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Canada Stages Major Arctic Drills as Ottawa Pledges Northern Defense Overhaul

Deep U.S. ties, paired with aging radar, limit a quick shift to self-reliance.

Overview

  • Canadian forces wrapped extensive cold‑weather exercises that moved artillery to Cambridge Bay, landed aircraft on sea ice, and deployed about 1,300 troops across the High North.
  • Soldiers completed a more than 5,000‑kilometre snowmobile patrol from Inuvik to Churchill in extreme cold to prove they can sustain long‑range operations across the Arctic.
  • Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a C$35 billion plan to reinforce northern defenses and said Canada would take full responsibility for protecting its Arctic sovereignty.
  • Reuters reporting found Canada remains tied to the United States through NORAD, the binational air‑defense pact, as Canadian and U.S. fighters recently intercepted Russian aircraft near Canadian airspace.
  • Officials and contractors described the 47‑site North Warning System radar network as a legacy system that struggles with modern threats, even as Canada highlights strong Arctic maritime presence with one of the world’s largest icebreaker fleets.