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49-831: The Cheyenne Mountain Division is the J36 branch within the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and United States Northern Command 's (USNORTHCOM) Operations Directorates, located in Colorado Springs , Colorado . It was re-designated as the Cheyenne Mountain Division on July 28, 2006, previously having been designated the Cheyenne Mountain Directorate. Before that, the unit

98-483: A nuclear attack was taking place. During these incidents, Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) properly had their planes loaded with nuclear bombs in the air. Strategic Air Command (SAC) did not and received criticism, because they did not follow procedure, even though the SAC command knew these were almost certainly false alarms , as did PACAF. Both command posts had recently begun receiving and processing direct reports from

147-636: A SAGE AN/FSQ-7 Combat Direction Central computer was constructed from 1959 to 1963. Each of the USAF's eight smaller AN/FSQ-8 Combat Control Central systems provided NORAD with data and could command the entire United States air defense. The RCAF's 1950 "ground observer system, the Long Range Air Raid Warning System ", was discontinued. In January 1959, the United States Ground Observer Corps

196-549: A statutory and permanent Joint Chiefs of Staff chair was created by the 1949 amendments to the National Security Act of 1947 . The 1986 Goldwater–Nichols Act elevated the chairman from the first among equals to becoming the "principal military advisor" to the president and the secretary of defense. The Joint Staff , managed by the director of the Joint Staff and consisting of military personnel from all

245-463: A technician in NORAD loaded a test tape, but failed to switch the system status to "test", causing a stream of constant false warnings to spread to two " continuity of government " bunkers as well as command posts worldwide. On 3 June 1980, and again on 6 June 1980, a computer communications device failure caused warning messages to sporadically flash in U.S. Air Force command posts around the world that

294-708: A worldwide system of sensors designed to provide the commander and the leadership of Canada and the U.S. with an accurate picture of any aerospace or maritime threat. NORAD has administratively divided the North American landmass into three regions: Both the CONR and CANR regions are divided into eastern and western sectors. The Alaskan NORAD Region (ANR) maintains continuous capability to detect, validate and warn off any atmospheric threat in its area of operations from its Regional Operations Control Center (ROCC) at Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson , Alaska. ANR maintains

343-584: Is a setting of the 1983 film WarGames and the television series Jeremiah and Stargate SG-1 . In the 2014 film Interstellar , NORAD dissolves and its headquarters is converted for NASA . In season 25 episode 4 of the TV series South Park , NORAD is hacked into by Mr Mackey using late 1980s computer hardware. As a publicity move on 24 December 1955, NORAD's predecessor, the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD), informed

392-680: Is at McChord Field , Washington. Both maintain continuous surveillance of CONUS airspace. In its role as the CONUS NORAD Region, 1 AF/CONR-AFNORTH also performs counter-drug surveillance operations. The North American Air Defense Command was recommended by the Joint Canadian–U.S. Military Group in late 1956, approved by the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff in February 1957, and announced in August 1957. NORAD's command headquarters

441-702: Is divided into two sectors, the Canada East Sector and Canada West Sector. Both Sector Operations Control Centers (SOCCs) are co-located at CFB North Bay , Ontario. The routine operation of the SOCCs includes reporting track data, sensor status and aircraft alert status to NORAD headquarters. In 1996, CANR was renamed 1 Canadian Air Division and moved to CFB Winnipeg . Canadian air defense forces assigned to NORAD include 409 Tactical Fighter Squadron at CFB Cold Lake , Alberta and 425 Tactical Fighter Squadron at CFB Bagotville , Quebec. All squadrons fly

490-597: Is located at Tyndall Air Force Base , Florida. The First Air Force (1 AF) became responsible for the USAF air defense mission in September 1990. AFNORTH is the United States Air Force component of United States Northern Command (NORTHCOM). 1 AF/CONR-AFNORTH comprises Air National Guard Fighter Wings assigned an air defense mission to 1 AF/CONR-AFNORTH on federal orders, made up primarily of citizen Airmen. The primary weapons systems are

539-632: Is the component of NORAD that provides airspace surveillance and control and directs air sovereignty activities for the Contiguous United States (CONUS). Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 , CONR has been the lead agency for Operation Noble Eagle , an ongoing mission to protect the continental United States from airborne attacks. CONR is the NORAD designation of the United States Air Force First Air Force /AFNORTH. Its headquarters

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588-591: The Alaska Air National Guard . Both 11 AF and the CAF provide active duty personnel to the ROCC to maintain continuous surveillance of Alaskan airspace. Canadian NORAD Region Headquarters is at CFB Winnipeg , Manitoba. It was established on 22 April 1983. It is responsible for providing surveillance and control of Canadian airspace. The Royal Canadian Air Force provides alert assets to NORAD. CANR

