DECLASSIFIED UNDER AUTHORITY OF THE

INTERAGENCY SECURITY CLASSIFICATION APPEALS PANEL,

E.O. 13526, SECTION 5.3(b)(3)
[SCAP APPEAL NO. 2011-048, document no. 4
DECLASSIFICATION DATE: September 29, 2014
;.
-.- ..--...-~---.~-- ....-.---~-----.----.--.- ---'~""'--"-'--'------"'-------'-"--'----' ----.-.- ..--------.-- ..-.-.-.----.--------.----.~.-.-------.-.---.-- ..-----.---.---.---.-----.--.--.--~----.----.
- _.-'." --""" -.- -.... - :)..................... - -- _ _ - _ --_ _ ----- _ _ -~-_ - '-- _ -............. _ -- ........... - _ - - ....... _ _ ..-..-- - - - - - - -.-.----............ _ ..-.-- _ _ --_ .
. .- - .. - --.---- - ........ - "r"--'" .. --- ._-..-- - - - ---.- -.---:..-------..- - - --.--.--- -.-..- -.- - ..-----.-.- ..- --,--.--.--.-.- -- ..- ..-..- -- ---------.-.-.- .
~' f
._ ._ " _ _ _ _ , _ .', - _ "_ ._ ""'. ,' _ _ :.: _ _ _ .' _ _ _ ,_ .,'0 _ _ ,. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .~ _ _ ._ . , _ '." _ ""0"""" , _ _ '" '"0 ," _ _ _ ,_ . _ _ " _ _ "'_ "'_ "" _ _ " , ~.~ _ ._ ._ _ "'_ '" _ ._ _ . ~ _ ._ _ _ ., _ _ ~ ~_ ._ ._ ~
......... __..__ _I, _~.._f n - h .~J ) .- - - - - / ~_ _._.~J Q_ ..__._.. _ ___~ .:. _ _____ _ _ ___. __._.
.................. _ .._ _ _ ..:_ :? D ID . _.. Q t g C " _ _ _ _ _ _ _._ _._ " __..__ . _ __._ _ _.._ _ __ _ _ _._ .
............... _ _ _ ._ ;~_ & ..k ! .. '!...._ h _ _ _ _ . _ _. .. _ _.._ .. _ _ . ._ _ _ _ ._ ~_ _ ._ _ .._.. _ . _
= ~ ~ = ~ _= = :t _:~ ~ ~ ~ i ~ ~ i ] ~ ~ E ~ :-~ z ; ~ = :; ~ ~ ~ --~ = ~
.......... _. - _.. ___ _2, - d - .t J ... .. : __ .. .. _ _ .. _ __ ____ - - -~: ....- .- - - - - - __.. ___ ~_ .. _.. _ _ - _.-- .
- .._ .. ~_ _. ... ~.._t ? ; _' __.5 ~ - .. - ~~.-\lU~-\~-4...O-t------So->-z_ --.6- ... -k l~-----.--.-:---.
. _ _ .. _ _ _J _ .. _. __ ._ .. _ .. _ .. __ . _ .0:.~. cY:\_ b .. _ ~_ ..3 .t_ G..~-: .. -- --- -.. ---.---.------------.-
4t . .
:_ ~~~_ ,~~~~~_ -_ ~=;1-ri ~-=A1~~~~~~:~~~~~t-=:f ~:=::;8=-==~:~--::::=-
.__ ~.____ ~. _ ~- .- .~E- .- ~~ .. ~- .- c/ ~ .. h - - - - - .. - - - - - - - .- - .- - - - - .-- - - - - - -
_ : _ _ ~_ -_ :=_ ~--~:_ -::=~=~:=:=_ =_ ~~;::~Z ::::=:~:~~-~~'~~t::=-:=~=-=
~ :_ -----; -- -- -----:-~ ~ -l -Q:-= --:= ~ - - -: .--- .-.- -__ :----: -:-:---:---
_ _ ._ ._ ._ -; ._ ._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .rt _ _ _ .- _ _ _ _ _ " _ _ .- _ ~ _ _ ._ _ _ _ _ _ ._ ..... - _ - - - -.
\. . - ..
\ \
/
/
\
\
/
\ \ 2
\.
._._ _ _ ............... _ ....... -"'-.-'" .-..-.---.' - .....{"(-.-"'-'"
r. 5>-9 + - 0 1- ~ - ,d~\ t-
0:.--.- --.-.-- - - r - .- ~..- .- - - .- " " " ' - - " - _ - - .- - - - .- - -..- ..- ..- .- - - ~- - - .- - ..' - " .' - .- - .- .- .- - - ' - - - ..- -k._.__ ._._ ..-.. - - .. - - .- - .- ..- - .. - - - - - - - - .- - - ..- - --c- -..-.-
...--.- --.- --- - --.. -.--G..~.- ..-.h ~- -.-~~- -~-'-.~-~.>- -..-.. ~'t_ 0d- ~~ .. 1,_ ._ ._ ._ . "_ "'_ '_ _ "_ '.'_
.(
-.. -.. - .- .... -.. - - .. - .- -e~.. : .- - .j.]- - - ~~- - ...L .- ).~.f+ ... -----.:k S~.... -.-.J "~~- ... -.-- ... l;--..~.. ~-t... --- ... _ _ ..... _ . _ _ .. _ ._ .
. . .__.. : .. _ _. __ ~.- .. - ~ b~- - .. !0....- .- - ..~&- ~- .- .- : - .. v_~~ . .. .. ._.
.--- -- .. -.----.---.-- J7.~r- -b -~-- ----.. -.---.-.--- .
.-.----- -.---- -.-..-, -.--- ..-.-.--Cl-.- .. --~.e;;..~ --.-- -~...1 .1 .- .. -.--.~--.- -.--- .-.--- .. ---.--- -.. -.- --.--.. -----.--.--- - - -.-.-.--
.- - - - .- ...- - .- - - - .- .- - - - ,J - f 1 - ./ - ~- ..-.5:D- .__ ... ~:_ ._ A_ .~~ .. J~-lJ.---'\---b~-~-.-.~L~----t2.-.----.~- .. ---.------- ..
,- - - .: ==- - .- - .- .- - ' 9 - o - J - V ; - - .-.. b- .. - .- .. -- - ~~- .- - ~ - - .~.- .~- - - - - - - - ...- ., - - - -.. - -.. - - - -
- - - - - - - - - -..- - ~ ..- - - - - - - 6 - - - .. - bd - - ~- - 0l+{- - - - - .- - - .- - - - .- - .. - - .- -- - - - .- .- - - .- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - .- - .- .- .. - .- --
'I
- - _._ _~._. __..__..__.._.~.._( l5 jc- L - - ..- 2- Z2 - .- - .- ~~ .._. __ J~.-- :- L- -.---- ..I-.--.L.~~_ .-~---- -.. -.._.. .
______ __ .. ___ _.. _._ .. ___ ._. __ ._ - t = b~~._ = _.. _ .~._ c. ..~_ _.. ,_ ~_ _._ _ . ._ _ _ " .._ _ _ _ _ ._ _ "_ ' _ _ ''''''
.... .. ._ _ ~_ ~.. -_ - -..- -.-- ..-I~-e: .. ~-.-.- .. -& .JC -~ --~- --~-i f -'--..-- ..~.-- ~.'-f -b_ .. _.. ~~_ .h .
.-.---- .. - -..--..- - -l.:...-2J- ..-.- -~~-.-.~-~ ..- - .- 1 k - .- ~- - - ~- ~1 - - >- .- - .- ~.- ..- - - - - - - - - ..
...../ l1 2_0 e ~_k.A _ B._L ~_. _Q .~._: L _ .i 3. -----~.~..J'=~.7-.- -- .
.__._~._ ..,~.,._...... .~__.~ ._' "__'_'_._ .... _._.__ .__ ._ _._._ .M _. ._ ..~ __ _ ..~_. ._,~ _ __. _ _._.~._._. .._ ._._ -"'_.'. ~ ----- - ------ ..- -.~-- ... ----- _.-. -.--
::~
'..
3
.-- -..----- -"--~--' .._ . --.--- -"- - _ ----._ --- _ _ ._ _ ..'- - _ ,-_ .._- .~- ..--.- ~- _ _ .._ _ _....._ ._ _.._ _ _ .- _...._ ._ ._ ._ ..--_ ._ .- _.._ ._ _ --.- ..
/~ .--.- .. -.-- .. -.-. ~ .!t Jq; .~ .. __ ._6 ..~' .'__ . - - - - __ !L ? :.. L ... _ .._.. _.>.~..t .. _. __ b~.. _.... L :9 J .9,._.. :._ _~.~ ..'_ _ "'m "" .'_ ._ ._ _ _
- _ - ---.--._ .,- _ _ ~ - _ _ _ - _ _ ,_ ~ - - .'.. _ _ _ ._ '" - - _ - - _ _ _ _ w _ _ _ "_ ' _ _ _ _ ., _ _ _ _ _
.- ------.. - -.-:::-.p4.,-.~ h ._ ._ e.~-Iw-b--.. _ h_.. J~~._ ._ _ _ _ _ e~~-- f ~L......... .. .
.=:= ~-~==I-~ :~~r:~;~::~:~ :,.:~;:~~==~-~:t:=~~~
,
....... _ _ .._ ._-_.' _ .._ ._ _ -.--~_.......- _ _ _ ._ ..--..._ .._ _ _ ._.- --.---- .., ' -..... ._ ......._ _ ._ --_ ----- - "'- ..- .......- _ _ , --."'- _ .'...... "" - ' - , -.,.' "'-"" ' .
.- ..- ...-- - _ ._ _ .-.---- ...-..- - .- '--' --- ...
- ~: ~.=~~===- f ~~: : : 2: ~~: ._=~~~~~_~~~~~~~~- =~: < - : ~-_ ~~~:-::_ =
=~=.~~~~~~L A~k,~~.: t - ; ~~=: _~: : B=~=~_: : J ~~~!.: y ~- = .=' .~.
_ .~.-.-- -_ .~.. !J~-4? v~{; f r - J V 1 ~i.b aa@- L - - ~.-- - .- -..- - - - .- - - - .- .. - .- .- - .- - - .. .. __. .
- : --.- -- ----::--. P- ..L .Q s4.- - - Q .. ~." t - - cL t.. -.2.-L(..~ Z..~ -.-. .__ __ .. _ _ _ _. ~ .
..-.-.- ...----.-.---~...--~.~ ~ .. -- .. ~~~... -..-f i P_ 1~~. .. ~ _ _f y ~ .. ~.- _.-t : ? ..-.. - l\~~- ~f c... lo .._._~_ .
....., __.__.. __ ._~, __. ~ __e:s =tn_.. v~~_ _ad_ ._ ._ .. ~ _ _ t :.. ~ .. __ .. _. __ .. __. _ _.
(r r " I(
~ ~ .
.- ._ .~. .~~ .. ~.: . ~~ .~ .. .,: .. : ~.~ .. ~.s ;.;; . ::: ... .c:.. - :~: ~: ~: ~.- _~~.~~~ ~.u.: ; ; ~;
::~-~~~::~_ ~-~_ ;;.~~f !~~~t~~~o~S~~~~::-~~~~:~~l~:
...... _._ -.-=~-~~;..:.~I'o{A .>k -'-.'J"''''1-e;~e''''Lt'1 - _.. ...................
.......... .. ~~.s ....?gv.<I<~L ~'l"'."-.f:O~ -1 ~._~._...... . . .
y
'\ //
j/'./
. /
~--
...... __.. J 2~.. '1 Q.
...... - --..- - :--..De--' .. k ,~.~-.. -- ~~.L k _ _ _ _ i '!\.~1~'::J_ _ ..c~Jl _ _ k --:.\
------.-- ..-.-.-..-- .. -._ _ ., .~.---.C.k --rf k .~t-.---~.b~-~- -.:.:b-~.-..-.-.-0L~ .. __~ .~ .. .
- ~: - ~- ..--.~----~j~~.. . _/ Q - ,- _.$ ..k: ~..5 +.. _..:1 b~-1_~g v- .( Q {_~ _ ._ .
