Canada- Canada’s Minister of National Defence David McGuinty is praising the swift actions of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) after a security scare at Calgary International Airport earlier this week. The incident unfolded Monday afternoon when Canadian authorities received reports of bomb threats aboard three commercial flights arriving from Germany.
In response, NORAD deployed a CF-18 fighter jet alongside a U.S. F-15 and supporting aircraft to intercept and escort the planes as a precautionary measure. All three aircraft landed safely at Calgary International Airport, where the threats were later determined to be not credible. Passengers disembarked without incident, and police confirmed there was no risk to the public.
McGuinty emphasized that the coordinated response highlighted the strength of Canada’s security system and its binational partnership with the United States. “What it should indicate for Canadians is that NORAD did its job and it did it very, very well,” he said. “Fighter jets were scrambled. There was a bomb threat, I understand. The RCMP is now in charge of the file, and all seems to be fine.”
According to NORAD, the response was part of standard security protocol designed to ensure passenger safety in the event of potential threats. The RCMP has since taken over the investigation.
The incident serves as a reminder of NORAD’s vital role in North American security, with McGuinty underscoring that the system worked as intended to protect Canadians and maintain confidence in aviation safety.