A Christmas Tradition As it defends the skies from those who want to harm North America, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) harbors a weak- ness for old guys in red who fly sleighs. Since 1955, NORAD and its prede- cessor, the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD), have tracked Santa Claus’ annual international flight. According to NORAD lore, an ad encour- aged children to call the printed number to learn Santa’s whereabouts. But the published phone number went to CONAD’s operations center. Air Force Col. Harry Shoup’s phone rang continuously that Christmas Eve, but he enthralled each child by pretending to identify Santa’s exact location. This Christmas tradition continues. Today, thousands of volunteers field more than 70,000 phone calls and 12,000 emails each year.
Col. Marcus Beyerle, USAF, leſt, and then-Lt. Gen. J.M. Duval, Canadian Forces, deputy commander, NORAD, visit with Santa Claus at Peterson AFB in Colorado Springs, Colo. Santa visited Peterson AFB in mid-December to get a mission brief from NORAD to prepare for Christmas Eve.
Aero and maritime defense The chief of NORTHCOM also heads NORAD, which is colocated at Peterson AFB, Colo. The two agen- cies share much of the 1,500-person staff but have their own operations, or J-3, sections. Though closely linked and often referred to as NORTHCOM/NORAD, the two are autonomous with distinct — though often intersecting — missions. NORAD, established in 1958, is a binational command with Canada as an equal partner. NORAD handles aerospace warning and control for North America and monitors man- made objects in space — from satel- lites launched by the U.S. and other nations to debris floating in the galaxy. It also has a significant homeland de- fense mission and monitors threats, be they aircraft, missiles, or space vehicles. NORAD performs this mis- sion through satellites, radar, vehicles, and other technology, says Steve Arm- strong, NORAD’s operations deputy. “Aerospace control is done through fighter aircraft, tankers, and airborne warning on alert,” he adds. At the end of the Cold War,
NORAD controlled 5,550 aircraft. On Sept. 11, 2001, it tallied just 14 planes. To regain air superiority, Operation Noble Eagle took flight to defend against attacks using hijacked or PHOTO: PETTY OFFICER 2ND CLASS JHOMIL BANSIL, USN
private civilian aircraft. “A NORAD fighter will fly alongside the suspi- cious plane to determine whether the aircraft is lost, in distress, or a true threat,” says Armstrong. Since Sept. 11, 2001, of about 3,500 possible air threats, NORAD has intercepted more than 1,400 aircraft in the U.S. and Canada. None has been a true threat, according to Armstrong. One of the most significant changes post-9/11 was the creation of an interagency domestic events network. “At any time, 150 agencies and commands including the FAA, the FBI, the Transportation Security Administration, and DoD have an open phone line to discuss events in the national airspace in real time,” says Armstrong. “For us, it’s the greatest cooperation advance this decade.”
In addition to aero warning and
defense, NORAD added maritime warning to its repertoire in 2006. NORAD monitors threats and will issue a warning message if a waterborne threat has the potential to affect the U.S. or Canada. Such notices are rare, but NORAD issued a warning in 2010 for a human smug- gling “event” forming across the Pacific. Details often are classified, and NORAD rarely discusses specific threats or events.
Despite waterborne crime like drug running and human traffick- ing, NORAD’s maritime focus is “violent extremists.” “There is considerable potential for those who want to harm us to use the seas,” says U.S. Navy Capt. Ron Ravelo, NORAD’s maritime division chief.
A team effort NORTHCOM might have limited assets under its direct control to defend the homeland, but the ser- vice components, domestic agen- cies, and hemispheric partners at all levels are working together to meet a sobering reality. NORTHCOM/ NORAD continues a tradition to keep the homeland safe from air- and seaborne threats as well as chal- lenges on the borders. “We’ll have to be on top of our game when called into action as a command. In the homeland, we only have one chance to get it right when the most challenging situations con- front our nation. We have to do all we can now to prepare so that when the time comes, we will be there ready to protect our fellow Ameri- cans,” says Swan.
MO
— Contributing Editor Gina DiNicolo is a Virginia-based writer. Her last article for Military Officer was “History of He- roes,” December 2011.
JUNE 2012 MILITARY OFFICER 55
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