Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced his country intends to acquire an Over-the-Horizon Radar Network through a partnership with Australia.
The partnership was confirmed in a call with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday.
Carney made the announcement while visiting the Arctic amidst concerns over Ottawa’s sovereignty, as the United States threatens annexation and seeks to acquire Greenland.
Canada’s Arctic Over-the-Horizon Radar system will be an investment of more than C$6 billion that will provide early warning radar coverage from threats to the Arctic.
“A key component of Canada’s NORAD (North American Aerospace Defence Command) modernization plan, the radar system’s long-range surveillance and threat tracking capabilities will detect and deter threats across the North,” Canadian PM Carney said. “Collaboration with Australia on this critical technology will further deepen our long-standing bilateral defence relationship, while supporting Canada’s commitment to strengthening North American defences in partnership with the United States.”
Senior Canadian government officials reportedly briefed Canadian journalists that the acquisition from Australia had been ‘well received’ in NORAD command but would not comment on how it would be received in Washington.
PM Carney also announced that Canada would invest C$420 million in a sustained Canadian Armed Forces presence in the Arctic.
The Jindalee Over-the-Horizon Radar, or JORN, is an integral part of Australia's national defence capability, with an established network of three remote Over The Horizon Radars (OTHR) located in the Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia.
According to BAE Systems, JORN works by refracting high-frequency electromagnetic waves off the ionosphere to 'see' objects thousands of kilometres away that are invisible to conventional radars because of the curvature of the earth.
The system is Australian-designed and built, and provides wide-area surveillance of ships and aircraft out to 3000 kilometres. Now in its fourth decade of service, it continues to undergo a Phase 6 upgrade by BAE Systems Australia and 110 local companies.