....-- --- ----- -..---~,-- j~-~-~ , _ ~_ .~_ _ _s.~ .. ~.~_ ~.~ .__.____ .__.. _.. __ ..
4
- :
........ _ _ _ _ _ ,,_ :,,: .o_ (.. ~~ _ . "_ "_ .. ,,,,,,_ ._ .. _ ",,_ "_ _ "_.. _ _ _ _ .. _ "_ _ _ .."_ _ ..
_ _ _ _ _ .._ .. _ _ .._ _ ~_ _..~_ D _ _ .,?_.__~.. 0.. !). ? _ ~~1:$' _{.~~b.s...
-- --_ _------_ .._---_ - ..__ _----"----_ -_.._--_ ...: ...- _-_ .._-_._--- -..--..-..--..---..-.-------.-------------~---.---~-.-.-.'- -,..---, ~------ ----,.._--._-_._-'._._----
--..--.--.- ..-------..----.~-.---..-----..---....----------------_._ .._--_.--.-------------------------------_ ..-------.------.- ..------------.---~----.----...-
5
/ jd lo t l~w; ; t t
------.-i f ::::. -= = 1 d 2~ = = -~ = = .-.= ,~ -= = .--. : : = : = -'-= = = : : : : : : ; : : : ; : : ----; ; : : : : : : : .--; ,: ; : ; : ; ; ; ; : - = - = --- _. - =- t t =~~=====
Tci i --~--- - ---~- - ~- - - - A- ~- - - .. - - - - - ~- .. - - .- - - - .- -
- . .!l. - ~ : " J - .' - . ~- ' J-- ~ ()- .---. {~--- - .~-. .----.---
- - - - ~~' 7I .. ~- . .- - - - - - - ~.- ~- - ..... -.... - - - - - - - - - - ; p - .- - .- - - - - .- - - .- - - - - -
_ ._ ._ .---#-
--_ ..._ --_.._ --_ .---,,_ ._ ------_ ..----_ ._ ._ -_ .._ -----------_ ._ ...._ ----
6
--.-------41-
," - ' - : : : : ..4L - ., ..._,._. .__ .. ._._ .... ..__ _
----------4 1------- - ---- - .. ---- .. --.. -----.. ----
~~- - - - - ~- - - - ~- ~- ~~~- - -
... __r Y...f !:: - - - - - - ) J ~ .. - - - - .- ~- - - - - - -
,.
=-- --=---.-~- - - - J J 1 5 - - ~- - : - - - - ~~=- .- .- .- - .- .- .... - - - - - - .- - - - -
-.. - .- - - - - - .- ~.- . - .- - - - - ~.- - - . - .- - - - ~-.. - ; ; r ; : ; : 5 3 7J - - ~- .- - - - . - .- - - - - .- -
- - .- - - H- - I- - r - ~- < _J ; ; ; ; . ~ ~~ ' - -
---.---.-.-~+--... --------.--------.---.---------.. ---.----.-.
--- -----.........cH-- .. ---- ..----------- -- .. _ -------.-------.------ .. 'C.----.- ..... ------.---
_.._ --------_ ..--..._ ----------_ ._ --_ .------_ ._ -_ .._ --------_ .._ ._ --_ .._ ._ ---_ ._ ----_ .._ -------_ .._ ---
---------ll+-- ------ -------- .. -------------- ---
.---.---H-----------.--'------------ .. ---------.-.--.-----_.
._:......_-_._ _ ._ ----_ .._ .._ ----
---.-----f~.... --.-----.------.--.-.. -.. -.----.----- ..... ----
-_._ ----,-._ -------------_ ._ ---
---.---.-----4~----.--------.---------. -------.--.-- .. ----------- .. -.. -----.-.--- .. --~----.--..... ---
..... -. .. !!? !f f i _
7
;,,-~-~)
-.-~
:...~~~
jct.c,.J .. ~~u~ J~ ~~.
~
f ~_ S_ ~._ ... _.._ f \? ~
~ ~_IL f.~~
._ST~ ~ ... L y~.~
~ _ ~~A~_ C)~
~. .
.... _ ._ ._ ..~~ DJ.N~
~ ..t r e: c: Ijr-~
.iYN'.A-.:l /'0 c:;-'-.., ... _ ....._._.
~ ffV...J ..A:)
M<2.:..~ -- ... -~DJ..
... .,s~~_. __
fu~cE~} .
r
t - - - =- S ~ .D~/..--_ S_ .()_ h ---,-l_ ( ;"_ J".t~_ . _ ~uh _
< -i _I _F o r< .___--Ll - .. -j.- "'~ S : ~0- _uu
h ~~ .. ~
~l) ... t_ .....
..: ..; .. ..- : .. .. : : .: ; : : : .: ; : : ... ~~~=- ~- ....., .. I..",~
(
_._-------_ .... -, _..-.- -"-- ..,..
.. ~-t:=-~_-~==~-~~ ._ u ._
...._._ _ .._ _ .-...
8
.,,-.
!
~ 1
~i ~ .'
. . l \ .
i !
4 ~ ~ 2- LS S------------------l;,--
=-==--=-=-~~~--:-=- .. --=~==-=-:~-~=-~=~~~~~~:~
------.-------L- - . - -~~ -~ -- --. ---.---.--.-.-.-.--.-.-
_ _ _ . J_ ~_ .. ~_ --c=s . *:;o-~}--
-.-- ---=-t~--.~- ~/ ~~~r : - =~~~u
--=~~~~~~~~.. ~.--.~~~~:~~
--:-----~--;:----~---.----.--------~--_.----_._--_.- - .._. ------- ------_._---
9
==- ; J clJ ~- ~~~=- - ~~~ : ; ; ; ; ; ; ; : J _l- .: ~~ .~~ .. - - - - - - - :~:-:----_ ~_ ::2.~---."-.---"."- ..
t . ~ <: . ~~c_ " ....
" ,. - Il--r- ( II . {
---.-------t;---- - .------,--- -----.---~-- -------.-.--:----. . . hJ
_________ i! ~ :f !!1 f l If LI'J . -- - ~ -----~
"---f~--" ---- - . --.- - -.------- .. -.------;~.-+------.- --- ..---,,----.-- ..--- -..- - ..--." "-,.----.- --- ---.- - "-
1: '
i \ .
I'
----- .. --- -- -:--4-: -.-----.".--.-------------...:.....----
!~
,.
---------.!.--- ~\ -----~.--- - - - ...._-- ------- -.---
i i
----_.....
10
r
I--
---
~---
I E.O. 13526, secti on 1.4(a)
I
----- >----_.
>----_.
i----'---
- - - - - - - :~- - ; ; p - - - ~- - - - . ----------~-~~::~:~=~-~ .. =~~
.- ' . r sr ' : ' : ' : .- _. - - ._- - - - - - - - - - - - .
---- ., ..---' ." .
----...,~~.~.~ ...LM---
i . '. ~() .' .. ' : P~~B _
=,' ,: ~~.~ ~ ~ ~ r:~
. .
._- ---. F __ - : - _t l' 5 _~~~~: -
- - - - ..~~ ~~/ ~- ~b
. . = --. _--- .-- _ _ W I- P f d ~ /--.----
~ -~--~--~ ~/-3 . -Af -
- - ~: ~- .' - - - - -- .- Q ? t : - - ~- .- - I - - - < ., = - - C J
7
--OQ(J"-;-r-)- -
---.. ~ 5t ~ r; f f o t :; .~ ~ >7i A~ .
11
..:.
--..-.--.--.-.-.--- .. --.. -----li.--- .. --.-.-------.-.--.---.--------.--.-.-.--.-.- .. - ------ --.. ------ -- ..--------.---------------.-.--.---.----.------.----.---.-.---.-------.-.. -.------.-------------
~:
i ~
L
-----_ ..-
1 ~
! ~
. . ----- -~-i"---.-.- -- -.-
i :
l !
-~-- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------,---- --
- -------------------------------7-------------------------------------
~ -cJl f . ~ - - ~- - - - - - - t ? c- ( - - ~- - e- L ~ 2: . _
. -- +----~-~--=------------- -
~. . .
,
-.-- ..-------------~---- ----.-.-------.-----~---.---- ..--..------.-- ...
- -
---- ----- ----------- ------------
13
,:
15
,.
;~
~_ -~~-~_ ---_ .-;;_ .~:~--~'_ ~~-_ -_ ~ .._ _ n_ -~--.-.--.-~~~.-_ ~ _ _ ~~
..-----.--- ..---.- .. - .. ~ ... _ ._ ._ - ... ~--- .. _ . _ _ ._ .- --------~.---.----
- - - - .- - - - .- .- - - - .- J - - - - - - - .. - - -..- - - - - - ~~ .~~ .- ~- ,.- - - - ' - - .....- - .- .- - - -
,
- ~- - ~~- ~- ... *~~ll~- - ... ~ ... -~ .= ~ --= -.~ ~ . ~; ? ~=~:;-= -.~=
= ~ -~ --l -~ = --3-Zc-~ ~ = ~ = -= -~ -~ ~ ::JE !_= ~ = -
1' ~~ l/J .. ~
=---~-71~~~-- -_= = = _-~ ~ -Q= -s ; --= --= -~ ~ ~
~ -. ;: . - ;'". LtC ._... -~~ ~-------~
- .-.. - - - - - - - .- - - . ~- .- - - - - -- -- -- - - - T- - - t r L - ~ .' - ~. - - : - - .- - -- - - - .- - - - .- - .. - - -.. - - - - .- .- - -
i' 5 l1 J ~
" .~ =r : : .- - u: _. - - - .~ ~- - 0L - - - - -do ----.- ... ------
- . - - - - .- . t : - - - ~? - - - - - 7f ~- ~- .: ..~- .~- - - - .- - - - - .- .- - -
\\ 0..!. .. --. ~
::::-~===~-l~- ~-~,----, --------
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .: n~-n~------ _ ~--~-~--
==----~=t~~- -=-~==~-~
. -'.
16
17
- ~ . .~
---+- .~-~-=~-- -- --' -' ~ ?Q_-
~ ---'s ,-~ ~ ~ .~ ~ ..;
.- ._ _ .._ --_ ._ .- -..~-.---.--.-:--- ....... -....._ _ ._ ._ ._ -_ ..._ ..._ ---_ ._ --_ .-._ ._ -- .._ .._ -------- ...:._ ---_ ._ ----. -
- : =- C - - ~7~L 2i~- / t la: - - - : 7? !- - 7 a .
- .- - - - - - - - - ~- ~- ~ - - - - ~~~r - - ~- . - - -
_ _ _ _ ~ - - t 1 1 _ C _ C _ _ _ _ . _ _ . _ _ ~-#5~.
- - : .....- - ~- - - \l1 J - - - - - _' EL --<- . '.
i .
. .
- - - - - - ~- . - - =- t : O - - J - - .. - - - - - - - ~- - .- - - - - - - - - - --.. - .- - .. - .- : - .- - - - - - - .- - - -.. - - - . .- - .- ~- - .- - - - - - - .. - .,.
===--: -~ f !C-----~ ~ ~ --.. - -=-==---- --.:- . ---'
~ - - - - ~f f f ; ; ; ; J r : ; t ; Q : - - - ~- - - - -
-----:--. -~ ---. .-
. ~ V'\}?)- ;U L ,~C-~
. . . .
. - ..-~
. ......_ ----- ----
-+~ $:ri ~ ~ jJ~ . 1S
~~~===~~=J L ~~tc~--~--~=~~~-~~--::D~--- _ ~--~~~_ 2~ t;:
~~-- ==1 '- 4~ -' ~-.~-.-~---D~---- j? ~~
~ .. T- - +t - - - ~- .. .L- - - N~.- - 4A- ~___/ _iL .- ~~~J - ~- - - - .- - -
- ~~+- ~- ~f .: ' f !~- ~~- - - h !j~ v==: .. - - - - - - ~
__ Ii ~~~- .. - - - ~L ~- _. _
~. c; : i~- ~- - ~- . --< {/Jl ~ - '~ ___ _ . ~- Z- - .__. _
rCGJ ii . .' '\; j, . . ; .
