September 11, 2001: Numerous Aircraft at Base near Washington Participating in Training Exercises

[Archangel]

Many aircraft at Andrews Air Force Base, which is just a few miles outside Washington, DC, are taking part in training exercises. James Ampey, an FAA air traffic controller who is currently on duty in the control tower at the base, will later recall that there are "an unusually high number of aircraft taking off and landing at Andrews [this] morning, because previously scheduled military exercises are underway." (9/11 Commission 7/28/2003 pdf file)

It is unclear what specific exercises these aircraft are participating in, and the exact time period Ampey is referring to.

Militarized 747 Involved in 'Global Guardian' Exercise - According to journalist and author Dan Verton, around the time of the Pentagon attack, "civilian and military officials [are] boarding a militarized version of a Boeing 747, known as the E-4B National Airborne Operations Center (NAOC), at an airfield outside of the nation's capital. They are preparing to conduct a previously scheduled Defense Department exercise" (see (9:27 a.m.) September 11, 2001). (Verton 2003, pp. 143-144)

This airfield is Andrews Air Force Base and the exercise being referred to is the US Strategic Command's annual exercise, Global Guardian, for which three E-4Bs are launched (see 8:30 a.m. September 11, 2001 and Before 9:00 a.m. September 11, 2001). (Dejka 2/27/2002; Kieschnick 9/7/2012 pdf file)

Whether other aircraft that are taking off or landing at Andrews are participating in Global Guardian is unknown.

NORAD Exercise, 'Vigilant Guardian' - Another major exercise taking place this morning is called Vigilant Guardian. All of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is participating in it (see (6:30 a.m.) September 11, 2001). (Seely 1/25/2002; Scott 6/3/2002)

However, Andrews is not one of NORAD's seven "alert" sites around the US. (McKenna 12/1999) And the 113th Wing of the District of Columbia Air National Guard, which is based at Andrews, is not part of the NORAD air defense force. (Scott 9/9/2002; Filson 2003, pp. 76)

Furthermore, members of the 113th Wing have just returned from a major training exercise in Nevada (see Late August-September 8, 2001), and so, with only a few pilots and planes available, today is a "light flying day" for their unit. (9/11 Commission 3/11/2004 pdf file)

Presumably the 113th Wing is therefore not currently participating in Vigilant Guardian or any other major exercises.

Numerous Units at Andrews - There are, however, many units at Andrews that may be participating in exercises. Among more than 60 separate organizations located at the base are units from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force Reserve, and Air National Guard. (DC Military (.com) 6/2001; GlobalSecurity (.org) 1/21/2006)

These units include Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 321 (VMFA-321), which flies the F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet, and Naval Air Facility, Washington, DC, which has numerous aircraft available, including the F/A-18 Hornet. (DC Military (.com) 2/9/2001; DC Military (.com) 6/2001)
Andrews Units Respond to Attacks - DC Air National Guard fighters will later take off from Andrews to protect Washington in response to the morning's attacks (see (10:38 a.m.) September 11, 2001, 10:42 a.m. September 11, 2001, and 11:11 a.m. September 11, 2001). (Scott 9/9/2002)

And a member of VMFA-321 calls NORAD's Northeast Air Defense Sector (NEADS) at around 9:50 a.m. to offer his unit's assistance in response to the attacks (see (9:50 a.m.) September 11, 2001). (Spencer 2008, pp. 188)