What is "Defense Area" on a VFR Sectional Chart? The words "DEFENSE AREA" (in all caps) appear all along the US/Mexico border in blue. It's the biggest text on the chart. Interestingly enough, the same words don't seem to be along the US/Canada border.
Someone on airliners.net said this:
You're correct, there is a difference between a ADIZ and a Defense Area. A defense area is an area established on non-federal lands located within the United States, its possessions or territories, for the purpose of safeguarding classified defense information or protecting government equipment and/or material.
The establishment of a national defense area temporarily places such non-federal lands under the effective control of the Department of Defense and results only from an emergency event.
I am surprised that it is charted though, unless of course the government is getting ready for the flood of illegals coming to California to get drivers licenses and registering to vote.
That makes it sound like a ground thing, not an air thing. Then there's this, in the CFR 99.3:
Unless designated as an ADIZ, a Defense Area is any airspace of the United States in which the control of aircraft is required for reasons of national security.
And in the CFR 99.49:
All airspace of the United States is designated as Defense Area except that airspace already designated as Air Defense Identification Zone.
And in the AIM:
Defense Area means any airspace of the contiguous U.S. that is not an ADIZ in which the control of aircraft is required for reasons of national security.
So, what exactly is this Defense Area on my Sectional Chart and do I need to worry about it or think about it as I fly?
From the CFR 99.3 quote, what does this mean?
in which the control of aircraft is required for reasons of national security