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As part of NAV CANADA’s ongoing readiness training, the company organised the drill with NORAD. During the exercise, NAV CANADA cleared the airspace over parts of Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area and coordinated with the Greater Toronto Airports AuthorityOpen a new window and military command and control units from the Royal Canadian Air ForceOpen a new window and United States Air ForceOpen a new window.

Erik Doucet, Manager of Military Coordination and Special Events at NAV CANADA, says these types of international training exercises are necessary to ensure seamlessly coordinated responses in the event of real aerospace threats.

“Employees at NAV CANADA are a key component of all NORAD missions in Canada,” says Doucet. “As we are often the first to identify irregular aircraft movements, NAV CANADA plays an important role in these types of training missions.”

The exercise, known as AMALGAM HAWK 20-01, was part of Operation NOBLE EAGLEOpen a new window. Developed by NORAD after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, NOBLE EAGLE is an extensive air defence effort to protect against similar types of attacks within North American airspace.

AMALGAM HAWK focused on homeland defence of airspace over Canada and the United States. Fighter jets, working with the Canadian Air Defence Sector at 22 Wing North Bay, OntarioOpen a new window, and civilian air traffic controllers from NAV CANADA, practised aircraft identification and interception procedures in a high-density airspace.

Here’s a snapshot of how AMALGAM HAWK looked from the ground and in the air.