NORAD and U.S. Northern Command have concluded Exercise AMALGAM DART after running integrated air-defence scenarios across North America, including a long-range interception by two F-15C Eagles from the 144th Fighter Wing at Fresno Air National Guard Base in California. The drill focused on readiness against modern air threats and showed how the fighters can help push the intercept line farther from protected airspace.
During the 25 August event, the F-15Cs scrambled to locate, identify and respond to a C-17 Globemaster III simulating a modern airborne threat. The exercise formed part of a routine, planned NORAD and USNORTHCOM activity involving U.S. and Canadian forces across the Alaskan, Canadian and Continental U.S. NORAD regions.
NORAD described AMALGAM DART as a test of aerospace warning, aerospace control and integrated air and missile defence. The official release did not provide intercept distances, performance data or any indication that the mission changed operating procedures.