The latest update to the treaty governing operations of the NORAD bi-national command went into force May 12—adding the new mission of maritime warning for North America. The two original missions—aerospace warning and aerospace control—remain in place. While NORAD will warn of potential maritime threats, it will “not exercise operational control over maritime assets,” according to a Canadian backgrounder. The agreement states that maritime warning pertains to “processing, assessing, and disseminating intelligence and information” related to internal waterways of and maritime areas and approaches to Canada and the US. This does not necessarily rule out creation of a maritime version of NORAD that conceivable could have maritime operational responsibility.
Iran War Highlights the Value of Unmanned Aircraft
April 20, 2026
Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.orgCombat video from MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) striking targets in Iran may have surprised those who thought the iconic unmanned aircraft were destined...