= :'.Ie Ii !'})~- - ; ; ; - ~=- - =~- - - ~- L iic- ~-=~-~~~=
.. ---~------J+_ --!;,)-.JJ..~~-----~---~ --'-~- - - Ale- . 4~~2 .
:; 1 ~ ~- < =.V c: - - - =- - : - t >- ..
=~:====il=_=gf t ~ ; [~ ~ --~ - ~ ~ _~ -~ . . -~ .::'.
----------_ .._ _ ._ -:,----------------\---- ~---; ~-~.-.- ..-..--.-------:-
- - - - - - ~- - - t ~- - - P' 7~~~- - ' - - - ..- / - - - cii- - - ~- - - - .
_ _ _ _ _ _ ~_ ~:L ._ ~.- - =r " : ~~~- - - - - -
- --- ------ - .. -;r-------- ------ ----- .----- - -.---- .. ----~---.-------- ..-----.--- .. ----------; .. --
. .
19
,
i
"
i .
~.- .. =~-J .~~-~- < :. ~ .~ ; ; .= eZ.~ .. ; 2~~: .. -= ::= ::
- - - .- .- - - - - .- .- - f !~.A- j~~ e- - ~ ..- - . ..
-----.-~~ --_ .:-- - .' - -------~-.~ ..--- .._ _ ._ _ _ --_ ._ ._ _ --._ .._ -----------_ _ - ..-----_ -------_ .._ ..-_ _ ._ .
t '
- - ~=~~3:b.f~2L :Q ~ -J 1 ZJ S~:=~= . . ~: . :.j-~"~-~
~; '. -
-------.-- ..- -~-.--.-.-.-i.1 .- -..-- __ _ __ __.___ _ ;--~..- , -._ _, ---.~.-., -- -..-,..-.- ---.-.- -. .._ ~_.__.._ _._._ h - - - - .' ,' - " ' - - ~- : - - .- .- .... " - : : ,- - ' - ._- - _- -
j; .
= --~ ~ S-el E .~ --~ = -~ ~ = 3l KX~ ~ = ~
-,------ ':.-- - ---- ..--' ~.--. c;.- d L ~~.1 l.~ .
. : :~ ~~!r iL J ' ~---~~J .
. : 1 _.' . . _ __
--.---~- "-- - - - .' ,
ii ..e = -= -= -:::: .. = = = = = = -
j:
-----~--- ---i i '-----------------
>::. ::~1 L ~~-1 !~~:=~:-:
! ~
- ..-..-------.~~------ _. -- - - --- - -- ...--_ ._ .-_ _ ._ ----_ .._-_.._ -_ .._ _ _ --_ .
. .
---- .. ---------... -.:..:.-- .. -----~ ---;-7-' J\~ ~ .--- ... ---'------- .... ----.--- .
. - J i---. __ ~t U _ I _' ._._. _. __ ~---.--.-.-- -.- .
-----_._--,.----------. ~ -,,~ ~ ~..#~ .
-.------~~--~ . - '- - ~ < -~~~---------~- ..
_ ._ --_ ._ _ ._ ------ ""-- -- ...~ --~~~~- ..-.
---. ![ --.-~ - - -- -, . .-
.. .
J j .
: ~ . .
-
,. :i
"j
;
20
21
1:
--------- ...:..
.-;~--.---------.-.--..-------- ..----------- ----"---_ ."- - _ ._ ---_ ._ -_ ..--_ ._ _ _ -," -._ ._ _ _ ._ -_ _ --_ _ _ .._-_._ _ ._ ._ -_ _ _ ._.-
r :
r
r:
\<
+i ------------------------------------------ -------- .--.--------------.- --------------.-----
11
I;
--------------+.. ~---
ii
Ii
!I
---------+j-----.----------
It
11
--_ ._ ----_ ._ _ ._ --_ ._ ---------------_ ._ ---
l!
!i
_ _ . . J..~ _
-.--.----J L . !:
\:
~;
- - - - .- .- - - - - - .- - - - - - .- - .- - - i:
i
. !;
-------------- ...---_ ...;--"_._---."_. _ _ ._ -----------------------------------------_ ...
---- ------- _ --_ _ ---1-; .--------~---------.--.--.--.--
;;
-.-. --......_ ._ --_ .._ --- ----------- ..----.-----
;1
--- -----_ . _ _ ._ --
"'-;1 ."--.----" --"."--._..------------------- ..---
'I
=j
~1
..._ ....._ --_ ._ .._ ._ ._ ..,--_ ._ --_ ._ ._ ..._ --
-----------------
"
"i!
11
.._ ."-_.--.--.~.~.
;!
i:
;j
.j.: ..
:1
22
UNCLASSIFIED
COMMISSION SENSITIVE
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
. Event: North Eas tern Ai r Def ens e Sector (NEADS) f i eld s i tevi s i t
Type of event: Second Intervi ewwi th Major James Fox
Date: Th urs day, January 22,2004
Speci al Acces s Is s ues : Clearance ch eck
Prepared by: Geof f rey Brown
TeamNumber: 8
Locati on: Commander's Conf erence Room, Bui ldi ng 102
Parti ci pants - Non-Commi s s i on: Major James Fox, E. Mi ch ael Ch i aparas , Deputy
Di rector f or th eContract Di s putes Res oluti on Center, Department of Def ens e (DoD)
Parti ci pants - Commi s s i on: Joh n Azzarello, Geof f rey Brown, Joh n Farmer, Mi les Kara,
Kevi n Sh aef f er
Note: Pleas e ref er toth erecorded i ntervi ewf or f urth er detai ls .
Accordi ng to Fox, NEADS recei ves f i rs t noti f i cati on th at th ere i s anai rcraf t of
i nteres t th rough th eIdenti f i cati on (ID) s ecti on. Th ey pas s th i s i nf ormati on toth eMi s s i on
. CrewCommander (MCC), andth eMCC "pi pes "th at i nf ormati on toth eBattle Cab. Th e
Battle Cab communi cates adeci s i on to th eMCC, andth eMCC carri es out th i s deci s i on
th rough th eappropri ate operati ons onth e f loor.
Fox noted to Commi s s i on s taf f th at h ewas not onth eNEADS f loor wh en th e
i ni ti al call f romZ BW i nf otmed Sgt. Powell of apotenti al h i jack of AA 11. Fox entered
th eoperati ons f loor as part of h i s routi ne duty. Hewalk ed to th eWeapons pos i ti on as
Powell was i nf ormi ng Lt. Col. Dawne Des k i ns of th e event.
PANTA Fl i ght:
Fox noted to Commi s s i on s taf f th at th ei ni ti al order f or th eOti s ANGB Ai r
Def ens e f i gh ter s cramble (panta f li gh t) di rected th ef li gh t toNewYork Ci ty.
Fox noted th atNEADS recei ved wordth at AA 11h ad h i t th eWorld Trade Center
(WTC), andth eWeapons s ecti on di d not k nowi f th es cramble was neces s ary any longer.
So th ey were told tobri ng th ef i gh ters i nto th eWh i s k ey 105areai ncas e th ey wereneeded
f or anoth er purpos e. Fox commented th at i t was adeci s i on f edby acombi nati on of 1)
th ere bei ng no target and2) aneed tok eep th e f i gh ters out of h eavy Federal Avi ati on
Admi ni s trati on (FAA) traf f i c.
COMMISSION SENSITIVE
UNCLASSIFIED
23
UNCLASSIFIED
COMMISSION SENSITNE
Fox noted th at wh en h eref ers toputti ng th ePantaf li gh t i nto "ali ttle gap"h ei s
ref erri ng toth enorth wes t comer of -Wh i s k ey 105. He als onoted th at h ei s not s urei f th e
Wh i s k ey 105areai s th e exact s amegeograph i cally today as i t was on9/11. Heexplai ned
th at th e areas th ems elves s h i f t boundari es .
Fox agreed th at th etrans cri pts s h owth at th e f i rs t noti f i cati on toNEADS of a
s econd h i jack i s atapproxi mately 9:03 AM. Commi s s i on s taf f commented th at at 8:52
AM, th e approxi mate ti meth at th eOti s f i gh ters were ai rborne, and af ter th ey wereh eld
i nth eWh i s k ey 105ai rs pace, th ere was no i nf ormati on onth eoperati ons f loor th at could
lead to th ebeli ef th at th e Oti s s cramble could ef f ecti vely bedi rected towards UAL 175.
Fox would not comment on th emoti vati on f or th eMi s s i on CrewCommander tomove
th eOti s f i gh ters i nto acapover NewYork Ci ty. He als onoted th at th ere areno "h ard and
f as t"rules over wh eth er th eMCC h as th eauth ori ty to di rect f i gh ters wi th out di recti on
h i ms elf f romth eBattle Cab.
QUIT Fl i ght:
Inregard to th eLangley s cramble of ai r def ens e as s ets (Qui t), Fox noted th at th e
h eadi ng gi ven to th ef i gh ters by th eFAA was i naccordance wi th s tandard procedures .
Regardi ng th eLetters of Agreement between FAA andNEADS, Fox commented th at
wh en th eFAA always controls f i gh ters th at areover th eNati onal Ai rs pace Sys tem.
Fox conf i rmed th at th eLangley f i gh ters were under FAA ATC control unti l th ey
entered th eWh i s k ey 386 ai rs pace. Henoted onceth ey reach ed th at ai rs pace, th ey would
beh anded f romth eFAA to Gi ant Ki ller, andth enHuntres s would reques t atrans f er of
. control f romGi ant Ki ller toHuntres s .
Commi s s i on s taf f veri f i ed wi th Fox areport toth eNEADS f loor th at th eMCC
was i nf ormed of anai rcraf t s i x mi les eas t of th eWh i teHous e. Sh ortly th ereaf ter th e
Langley f i gh ters were auth ori zed f or AFIO (Auth ori zati on f or Intercept Order).
Regardi ng af ollowi ng convers ati on, Fox noted th at th eWeapons Di rector Tech ni ci an,
Sgt. Huck i bone, was attempti ng to get th eFAA to turn th ef i gh ters towards Balti more.
Regardi ng th eh eadi ng gi ven Langely s crambles cons i deri ng th ei r orders to
res pond toa s cenari o over Was h i ngton DC (090f or 60), Fox commented th at, bas ed on
th etrans cri pts and th eradar f eed, i t appears th at th eFAA f ollowed i ts s tandard
procedures f or pas s i ng th ef li gh t toth emi li tary controllers .
Shoot down order:
Fox noted th at at onepoi nt h erecei ved di rect gui dance f romth eMCC topas s to
th ef i gh ters tobeprepared to s h oot down any uni denti f i ed targets th at mi gh t propos e a
th reat to any as s ets th ey mi gh t beprotecti ng. Fox commented th at h edoes not recall any
of th edetai ls i nvolvi ng anorder of Def con trans i ti on or adi recti on onach ange i nth e
Rules of Engagement f or th ef i gh ters . .
COMMISSION SENSITNE
UNCLASSIFIED
I E.O. 13526, secti on 1.4(3) I
-"-- .--- --- -~ ~~-.- -=-~---~-- -=-------~-----~--- ~=~-:-:-=-:::----=.-- ..~-- -=-----=-.- .. ::::::,-,--.-=---.-~~_ J
-', .-. -+,~-- .. ~ ..~~
_ J~P'~~l~~i "- ~. 1.1 !.. ~
:?; b ~; LJ .. ,
~ ~ - u)-'C) ~QI1-"'~
- 0 ~;\~'& ' '~ ~-<J ~;t~.
~.=...... .... ... ~. \"-Il.",, .~ ..o~. ~.~.~~ ...... ~..
_ _ _ .._ .}:.a_ _ .'_ _._ _._
~~'):UL. .:~~~_ .
-~~--.--
.~. HaD.- - .0 .~i ...lQ_ ~_ ._ , _ _ ~ _ _
IO ~~_~
~ ~ .?~ ~ ~ o f t ~
~,.~ L .)/~ ~AA .~ w\'
~-m;.d~' _u , _ u ,_
-.-~-p~-.".-- ..
1\J9RA Q P~5/.!J ._ __.__
~ _L O( ~. a -=r::-Pi ll ~'~".
