third in a series

to create a single, effective system of continental air defence…”6 Today, the air breathing threat to North America has returned because of the deterioration in relations of the West with Russia, the resumption of Russian bomber flights over and around the North American Arctic, and the emergence of a new generation of long range, advanced Russian air and sea launched cruise missiles (A/SLCMs). [...] If the past is any guide to the future of North American defence cooperation, as the environment evolves over time, the process, which led to the creation of NORAD and its evolution whereby the militaries of both countries are the leads exercising options in advance of political take-up, is likely to be replicated. [...] In Canada, the commander of 1 Canadian Air Division (1 CAD) is a force generator for the air component of the Canadian Armed Forces at the operational and tactical levels on behalf of the Commander of the RCAF, and the force employer in her/his role as commander Canada NORAD Region (CANR) in the binational arrangement, and the Joint Forces Air Component Commander (JFACC) for Canada. [...] Ideally, the JFACC is located in situ in order to for the commander to understand the complexity of the theatre of operation and the battle management tempo. [...] Climate change and the shrinking of the multi-year Arctic Ocean ice cap, however, portend a change for the importance of the Arctic in the defence of North America and CANUS defence cooperation.