Domestic Air Patrols Tax Tankers, AWACS

摘要

Active duty Air Force and Air National Guard fighter units flying airspace-protection missions over the U.S. are handling the increased workload well, but refueling tankers and AWACS resources are stretched thin after three weeks of intense operations. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld told USAF commanders to "provide CAPs (Combat Air Patrols) and random CAPs" over certain cities and key areas of die nation, "and we're continuing to do that," said Maj. Gen. Larry Arnold, commander of the Continental U.S. Norad Region (Conar), one of three elements of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (Norad).