Call to intercept flights shows importance of Barnes jets

WESTFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - Two F-15 fighter jets from Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield were unexpectedly called to protect the airspace over Connecticut during President Obama's visit .

The jets intercepted two planes that flew into the temporary flight restricted area while the President was raising money for his campaign in Fairfield County Monday night.

Neither aircraft turned out to be a threat, but the fighter jets from Barnes are always on standby, just in case. From cases of drug trafficking, potential terrorist threats or to add extra security, the jets are often called to fly across the Northeast.

Ken Lambritch, Operations Commander of the 104th Fighter Wing at Barnes, says that they cannot take any chances.

"A great majority of those turn out to be false alarms, but you never know until it's completed what's going to happen,” he said.

The F-15's from Barnes cover the airspace over all of the Northeast; protecting one-fourth of the country's population and one-third of our gross domestic product.