637-705: The Canadian Forces , the deputy commander was an RCAF air marshal . The commander is responsible to the Government of Canada (the Crown - in-Council ), through the chief of the Defence Staff , and to the Government of the United States , via the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff . The commander and deputy are each subject to their respective country's laws, policies, and directives. Per

686-695: The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) placed the Ent Air Force Base Space Detection and Tracking System (496L System with Philco 2000 Model 212 computer) "under the operational control of CINCNORAD ", during the Cheyenne Mountain nuclear bunker excavation, and the joint SAC-NORAD exercise " Sky Shield II". In September 1962—"Sky Shield III" were conducted for mock penetration of NORAD sectors. In 1963, NORAD command center operations moved from Ent Air Force Base to

735-696: The McDonnell Douglas CF-18 Hornet fighter aircraft. To monitor for drug trafficking, the Canadian NORAD Region monitors all air traffic approaching the coast of Canada, in cooperation with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the United States drug law enforcement agencies. Any aircraft that has not filed a flight plan may be directed to land and be inspected by RCMP and Canada Border Services Agency . The Continental NORAD Region (CONR)

784-550: The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle and General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft. It plans, conducts, controls, coordinates and ensures air sovereignty and provides for the unilateral defense of the United States. A combined First Air Force command post is at Tyndall Air Force Base. The US East ROCC ( Eastern Air Defense Sector ), Sector Operations Control Center (SOCC) is at Rome, New York . The US West ROCC ( Western Air Defense Sector ) control center

833-821: The North American Air Defense Command , is a combined organization of the United States and Canada that provides aerospace warning, air sovereignty, and protection for Canada and the continental United States . Headquarters for NORAD and the NORAD/ United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) center are located at Peterson Space Force Base in El Paso County , near Colorado Springs, Colorado . The nearby Cheyenne Mountain Complex has

882-614: The North Pole and delivers presents to children around the world. Today, NORAD relies on volunteers to make the program possible. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff ( CJCS ) is the presiding officer of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The chairman is the highest-ranking and most senior military officer in the United States Armed Forces and

931-717: The "ADCOM" specified command under the same commander as NORAD, e.g., HQ NORAD/ADCOM J31 manned the Space Surveillance Center. In 1982, a NORAD Off-site Test Facility was located at Peterson AFB. The DEW Line was to be replaced with the North Warning System (NWS), the Over-the-Horizon Backscatter (OTH-B) radar was to be deployed, more advanced fighters were deployed, and E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft were planned for greater use. These recommendations were accepted by

980-497: The Alternate Command Center. The NORAD commander and deputy commander are, respectively, a United States four-star general or equivalent and a Canadian lieutenant-general or equivalent. NORAD is headed by its commander , who is a four-star general or admiral in the United States Armed Forces . The deputy commander is a Royal Canadian Air Force lieutenant general . Prior to the 1968 unification of

1029-672: The Canadian National Defence Act , the chief of the Defence Staff relays orders from the Crown-in-Council, collectively, or guidance from the minister of national defence , alone, to the officers of the Canadian Armed Forces . NORAD maintains a headquarters at Peterson Space Force Base near Colorado Springs, Colorado . The NORAD and USNORTHCOM Command Center at Peterson SFB serves as a central collection and coordination facility for

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1078-439: The J36 branch within the NORAD and USNORTHCOM's Operations Directorates. This United States military article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This Canadian military article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . North American Aerospace Defense Command Turquoise North American Aerospace Defense Command ( NORAD / ˈ n ɔːr æ d / ), known until March 1981 as

1127-519: The Joint Chiefs of Staff is assisted by the Joint Staff , led by the director of the Joint Staff , a three-star general or admiral. The Joint Staff is an organization composed of approximately equal numbers of officers contributed by the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force who have been assigned to assist the chairman with the unified strategic direction, operation, and integration of

1176-864: The North Warning System. The Cheyenne Mountain site was upgraded, but none of the proposed OTH-B radars are currently in operation. After the September 11 attacks , the NORAD Air Warning Center's mission included the interior airspace of North America. The Cheyenne Mountain Realignment was announced in July 2006, to consolidate NORAD's day-to-day operations at Peterson Air Force Base . Cheyenne Mountain remains on "warm standby", staffed with support personnel. The NORAD command center located under Cheyenne Mountain , Colorado

