NORAD Chief Highlights Growing Russian-Chinese Cooperation in Arctic

The leader of the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) has voiced his concerns regarding the cooperative military activities between China and Russia in the Arctic, which he believes warrant significant attention. For the first time, these two nations conducted a joint patrol close to Alaska's coast last July, signaling a shift in their military dynamics.

U.S. General Gregory Guillot shared in an interview that while the two countries are currently capable of coordinated operations in the Arctic, they have not yet achieved the level of integration seen between U.S. and Canadian forces. He pointed out that achieving full integration could take decades, even as coordinated operations have become more frequent and sophisticated. As a result, NORAD remains vigilant in monitoring these developments.

Guillot indicated that strategic competitors like Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran have been engaging in more collaborative activities than ever, which poses new security challenges for NORAD. This comes at a time when Canada is under scrutiny for not meeting its NATO defense spending commitments, especially with the potential change in U.S. leadership in 2025. Despite these tensions, he underscored the strong military ties between Canada and the U.S. demonstrated during a recent incident where both countries’ forces effectively coordinated their response.

The general also noted a slight increase in Russian military activity, referencing a specific event where Russian bombers were detected near Alaska. During an interception by an F-16, one of the bombers exhibited unsafe flying behavior, which Gen. Guillot found surprising, given the expected professionalism of their air force. He underlined that the growing range of Russian capabilities poses a challenge for U.S. defense, necessitating enhanced detection systems.

Gen. Guillot highlighted the need for U.S. and Canadian forces to strengthen their presence in the Arctic through more exercises and operations, particularly as they adapt to the region's harsh conditions. Recently, he flew a CF-18 from Cold Lake, Alberta, and plans to visit Inuvik, Northwest Territories, to gain a better understanding of the operational landscape.

Currently, his experience has been limited to the Alaskan side of the Arctic, where he has encountered challenging conditions. With more than half of NORAD's responsibilities encompassing this vast area, the difficulty of conducting operations from distant bases complicates responses to potential Russian threats.

Looking ahead, he emphasized plans for increased operations in the Arctic by 2025 and mentioned that U.S. facilities are preparing for Canadian pilots to train on F-35 fighters at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska. This training is critical, as operating fifth-generation fighters in the Arctic presents different challenges compared to previous aircraft, which is why NORAD is already initiating this preparation.