_ _ _ ._ ._ ~.~~.-,i J- .. t0:Q- ..-!D----Q~-.-i -.-- .. - -- ---
~- .- .- ~- ,~l- - ~~- - ~- - .- - - .. - .- ... -
--..~~- ~d~.--~-j}~-.:..-~f -A'U0 .
'H_~'"
"'(p~ ; ; :'
25
.._ ..+:l_ ~~
... - ~ __L .~: _~ __.r ; : M . _..~ ~M _ _.~ ..
~--~~-+~ ~- ~~
.. _ .. _ ---:=-: ~~. _ 7~ ~-t~ ~.~
.....~~ ...~ ....
... l~----=I E=.O=.=13=52=6,=Se=ct=i On=1=.4=(a)=I~_ 1
........ -i .~~ .... ~. e~ ~.~
{:J\-A
r : ~_~___ C'\ <$; r :
~''Vn:.~ .. ~
.............. AIC - ! ..
... " '-"f'\b~ - .
......~\~ _ "IJl- ..
\)~~
~i . ~ s \~~ __ ..: .
~ ..~~.~
c:L~_ .S::--f f i _ ~~ ~.A~ .~.~.~
.____. ~_~_ ... ~_j!::,.-Q __. e~_ ~~~ . ..
~ ..~---~-.~.
~..~ .. \)~ ..1 ,. .gJ __ ..NQC.J \U
- - -- - .
ctW~ .. u.p.~ .N~A_ ~-
~ vvaQflw -=::::,. -::s ~---s .
., . _ .' 0" . ~ _ _ ."'.. _ ." _ . _ _ _ _ _ _ . _ _ :""" ._ ". _ _ '._ ._ _ _ .~ .,, _ _ _ . ._ _ ._ _ ~~_ .
_._ .' ..... _ Corc>_ ..t:;)~~---~.--~-.
_ _ _ _ _ ._ '._ _ ._ '_ ._ ~-':~'\-.g~ ... ~ ...0:\- ~.'
26
-\ - -
-. - -. - -- .-
. - -.- .- .
.. ~_~~- ... -.V'0. ~ ~ ~ ~Q;'~w.D~
.. - ... -.-$~~~ ...-_.. -_.
-'-'~~"'"
- .- - - .-' C .
G.
'-"'~)-'
I~ ~ _~ ... _ _-----
..__ ..s~_0~- ~- - ~~~~'
.. ~~~ ~ L 0."O\~
~~.-;$~
.....~~-
.. ~cv& --.<:;>...,._ ~ .... '-"
~ A~ __ I\_ ..jJ .~ )~
...._'::-"':-'~ ~ ) .._9':::)< ::.l :~ .!)/)>! ... i 'i C'< ,.$----J:::.,.. - .
.~~.-.~~-
~~~ .. ~ __~_.' : ,.,!.~ __._~J ; ' b-"..~t .: ,
'-..J
""":0,--" -
~
~~
}......~\... _ _ ~ '~~""A ~D-i
~.~ l~ _..... _" ..... _ ._ P",_ ... _ ..... _ _ .. .,. _ _ ... _ _ .~.~~J. _
\ r. '2\ .
ro-::::.l . ~ 1 \' ~
.... - ... - ..... ---.- ... ~_ .1 ... ~'b~-.---.--. . ... ...-
L v ~ lo. " ~ ~" >=:: - - . ~.U\..),;~J l-e--.,..
'1-~ ...1 .""Y.' ....-,.~ ....~. ..- ....
..~.-.~--~------~--~~
. - _ Gl~
' .._ .._ _ ....--_ ....--- ._ .-.. - ..----_ ._ --- -.- ......._ ---_ . __ . .', ..... ,.... --_ ..._ -- '"
~
_ (_ _ _ _ , _ _ h _ _ ._ . _
n ---- - - - r ' ~ ~\ r
nC
- ~ .. _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ '._ ~ _ _ '~' n. _ _ -
L -s ~.~-.~.
27
............... ,_ ~ .. ~.....=-c- .... ~_ . -"/ .... _ ... u
... -- .. _ \
-1---'----\
\
.. \ .
....... .-.... ~.~ .. a~.
". -.- ..~.-- ... .
t='CSL - .~_~ ...~ ~ ...~ .~ ..
, ~ ~ b~ .~ ~ .""'~
_ p _ . ~' J 0~~~~~" O i .
...? ~~~t-~J:)~~~~~
~ .
.......-s ~.~~ .~ ~ D: : - Nv~
-.. .~-Ij/& - .
Ar S t .~~....~ d~ )1
JJ.~ .~ ~ .NY ...
.. _ ..s \V ..~ .. ~.-Jj-L.CA~ ..
- ' "0" ,.. _ . ' ,'_
. . - .. ---.~~~~~.~~ .~~.~~<;.....
_ . ? ~~_S D>!T ... ~~ ~ . .
~~ i cRS \l. ~~kvG.o , ~
_ _ ._ _.J:)~~._ _ _ ~~:::] - _ ~;r..
- -~.~~.~ -. .-
... ... .... _ ... "._ -
..J)~_ .~._ 2-D_ ~. _ _._ _ _ _
.... _~~- !J i .~3_ ~_ ~_ . ._... ._ _
. .-. - ' .-' ",- ..-. '-_'- .. .. . . .. - -- . . . - ,', -.. .
....... 19? ~ .~~_ .;S_ ~~~ ~ _ _ ~. _ _~~._ ...
.......~~.~.~~. -.. ~-~.~ .
. ~ ~._cy ~. _ p& ;j ~--:.d .
28
_ _ ._ .._ ~t_ ~~~ ._ _ ._
-._ .. -- ... --~ .. ~_ ~ ... ~~:t~ .
...... ". _ ....._ _ .._ - -". -, - .. "'" -'" _ . _ ...- ..." ._ _ . - - ..._ .. ," .. '-' . -.-- - .~-..- .
- ~- : ~- .- - ~~- ~- w) ~" " t W " \ . ~ - ...
---- _ -- .. "' .._ .-". ..._ _ ._ " - - . - .. - -". ." -
".-- - . ".~ ~ ~ ~ _~ ~ \f .c&L~ _
---.-.--.- _ _ ~~~~~ .~:_ ~_ ~O~<:J)~--
_ _ _ _ _ _ ~~s )~.i :o ~ _ _ ~ .J)_ ~~-
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ q--~~~~--~-f u--~-
- '_ ."_ - 0 ". _ _ "_ ",, ,,
._ .._ _ f .1:\~s ,_ . _ _ ~---~.~.-~~--~--J)O
." .._ - "." ...
....... ...... ."_ r;..,~ ~. ~~ .. kC ; \~
~
~ d<:::-? --.. ~n \
_ _ _ _ _ _ -.'--J,--'~~
....."... " .." . . .. - .....
... _ _ )_ 2:S"~ ~ _ ~ ~~~ _ _
_ ~ _ _~_ V:n::G_
W~ ~_ ~_ ~.~ ~._ .
- --~--.~--~.()~~.
-- ---- .--- -- --- . --------.- Q~ --.~ --_ .. - _ .
- .----~-~. - Gr- - -G . ."
_. _ . O~"'" . <s - ~ .. . .
. -" .... .. .. ".. -.-
---.--.-------.-. t~\><- ,;, ~ -~.;::,~~.--.-----
.- - - - - - - -.-- - .- / \_J ...._\..~ .M--). - --------- ------lJ.--.-~--T ----- -"--- --
-~--.~ ~~.- -'--.~~ --~-~.:~.-: ~--.--- ~(j .------- ---- ._ -._ ----- ----._ -_ .
---.- ----- ------.-.-.:w~. -6~ ~f A-'-j- & 1".~--- ~~ .. ---
.J --~~~-o~~(;t,- .~ , '"
\
.', \
. . - . -. .. .. 1)
I . () () -P ~ J I ~..i . A ;:;;: --:--t-;.
~_ .. N_ ~~_ ~._ .9-J . ._ _Dr\_ ~~ ..
.~ _~ __ ....G)At\:L r __ .~(L~~ .....
L A~ ~\J.J~9:---.
wj FAA
. ... \.
29.
f! ~
'... ; ,.; h. j._. .
.'t/ 0 ~ ~ 3~ < d 'c:h.; ~ O R
:! J
30 .
i~
------ ----- i: --.----." - "- ---..--.-. -..- --'-' ---.. -- .. ' -.-.- -.- -- - ..--.'._-._- ----------
i !
_~_I!
1 r--'" --'-'-- "._---- --.- -- - .."0 -.--.---- . -.-.--- .-------- ..... - ..~ ----- ..--- ... -- . ------------- .---.-
I!
7 !1 --------------- ; >~
j
. . r .
" " ..
31
.~j) ~~- / .
._., ~ ~ ~ ~ E d f l -; . --------------
~J J ~?~~~
. , {jUt .' . , - .. - -
~
- - - cr !; ; ~. " . - - - .- 1 \'\ -. ~~~.
~ -- d -- ._~ ~ ~ /-~ ~ .
~' - L .. ~~~,. "
- ' ., - P; : ~R ~ ~- - .-
- .. ~~-~"
.,~~~-~,
,~-~' " ,
- ..------.------- ...---.----------.--------.---~ ~.- -. ---
. ~.-~~~~'
- - - - .- - ' - - - '- - d 2.~- - .- - - .- - - - - - - - - .- - - - ( - - - .. _. -
..
- - ~ - - - - - - - - - - ~- ~- - - - - - - - ~- -- - .- .- - - ~.- - - - - - - - ~, - - - - - - iJ - - - - - .- - - - -..- - ~ ' - - -
__________ 1 bu_~~ ._.. ,~" ~ ._~ _rv~
~.~- - ~- - - =- __V ~ ~- r ~ ..
- _: _~~- ~- - - bf ~- - - ..~- - . - - ~t - - -
-- ~---:---/7-#--------.-:.. ---./"~~----.-.-, --------~----------:--.-- ---------.-.--
--- ------~-J<-Ll- --- -.. --.. ----.--.-.-.-- -.. -.----.-.- --- , .
-----~-.-... -.--.-:~==-~=:-L \1 =c.G-=~Z:.-=~=-=~-=~==I .. ---.--
- .-.. - - - - .- .- .- - - - - - - - - ~i~- l- - p ~- - - : ~- - - - - - - - ~- - ~
==-====~~_m ~_ h lS ~ ~ - ~~ M-
( t ~- ~c: ; ; ) - e- - - - ~,' -
.. 32
-----.-.---.;-'----------.- ..-.-.-------~---
--'-----_ . -----------------_ .-
-=T-~ -E f f -4:-~ ..-------' c~ ._ _
.--.. ----.-----.-'.-! ~/ - ~~- - ~t . _ -~-4------
:-~:::=: --:,[~~-~~=~~----=- ~@- : : ; ; 1 : : it ~- - - .- -
=i
:= -::= = 4-~ J; = d ::rJ= -:-~ :.-~ - s: :
:: G4= ~ v~ . .'"?
------ --- - --r------ --.---.----- -------=--.~---- -.---- -- -;;-.-------
--------.--.-!-~--~---.--.---.------. .- ._ ---
- - - ~ - - : 4- - - 6 . ( c -4f f --~ -----l !.~ __.J .ut ~e.zJ J .L _
- --:-------i : ~ _ _ ~~- 2V \..: - .- - ...c~- ~~ - p 1 - ~~~,..- .
'I - -,------~ . ~-~
. 1---,T--- . ;0,---~---;--.J1 i -:J': l3 - . - - ~~ ..
-1 -1 .- - ~- ~- - u~- ~- - - T~- - - ~- - ' - - ~- .. - -
--:----+- ~ ~~z: ~~~~~=L - 1 J ~- ~
.- - - - . ' : - W - .- L - V ~~- ~' F~-
---. -=-=-:l[~-t::~::=--=:~:==-~~:~~~:
_ _ _ _ ._ . ;_ ~-.-'--- ..... -- .... - _ ,_ 0_ - . _ _ ._ _ ._ ... _ ..... ._ ~_ .... _ ._ ._ ._ ~.--.--.--.- ._ _ . .. _ . _ _ ._ _ . . _ _ ._ ~ _ . _ " ._ .. . ._ ._ . : ."_ _ ---; . _
.~: .. . -
: : - s=i: ; Th ~.~' .