1225-768: The United States started the Continental Air Defense Integration North (CADIN) for the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment air defense network. The initial CADIN cost-sharing agreement between the two countries was signed in January 1959. Two December 1958 plans submitted by NORAD had "average yearly expenditure of around five and one half billions", including "cost of the accelerated Nike Zeus program" and three Ballistic Missile Early Warning System (BMEWS) sites. Canada's NORAD bunker at CFB North Bay with

1274-435: The chairman, the vice chairman, nor the Joint Chiefs of Staff as a body has any command authority over combatant forces. The Goldwater–Nichols Act places the operational chain of command from the president to the secretary of defense directly to the commanders of the unified combatant commands . However the service chiefs do have authority over personnel assignments and oversight over resources and personnel allocated to

1323-465: The combatant commands within their respective services (derived from the service secretaries). The chairman may also transmit communications to the combatant commanders from the president and secretary of defense as well as allocate additional funding to the combatant commanders if necessary. The chairman also performs all other functions prescribed under 10 U.S.C.   § 153 or allocates those duties and responsibilities to other officers in

1372-417: The combatant commands. Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy , USN , served as the chief of staff to the commander in chief of the Army and Navy from 20 July 1942 to 21 March 1949. He presided over meetings of what was called the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Leahy's office was the precursor to the post of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The chairman is nominated by the president for appointment from any of

1421-492: The combatant land, naval, air, and space forces. The National Military Command Center (NMCC) is part of the Joint Staff operations directorate (J-3). The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is also advised on enlisted personnel matters by the senior enlisted advisor to the chairman , who serves as a communication conduit between the chairman and the senior enlisted advisors ( command sergeants major , command master chief petty officers , and command chief master sergeants ) of

1470-596: The fifth chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Since that, the traditional rotation was abolished. According to the Monthly Rates of Basic Pay for commissioned officers, effective January 1, 2023, basic pay is limited to the rate of basic pay for level II of the Executive Schedule in effect during calendar year 2023, which is $ 17,675.10 per month for officers at pay grades O-7 through O-10. This includes officers serving as chairman or vice chairman of

1519-588: The first chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Omar Bradley , was eventually awarded a fifth star, the CJCS does not receive one by right, and Bradley's award was so that his subordinate, General of the Army Douglas MacArthur , would not outrank him. In the 1990s, there were proposals in Department of Defense academic circles to bestow on the chairman a five-star rank. Previously during

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1568-487: The governments in 1985. The United States Space Command was formed in September 1985 as an adjunct, but not a component of NORAD. NORAD was renamed North American Aerospace Defense Command in March 1981. In 1989, NORAD operations expanded to cover counter-drug operations, for example, tracking of small aircraft entering and operating within the United States and Canada. DEW line sites were replaced between 1986 and 1995 by

1617-620: The integrated NORAD and USNORTHCOM Command Center at Peterson Air Force Base . Operational functions—such as monitoring for threats in the ocean, skies, and space—were moved to Peterson AFB from the Cheyenne Mountain Complex to reduce operating costs. On May 12, 2008, the fiftieth anniversary of the NORAD agreement, the Cheyenne Mountain Complex was designated as the NORAD and USNORTHCOM Alternate Command Center. The Cheyenne Mountain Division then became

1666-492: The joint staff. The current chairman is General Charles Q. Brown Jr. , who assumed office on 1 October 2023, having been ceremonially sworn in on 29 September. The principal deputy to the chairman is the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (VCJCS), another four-star general or admiral, who among many duties chairs the Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC). The chairman of

1715-615: The meetings and coordinates the efforts of the Joint Chiefs, an advisory body within the Department of Defense comprising the chairman, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , the chief of staff of the Army , the commandant of the Marine Corps , the chief of naval operations , the chief of staff of the Air Force , the chief of space operations , and the chief of the National Guard Bureau . The post of

1764-735: The operation of NORAD, On 1 January 1966, Air Force Systems Command turned the COC over to NORAD. The NORAD Cheyenne Mountain Complex was accepted on 8 February 1966. United States Department of Defense realignments for the NORAD command organization began on 15 November 1968 (e.g., Army Air Defense Command (ARADCOM)). By 1972, there were eight NORAD "regional areas ... for all air defense". The NORAD Cheyenne Mountain Complex Improvements Program (427M System) became operational in 1979. On at least three occasions, NORAD systems failed, such as on 9 November 1979, when

1813-581: The partially underground "Combined Operations Center" for Aerospace Defense Command and NORAD at the Chidlaw Building . President John F. Kennedy visited "NORAD headquarters" after the 5 June 1963 United States Air Force Academy graduation. On 30 October 1964, "NORAD began manning" the Combat Operations Center in the Cheyenne Mountain Complex . In 1965, about 250,000 United States and Canadian personnel were involved in

