Military planes are set to take part in training exercises above Toronto

TORONTO -- Torontonians shouldn’t be alarmed if they hear military planes flying overhead on Monday morning.

North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has scheduled training exercises above the city on April 27 between 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.

According to a news release issued on Friday, an unspecified number of Royal Canadian Air Force CF-18 Hornet fighter jets will be practicing response procedures in “high-density airspace.”

“While the aircraft will be operating at a high altitude, they public may be able to see and hear them, and the fighters may conduct approaches at local airfields,” officials said in the release.

Officials stressed that the activity is not related to Canada’s response to COVID-19.

.@RCAF_ARC CF-18 fighter jets will conduct NORAD training in airspace over #Toronto. Training will take place between 10 and 11:30 a.m. EDT Monday, April 27.

Fighters will be practicing response procedures in high-density airspace and may be seen/heard at local airfields pic.twitter.com/563zb2Kg7y

— North American Aerospace Defense Command (@NORADCommand) April 26, 2020

The fighters involved in the exercises will be working with the Canadian Air Defence Sector at 22 Wing North Bay, Ont. as well as civilian air traffic control in the Toronto area.

NORAD said they routinely conduct training exercises for a wide variety of scenarios, including airspace restriction violations, hijackings and responses to unknown aircrafts.

“All NORAD exercises are carefully planned and closely controlled.”