camp David. And on June 11, two F-15 fighter jets were alerted when a small Beechcraft Bonanza remained out of radio contact while near restricted airspace over Camp David.

NORAD is tasked to prevent air attacks against North America and safeguard the sovereign airspaces of the United States and Canada by responding to unknown, unwanted and unauthorized air activity approaching and operating within these airspaces, and provide aerospace and maritime warning for North America. It is allowed to monitor, shadow, divert from flight path, direct to land and destroy targets which are deemed to be a security threat to North America.

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4 Comments

  1. Birdman
    July 19, 2011

    BS! The Sky has NO limits!!! the place with the most freedom is the sky. They are messing with nature by putting BS restrictions >:( .But still is for safety…*sigh* i guess saftey comes first.

    • July 23, 2011

      I am please to see that you realized that safty of the President is just as important as all those that went before him therefore prevention and protection is high on the agenda, and by the way freedom of the sky became unsafe because of mans action.
      What I dont understand why those inccidents are repeating themselves ever so offen I do believe theose incharge are letting the guard down they are sleeping on the job I believe that the Homeland security should take a much closer look at what is going on.

  2. Truth,Justice,Peace
    July 13, 2011

    Those who fly planes should know where to fly and where not to fly. I am assuming that they may have willingly flown in that area to see if they would be intercepted, to test the proficiency of NORAD and to spy on President Obama, his wife and family.
    If not otherwise they could very well be terrorists in disguise. None can be trusted.

    • zandoli
      July 18, 2011

      Must you comment on every irrelevant article?

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