The U.S. Department of Defense has welcomed Canada’s plans to make significant investments in North American Aerospace Defense Command modernization and continental defense, U.S. officials said.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) conducts aerospace warning, aerospace control and maritime warning in the defense of North America.
Canada’s Defense Minister Anita Anand on June 20 announced plans to enlarge defense budget and invest in the command. The plans call for spending $40.4 billion over the next 20 years.
A portion of this increase will be allocated to initiatives aligned with the investment priorities established by U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and previous Canada Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan in their August 2021 Joint Statement on NORAD Modernization, Anand said.
Air Force Gen. Glen D. VanHerck, commander of NORAD and U.S. Northern Command, said that Canadian minister’s statement “adds detail to her May 18, 2022, speech to the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, where she expressed the commitment of the Canadian government to working closely alongside the United States and investing substantively in NORAD modernization to ensure the continued security of the North American continetn.”
These include investments in NORAD capabilities related to:
- Enhancing situational awareness, including the establishment of over-the-horizon radar sites to improve coverage of Canada’s airspace and to monitor northern approaches to North America.
- Modernizing command and control systems to make better, more timely use of data and enable more effective military operations.
- Bolstering defeat and support capabilities, including the acquisition of additional and longer-range air-to-air missiles and refueling capabilities.
- Upgrading Canadian bases used by NORAD to support more robust and flexible air operations across northern North America.
- Investing in research, development and innovation, including the establishment of a dedicated science and technology program for the defense of North America.
North American Aerospace Defense Command
NORAD is a United States and Canada bi-national organization charged with the missions of aerospace warning, aerospace control and maritime warning for North America. Aerospace warning includes the detection, validation, and warning of attack against North America whether by aircraft, missiles, or space vehicles, through mutual support arrangements with other commands.
