Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joins U.S. Secretary of Defense to tour NORAD
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spent Tuesday in Colorado Springs, touring the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) Centers at Peterson Space Force Base and Cheyenne Mountain. The visit came as military officials laid out their plans for modernizing NORAD.
Trudeau was joined by United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to get an up close view of North America's first line of defense and the upgrades to come.
NORAD is the only place in the world where two countries come together under a joint command to protect their terrorities.
Tuesday, the two leaders highlighted the importance of modernizing NORAD in a time where the world is shifting rapidly, whether it's new threats, new technologies, or shifting geopolitical realities.
According to a senior NORAD defense official, those threats include, basslistic missles, cyber attacks, and hypersonic glide vehicles from countries like China and Russia.
The Canadian Defense Minister, who was also in attendance, said that those types of threats are why NORAD needs to be ready for an ever changing battle field.
According to officials, the role of NORAD and America's role in defense is to ensure the safety and security of citizens in both countries, saying that's the joint top priority.
During the visit, officials said there are a number of initiatives on the table right now with the United States and there will be a plan to modernize NORAd coming shortly.
