Air Defense Identification Zone

The North American air defense identification zone (ADIZ) is an area around the territories of the United States and Canada comprising airspace over land or water in which the ready identification, location, and control of civil aircraft is required in the interest of national security. This ADIZ is jointly administered by the civilian air traffic control authorities and the militaries of both nations, under the auspices of the North American Aerospace Defense Command or NORAD. The FAA handles the requests of international aircraft and Transport Canada handles Canadian requests. Any aircraft flying in these zones without authorization may be identified as a threat and treated as an enemy aircraft, potentially leading to interception by fighter aircraft.

An aircraft entering an ADIZ is required to radio its planned course, destination, and any additional details about its trip through the ADIZ to a higher authority, typically an air traffic controller. The aircraft must also be equipped with a radar transponder.

Read more about Air Defense Identification Zone:  History, United States, Canada, Guam, Washington D.C.

Famous quotes containing the words air, defense and/or zone:

    The air deals blows: surely too hard, too often?
    No: it is bent on bringing summer down.
    Dead leaves desert in thousands, outwards, upwards,
    Numerous as birds; but the birds fly away....
    Philip Larkin (1922–1986)

    Hence that general is skilful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend; and he is skilful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack.
    Sun Tzu (6th–5th century B.C.)

    Just like those other black holes from outer space, Hollywood is postmodern to this extent: it has no center, only a spreading dead zone of exhaustion, inertia, and brilliant decay.
    Arthur Kroker (b. 1945)