NORAD operations director lauds 552nd

Published June 24, 2016
By John Parker
Staff Writer

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- The 552nd Air Control Wing is a critical partner in defending North America and is doing a terrific job at it, the director of operations for the North American Aerospace Defense Command said.

"I want to thank all of the men and women of the 552nd, the civilians and the contractors for their incredible efforts to support us, as well as the rest of their missions around the world," Royal Canadian Air Force Maj. Gen. Christopher Coates said at the ACW's headquarters.

"They're doing a fantastic job, and we couldn't do what we do without them," the director said.

Major General Coates visited Tinker Air Force Base June 15 and 16 to meet with leadership, receive briefing updates on operations and confer with rank-and-file wing members, including more than 40 members of the 552nd Canadian Detachment here.
NORAD is a bi-national U.S. and Canadian command that watches the skies, space and seas for any signs of a threat to North America. The 58-year-old command with roots in the early Cold War is responsible to the U.S. president and Canadian prime minister.

Major General Coates, a helicopter pilot and former Joint Task Force air wing commander in Afghanistan, said the E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft is vital to NORAD's mission.

"Canada and the United States have been welded together as partners in the air defense of North America from the very first days there was an air threat to North America," the general said. "NORAD is really dependent on a few partners and the E-3 and its early airborne warning capability is so critical to what we do."

The general, who is based at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., said today's NORAD faces several primary challenges.

"First, our potential adversaries are continuing to evolve challenging capabilities," the general said. "We've seen Russia employ precision cruise missiles in their actions in Syria. They're able to launch those cruise missiles from ships, submarines and aircraft. They're developing doctrine and capabilities that could be used to challenge North American interests."

NORAD leaders are also paying close attention to "nontraditional aviation threats" such as unmanned aircraft systems, or smaller-sized and otherwise recreational drones, the general said. The commercially available technology could carry high-definition cameras and lethal cargo if modified.

"We're watching the development of those capabilities being used for military or threat purposes elsewhere in the world, and we're concerned that could become a possibility in North America," Major General Coates said. NORAD works closely with the Federal Aviation Administration, the Department of Homeland Security and other agencies both in the United States and Canada to stay on top of the technology.

Major General Coates said a third priority for the command is managing the resources available to overcome those evolving threats.

"Both of our nations don't have unlimited resources," the general said. "We have lots of challenges as nations to deal with. We must balance those requirements and future requirements with the responsible use of government resources, dollars and capabilities. Addressing these three primary challenges is essential to NORAD's evolution as the global security situation continues to change."