.. - - ------- .. -----i i -----~/-~-.~~- :- ------- ----------- _.. _ _ ._L ~~_: _~ - - - - - ......." " ....- .- - ~: ~- - ~.- - ~- .- .~- - -
. \: ,~~ ~. - r ' r s- ( ; J ~ / ~._. ~
UNCLASSIFIED
COMMISSION SENSITIVE
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
Event: North Eas tern Ai r Def ens e Sector (NEADS) f i eld s i te vi s i t f i \
Type of event: Intervi ewwi th Major James Fox IltJ
Date: Wednes day, October 29,2003
Speci al Acces s Is s ues : Clearance ch eck
Prepared by: Geof f rey Brown
Team Number: 8
Locati on: Commander's Conf erence Room, Bui ldi ng 102
Parti ci pants - Non-Commi s s i on: Major James Fox, Captai n Dani el L. Warnock
Parti ci pants - Commi s s i on: Joh n Azzarello, Mi les Kara, Geof f rey Brown
Note: Pleas e ref er to th e recorded i ntervi ewf or f urth er detai ls .
Background:
~
ox dth e mi li tary th rough ROTC i n 1990. He recei ved h i s f i rs t as s i gnment
i n 199 i ndleAi r Force Bas e (Ti ndle AFB) i n Weapons Control and Trai ni ng. In
February h ecompleted h i s trai ni ng and arri ved at Gri f f i s Ai r Force Bas e (Gri f f i s
AFB) wi th NEADS. He was i nvolved i n Des ert Sh i eld and Des ert Storm; as well as i n
counter-drug operati ons i n Panama.
Hebecame aWeapons As s i gnment Of f i cer, wh i ch i s th e s ame as aSeni or
Di rector. He h as been trai ned i n vari ous pos i ti ons , i ncludi ng Mi s s i on CrewCommander
(MCC). Due to 9/11and th e i ncreas e i noperati ons tempo, Fox needed to dedi cate mos t
of h i s ti me to Weapons . Today Fox i s work i ng f ull-ti me agai n as aMCC.
Th e Seni or Di rector of th e Weapons Secti on, wh i ch i s compos ed of th e Weapons
Controller and th e Weapons Controller Tech ni ci an, moni tors anumber of teams of
controllers wh o are res pons i ble f or mi li tary ai rcraf t. Th e Seni or Di rector's i mmedi ate job
i s to moni tor th e Seni or Di rector Tech ni ci an (SOT). Th e SDC moni tors th e Weapons
Controllers Tech ni ci ans wh o areh andli ng di recti on wi th th e FAA and wi th all ph one
calls th at need to becoordi nated s o th at th e controller can s tay on th e f requency. Lt.
Powell, th en Sgt. Powell, was work i ng as aS. Di r. Tech ni ci an, and s o was Ron Bi li ci a on
91 1 1 .
Th e Weapons Di rector Tech ni ci an i s i n communi cati on wi th th eFAA and
coordi nates all i s s ues over ai rs pace. Th e Weapons Controller s peak s di rectly to th e
mi li tary ai rcraf t, and di rects th os e ai rcraf t onth ei r route progres s th rough all ai rs pace.
Th e progres s of orders i s f romth eMCC to th eSeni or Di rector, th en to th e Weapons
Controllers , th en to th e Operati ons f loor.
Ai r defense mi ssi on:
COMMISSION SENSITIVE
UNCLASSIFIED
3~
UNCLASSIFIED
COMMISSION SENSITIVE
34
Fox unders tood NORAD's ai r def ens e mi s s i on as atas k to s urvey and i denti f y all
ai rcraf t enteri ng Uni ted States ai rs pace. If NORAD was unable to i denti f y an ai rcraf t,
th en th e mi s s i on would be to s cramble and acti vely i denti f y. NORAD i s als o tas k ed to
work wi th cus toms on counter-drug operati ons . Th i rdly, NORAD i s tas k ed wi th
def endi ng agai ns t acoordi nated ai r attack on th e Uni ted States .
Th e NORAD h i jack res pons e mi s s i on i s tri ggered by th e FAA. NORAD's
s tandard operati ng procedure i s to wai t f or acall f rom th e FAA s peci f i cally reques ti ng
mi li tary as s i s tance. lf th e FAA does not reques t as s i s tance, NORAD does not s cramble.
Af ter as cramble wi th i n US ai rs pace NORAD i s tas k ed wi th s urvei llance by ai r at af i ve
mi le di s tance f rom th e target. Th e mi s s i on only ch anges by agreement wi th Canada. In
Canadi an ai rs pace th e ai r def ens e f li gh t would mai ntai n al Itrai l i ns tead.I-E-.'"':O-.-1-3-S-26""-,-s -e-ct-i o-n-1.-4-(a-)-
If an ai rcraf t i s i ntercepted over water, NORAD controllers are i n ch arge of th e
f i gh ters . If i t i s i n ai rs pace over US land, th en th e FAA does th e controlli ng to create ai r
s pace clearance; but NORAD s ti ll-mai ntai ns wh at i s ref erred to as "command and
gui dance" by acons tant radi o li nk .
Fox was aWeapons Controller duri ng th e Luf tah ans a h i jack . On th at day NEADS
recei ved i ntelli gence "f ar ah ead". He was told by as eni or di rector to look at regulati ons
on h i jack s . He was told th e h i jack ed ai rcraf t h ad i ntenti ons of enteri ng US ai rs pace, s o
Fox revi ewed th e h i jack exerci s es . He remembers later on i n th e day h avi ng Oti s AFB.
ai rcraf t of f th e coas t th at took th e es cort f rom th e Canadi an f i gh ters and es corted th e
h i jack ed ai rcraf t to alandi ng. Fox does not recall many of th e detai ls .
Awareness of nati onal mi l i tary assets:
. Fox h ad awarenes s of wh ere th e Self ri dge mi s s i ons were tak i ng place on 9/1l.
Th e SD f or Weapons of ten k eeps nati onal ai rs pace s i tuati onal awarenes s s i nce at ti mes
th e Weapons Controllers at NEADS control f li gh ts out to di f f erent areas of th e country.
Th ough , pre 9/11 th ere NEADS h ad ali mi ted k nowledge of th e exact weapons
conf i gurati on of th ei r alert ai rcraf t. He beli eves i t was th e "def ault s tandard" to h ave a
"guns -only" s tatus , and one f uel tank . Th e alert f i gh ters would pos s i bly h ave AIM 9s as
well. On 9/11 h owever, th e "bi rds " at Oti s AFB were pos tured wi th more weapons and
th ree f uel tank s becaus e of th e Rus s i an Bear exerci s e. Fox noted th at wh en as cramble
order i s i s s ued, th e alert f i gh ters mus t tak e of f as i s .
Fox noted f or Commi s s i on s taf f s ome of th e tech ni cal i s s ues regardi ng th e control
of ai r weapons as s ets . He noted th at AI0 f i gh ters are cons i dered "f i gh ters " even th ough
th ey pri mari ly s erve an ai r to ground f uncti on.
Th e ai r alert f i gh ters would of ten h ave AIM 9s , wh i ch are h eat s eek i ng, and called
"Si dewi nders " or "Heaters ". Someti mes alert f i gh ters would h ave AIM 7s as well; wh i ch
are aradar gui ded mi s s i le and als o called "Sparrows ". Th e AMRAAM (Advanced .
Medi um Rari ge Ai r to Ai r Mi s s i le), or AIM-120, i s amedi um s i zed weapons th at h as i ts
COMMISSION SENSITIVE
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
COMMISSION SENSITIVE
35
own targeti ng mech ani s m th at i s al-weath er, and beyond-vi s i ble range. AMRAAMs are
als o called "Slammers ".
I E.O. 13526, s ecti on 1.4(a) I
L..:--:--_ ~At th at poi nt i t goes to a"pi tbull"f li gh t, wh i ch i s s elf di rected. At th i s poi nt
i n th e targeti ng proces s , th e AMRAAMs i nternal radar track s to th e target th at was
des i gnated by th e f i gh ter's radar by th e pi lot.
Th e F15s can obtai n as peed of Mach 1.1 i f f ully loaded. But wh en th ere i s more
th an one tank on th e f i gh ter i t creates alarge amount of drag, wh i ch i n turn compromi s es
th e pi lot's abi li ty to control th e f i gh ter. Th us , us ually wh en af i gh ter goes s upers oni c and
i s f ully loaded i t drops two of i ts tank s bef oreh and.
Fox beli eves th e F16s armed at an alert mode would be h ave amax s peed of
rough ly 1.2 mach o He als o noted th at s upers oni c s peed and maneuverabi li ty i s not very
di f f erent between th e F15 and th e F16.
Duri ng day to day operati ons by agreement wi th th e FAA f i gh ters wi ll not go
s upers oni c overland at an alti tude of les s th an FL 300. Th ere are ai rs pace s ecti ons i n th e
US wh ere th i s can be coordi nated. And at f urth er th an 10mi les outs i de th e coas t af i gh ter
can go s upers oni c at 10,000 f eet and above. Th es e agreements between th e FAA and th e
mi li tary do not completely apply i n acti ve ai r s crambles i f th ere i s i ntelli gence. or reas on
to beli eve i t i s adi re s i tuati on. Fox unders cored th i s poi nt by s ayi ng th at on an acti ve ai r
def ens e mi s s i on th e mi s s i on i s paramount. Pi lots h ave th ecapabi li ty to mak e th ei r own
deci s i ons regardi ng wh at i s neces s ary to f ulf i ll th ei r mi s s i on; but i f af li gh t goes
s upers oni c th e order comes th rough Weapons . And Fox does recall voi ci ng f or th e Oti s to
go "s uper" di rected towards NewYork on 9/.11.
Scrambl e procedures:
Fox noted to Commi s s i on s taf f th at s cramble orders are always di rected by ei th er
th e Seni or Di rector or th e Seni or Weapons Di rector. Furth er, h e explai ned th at th ere are
"s h out li nes "us ed between di f f erent s ecti ons on th e f loor to coordi nate ti mely
i nf ormati on. And th at th es e li nes are us ed i n as cramble s i tuati on. Th i s ti mely
coordi nati on i s practi ced and th e NEADS readi nes s pos ture i s to h ave f i gh ters ai rborne
af ter as cramble i s i s s ued wi th i n 17mi nutes .
Fox explai ned th at once f i gh ters are i n th e ai r, both th e FAA and HUNTRESS
only s peak wi th th em wh en th ey h ave gui dance to gi ve. Th e f li gh t lead would be i n
ch arge of th e f li gh t's conf i gurati on. Th e lead can h ave both f requenci es i n ear, anddi rect
wh i ch member of h i s f li gh t h e i s s peak i ng wi th . For example, th e f li gh t lead could h ave
one radi o moni tori ng and communi cati ng wi th th e FAA, and anoth er radi o to h i s
COMMISSION SENSITIVE
~UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
COMMISSION SENSITIVE
6
wi ngman. In th e s ame f li gh t, th e wi ngman would h ave h i s f li gh t lead i none radi o"and
HUNTRESS i n th eoth er. Fox commented th at th i s would be as tandard conf i gurati on.
Wh en cons i deri ng i n f li gh t communi cati ons wi th multi ple f i gh ters i nth e s ame
f li gh t, Fox noted th at i t i s not aconf us i ng. For example, th e Langley ai r def ens e f li gh t
h ad th ree Fl6 ADF (Ai r Def ens e Fi gh ter) ai rcraf ts . Th os e f i gh ters jus t conti nue th e s ame
s ys tem noted above wi th th e th i rd member of th e f li gh t. Fox noted th at th e Fl6A (a
vers i on of th e F16) h as an UHF, aVHF and aHF radi o. It i s uni que f or af i gh ter to h ave
th ree radi os , but th eth i rd i s not us ed f or th e s ame typeof communi cati on as th eoth er
two. In f act, th e f i gh ters would rarely us eth eHF radi o. Th at HF radi o i s pri mari ly us ed
s peak back to acommand pos t at great di s tance. Th e Langley ai rcraf t h ad th i s (F16A
vers i ons ); but th e vas t majori ty of ai r def ens e f i gh ters areFI6s are FI6Cs .
