JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. -- The U.S. is an Arctic nation – one of the eight official Arctic states recognized by the Arctic Council – and the Arctic region is critical for defense of the U.S. homeland and its key allies and partners. Across the northern edge of Canada and Alaska, an array of 49 radars, called the North Warning System (NWS), provides aerospace surveillance and early warning to North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD.
Although these assets are entrusted to the Canadian government through an agreement in the 1985 Shamrock Summit, the U.S. Air Force, through Air Combat Command’s Acquisition Management and Integration Center (AMIC) Det. 1, retains ownership of the radars and associated support equipment. They also oversee the procurement and operational management of airlift services in support of NWS operations, ensuring efficient transportation of personnel and equipment throughout the northern region.
“Our role is to ensure that the North Warning System has the fuel, the parts, and the personnel moved where they need to be moved,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Alexander White, ACC AMIC Det. 1 commander. “It’s the lifeline to keep these systems on every day throughout the year to provide critical early warning.”
Operationally, the NWS is a cornerstone of NORAD’s layered defense, providing the only full-time, ground-based command and control nodes in the Arctic. The radars and communication infrastructure directly enable the Alaskan and Canadian Air Defense Sectors missions of NORAD, ensuring domain awareness and rapid response within the northern approach.
“The North Warning System acts as our first layer of early warning for anything coming over the pole or the oceans,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Matt Borger, Canadian Air Defence Sector deputy commander at Royal Canadian Air Force 22 Wing North Bay, Ontario. “It gives us more hours of the decision space for senior civilian and military leaders that’s critical for moving assets into an advantageous position to react.”
NWS sites also serve as critical hubs for both military and civil search and rescue operations, tactical radio-based all-weather communications, and essential infrastructure supporting en-route air traffic control across vast northern regions. They enable visibility for radar-dependent air traffic control systems and house independent communication suites vital to aviation safety and aerospace defense.
“North Warning System is more than just a radar early warning system,” White said. “It's a presence in the Arctic, which is really important to both nations right now.”
Despite the harsh conditions and austere locations, ACC’s AMIC Det. 1, alongside Canadian partners, continues to maintain these radars and provide vital defense capabilities to North America.
“The challenge of maintaining 49 remote radar sites across the Arctic is often underestimated. These sites require year-round fuel, parts, and maintenance, presenting significant logistical hurdles due to severe weather, fog, and prolonged winter darkness,” White said. “Through our partnership with Canada, we are able to access these austere locations and keep the radars operational, ensuring a critical component of our mission is fulfilled.”
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.