NORAD commander: Air Force role vital to homeland security

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Matthew Bates
  • Air Force Print News
SAN ANTONIO (AFPN) --  Homeland defense has come full circle since the events of 9/11. America now faces a new and constantly evolving threat -- the threat of terrorism.

Dealing with this threat is the task of the men and women of the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, a bi-national U.S. and Canadian organization charged with providing aerospace warning and control for North America. To accomplish this mission, NORAD uses a network of ground-based radars and fighters to detect, intercept and, if necessary, engage any probable threat to the continent.

This means active duty, Guard and Reserve Air Force members play an important role in homeland defense, said Navy Adm. Timothy Keating, NORAD commander.

"The Air Force has a huge impact on the success of our mission," he said. "They provide the fighters and satellites used on a day-to-day basis to help us accomplish the task of securing our nation's skies."

A task, the admiral added, that is ongoing.

"We are continually adjusting our structure and capabilities to meet the demands of a changing world," he said. "While the threats we face have changed, our charter remains to provide for the security of the U.S. and defend it against any enemy, whether that be a lone terrorist or a full-scale invasion on our shores." 

Still, the nation is safer now than it was pre-9/11, according to Admiral Keating. There are better systems in place, communication between agencies is improved and security is tighter. 

"We are definitely better at [aerospace defense] than we were five years ago," Admiral Keating said.

Though future homeland defense and security organizations and policies are being formulated by the governments of both the U.S. and Canada, NORAD and its Air Force members, remains a vital part of homeland security