Th ebas i c range f or f i gh ters at 10to 15,000 f eet and above f or communi cati ons i s
rough ly a 150mi le range to one of NEADS radi o s i tes along th e coas t. If an ai rcraf t i s
over water th e communi cati on i s pas s ed th rough Gi ant Ki ller. If over land th e
communi cati on goes th rough radi o s i tes at th e Centers .
Scrambles areof ten voi ced but af ter atarget i s i denti f i ed th ere can be a"cancel
s cramble"order voi ced. He f urth er noted th at i t i s not s tati s ti cally cons i dered as cramble
unles s th e ai rcraf t i s actually ai rborne.
Fox explai ned to Commi s s i on s taf f th at voi ci ng a"vector"may i ndi cate th ere i s
an i deaof an actual track of wh ere th e target i s h eaded. Th e FAA coordi nates th e vector
f or th e f i gh ter to avoi d ai rcraf t. Th e FAA i ns erts af li gh t plan of wh at th e f i gh ters want
i nto th eFAA computer s ys tems s o th at th e path of th e f i gh ters can be cleared. Fox
expres s ed to Commi s s i on s taf f th at i f th e FAA beli eves i t may be di f f i cult to clear an
area, and may tak e aperi od of ti me, th emi li tary would want th i s i nf ormati on; but, bas ed
on h i s experi ence, th eFAA would probably not communi cate th e i nf ormati on.
Fox explai ned th at i deally ai rcraf t are s crambled to aprojected i ntercept poi nt as
oppos ed to acurrent locati on of th etarget.
COMMISSION SENSITTVE
UNCLASSIFIED
Fox explai ned th at wh en th e s cramble li ne i s acti vated all neces s ary f aci li ti es are
s i multaneous ly noti f i ed.
Fox noted to Commi s s i on s taf f th at h edi d not k nowwh ere th e neares t "h ot gun"
Canadi an f i gh ters th at could be s crambled were on9/11. But s i nce Canada i s part of
NORAD Fox does not h ave expect th eproces s f or drawi ng on Canadi an as s ets to beany
di f f erent th an th at f or drawi ng on as s ets f romSEADS or WADS.
Exerci s es and trai ni ng:
Fox noted to Commi s s i on s taf f th at almos t every trai ni ng exerci s e i s f or ai r
def ens e. Th ei r dai ly "Spades "or AFEs (Alert Force Evaluati ons ) are i ndi vi dual
s crambles out of acertai n bas e to as certai n atarget or s h ort two h our i ntercepts to
UNCLASSIFIED
COMMISSION SENSITIVE
37
practi ce i denti f i cati on meth ods . A s mall exerci s e li k e th i s or alarge s cale Vi gi lant
Guardi an type exerci s e all deal wi th i n part i denti f i cati on of an ai rcraf t enteri ng US
ai rs pace f rom over water. .
By pos s e commatadus NORAD was not allowed to i ntercept ai rcraf t i nternal to
th e Uni ted States . Th at mi s s i on was cons i dered alawenf orcement mi s s i on. Fox noted
th at h e was trai ned to th at poi nt of unders tandi ng. He noted th at th i s unders tandi ng s tems
f rom h i s early trai ni ng. It was always th e unders tandi ng at th e Operati on Floor level th at
to i ntercept s ometh i ng th at ori gi nated i n US ai rs pace th e i ntercept would h ave to be
approved f rom alevel over NORAD (i e. Joi nt Ch i ef s of Staf f or Nati onal Securi ty
Counci l). Fox noted th e operati onal k nowledge at NORAD was th at i t would never
cons i der tak i ng th at acti on on i ts own auth ori ty. At NEADS, th ey would s eek h i gh er
command gui dance. Fox made th e di s ti ncti on to Commi s s i on s taf f th at i t i s th at auth ori ty
to i ntercept th at needs h i gh er auth ori zati on; but th at s crambles can be order f rom
NEADS. .
racti ced f or counter-dru 0 erati ons are onl racti ced on
In Fox's
'-r-e-co-:I:7le-c-:-t-:-:-i o-n-m-o-s t:-o-f ;:t:7h -:-i s -ex-e-r-c:-i s -e-w-as --;,7.'i -n"'7h -o-u-s e-;':;-' .-;In~t;-h e-e-v-en--'t-o--'f ""'a-n-ac-.Jtual i nterce t
coordi nati on wi th FAA would be i n as an ai rcraf t comes
E.O. 13526, s ecti on 1.4(a)
I E.O. 13526, s ecti on 1.4(a) I
Fox commented th at NEADS may gi ve operati ona ra ar s upport on
'------;---:--7-'
track s over th e Mai ne/Canada ai rs pace to th e FAA.
Fox does not k nowofa counter-drug i ntercept th at h as h appened real world at
NEADS. He commented th at NEADS pers onnel h ave been trai ned, but Fox h as never
parti ci pated i n one of th os e exerci s es ; h e does k nowth at SEADSh as agreater counter-
drug f ocus . J
Fox s tated th at s mall s cale exerci s es i nclude s ch eduled trai ni ng i n th e controlled
mi li tary ai rs pace of f th e coas t. Large s cale exerci s es are completely s i mulated and would
i nclude th e enti re coordi nati on and s teps between th e i ni ti al i ntelli gence of an event and
th e deployment res pons e. To Fox's k nowledge, Vi gi lant Guardi an was bui ldi ng towards a
large s cale s i mulated exerci s e.
Fox does not recall any real world, actual f lyi ng exerci s es coordi nated wi th FAA
to practi ce h i jack procedures . Any li ve exerci s es would h appen over th e of f -coas t
ai rs paces . Fox beli eves th ere may h ave been li ve i ntercepts i n practi ce over th e coas t th at
would be wi th th e purpos e of practi ci ng h i j ack s cenari os .
Fox recalls as mall number of occurrences i n wh i ch as i mulated i ntercept of a
h i jack ed ai rcraf t comi ng i n f rom over s eas "cras h es i nto s ometh i ng" i n US terri tory. It
was always anai rcraf t comi ng i n f rom over water. He does not k nowwh at th e reas on f or
wh y th es e f li gh ts mi gh t h ave been s i mulated to cras h . He beli eves th at di s gruntled pi lots
may h ave been as cenari o th at was exerci s ed. Fox does not recall an exerci s ed s i tuati on
COMMISSION SENSITTVE
lJNCLASSIFIED
3
. UNCLASSIFIED
COMMISSION SENSITIVE
th at th epi lots were not controlli ng th e ai rcraf t, or as i tuati on practi ced i nwh i ch th ere was
no communi cati on f romth e ai rcraf t. Fox noted th at oth er MCCs may remember th es e
s cenari os i nmore detai l, or may h ave been i nvolved wi th oth er exerci s es th at i nteres t th e
Commi s s i on.
9/11:
Fox recalls th at on 9/11 th eWeapons Secti on was prepari ng f or th e s tart of th e
Vi gi lant Guardi an exerci s e. He commented th at becaus e of th i s th ey h ad amore robus t
s taf f th en would h ave been normal, but i t i s arequi rement th at th ere be adedi cated team
of controllers per group, of ai rcraf t. And s i nce ami s s i on can vary i n s i ze f romapai r of
f i gh ters to as many as twentyai rcraf ts , i ncludi ng tank ers and oth er types of mi li tary
ai rcraf t, th enumber of controllers reporti ng and work i ng at th e Weapons Secti on at a
gi ven ti me can vary. Powell, Gardner and Bi luci o were all s i tti ng at th e Weapons des k
on 9/11.
Th e Vi gi lant Guardi an exerci s e th at NEADS h ad been prepari ng f or was on h old
already becaus e of th e Rus s i an Bear acti vi ty. Th ey were expecti ng i t to begi n, and Fox
went to perf orm s ome admi ni s trati ve duti es . As Fox entered th e f loor, Powell was
i nf ormi ng Colonel Des k i ns (th en aMajor) of th epos s i ble h i jack . Fox unders tands th at th e
Federal Avi ati on Admi ni s trati on (FAA) was attempti ng to locate ah i jack ed ai rcraf t on
th ei r radar, and th us made th e appropri ate call to th e Seni or Di rector Weapons Tech ni ci an
(Powell) to noti f y NEADS of th e s i tuati on. Des k i ns was on th e Operati ons f loor at th e
ti me. Th at i s wh y Powell s pok e to h er i ns tead of Nas ypany. Powell carne back to th edes k
and plugged i nto th e SD Tech pos i ti on. Sh ortly th ereaf ter th e Weapons pos i ti on was
voi ced to s cramble Oti s . He remembers as k i ng f or atarget f or th es cramble. Eventually
th e MCC s ai d to di rect th e f i gh ters towards NewYork .
Mos t of th e detai ls once th e Weapons pos i ti on k newof th e pos s i ble h i jack would
h ave come i nto th e Huntres s illpos i ti on. Fox only k newth e h i jack was i n Bos ton Ai r
Route Control Center CZ BW)ai rs pace. Hewas not i nf ormed of th e detai ls . At th at poi nt,
at th e Weapons pos i ti on, th ey were pri mari ly concerned of wh ere th e s cramble was to be
f rom, andwh ere th e f i gh ters s h ould go. Si nce i t tak es aperi od of ti me to get th e ai rcraf t
ai rborne, i t i s i mportant to i ni ti ally k nowwh ere th e ai rcraf t i s goi ng. Fox s ays h e does not
need th e alti tude, s i nce th at can be adjus ted. Th e s peed i s i mportant th ough s o th at th e
h eadi ng f or th e i ntercept wi ll be accurate.
Fox remembers th at by th e ti me th e s cramble order was gi ven Nas ypany was i n
th e Battle Cab, and Des k i ns was no longer th ere
Once th e FAA as k s f or as s i s tance, i f th eBattle Commander i s not avai lable, th e
Di rector of Operati ons (DO) h as th e auth ori ty to s cramble ai rcraf t. Colonel McNealy was
th e DO on 9/11. It would beprocedure to ch eck wi th th eBattle Cab and th e DO bef ore an
MCC would i s s ue an order to s cramble. Fox h as s een th e s cramble order voi ced bef ore
wi th out th eDO, but th e MCC would i mmedi ately be i nf ormed.
COMMISSION SENSITIVE
UNCLASSIFIED
----_ .._ ._ --------------------------------
3
UNCLASSIFIED
COMMISSION SENSITIVE
Once Fox recei ved th e s cramble order on 9/11, h e told Powell to acti vate th e
s cramble li ne and h ead th e Oti s alert f i gh ters towards NewYork Ci ty.
Th ey brough t th e f i gh ters out over water s i nce th at was an eas i er route f or
command, gui dance, and control f rom Huntres s !D. Coordi nati on wi th th e FAA regardi ng
cleari ng ai rs pace over th e Uni ted States may h ave h ampered th e progres s of th e f i gh ters i f
th e f i gh ters h ad been vectored to approach NewYork Ci ty over land.
Commi s s i on s taf f began to us e documents ref lecti ng th e s crambled f i gh ter track s
to as s i s t th e i ntervi ew:
On 9/11 Fox h ad li mi ted i nf ormati on, Fox explai ns to Commi s s i on s taf f th at th e
vector gi ven to th e f i gh ters was of f magneti c north (pi lots always operate of f of magneti c
north ). Th e bas i s f or Fli gh t Level 290 (FL 290) i s th at i t i s s i mply an appropri ate alti tude
f or f uel ef f i ci ency. Th at i s adef ault alti tude i f th ere i s li mi ted i nf ormati on on th e reas on
or des ti nati on governi ng ah i jack . Wh en h e launch ed th e f i gh ters , h e as k ed th e MCC f or
i nf ormati on. Nas ypany only gave th e i nf ormati on to h ead th em to NewYork Ci ty, and,
accordi ng to Fox, i t i s pos s i ble th at Nas ypany may h ave h ad more i nf ormati on th en wh at
was gi ven to Fox.
Th e f i gh ters lef t Oti s h eaded towards th e North eas t wh i ch i s th e qui ck es t route out
f rom th e Oti s runway and alert barn. Th ey perf ormed ati gh t turn, and moved towards
th ei r as s i gned vector. Th ey were told to h old s outh of Long Is land, and Fox di rected th e
WD Tech to pi ck up anewh eadi ng i n li ne wi th th i s .
