COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- It's getting closer to Christmas and you may be wondering how heightened security will affect Santa Claus. Not to fear: This year, there is a new level of cooperation between North America's Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and Mr. Kringle, and that means come Christmas Eve, St. Nick's sleigh could be escorted by a fighter plane.

For more than 40 years, NORAD's command center deep inside Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado Springs has guarded North America's airspace against incoming threats.

"Since Sept. 11, however, that mission has expanded and now we're looking also on the domestic side. Anything that flies in the air over Canada, the United States -- from Alaska all the way down to Florida -- is what we're concerned with," said Major Douglas Martin.

In fact, NORAD admits that it has been so busy, it forgot all about the peaceful mission it has also carried out since 1958 -- tracking the whereabouts of Santa Claus as he makes his Christmas deliveries around the world.

"On Nov. 5, he e-mailed me, and in the e-mail he said, 'If it's at all possible, would you come and track me again this year?'" Martin said.

In the past, NORAD's satellites, radars and aircraft tracked Santa's progress just using the infra-red glow of Rudolph's nose. But this year, for the first time, Santa also filed a flight plan.

"He doesn't really need to file one, he is able to get through the airspace in ways that no one else can," Martin said. "The thing is that it's helpful for us because if we're able to pinpoint him, it's easier for us to give better information to people who call in to ask, 'Where is Santa right now?"

Santa revealed that he's come to depend on NORAD because he needs the children and adults to be sleeping when he arrives.

"If I've learned anything being at NORAD, I've learned that Santa is real. I know it's because I believe in him that I still receive a couple little presents every year, hopefully I never get coal because I try and be good," Martin said.

Santa has also requested an escort by NORAD fighters. Pilots who have intercepted him in past years say it's a thrill to see how fast he flies. (Santa reportedly functions on a different space and time continuum in order to visit millions of homes in one night.) Now, those Air Force pilots will get a closer look to see how he does it.

On Dec. 24, there's no need to call NORAD to see if Santa's on his way, you can watch his progress live at www.noradsanta.org.

The Web site provides information in six languages, and features highlights from his past trips.