As the coronavirus pandemic was just starting its spread around the United States last spring, orders were handed down at the California Air National Guard to put one of their F-15C fighter jets on standby to buzz potential protesters and rioters upset about masking orders or food shortages.

According to reporting by the Los Angeles Times, the orders to ready the fighter were sent in March 2020 through unusual channels:  phone call or text messages, not the normal written orders that would’ve left a paper trail.  That diversion from the norm made some within the Guard concerned the possible flights would be used inappropriately.

Lt. Col. Jonathan Shiroma, the commander of the California Air National Guard, denied that an F-15C was ever put on alert to respond to domestic unrest.  “We do not use our planes to frighten or intimidate civilians,” Shiroma wrote in an email to the Times.

The Times reporters reviewed documents that also showed orders were given to have another F-15C ready in case readied for “domestic missions” during the week of the November 2020 election.

According to the Times:  “The message also said ‘aircraft availability’ for a domestic mission would be ‘at a premium next week with the election. We may need to work on Saturday and maybe Sunday to ensure we have … aircraft availability’ for the potential mission. The sources said the aircraft in question was the F-15C.”

The planes were never deployed at either time.