Quote Originally Posted by vector7 View Post
On the day of 911 Russia commences air strike drills simulating a nuclear attack on the US using aircraft on bombing runs. NORAD scrambles resources to monitor this Russian activity.

September 10, 2001: NORAD Setting Stage for Major Monitoring Exercise, Preparing for a Possible Russian Reaction

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), which is responsible for detecting and responding to any attack on the mainland United States, is in the early stages of a major training exercise called Vigilant Guardian that is to take place off the shores of the northeastern US and Canada.

The exercise is not scheduled to really take off until the following day, September 11 (see (6:30 a.m.) September 11, 2001), but simulated intelligence briefings and meetings are now being held to set the stage for the mock engagements to come. According to author Lynn Spencer, Vigilant Guardian “is the kind of war game that the Russians usually respond to, even in this post-Cold War era.”

The Russians have in fact announced that they will be deploying aircraft to several of their “Northern Tier” bases on September 11.

Russian jets have penetrated North American airspace during previous NORAD exercises, and Colonel Robert Marr, the commander of NORAD’s Northeast Air Defense Sector (NEADS), has prepared for them to do so again during the current exercise.

If this happens, armed US fighter jets will intercept the Russian aircraft and escort them back to their own territory.

In case there is any confrontation, Marr has ordered that his alert fighter jets be loaded with additional fuel and weapons.

According to Spencer, on September 11, all alert fighters will be “loaded with live missiles in anticipation of any show of force that might be needed to respond to the Russians.” [Spencer, 2008, pp. 3-5]

NORAD has already announced that it is deploying fighters to Alaska and Northern Canada to monitor a Russian air force exercise being conducted in the Russian Arctic and North Pacific Ocean throughout this week (see September 9-11, 2001). [BBC, 2001, pp. 161; NORAD, 9/9/2001]

According to the 9/11 Commission, the Vigilant Guardian exercise will in fact postulate “a bomber attack from the former Soviet Union.” [9/11 Commission, 7/24/2004, pp. 458]


September 9-11, 2001: NORAD Begins Northern Vigilance Military Operation

NORAD begins Operation Northern Vigilance.

For this military operation, it deploys fighters to Alaska and Northern Canada to monitor a Russian air force exercise in the Russian Arctic and North Pacific Ocean, scheduled for September 10 to September 14.

The Russian exercise involves its bombers staging a mock attack against NATO planes that are supposedly planning an assault on Russia.
[BBC, 2001, pp. 161; NORAD, 9/9/2001; Washington Times, 9/11/2001]

The NORAD fighters are due to stay in Alaska and Canada until the end of the Russian exercise.

At some time between 10:32 A.M. and 11:45 A.M. on 9/11, Russian President Vladimir Putin calls the White House to say the Russians are voluntarily halting their exercise.
[Washington Post, 1/27/2002]