HURON COUNTY (WWJ) - Residents in the Thumb area can expect fighter jets with the Ohio Air National Guard to roar overhead on Wednesday morning as part of a daytime exercise, officials warned.
The 180th Fighter Wing out of Eugene F. Kranz Toledo Express Airport in Ohio, located 10 miles south of the Michigan border, is expected to conduct an air defense exercise from now until 11 a.m. on Dec. 28.
Officils said those living in and around the Elkton, Bad Axe and Cass City, Michigan areas may hear or see the unit's powerful F-16 jets.
"[The aircraft will be] in close proximity to a Civil Air Patrol aircraft, which will be taking on the role of a Track of Interest (TOI)," officials from the unit explained in a prepared statement. "A TOI is an aircraft that has been identified as a potential threat."
Authorities said the exercise is important to maintain mission readiness by elevating response and coordination procedures.
While the training is expected to take place in the Military Operating Airspace in Northeastern Michigan, officials said bad weather may relocate the training to the Military Operating Airspace in Southern Ohio, in and around the Hillsboro and Chillicothe areas.
"Although scheduled for the morning, the exercise flights could be relocated, delayed or cancelled due to inclement weather," the unit added.
Back in April, the unit's nighttime exercises caused quite a stir among Michiganders living in Allen Park, Monroe, Riverview, Newport and more after they were caught unaware. Hearing the signature boom of the unit's fighter jets came as a shock for many, with some residents going as far as to call the police, fearing military conflict in Ukraine had come to their backyards.
The unit said back in the springtime that they try to share their schedules on social media and push alerts through local news outlets but, "not everyone gets the message."
A spokesperson said following the unit's social media pages will keep residents current on flight schedules.
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