US, Canada advance with over-the-horizon radar programmes to close NORAD surveillance gaps
Canadian Army soldiers stage a Medium Range Radar assembly at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. (Photo: US Air Force)
Washington and Ottawa’s Arctic and homeland radar initiatives aim to strengthen early warning against cruise missiles, hypersonic weapons and long-range aerospace threats approaching North America.
As the strategic environment in the Arctic and North America becomes increasingly complex, the US and Canada have been moving forward with efforts to access over-the-horizon radar (OTHR) capabilities and address longstanding surveillance gaps within the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) architecture.
While the Canadian Department of National Defence (DND) announced a C$2.5 billion (US$1.76 billion) contract award on 22 June to BAE Systems Australia for the establishment of an Arctic OTHR (A-OTHR), the US Air Force (USAF) published a request for information (RfI) on 19 June seeking industry input for the planning, procurement, integration, testing and fielding of a
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Defence Notes
-
![Canada seeks to strengthen industrial ties with the US on classified programmes]()
Canada seeks to strengthen industrial ties with the US on classified programmes
Ottawa explores expanding defence-industrial cooperation with Washington into sensitive programmes, an approach that could reshape NORAD modernisation, strengthen North American supply chains and create new opportunities for defence contractors.
-
![UK’s latest defence robotics and autonomy competition looks to break new ground]()
UK’s latest defence robotics and autonomy competition looks to break new ground
The UK Ministry of Defence is backing early-stage, high-risk autonomy concepts that could redefine how military systems are developed and deployed.
-
![How AI is reshaping defence procurement through sustainment]()
How AI is reshaping defence procurement through sustainment
Artificial intelligence is not just changing how defence equipment is maintained but how defence programmes are won, creating new opportunities for industry by influencing acquisition decisions and shaping competition.
-
![NATO signs agreements worth billions of dollars on missiles, air defence and aircraft]()
NATO signs agreements worth billions of dollars on missiles, air defence and aircraft
Announcements on aircraft deals and agreements for trans-alliance cooperation to boost the production and purchase of weapons and equipment were key takeaways from this week’s NATO summit.
-
![Ukraine experience forces rethink of counter-UAS doctrine]()
Ukraine experience forces rethink of counter-UAS doctrine
A panel session at Eurosatory 2026 brought together industry, academia and the French armed forces to assess how Ukraine’s battlefield reality is reshaping counter-UAS (CUAS) technology, air defence doctrine and Western procurement priorities.
