An F-22 Raptor assigned to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson intercepts a Russian Tu-95 bomber on 9 June 2020. (Photo: NORAD)
Canada and the US have reiterated their joint commitment to modernise the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) missile warning system.
In a statement on 14 August, Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan and his US counterpart Lloyd Austin agreed to ‘move forward deliberately with coordinated investments [including R&D] that reflect the continuing importance of the role that NORAD plays in North American and allied deterrence, and in maintaining North America as a secure base for active engagement around the world’.
They added: ‘This work is to be advanced through ongoing engagements between DND and DoD.’
Canada and the US will prioritise enhancing situational awareness, especially in the northern and maritime approaches to the North American landmass.
This work will include replacing the North Warning System with more advanced technology with a system-of-systems approach ‘as soon as possible, including next-generation over-the-horizon radar systems that can dramatically improve early warning and persistent surveillance of North American airspace and approaches’.
NORAD C2 will be modernised to ‘better fuse and integrate data from all-domain sensors into a common, comprehensive operating picture, enabling faster and better informed decision-making’, Sajjan and Austin added.
The contract modification, awarded to Boeing, is worth $61.2 million and will support the US Navy’s (USN's) evolution of its P-8 Poseidon aircraft as continued upgrades are made to boost its capabilities and lethality.
The UK Ministry of Defence remains resolute that the Typhoon sits at the heart of the country’s air defence capabilities and is focused on the aircraft’s potential export orders, despite its continued focus on F-35 procurement.
The likely scrapping of Boeing’s Apache helicopter comes after a huge budget cut approved by the South Korean National Assembly. The helicopter procurement had already been reconsidered by the country’s Joint Chiefs of Staff earlier in the year.
The number of aircraft was stated by UK Defence Secretary John Healey during a Defence Committee hearing. It follows on from the UK’s decision to purchase F-35A aircraft to boost its nuclear deterrence, although hurdles and questions about the order still remain.
The use of air power by both sides in the ongoing conflict has been extensively focused on, influencing policy and procurement around the world. But are the lessons from the front line universally applicable, or should other nations be planning for very different scenarios?
Six Super Tucano aircraft were ordered in July 2024, with Paraguay the fifth South American country to add the aircraft to modernise its fleet.
Connect with us on socials
