Arctic Surveillance and Awareness

Current status

As of 14 September 2026, Canada’s Arctic Over-the-Horizon Radar program has entered delivery through an agreement with Australia and BAE Systems Australia. Ottawa committed C$2.5 billion to the Australian acquisition, with initial operational capability targeted for December 2029. BAE’s work was scheduled to start on 1 July 2026; the announcement establishes a contracted delivery framework, rather than an operational Canadian radar. (Defence Investment Agency, 22 June 2026)

A-OTHR is a principal element of the Northern Approaches Surveillance System. Its other major strand has changed: DND’s 2026–27 plan says Northern Wide-Area Tracking and Continuous Horizon (NORTHWATCH) has replaced the Polar Over-the-Horizon Radar program, broadening the options to ground and space sensors. Older project lists still use the Polar OTHR name. (DND 2026–27 Departmental Plan, updated 23 July 2026)

Requirement and technology

The requirement is long-range warning and tracking across Canada’s northern air and maritime approaches, giving the Canadian Armed Forces and NORAD more time to assess threats. Australia’s Jindalee Operational Radar Network provides the technological foundation. Canada intends to retain its core technology and operating principles while adapting the design for Arctic surveillance. (National Defence, 17 July 2025; Prime Minister’s Office, 18 March 2025)

Over-the-horizon radar refracts high-frequency signals through the ionosphere, extending observation beyond the Earth’s curvature and the line-of-sight limits of conventional radar. BAE brings experience installing, operating, upgrading and sustaining Australian OTHR systems. That experience provides a starting point; it does not establish that the Canadian configuration has completed operational testing. (BAE Systems Australia, 22 June 2026)

Southern Ontario is a deliberate location for an Arctic-facing capability. DND requires sites south of the 46th parallel so the signal’s ionospheric reflection avoids the disruptive auroral zone. Large, relatively flat, dry and electrically quiet parcels, with access to power, constrain siting. The system ultimately envisages two transmitting and two receiving antenna sites. (DND siting update, dated 22 December 2025)

Procurement and Canadian participation

Canada signed the initial technology partnership on 20 June 2025, announcing it on 17 July. DND said it had considered the options and judged partnership with Australia the best solution for quickly improving northern domain awareness. It did not publish a competing supplier shortlist, comparative scores or a full evaluation methodology. (National Defence, 17 July 2025)

The June 2026 agreements define the commercial structure. Australia executes and manages a production contract with BAE Systems Australia on Canada’s behalf. A separate three-party rights agreement addresses responsibilities, information sharing and intellectual-property protection. Canada’s Industrial and Technological Benefits agreement with BAE requires Canadian participation through acquisition and sustainment. These arrangements establish access and industrial obligations; they do not publicly enumerate every Canadian work package. (National Defence backgrounder, 22 June 2026)

What officials are saying

On 17 July 2025, Chief of the Defence Staff General Jennie Carignan linked the program’s improved long-range detection to the ability of the CAF and NORAD to address emerging threats. (National Defence, 17 July 2025; Prime Minister’s Office, 18 March 2025)

In the 22 June 2026 announcement, Industry Minister Mélanie Joly said applying the ITB policy would build domestic expertise and enable Canada to expand its own advanced radar capabilities. The industrial opportunity therefore extends beyond installation to the knowledge and capacity needed to operate and evolve the system. (Defence Investment Agency, 22 June 2026)

In an interview published by TWZ on 6 January 2026, Canadian NORAD Region commander Major-General Chris McKenna explained the operational gap: modern bombers can launch cruise missiles before crossing the existing northern radar line. He described A-OTHR as observing selected areas repeatedly, with performance dependent on ionospheric conditions. That makes complementary sensors important to sustained coverage. His earlier site and construction forecasts should be read against the newer DND delivery schedule below. (TWZ, Howard Altman, 6 January 2026)

Sites and delivery

DND has purchased the Kawartha Lakes permanent transmit site and a preliminary receive site in Clearview Township. Other permanent locations remain under assessment. A May 2026 briefing anticipates initial site work in winter 2026–27, updating the earlier winter 2026 forecast. It retains 2043 for the two complete radar systems while noting work to shorten that schedule; Stage 1 remains targeted for 2029. (DND Question Period note, approved 25 May and received 18 June 2026)

The 31 August 2026 decision concerning Clearview declined to designate that receiver project for a federal impact assessment. IAAC President Terence Hubbard, acting under delegated powers, nevertheless identified other applicable review and protection mechanisms, including a section 82 environmental-effects determination. The decision therefore does not close all environmental and permitting work. (IAAC decision, 31 August 2026; IAAC Clearview registry, updated 31 August 2026)

