Arctic could be next hot spot for NORAD

The next frontier for the United States-Canadian air defense command should be the top of the world.

Canadian Lt. Gen. Charlie Bouchard, deputy commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command based at Peterson Air Force Base, said in an interview that the Arctic's rich reservoir of resources is spurring interest in development that should trigger greater oversight by NORAD.

"As we look north, there's more activity," he said, noting 400 to 450 planes per day fly over the Arctic.

"The greater the surveillance, the better we will be," Bouchard said.

He said NORAD should work with the Arctic Council. Formed in 1996, the council promotes cooperation, coordination and interaction among the Arctic states on common issues, notably sustainable development and environmental protection, according to the Arctic Council's Web site.

Members include Canada, the United States, Russia, Denmark (including Greenland and the Faroe Islands), Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.

The Arctic sprawls over one-sixth of the earth's landmass, covers 24 time zones and has vast natural resources, including oil.

If NORAD assumes security of the Arctic region, it would be the latest addition in a cooperative mission launched in 1958 that changed very little until May 2006 when both countries agreed NORAD would monitor maritime activities worldwide as they affect the North American continent.

Bouchard didn't elaborate on what would be required to expand NORAD's mission and whether new radar stations would be needed.

Bouchard soon will become deputy commander of NATO's Allied Joint Force Command, Naples, Italy. Lt. Gen. Marcel Duval will replace him on Friday.

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