Canada’s ability to detect alien intrusions into the Arctic is “very limited” and needs to be modernized, senior Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) officials say.
Lt. Gen. Alain Pelletier, deputy commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), said:while testifying before the House of Representatives National Defense Committee November 1st.
“Especially given that the threat from China could come from the West Coast,” Peletier continued. “And the warning system was designed in the early 1980s, so it’s ready for threats coming from the Arctic.”
Defense Minister Anita Anand announced in June that the federal government would invest nearly $5 billion over the next six years to modernize North America’s defense system.
Anand said the money is part of the government’s plan to invest about $40 billion in NORAD over the next 20 years.
“We will establish the backbone of a brand new Northern Approach Surveillance System to enhance surveillance and early warning threats to our continent,” Anand said in a June 20 funding announcement.
Peltier said today that the northern warning system needs to be updated with long-range radar technology on the horizon to detect possible “air and space” threats. But NORAD said he doesn’t plan to introduce the technology until the second half of the decade.
“For the first time in our collective history of bilateral defense, we have two strategic competitors, Russia and China, both possessing nuclear weapons, and a third actor, North Korea. I am,” Pelletier said.
He added that both Russia and China have invested heavily in their Arctic military capabilities in recent years.
“They have already modernized their Arctic infrastructure, deployed new coastal and maritime defense missile systems, upgraded their naval forces, and increased military exercises and training activities with a new Arctic-specific command structure,” he said. Told.
“The North Pole is the closest route to attack North America.”
“Threat of 360 Degrees”
The Defense Committee heard from expert witnesses last week that the Chinese threat to the Arctic was “more imminent” than CAF Defense Chief of Staff Gen. Wayne Eyre had previously warned. rice field.
“I agree with General Eyre, the Chinese will be a threat. I disagree with his timeline. while saying this:
“The period is so short that 20 years is not the issue. [The Chinese] I am currently researching capabilities. ”
Hubert said the Chinese military was “actively preparing” to send nuclear-powered cruise submarines to the Arctic Ocean, and Canadians were skeptical that Canada’s geographic location would protect it from invasion. He said he believes it should be abandoned.
Pelletier today agreed with Huebert’s warning, saying that North America now faces “a 360-degree threat from all domains.”
“Russia and China, like other countries, are becoming more and more interested in the Arctic,” he said.
“Thus, the Arctic continues to evolve into an increasingly globalized and controversial interconnected region.”
Andrew Chen and Isaac Teo contributed to this report.
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Peter Wilson is a reporter based in Ontario, Canada.