Patrolling U.S. skies

Associated Press

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. — The Air Force’s civilian leader wants to end the post-Sept. 11 practice of continuous fighter jet patrols over U.S. cities and instead leave fighters on "strip alert" at airfields, ready to launch in case of emergency.

Air Force Secretary James Roche said Friday the Air Force is consulting with the commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command and with the White House’s Office of Homeland Security to determine what level of air defense is required in the long run.

The air patrols are tying up about 265 airplanes — mostly fighters, refuelers and radar planes — and about 12,000 airmen, Roche said.

That compares with 14,000 Air Force personnel committed to the war in Afghanistan, he said, making the Air Force the only service with a large-scale commitment to both fronts in the war on terrorism.

Pentagon officials made it known last month that the domestic air patrols and support missions were stealing from necessary air crew training for other missions. But Roche’s comments were the first to spell out publicly a potential solution.

Roche said he would prefer an adjustment that would place Air Force fighter jets on alert at certain bases around the country — ready to respond to indications of threatening aircraft. That would replace the current practice of flying continuous patrols over Washington and New York and patrolling daily over a rotating group of cities elsewhere.

In addition to the combat air patrols, fighters now are on alert at more than two dozen bases.

Roche said the Air Force has between 105 and 130 airplanes in the air every day as part of Operation Noble Eagle, the code name for the post-Sept. 11 mission of protecting U.S. territory.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has not stated publicly his view on whether continuous air patrols should be halted. Earlier this week he said the mission was "very stressful on the force."

Copyright ©2002 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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