Commi s s i on s taf f s h owed Fox arough trans cri pt f rom th e MCC pos i ti on, and
began to play an audi o f i le provi ded to Commi s s i on s taf f by NEADS labeled DRMI
DA T 2Ch annel 2MCC:
Accordi ng to th e trans cri pt at 8:40 AM, MCC Nas ypany as k ed Fox to s cramble
Oti s . Nas ypany told Fox to s cramble to aZ poi nt north of NYC. Major Fox explai ned th at
a"Z"track i s atrack th at i s put i nto th e Q radar s ys tem th at i s not meant to move. It i s
meant to be s tati onary and mark apos i ti on f or an ai rcraf t.
At 8:52 AM on th e tape wh en th e i nf ormati on th at an ai rcraf t h i t th e WTC
reach ed Fox, h e look ed f or more updated i nf ormati on as to wh eth er or not th e s cramble
mi s s i on was s ti ll neces s ary.
At 8:54 AM Fox was told to conti nue th e f i gh ter's f li gh t towards Joh n F.
Kennedy (JFK) ai rport. Fox does not remember i f th e f i gh ters were ai rborne yet. But h e
di d s ugges t to Nas ypany th at th e qui ck es t route was over water. Nas ypany told h i m to
work wi th th e FAA on cleari ng ai rcraf t. Fox noted to Commi s s i on s taf f th at th e traf f i c i n
th e area a\ th at ti me i s extremely h eavy and would need to be cleared.
Th e controllers at Huntres s acti vely attempted to coordi nate wi th th e f i gh ters to
mai ntai n th e bes t cours e f or i ntercept and to s tay away f rom FAA controlled ai rcraf t. Th e
COMMISSION SENSITIVE
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
COMMISSION SENSITIVE
o
control of th e ai rcraf t i n ai r was th rough th e FAA, and at 8:55 th e f i gh ters were told to go
to JFK at ah eadi ng of 260. Th i s h eadi ng would put th e f i gh ters s outh of JFK. Fox
deci ded th at i f th e f i gh ters f ollowed acours e toplace th emi none of th ewarni ng areas ,
th ey could h old outs i de of NewYork and wai t f or an accurate pos i ti on. Fox rei terated to
Commi s s i on s taf f th at th e reas on to gi ve th e s crambled f i gh ters f romOti s AFB aFL 290
i s mos t li k ely i ndependent f romth e las t k nown alti tude of AA II.
Fox was i nf ormed th at th e las t k nown pos i ti on f or th eAA 11was 20mi les s outh
of JFK, and attempted to get oth er accurate i nf ormati on on th e f li gh t.
Accordi ng to th e trans cri pt at rough ly 8:56 AM th ey were i nf ormed th at AA 11
was th e ai rcraf t th at h i t th e World Trade Center (WTC). Fox beli eves th i s i nf ormati on
came f rom aZ BW call to Huntres s th at i nf ormed th em th at Z BW was almos t certai n th e
f li gh t th at h i t th e WTC was AA II.
Fox es ti mates th at i f at 8:53 FAA h ad pas s ed s i tuati onal awarenes s to th e mi li tary
regardi ng UAL 175's locati on, th e Oti s f i gh ters "barely"would h ave gotten to NewYork
Ci ty. Fox conti nued th i s li ne of th ough t and noted th at th ey would not h ave been able to
1) f i nd th e ai rcraf t (f i gh ter radar would not h ave been able to pi ck up th e ai rcraf t i nth e
mi ds t of th e bui ldi ngs i nNewYork Ci ty, and th e pi lots would h ave h ad to vi s ually mak e
contact wi th th e ai rcraf t); 2) i ntercept th e ai rcraf t; and 3) recei ve permi s s i on f roma
nati onal command auth ori ty to s h oot. Fox explai ned th at th e lower an ai rcraf t f li es th e
h arder i t i s f or f i gh ter radar to di s ti ngui s h th etarget f romterrai n and bui ldi ngs . It would
h ave been "nearly i mpos s i ble"f or th eradar to pi ck up th e ai rcraf t. Th e proces s would
h ave potenti ally tak en longer th an th eactual f li gh t f rom Oti s .
"Someti me" duri ng th e i ni ti al events th ere was aCNN f eed pi ped i nto th e Battle
Cab. Th at morni ng Fox does not recall s eei ng th e s econd i mpact, or CNN'Af ter Z BW
reported th at th ey beli eved AA 11cras h ed i nto th e WTC to NEADS, Fox does not.recall
di s cus s i on th at AA 11was not th e ai rplane th at h i t th e WTC.
Fox was recei vi ng i nf ormati on regardi ng th e h i jack th rough th eMCC. It i s th e
MCC's job to conti nually i nf orm th e Weapons Des k on any ampli f yi ng i nf ormati on s o
th e Weapons Des k can acqui re i ts target, and f aci li tate th e i ntercept. Th e poi nt at wh i ch
th eMCC communi cates to th eWeapons s ecti on th at f i gh ters f rom Langely need to be
s crambled and h eaded towards Was h i ngton i s Fox's f i rs t i ndi cati on th at "th ere i s more
goi ng on".
Accordi ng to th e trans cri pt, between 9:03 AM and 9:04 AM Major Nas ypany told
Fox th at th ere was areport of "as econd h i t"onth e WTC. Th e f i gh ters at th i s poi nt were
of f th e ti p of Long Is land. Fox gues s ed th at th e f i gh ters were rough ly 100or 120mi les
out of NewYork Ci ty. Fox explai ned to Commi s s i on s taf f th at h emi gh t h ave k nown th at
th ere were addi ti onal h i jack s , but h edoes not h ave any awarenes s of th ereports of
addi ti onal h i jack s bei ng as s oci ated wi th AA II.
COMMISSION SENSITIVE
1..JNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
COMMISSION SENSITIVE
At 9:09 AM Langley AFB was ordered to "Battle Stati ons ", and to s cramble at
9:24 AM. Fox recalled th at th e f i gh ters may not h ave been s crambled unti l th e concern
emerged th at th ere mi gh t h ave been ath i rd h i jack ed ai rcraf t h eaded to Was h i ngton; s o
not unti l th at i nf ormati on came th rough was th eactual s cramble ordered. Fox noted to
Commi s s i on s taf f h i s opi ni on th at putti ng Langley AFB at Battle Stati ons was a
precauti on. He f urth er noted th at i t i s common practi ce th at as s oon as one tacti cal acti on
i s tak en, th e next s teps areprepared f or. Langley AFB would h ave been put onBattle
Stati ons to reli eve th eOti s AFB f i gh ters . Mos t li k ely th eorder would h ave come f romth e
Battle Staf f to th eMCC. Accordi ng to Fox, Sgt. Sati no may h ave been th e tech ni ci an
talk i ng to Qui t 25 (th e Langely AFB F-16s ), and s i tti ng wi th Sgt"Huck i bone.
Fox explai ned th at th eLangley AFB f i gh ters us ually s crambled to aroute di rectly
eas t of th ei r tak e of f and would enter acorri dor ten to f i f teen mi les of f th e coas t bef ore
th ey turn eas t and areh anded to Huntres s . Accordi ng to Fox th i s expectati on f or th e
Langely AFB f i gh ter route was bas ed onth epattern of di recti on s et by th e FAA. Fox
h oped th at on 91 1 1 th ef i gh ters would get turned i mmedi ately north to 010 becaus e of th e
s eri ous nes s of events . But th ey were vectored at 090 f or 60(mi les ), wh i ch would tak eth e
f i gh ters to th e corri dor. Th ey would enter th ecorri dor and at s ome poi nt bereleas ed to
Huntres s . Th at i nf ormati on i s bas ed on Fox's k nowledge of th e Langley ai rs pace. Fox
als o noted th at th e Langley f i gh ters were F-16s . Th e F-16 ARFs can carry AIM 120s , but
th e F-16 Cs cannot. Th e exact load i s recorded on trans cri pt, but th i s i nf ormati on wi ll
di ctate wh at tacti c th eWeapons des k may us e i f anF-16 i s gi ven an order to engage a
target.
Fox conti nued and noted th at "wh enever"th e datawas noti ced th at th e f i gh ters
f romLangely AFB were track i ng eas t as oppos ed to north was wh en Fox and th e
Weapons s ecti on k newth e f i gh ters were not on th enorth h eadi ng. Th at devi ati on f rom
th e opti mal h eadi ng came th rough th e FAA i norder to p ut th e f i gh ters i n th e clear
ai rs pace corri dor of f th e coas t.
Th i s ci rcums tance mak es an appearance th at th eFAA di d not s end th e f i gh ters on
th e cours e Huntres s reques ted. Fox noted th at s i nce th eFAA "owns "th eai rs pace, and
"th ey can do as th ey want". Fox explai ned to Commi s s i on s taf f th at h i s tori cally th e
nati on bui lds up i ts mi li tary pri ori ti zati on i nti me of war. Froman FAA poi nt of vi ew,
s h ort of th e preparati on f or all out war, th e FAA res erves th eri gh t to wh at th ey want unti l
th e poi nt at wh i ch th ey deci de th e mi li tary i s apri ori ty. It would not s urpri s e Fox to learn
th at Was h i ngton Center di d not h ave th e s ame s ens e of urgency th at was bei ng conveyed
by Z BW, or by th es crambled f i gh ters .
Accordi ng to th e trans cri pt at 9:37AM th e Langley f i gh ters were turned of f th e
090 (degree) h eadi ng, and ch anged to anorth ern h eadi ng. Fox noted th at NEADS
normally gave th eFAA ali ttle leeway wh en i t i nvolves di recti ng f i gh ters away f romai r
traf f i c, s o NEADS probably gave th e FAA s ome s pace movi ng th e f i gh ters on th e 090
degree h eadi ng, but eventually th e WD Tech or th e SD Tech would h ave moved f or th e
f i gh ters to tak e th ecorrect cours e - to "s nap north "- qui ck ly. Fox would expect th e
pi lots to ch eck i nwi th !'f f i ADS regardi ng th e h eadi ng. But th eareath ey would pas s
COMMISSION SENSITIVE
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
COMMISSION SENSITIVE
42
th rough i s extremely overlai d. Soi t would not s urpri s e Fox i f out over th ecoas t - th e
mouth of th eJames Ri ver s outh of Langley andnorth of Oceana- not over open water,
would beth e f i rs t areath epi lots would h aveth ech ance to s peak wi th Huntres s . If th e
pi lots arejumpi ng between th eFAA agenci es onth eradi o th ey may not h ave h ad th e
ti me to s peak wi th NEADS. For Huntres s tok nowth ey wereof f cours ewould tak e
ei th er anoti ce of th ech ange i ncours e onth eHuntres s radar or f or th epi lots to noti f y
Huntres s . .
Fox noted th at as th eoth er s cramble (Langely AFB F-16s ) was called th ere
s h ould h ave been anoth er Weapons teambrough t i n. Fox i s not abs olutely s ure i f anoth er
Weapons teamwas brough t i nat th at poi nt. To s et upf or anewWD teami s compli cated
- aneces s ary s tep to control anoth er ai r def ens e f li gh t. It does tak e as oli d f i ve mi nutes
bef ore th eteambegi ns to obs erveradar data. Th e WD reli es onCommand Pos t calls th at
f i gh ters are ai rborne. Th e s econdnoti ce wouldbeanFAA call totrans f er th e f i gh ters
over (th at would beth elates t). Ideally wh en th eCommand Pos t calls to i nf ormth at i s
wh en th e WD Tech and WD begi n acti vely watch i ng th eradar. Fox noted th at af ter th e
s cramble f romLangley th eonly i ns tructi ons th at th eWeapons Des k was as k ed to gi ve
th e f i gh ters was toh ead th emtowards Was h i ngton, DC.
AnFAA trans cri pt i ndi cates th at at 9:32AM Huntres s as k s th at th ef i gh ters s tart
to move towards Was h i ngton vi ath eBalti more area. Af ter revi ewi ng th eaudi o f i le, s taf f
learns th at th edi recti on gi ven i s f or BWI (Balti more Was h i ngton Internati onal Ai rport).