Ancillary space-weather stations are also advancing. DND’s Churchill Falls proposal describes unoccupied antenna installations that measure changing ionospheric conditions to support A-OTHR. The registry added Environment and Climate Change Canada as an authority on 3 September 2026 and lists public comments open until 25 September 2026, ahead of an environmental-effects determination. These are proposed radar-support installations, not additional operational warning radars. (IAAC Churchill Falls registry)

Timeline and milestones

Cost and funding

The published funding figures have overlapping scopes:

Other layers of Arctic awareness

NORTHWATCH and polar radar research. The new program name broadens the surveillance solution; DND has not published a final ground/space mix in its departmental plan. A relevant earlier award remains concrete: the IDC–ATCO Frontec joint venture’s two-year C$48.4 million Northwest Territories contract commenced on 28 March 2025, with three possible annual extensions. IDC owns 51% and ATCO 49%; Canadian radar company D-TA Systems is a team member. (DND 2026–27 Departmental Plan, updated 23 July 2026; ATCO, 2 April 2025)

DND expressly describes that installation as a research and development data-collection system. Its award is not evidence that Canada has selected the entire NORTHWATCH architecture or fielded a permanent operational polar surveillance network. (DND briefing for 4 December 2025)

Crossbow. DND describes a complementary Canada–US sensor network across Northern Canada, with initial capability planned for 2029 and full capability for 2030. McKenna added in his January 2026 TWZ interview that Crossbow uses passive sensing and that some installations had occurred in the preceding one or two years. He identified power supply and protective shelter as practical challenges. This establishes limited installation activity; it does not establish full operational capability, a disclosed supplier or a public network design. (DND NORAD modernization timetable, updated 22 November 2024; TWZ interview, 6 January 2026)

Defence Enhanced Surveillance from Space (DESS-P). This is a separate future space-surveillance investment. The December 2025 Blueprint listing places definition and implementation approval in 2028–29, delivery beyond 2035 and funding above C$5 billion. No production selection is established by that listing. FedDev’s April 2026 C$7 million support for Kepler Communications positions the company to participate in DESS-P; it is an industrial-development investment, not a DESS-P contract. (DND Satellite Subsystems listing, 1 December 2025; FedDev Ontario, 1 April 2026)

RADARSAT+ and replenishment. On 30 June 2026, the Canadian Space Agency awarded MDA Space C$688 million to build, test and launch an RCM replenishment satellite, targeting the early 2030s. It uses MDA CHORUS synthetic-aperture-radar technology and is intended to preserve access to data used for Arctic, maritime and other monitoring. This is part of the C$1.012 billion, fifteen-year RADARSAT+ investment. (Canadian Space Agency, 30 June 2026)

RADARSAT+ also covers definition of the next Earth-observation system. Space-segment concept contracts went to C-CORE, Kepler and MDA in December 2025; ground-segment concepts went to Calian, Kepler and MDA in June 2026. These are RADARSAT+ concept studies, separate from a DESS-P production selection. (Canadian Space Agency, RADARSAT+ program, updated 30 June 2026)

Satellite communications and airborne warning. The 4 August 2026 C$2.3 billion, pre-tax contract with Telesat LEO ULC supports military low-Earth-orbit communications under ESCP-P. A future medium-Earth-orbit segment is planned with MDA as prime and Telesat as subcontractor. Communications enable remote operations and information exchange; they are a different capability from radar or Earth observation. (Defence Investment Agency, 4 August 2026)

Separately, Canada designated Saab as preferred supplier for AEWC discussions on 27 May 2026, proposing GlobalEye on Bombardier’s Global 6500. The government explicitly said that this engagement was not a contractual commitment. Airborne warning is another potential contribution to northern surveillance, outside the A-OTHR production arrangement. (Defence Investment Agency, 27 May 2026)

Why airborne and space sensors both matter. In a later TWZ instalment published 8 January 2026, McKenna said space-based tracking could not yet replace the airborne warning capability Canada needed. He also described competing demands on shared radar imagery, including environmental monitoring, and the case for dedicated defence capacity. The distinction explains why radar, satellites and AEWC aircraft proceed as separate investments. (TWZ, Howard Altman, 8 January 2026)

AEWC integration and industrial work. Aviation Week’s CANSEC reporting identified a further issue for the GlobalEye negotiations: the required level of integration with NORAD and the future fighter fleet. Procurement Secretary Stephen Fuhr defended interoperability and said the AEWC choice did not determine the fighter decision; rival bidder L3Harris disputed whether routine connectivity demonstrated the deeper integration needed. These are competing positions, not a finding that GlobalEye is incompatible with F-35. In July, Aviation Week also reported that Bombardier was seeking a Canadian defence-modification site. Final system interfaces and domestic modification work remain important details of any completed agreement. (Aviation Week, Steve Trimble, June 2026, pp. 17–19; Aviation Week, Molly McMillin, 31 July 2026, public introduction)

