Canada and Australia ink deal for Arctic radar system
The system, set to begin operation in December 2029, will give Canada early-warning tracking capability in the Far North. Work begins July 1.
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Canada and Australia have formalized an agreement allowing Ottawa to purchase components of an Arctic over-the-horizon radar system from BAE Systems Australia, marking the beginning of the delivery phase for a project that will cost Canada more than $6 billion.
Stephen Fuhr, Canada's secretary of state for defence procurement, announced the agreement Sunday, June 21, in Canberra alongside Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles. Work on the new capability is set to begin on July 1.
The radar system will give Canada the ability to detect threats in the air and on the ocean, and provide early-warning tracking throughout the North. BAE Systems, which built a similar system in Australia, will work with Canadian companies to develop the Canadian version. Canada is committed to spending $2.5 billion on the capability through this deal.
The radar system will be located in Southern Ontario at two transmission sites and two receiving sites near Barrie and Kawartha Lakes. The Department of National Defence purchased the land, which sparked controversy and petitions from local landowners. In May, Defence Minister David McGuinty's office responded to parliamentary questions by stating the location requirements were inflexible and that the sites were chosen after assessing hundreds of options.
The system is set to begin operation in December 2029 and is expected to be fully operational by 2043. It is considered a key component of the Norad modernization program, announced in 2022, which is expected to cost $38.6 billion over 20 years.
