Upgrade to the North Warning System in the Works

A report was quietly released back at the bigging of April that the U.S Military is looking at its options when it comes to upgrading the missile sensors in the North Warning System, along the old Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line from the Cold War Era.

The current sensors will be obsolete within the next decade the U.S. Military fears, and are currently only capable of tracking high flying aircraft or ballistic missiles. They currently cannot track low-flying objects - including Cruise missiles, as they cannot see beyond the horizon.

Photo of part of the Hall Beach, Nunavut North Warning System Station (2003) Tropo Dish and Radar Dome Visible. 

U.S. officials say they have approached Canadian officials to begin discussions as to possible upgrade options, for greater visibility in the Arctic. Many feel this is a pressing issue, with the increase in Russian sorties in the Arctic. Russian bombers, tankers, and fighter jets approached North American airspace 17 times last year.

Defence Minister Jason Kenny, recently said the Government is looking at options for the modernizing of the North Warning System, but is still strictly opposed to being part of the US Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) System, which the government opted out of nearly a decade ago.

The issue is currently still with the House Defence committee under study.

CAF Completes Op NUNALIVUT 2015

Every year since 2007, the Canadian Armed Forces has been conducting Operation NUNALIVUT. The sovereignty operation  over the Arctic region, and provides as opportunity for the CAF to assert its sovereignty over the northern regions, demonstrate its ability to operate in the harsh environment and remote areas of the High Arctic.
 
Op NINALIVUT 2015 ran from April 1-22 2015, where more than 200 CAF personnel deployed from across Canada. A temporary base was constructed near the site of North Warning System (NWS) Cambridge bay to accommodate the military personnel. More than 45 tonnes of materials were shipped into the temporary deployment site, mainly from Yellowknife and other locations further south.

This years operation highlighted the CAF's ability to respond to threats in the High Arctic, and was comprised of members from 1 Canadian Ranger Patrol Group (1 CRPG), the 3 PPCLI, as well as the RCAF. The 2015 operation also invited members of the US National Guard along for the exercise.

Royal Canadian Navy divers were also involved in this years operation with Parks Canada underwater archaeologists. They spent time beneath the ice in the area of Victoria Strait in an effort to learn more about the fate of HMS Erebus, one of the two ill-fated Franklin Expedition ships lost in 1846 that was discovered last year.

CAF and CRPG members build Snow Walls to protect the modular tents from the Arctic winds during
Op NUNALIVUT 2015.  Photo: CF Combat Camera