Canada to rejoin NATO’s AWACS programme
Canada is to rejoin NATO's Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) programme, the Canadian Department of National Defence (DND) announced on 14 February.
In 2011, Canada decided to withdraw from the AWACS programme following the DND’s 2010 strategic review.
NATO has significantly increased the use of AWACS for joint ISR operations, including in Central and Eastern Europe where Canada is leading a multinational NATO battlegroup based in Latvia.
The programme was established in 1978 and consists of sixteen NATO-owned E-3A aircraft that gives the alliance the ability to conduct long-range aerial surveillance, and to command and control forces from the air. The E-3A operates at an altitude of around 10km and is able to monitor the airspace within a radius of more than 400km. The aircraft exchanges information – via digital data links – with ground-based, sea-based and airborne commanders.
By using pulse Doppler radar, an E-3A flying within NATO airspace can distinguish between targets and ground reflections and is therefore able to give early warning of low- or high-flying aircraft operating over the territory of a potential aggressor.
Harjit S. Sajjan, Canadian Defence Minister, said: ‘NATO is a cornerstone of Canada’s international security policy, and is one of our most important multilateral relationships. In that spirit, Canada has decided to rejoin NATO’s AWACS.
‘AWACS is a key NATO capability that we will support by contributing to its operations and support budget. We have committed to keeping Canada engaged in the world, and continuing to commit ourselves to NATO and its missions are important steps toward that goal.’
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
You may also like
More from Digital Battlespace
-
![Airbus launches final CSO observation satellite for French Armed Forces]()
Airbus launches final CSO observation satellite for French Armed Forces
Airbus was awarded the Composante Spatiale Optique (CSO) contract at the end of 2010. This included an option for a third satellite, which was activated after Germany joined the programme in 2015.
-
![Intelligence advantage: How real-time GEOINT is reshaping military decision-making (Studio)]()
Intelligence advantage: How real-time GEOINT is reshaping military decision-making (Studio)
In today’s contested operational environment, adaptability is key. The new Geospatial-Intelligence as a Service (GEO IaaS) solution from Fujitsu and MAIAR empowers militaries by enabling intelligence advantage, combining advanced technology with human expertise to deliver actionable insights.
-
![Israel sets up new department to boost development of AI and autonomy]()
Israel sets up new department to boost development of AI and autonomy
Israel will continue to develop autonomy for its weapons and platforms as it brings together defence personnel, academia and industry.
-
![Clavister contracted to supply cyber protection for CV90s]()
Clavister contracted to supply cyber protection for CV90s
Clavister CyberArmour, an integrated defence cybersecurity system, will be used on BAE Systems Hägglunds’ CV90 platform in deployments with a Scandinavian country, as well as in an eastern European nation.
-
![Lockheed Martin completes tactical satellite demonstration and prepares for launch]()
Lockheed Martin completes tactical satellite demonstration and prepares for launch
The tactical satellite (TacSat) is an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) system and will participate in exercises in 2025.
-
![AUSA 2024: General Micro Systems adds four new products to the X9 Spider family]()
AUSA 2024: General Micro Systems adds four new products to the X9 Spider family
The airborne three-domain, the two ground-based and the ¼ ATR OpenVPX-based cross-domain systems were engineered to provide real-time security across multi-domain operations.
