Chinese-Russian air co-operation has Norad’s “full attention”

OTTAWA: So, the head of Norad is saying that the air cooperation between China and Russia is really something to keep an eye on. They’ve got Norad’s full attention, which is kind of a big deal.

Last July, those two countries teamed up for a joint patrol near Alaska. It’s the first time they’ve done something like that, and it’s got everyone talking.

U.S. Gen. Gregory Guillot mentioned that it could take decades for their military operations to sync up like the U.S. and Canada do. Right now, they can operate in the same area, but it’s not as integrated as our forces.

He pointed out that Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran are working together more than ever before. It’s a bit concerning, especially with Canada’s recent political issues with the U.S. over defense spending.

Guillot did say that 2024 has been a great year for military relations between Canada and the U.S. They’ve been coordinating well, especially during that July incident.

Interestingly, Canadian CF-18s were operating out of an Alaskan base and were able to jump in and help out. That kind of teamwork takes years of training together.

There’s been a slight increase in Russian activity lately, too. In September, some Russian bombers were spotted near Alaska, but they didn’t cross into U.S. or Canadian airspace.

One of the F-16s that went to intercept a bomber had a bit of a close call, acting in a way that surprised Guillot. He expected better from a professional air force.

Despite that, he’s worried about how far away Russia can threaten the U.S. from now. Norad is focusing on improving its ability to detect those threats.

Guillot, who just took over at Norad this year, thinks both nations need to step up their presence in the Arctic. They need to get used to the tough conditions up there.

He recently flew a CF-18 in Cold Lake, Alberta, and joked about how cold it was. He’s planning a trip to Inuvik, N.W.T., to get a better feel for operations in the high north.

So far, he’s only seen the Alaskan side of things, and he’s been surprised by how harsh it can be. The vastness of the area makes it tough for aircrews to respond quickly to Russian aircraft.

Looking ahead, the U.S. and Canadian forces are planning to spend more time in the Arctic by 2025. They’re also training Canadian pilots on F-35s at a base in Alaska.

Guillot emphasized that flying and maintaining a fifth-generation fighter in the Arctic is a whole different ball game compared to the older models. They’re already starting that training to speed up the transition.

This report was first published by The Canadian Press on December 30, 2024.

Kyle Duggan, The Canadian Press