The North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, has announced air defense exercise Falcon Virgo that will be held in the National Capital Region on Aug. 13.

“F-16 fighters, an MH-65 D Dolphin helicopter, and two Civil Air Patrol Cessna 182T aircraft will participate in exercise Falcon Virgo,” NORAD announced Monday. “Some portions of the exercise may involve flights at approximately 2,500 feet and may be visible from the ground. If weather prevents regularly scheduled flights, the exercise will commence the next day.”

NORAD routinely conducts exercises with a variety of scenarios, including airspace restriction violations and responses to unknown aircraft.

Also noted that NORAD’s exercises are carefully planned and closely controlled.

Falcon Virgo is a recurring exercise in support of Operation NOBLE EAGLE, which places emphasis on the surveillance and control of airspace over Canada and the United States. The defense of North America is NORAD’s top priority and we are on alert around the clock, every day.

For more than 60 years, NORAD aircraft have identified and intercepted potential air threats to

North America in the execution of its aerospace warning and aerospace control missions, and maintain a watchful eye over Canadian and U.S. internal waterways and maritime approaches under its maritime warning mission.