Part 5/11:
During 9/11, a number of military drills were simultaneously occurring, including “Vigilant Guardian” and “Vigilant Warrior.” These exercises included scenarios with hijacked airplanes and introduced deliberate radar blips, adding another layer of confusion when multiple hijackings erupted across the Northeast.
Commanders within NORAD had their attention diverted to these simulations rather than the real-world threats developing in front of them, leading to significant delays in responding to the actual hijackings taking place.