British and Danish fighters shadow a U.S. B-1 bomber during Operation Tower Guardian. THE WATCH STAFF Operation Tower Guardian, a bomber intercept involving warplanes from seven allied nations across airspace spanning the Arctic, is the latest demonstration of the commitment of the United States and its allies and partners to defend against threats to the international rules-based order. The June 26, 2023, event, an iteration of ongoing Operation Noble Defender, showed the readiness of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) to deter and defend against threats to the homeland. The operation also displayed the…
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Bill Blair is sworn in as Canada’s minister of national defense as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau looks on at Rideau Hall in Ontario, Canada. THE WATCH STAFF Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has turned to a former Toronto police chief to be his new minister of national defense at a critical time in his country’s joint effort with the United States to modernize the binational North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). Trudeau appointed Bill Blair on July 26, replacing Anita Anand, who now leads the country’s Treasury Board. Blair told the Canadian Broadcast Corp. (CBC) shortly after his appointment that…
Gen. Glen D. VanHerck, commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee in March 2022. THE WATCH STAFF Much like footprints left on the white sand beaches of the Caribbean, the imprints made by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) can be found all over the region. But unlike the tracks of beachgoers, the Chinese presence is not so easily swept away. By using tools ranging from government loans to business investment to cultural exchange, the PRC has extended its reach well beyond the Indo-Pacific and is challenging the…
THE WATCH STAFF With Finland having joined NATO in April 2023 and Sweden expected to soon become a member, Russia will remain the only nation on the Arctic Council not aligned with NATO. As a result, Russian actors are waging disinformation campaigns within Sweden and Finland to cause dissension in the populations of the two countries to sour their entrance into the alliance. Overall, Finland and Sweden’s ascension to NATO are positive from the United States’ and Western perspective. However, Russia perceives it to pose a serious security threat. According to Russian propaganda and disinformation efforts, the ascension of Finland…
The guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold was one of four destroyers dispatched to shadow a flotilla of Russian and Chinese vessels near Alaska. THE WATCH STAFF The United States military tracked a joint Russian and Chinese naval flotilla from the start of its more than 4,200-kilometer voyage, and U.S. destroyers shadowed it in international waters when the warships arrived off the coast of Alaska in August 2023. This is an example of U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) with its allies and partners continuously monitoring Russian and Chinese naval activities and conducting defensive operations in the USNORTHCOM area of responsibility (AOR) and area…
National Guard Sgt. David Breaud directs a high-water vehicle down a flooded road in Grant Parish, Louisiana, following torrential downpours in March 2016. Military support for civil authorities during natural disasters is a key part of the resilience strategy. ELENA FARNSWORTH To compete globally, we must be strong at home. These words serve as a pillar of United States Northern Command’s (USNORTHCOM) strategy to protect the U.S. homeland. While he leads this mission, USNORTHCOM’S commander also is designated as the Department of Defense (DOD) coordinator during execution of defense support to civil authorities (DSCA) operations within the USNORTHCOM area of…
U.S. Army Lt. Gen. John R. Evans, U.S. Army North commander, hosts personnel from federal, state, U.S. territories and military agencies at the hurricane-readiness drill held at Joint Base San Antonio–Fort Sam Houston. U.S. ARMY THE WATCH STAFF U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) and U.S. Army North (USARNORTH) recently joined more than 150 military and civilian partners at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston as part of a defense support to civil authorities readiness drill ahead of hurricane season, which started June 1 and ends November 30. The May 24 exercise, called a hurricane rehearsal of concept drill (HRCD), focused on…
THE WATCH STAFF Senior military leaders from the United States and Norway met recently at the headquarters of U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), where they agreed to boost their already strong defense partnership — especially in the Arctic, a priority region for both nations. Lt. Gen. Yngve Odlo, commander of the Norwegian Joint Headquarters (NJHQ), and Maj. Gen. Rolf Folland, chief of the Royal Norwegian Air Force, visited Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado on June 20, 2023. They met with Gen. Glen D. VanHerck, commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and USNORTHCOM, as well as Deputy Commander…
Assistant Secretary of Defense Melissa G. Dalton delivers the keynote address. THE WATCH STAFF Arctic partners convened at the headquarters of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) in May 2023 to exchange views on the Arctic’s key role in homeland defense. The Homeland Defense Institute and the Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies hosted the Arctic and Homeland Defense Symposium on May 11, 2023. The event was in conjunction with NORAD’s 65th anniversary celebration on May 12, 2023. The symposium provided a forum where senior military leaders, government officials and academic experts discussed…
U.S. STRATEGIC COMMAND The recent completion of a monthlong rotation by U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancers to RAF Fairford, United Kingdom, as part of the Bomber Task Force Mission demonstrated the United States’ commitment to deterring aggression and promoting ally and partner cohesion globally. To maximize training opportunities and sharpen homeland defenses, the returning bombers were intercepted by North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) aircraft as they entered the Air Defense Identification Zone off the coast of North America. The aircrew and maintenance personnel of these supersonic bombers, from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, showcased their ability to rapidly deploy…