NORAD officials celebrate 50th anniversary

  • Published
  • By Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Joaquin Juatai
  • North American Aerospace Defense Command and USNORTHCOM Public Affairs
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AFPN) --  North American Aerospace Defense Command officials celebrated the 50th anniversary of the signing of the NORAD agreement with a Golden Jubilee Ball May 12 at the Broadmoor Hotel and Resort here. 

A NORAD time capsule, embedded in a rock that came from Cheyenne Mountain, will be unveiled May 13 followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new NORAD and U.S. Northern Command Command Center, which is located in the headquarters building at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.

"This unique organization really provides North Americans with the ability to sleep at night knowing that (Canadian and American servicemembers) have them covered," said Peter MacKay, Canada's minister of defence.

Although NORAD originally stood up at Ent Air Force Base in Colorado Springs Sept. 12, 1957, the official NORAD agreement between the governments of Canada and the United States was signed May 12, 1958. On that date, the governments of Canada and the United States formally acknowledged their mutual commitment to defending their citizens from aerospace attacks. 

"The relationship between Canada and the United States is one that cannot be replicated. It cannot be imitated anywhere in the world," Mr. MacKay said of the close cooperation between the U.S. and Canada as demonstrated by NORAD. 

Responsibilities for leadership and policy for the binational command is shared between the two sovereign nations. NORAD is the binational command responsible for aerospace warning and defense as well as maritime detection and warning for the United States and Canada.

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