1862-578: The pleasure of the president , with reappointment to additional terms only possible during times of war or national emergency. Historically, the chairman served two two-year terms, until the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 amended the chairman's term of office to a single four-year term. By statute, the chairman is appointed as a four-star general or admiral while holding office and assumes office on 1 October of odd-numbered years. Although

1911-746: The presidency of Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower , the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff position was rotated in accordance with the incumbent chairman's armed force service branch. In this rotation, the incoming chairman would be from a different service branch. For example, in 1957, following the retirement of Admiral Arthur Radford as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, President Eisenhower nominated Air Force general Nathan Twining as Radford's successor. When General Twining retired, Eisenhower nominated Army general Lyman Lemnitzer to succeed Twining as chairman. In October 1962, when President Kennedy appointed Army general Maxwell Taylor as General Lemnitzer's successor, Kennedy eventually broke

1960-508: The press that CONAD was tracking Santa Claus 's sleigh , adding that "CONAD, Army , Navy and Marine Air Forces will continue to track and guard Santa and his sleigh on his trip to and from the U.S. against possible attack from those who do not believe in Christmas". A Christmas Eve tradition was born, known as the " NORAD Tracks Santa " program. Every year on Christmas Eve , "NORAD Tracks Santa" purports to track Santa Claus as he leaves

2009-636: The principal military advisor to the president , the National Security Council , the Homeland Security Council , and the secretary of defense . While the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff outranks all other commissioned officers, the chairman is prohibited by law from having operational command authority over the armed forces; however, the chairman assists the president and the secretary of defense in exercising their command functions. The chairman convenes

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2058-444: The readiness to conduct a continuum of aerospace control missions, which include daily air sovereignty in peacetime, contingency and deterrence in time of tension, and active air defense against manned and unmanned air-breathing atmospheric vehicles in times of crisis. ANR is supported by both active duty and reserve units. Active duty forces are provided by 11 AF and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), and reserve forces provided by

2107-486: The regular components of the armed forces , and must be confirmed via majority vote by the Senate . The chairman and vice chairman may not be members of the same armed force service branch. However, the president may waive that restriction for a limited period of time in order to provide for the orderly transition of officers appointed to serve in those positions. The chairman serves a single four-year term of office at

2156-438: The services, assists the chairman in fulfilling his duties to the president and secretary of defense, and functions as a conduit and collector of information between the chairman and the combatant commanders . The National Military Command Center (NMCC) is part of the Joint Staff operations directorate (J-3). Although the office of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is considered very important and highly prestigious, neither

2205-523: The traditional rotation for the position between the Air Force, Navy, Marines, and Army. Kennedy replaced a chairman who was from the Army with another general who was also from the Army. At that time, Kennedy should have appointed either Air Force chief of staff General Curtis LeMay , chief of naval operations Admiral George Anderson Jr. , or commandant of the Marine Corps General David Shoup to succeed General Lemnitzer as

2254-510: The various radar, satellite, and other missile attack detection systems, and those direct reports simply did not match the erroneous data received from NORAD. Following the 1979 Joint US-Canada Air Defense Study, the command structure for aerospace defense was changed, e.g., "SAC assumed control of ballistic missile warning and space surveillance facilities " on 1 December 1979 from ADCOM. The Aerospace Defense Command major command ended 31 March 1980. Its organizations in Cheyenne Mountain became

2303-527: Was deactivated. The Cheyenne Mountain nuclear bunker's planned mission was expanded in August 1960 to "a hardened center from which CINCNORAD would supervise and direct operations against space attack as well as air attack". In October 1960, the Secretary of Defense assigned, "operational command of all space surveillance to Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) and operational control to North American Air Defense Command (NORAD)". In December 1960,

2352-472: Was established on 12 September 1957 at Ent Air Force Base 's 1954 blockhouse. In 1958, Canada and the United States agreed that the NORAD commander would always be a United States officer, with a Canadian vice commander. Canada "agreed the command's primary purpose would be ... early warning and defense for the Strategic Air Command 's (SAC)'s retaliatory forces". In late 1958, Canada and

2401-662: Was known as the Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center. The organization, one of the tenants at the Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station , has been responsible for monitoring North American air space for missiles and other space events that could pose a threat to North America. It operated within the Cheyenne Mountain Complex 's Air Warning, Missile Correlation, Command Center, Space Control, and Operations Intelligence Watch Centers. The division assisted with establishing

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