NORAD air defense exercise put military jets over Bethesda, DC early this morning

DC National Guard F-16 fighter jet

Military jets were heard over Bethesda and Northwest Washington for the first time in two weeks early this morning. Around 12:50 AM, a military jet aircraft was audible circling over Bethesda. At 12:57, it began performing maneuvers at an increased speed.

The aircraft then moved away in a southwest direction, where it continued to circle and could still be heard from Bethesda for about 35 minutes. At 1:39 AM, the aircraft returned to fly over Bethesda at a higher speed with more jet engine noise. By 1:50 AM, the jet flew away for good. A military helicopter then circled over Bethesda for about 10 minutes, before it, too, flew off.

What was happening? I investigated, and learned it was a not-well-publicized air defense exercise by the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) over the DC area. The exercise was called Falcon Virgo, and was in support of Operation Noble Eagle, which provides air surveillance over the United States and Canada.

According to NORAD, the aircraft heard last night included Air Force F-16 aircraft, an Army C-12 aircraft, a United States Coast Guard MH-65D Dolphin helicopter, and Civil Air Patrol Cessna 182T general aviation aircraft. I personally heard the F-16 and MH-65D, but I can't say that I heard the two propeller aircraft.

Photo courtesy NORAD