Lloyd Austin, secretary of the Department of Defense and a 2021 Wash100 Award winner, and Harjit Sajjan, Canada’s defense minister, have released a joint statement to guide collaborative efforts to advance the modernization of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) as part of a push to strengthen the defense and security of the U.S. and Canada against aerospace and maritime threats.
The joint statement cites situational awareness, modernized command and control systems and capabilities to deter and counter evolving aerospace threats to North America as priority areas for investments to advance NORAD modernization, DOD said Tuesday.
The U.S. and Canada recognize the need to deploy new capabilities, including next-generation radar systems, to complement or replace the North Warning System, to enhance persistent surveillance of North American airspace.
“Ensuring effective awareness ultimately requires a system-of-systems approach including a network of Canadian and U.S. sensors from the seafloor to outer space,” the statement reads.
DOD and its Canadian counterpart also highlighted the need to advance collaboration on research and development efforts to address the threats facing North American defense and security.