Th eroute vector gi ven i s 230 degrees . Fox notedth at as f ar as th erange onth e old Q
radar s ys temBalti more andWas h i ngton aref or all vectori ng purpos es co-located. Qui t
24menti oned i t was s quawk i ng Quad7(beacon code 7777), wh i ch i s ani ndi cati on th at
th epi lots h ad been gi ven th eauth ori zati on toi ntercept (AFIO).
Declari ng AFIO andQuad7i s as tatement th at th epi lots areexcepti ng all
res pons i bi li ty f or any ai r i nci dent res ulti ng f romth epi lots cleari ng th ei r own ai rs pace.
Quad 7andAFIO h ad only h appened onceprevi ous ly i nFox's enti recareer. Th e lowes t
level th at Quad 7andAFIO canbedeclared i s f romth eDO (Col McNealy) pos i ti on. Fox
beli eves pri or to September 11th AFIOh ad only been declared once.
Regardi ng ami li tary controller andgui di ng af i gh ter or f i gh ter f li gh t th at h as
declared AFIO, Fox commented th at th emi li tary controllers h ave tocommuni cate toth e
f i gh ters th etraf f i c ah ead of th ef i gh ters at numerous s copes . Th epos i ti ons aretrai ned to
do th i s , but arenot "f ederally quali f i ed"s o i t canbedi f f i cult f or th econtrollers . Th e
f li gh t leader conf i rmed wi th Huntres s th at h i s f ull teamwas s queak i ng Quad 7.
Sh oot down order: Accordi ng toth eaudi o recordi ng th at Commi s s i on s taf f andFox
revi ewed, th e armament conf i gurati on on 9111was ref erred to around 9:20 AM as "F-l5s
wi th zero (ref ers to AIM 120s ), 2(AIM 7s ), 2(AIM 98) by gun(armed guns )". Th e
expres s i on us ed f or h owth ef i gh ters would engageth ecommerci al ai rli ner i f as h oot
down order h ad been gi ven was "Heaters i nth ef ace"; th i s i ndi cated th es ugges ti on th at
th e f i gh ter h ead towards th etarget ai rcraf t andf i reh eat s eek i ng mi s s i les . At s omepoi nt
duri ng th eday NEADS recei ved auth ori ty tos h oot down ai rcraf t th at were deemed
COMMISSION SENSITIVE
UNCLASSIFIED
43
UNCLASSIFIED
COMMISSION SENSITIVE
h os ti le by CINC, NORAD, and/or oth ers . Hebeli eves th i s was s ometi me af ter th e
Pentagon i mpact (9:37 AM). Wi th out revi ewi ng more trans cri pts , Fox s tated th at th e
MCC was mos tli k ely th i nk i ng ah ead wh en h egave th eabove s tatement. (audi o f i le
49:00 mark )
Mi l i tary /FAA rel ati ons on 9/11:
NEADS deals wi th Bos ton, Cleveland, NewYork , Was h i ngton and Mi nneapoli s
Ai r Route Control Centers . All th os e s ectors h ave di rect h otli nes . Th ey rarely s pok e wi th
Ch i cago, and never to Indi anapoli s . NEADS work ed wi th Z BW of ten; s o probably
coordi nated th e bes t wi th Z BW on 9/11. Centers li k e Was h i ngton and (NewYork Ai r
Route Control Center) Z NY, wh o NEADS rarely work ed wi th , were not as f ami li ar wi th
NEADS. Fox s tated th at th i s di d not ef f ect th e coordi nati on on 9/11 s i nce th e s pace of
ti me between th e i ni ti al noti ce of h i jack and th e poi nt at wh i ch th emi li tary took over th e
nati onal ai rs pace was only af ewh ours . .
Fox s tated th e f ollowi ng educated as s wnpti ons regardi ng th e Langley APB
f i gh ters : If th e FAA h ad put th e Langely APB f i gh ters on a010 h eadi ng f romth e i ni ti al
s cramble, Fox approxi mates th at th ey would h ave been at th e mos t 10to 20 mi les s outh
of Was h i ngton h eaded north at th e ti me i nwh i ch th ey were actually turned toward BWI.
In th i s cas e th ey def i ni tely could h ave gotten to Was h i ngton, and th ere may h ave been
ti me to acqui re th e target and perh aps i ntercept. Fox was recei vi ng th e gui dance to vector
th emdi rectly to Was h i ngton, and i f h e h ad greater s i tuati onal awarenes s and i nf ormati on
th e f i gh ters probably would h ave been pus h ed at agreater pace. Even th ough Was h i ngton
i s an extremely conges ted arri val/departure area, th e f i gh ters could h ave gone af terburner
unti l s h ort of th at area, and th en s lowed abi t to i ntercept. It h as been reported of f i ci ally
th at th e i mpact at th ePentagon i s rough ly 9:37AM. If th e FAA h ad been aware of th e
locati on of AA 77at s ometi me between 9:09 AM and 9:24 AM th en th e Langley f i gh ters
mi gh t h ave been i n pos i ti on i n th e areato i ntercept AA 77, accordi ng to Fox. But h e
notes th at i f th ey k newi n th at ti me f rame ari dwere able to gi ve apos i ti on Langley could
h ave launch ed earli er. Fox s peculates th at i f th ey h ad f i veor more mi nutes and h ad gotten
th e pos i ti on i nti mely manner th ey would h ave h ad ti me to i ntercept; but th at th e orders to
s h oot down th e ai rcraf t would s ti ll h ave tak en ti me.
Th ere i s apoi nt i nth e audi o f i le at 1:20:00 th at th eMCC expres s ed .f rus trati on
wi th Gi ant Ki ller. Fox explai ned to Conuni s s i on s taf f th at at Gi ant Ki ller th ere are FAA
controllers . Th e reas on th ey are certi f i ed to work wi th th e FAA i s becaus e th ey f ollow
FAA procedures , and are FAA controlled. Gi ant Ki ller i s aNavy operati on, and i s tas k ed
by th e FAA. Th e s cope operators aremi li tary pers ormel but are FAA controllers .
Fox, s peak i ng f or th e lower operati ons level not th e of f i ci al level, noted th at th ere
was not too much di s cus s i on about th edi f f i culti es between th emi li tary and th e FAA on
9/11. Henoted th at i t was commonplace th at th eFAA would h ave acted th e way i t di d.
Wi th th e s everi ty of wh at h ad h appened and th e i ncreas ed tempo of operati ons th ere was
not, accordi ng to Fox, any real ti me devoted to di s cus s i ng th e FAA's acti ons on 9/11
regardi ng th eLangely f i gh ters ' coordi nati on.
COMMISSION SENSITIVE
UNCLASSIFIED
44
UNCLASSIFIED
COMMISSION SENSITIVE
Accordi ng to Fox, wh en SCAT ANA and NESCAT operated, th e ai rs pace
coordi nati on work ed well f or th e mi li tary. But Fox does not want to s ee mi li tary control
over ci vi li an ai rcraf t. Ini ti ally pos t-9/11 th ere was li ttleres i s tance by th e FAA agai ns t
h avi ng mi li tary f i gh ters operate i n and out of th ecaps . But nowth ere i s more and more
res i s tance on th e FAA s i de to allowi ng f i gh ters to perf orm th ei r operati ons as bes t th ey
can.
Accordi ng to Fox, communi cati on i s good but could s ti ll bebetter between th e
FAA and th e mi li tary. Fox notes th at one of th e f i rs t th i ngs done f or newrecrui ts f or
mi li tary pos i ti ons i s to s end th at pers onnel to an FAA center to revi ewth os e operati ons
and be f ami li ar s ocommuni cati ons are eas i er. Fox noted th at th ere was relati vely pos i ti ve
coordi nati on wi th th eFAA i n th ree orf our mi s s i ons pri or to 9/11. Th i s pos i ti ve
coordi nati on was i ncreas ed by th e f act th at th eFAA i s nowh elpi ng wi th 8or 9 f li gh ts a
day. Fox noted th at pos t 9/11 coordi nati on wi th th e FAA i s f as ter and more accurate,
es peci ally th rough th eDEN li ne.
General notati ons f rom Fox on operati ons on 9/11:
At one poi nt on 9/11 NEADS h ad aWeapons Control team up f or almos t every
f li gh t. Th e s ector h as i denti f i ed th e f i rs t team"th at s at down", but Fox can not conf i rm
bas ed of f h i s memory. He does not k nowi f th ere exi s ts adi rect record of wh o was at
wh i ch pos i ti on duri ng th e cours e of September 11th o On multi ple occas i ons over. th e las t
two years th e DOC (th e of f i ce th at s upervi s es th e Operati ons Floor) h as as k ed f or th i s
i nf ormati on, but Fox does not k nowwh ere th i s i nf ormati on mi gh t be.
Us ually th e Weapons SD Tech and th e Weapons SD pos i ti on areboth "plugged
i n"to th ecommuni cati ons board at th e Weapons des k . But on 9111Fox, th e Weapons SD
Tech , "very qui ck ly"unplugged and coordi nated wi th th emulti ple Weapons teams th at
were bei ng s et up on th e f loor. Th i s af f ects th eamount of ti mes h eappears i n th e
recordi ngs . Accordi ng to Fox, as th eday got more organi zed, at approxi mately around 11
or 12o'clock , aCanadi an Captai n Bi li ci o came i nas anoth er SD and Fox may h ave
plugged i n.
On 9/11, th e capabi li ty f or th e radars on th e coas t i s to gi ve i nf ormati on at mos t
150 mi les , and th e radar wi ll not s eebelow10,000 f eet. Th ere was radar coverage f or th e
Langley f i gh ters on th ei r way to Was h i ngton. Th ere was no good lowlevel pi cture. Th ere
was enough coverage s o th ey could bri ng th e f i gh ters to Was h i ngton, but th e extent of th e
coverage and th us th e abi li ty f or th e f i gh ters to communi cate was les s .
Fox noted th at th e Ch i cago areah ad an extremely li mi ted amount of radar
coverage, and only at 30,000 alt. NEADS would not h ave been able to s peak wi th th em.
Recommendati ons :
COMMISSION SENSITIVE
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
COMMISSION SENSITIVE
45
Fox noted th at i t s h ould beajoi nt res pons i bi li ty between th emi li tary andth e
FAA to coordi nate anddi rect as cramble, i ns tead of i t bei ng controlled by th eFAA over
nati onal ai rs pace unles s anATHIO order i s gi ven. Fox explai ned th at i f th ere i s areal
world ai r def ens e s cramble order, h ewould li k eth eFAA to gi veth e f i gh ters th eh i gh es t
pri ori ty. Fox commented th at on9/11 th eFAA s h ould h avebeen f ully aware th at i t was a
real world s cramble out of Langley, ands h ould h ave pri ori ti zed NEADS route reques t.
Fox als o noted toCommi s s i on s taf f th at at NEADS th eradar capabi li ty h as
i ncreas ed "ten- f old at leas t". Hewould li k etos eebetter radar pi cture coordi nati on, and
would li k eto s eeth os epi ctures li nk ed operati onally. Heexplai ned th i s by noti ng th at
NEADS generates i ts pi cture wi th th enewradar th ey h ave. Th ere aredeployed
repres entati ves i nWas h i ngton wh o s eeth es amepi cture as th eradar operators at
NEADS. Hewould li k eto s eetotal coordi nati on wi th th es etech nologi es .
Fox beli eves agenerated ai r pi cture, track s , andradar databei ng coordi nated and
s i multaneous would bealarges teptowards greater s i tuati onal awarenes s . Th e mi li tary i s
gath eri ng th es ame dataf romth es ameradar-but th eFAA generates i ts own s et of data.
Th emi li tary computers tak eth at dataandgenerate th ei r ownneces s ary data.
Hotli nes to s ectors arenot pres ent to Ch i cago, Indi anapoli s or Kans as Ci ty. Th ere
aremulti ple s ectors at wh i ch th erei s not evenonevoi cepageh otli ne. Th e DEN li nei s a
good s tep, but onth eoperati onal s i deth ecommuni cati on could bebetter.
COMMISSION SENSI'rIVE
lJNCLASSIFIED