Archiving the URL.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...2003Aug14.html


F-16 Jets Launched to Patrol in the East as a Precaution

By Bradley Graham and John Mintz
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, August 15, 2003; Page A11

In the first minutes after yesterday's power blackout, the Pentagon
launched two Air Force F-16 fighter jets to patrol skies between New
York and Washington, and put other military aircraft on alert at
eastern U.S. bases, defense officials said.
.....

"NORAD has no reason to believe there's an imminent airborne threat,"
a defense official said. But, he added, the decision was made to send
the extra fighters aloft and put others on alert "as a precautionary
measure." The planes took off from Andrews Air Force Base.
.....