An Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon was scrambled to intercept a civilian aircraft flying near President Donald Trump's latest rally in Arizona Wednesday, setting off flares to get the aircraft's attention, according to North American Aerospace Defense Command.
The fighter jet was dispatched to investigate "a general aviation aircraft that was not in communication with [Air Traffic Control] and entered the Temporary Flight Restriction area surrounding Bullhead City, Arizona, without proper clearance," NORAD said in a tweet. The incident occurred around 2 p.m. local time.
"The violating aircraft was non-responsive to initial intercept procedures, but established radio communications after NORAD aircraft deployed signal flares," said officials with the command, which oversees North American operations, to include homeland defense. "The aircraft was escorted out of the restricted area by the NORAD aircraft without further incident."