Next milestones

The next A-OTHR milestones include the September consultation deadline, delivery work leading to December 2029, the remaining permanent-site decisions and the associated environmental determinations. For industry, published Canadian work-package allocations and the definition of NORTHWATCH’s sensor architecture will be more informative than treating every northern surveillance initiative as one radar procurement. (DND siting update, dated 22 December 2025; DND 2026–27 Departmental Plan, updated 23 July 2026)

Sources

All sources accessed 14 September 2026. Dates below identify publication, announcement or the page’s displayed update date; undated program pages are identified as such.

1. Canada advances Arctic defence on Over-the-Horizon Radar capability through partnership with Australia. Defence Investment Agency, 22 June 2026.

2. Canada–Australia Partnership on Arctic Over-the-Horizon Radar. National Defence backgrounder, 22 June 2026.

3. Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces 2026-27 Departmental Plan. National Defence, updated 23 July 2026.

4. National Defence signs technology partnership arrangement with Australia for Arctic Over-the-Horizon Radar. National Defence, 17 July 2025.

5. $2.5 Billion contract for Canada’s Arctic over-the-horizon radar marks Australia’s largest ever defence export. BAE Systems Australia, 22 June 2026.

6. Transmit site and preliminary receive site for the Arctic Over-the-Horizon Radar Program in Southern Ontario. National Defence, dated 22 December 2025.

7. National Defence announces progress on the Arctic Over-the-Horizon Radar project. National Defence, 17 July 2025.

8. Arctic Over-the-Horizon Radar Project — Clearview Receiver Site: President’s response. Impact Assessment Agency of Canada, 31 August 2026.

9. Arctic Over-the-Horizon Radar Project — Clearview Receiver Site. Impact Assessment Agency of Canada, updated 31 August 2026.

10. NORAD modernization project timelines. National Defence, updated 22 November 2024.

11. Reinforcing Canada’s security and sovereignty in the Arctic. Prime Minister’s Office, 18 March 2025.

12. Arctic Over the Horizon Radar (NORAD modernization) — Defence Capabilities Blueprint. National Defence, 1 December 2025.

13. ATCO Frontec and Inuvialuit Development Corporation Partnership Secures Radar Defence Contract for Canada’s North. ATCO, 2 April 2025.

14. Standing Committee on National Defence (NDDN): Supplementary Estimates (B), December 4, 2025. National Defence, briefing for 4 December 2025.

15. Projects by Defence Capability Investment Area: Satellite Subsystems. National Defence, 1 December 2025.

16. Government of Canada supports aerospace and space innovation to strengthen security, boost prosperity, and enhance sovereign capabilities. FedDev Ontario, 1 April 2026.

17. Minister Joly announces $688M to strengthen Canada’s sovereign satellite capacity with RADARSAT Constellation Mission replenishment satellite. Canadian Space Agency, 30 June 2026.

18. About RADARSAT+. Canadian Space Agency, updated 30 June 2026.

19. The Government of Canada awards a military communications contract to support Arctic sovereignty and national security. Defence Investment Agency, 4 August 2026.

20. The Government of Canada selects preferred supplier for Airborne Early Warning and Control discussions. Defence Investment Agency, 27 May 2026.

21. Space Weather Station – Churchill Falls NL. Impact Assessment Agency of Canada, updated 3 September 2026.

22. Question Period Note: Arctic over-the-horizon radar. National Defence; approved 25 May 2026, received 18 June 2026. Updated site-work forecast and full-capability schedule.

23. Howard Altman, TWZ. Canadian NORAD Commander On What It Will Take To Defend The High North, 6 January 2026. Direct interview on warning gaps, radar limitations and Crossbow installations.

24. Howard Altman, TWZ. Canadian NORAD Commander Explains Urgent Need For Better Sensing, 8 January 2026. Direct interview on airborne warning and space surveillance.

25. Steve Trimble, Aviation Week & Space Technology. Canada Signals New Urgency With Quick AEW&C Pick, 15–28 June 2026 issue, pp. 17–19; online publication 5 June. Full article reviewed in the publisher’s publicly available issue PDF. CANSEC interviews distinguish government and competing vendor positions.

26. Molly McMillin, Aviation Week. Bombardier Seeks Defense Modification Site In Canada, 31 July 2026. Only the public introduction was accessible; used solely for the disclosed site search.