WASHINGTON, D.C. – North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command commander, Gen. Gene Renuart, and Canadian Ambassador to the U.S. Gary Doer, cut the ribbon on the Pentagon’s new NORAD Corridor Exhibit in a ceremony at the Pentagon today.
The museum-quality, permanent wall display showcases and honors NORAD, the defense agreement between the U.S. and Canada and the more than 50 years of combined effort providing for the common defense of North America.
“The chronology brings you up through the creation of NORAD and the adaptations made as our security environment has evolved through the decades,” said Renuart. “As the 20th commander of NORAD, I’m proud to dedicate this corridor to the selfless service of the men and women of NORAD, past, present and future.”
The exhibit includes panels and pictures that depict the command’s mission in the Air and Space Domain and the more recent addition in the Maritime Warning and Missile Warning Domains. The exhibit also depicts key historical events over the past 50 years of NORAD operations. Finally, the panels show how NORAD is transforming itself to the 21st Century amid new threats.
Doer said the exhibit shows the strong partnership between the U.S. and Canada and should remind everyone of the NORAD personnel who continually watch for attacks from outside and inside.
“It is an honor for all of us Canadians having this display here at the Pentagon,” said Doer. “The great bi-national coordination will evolve in the future.”
Standing in the same building that less than a decade ago was the target of the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history, Renuart said NORAD is more vital now than ever.
“The ongoing adaptation of NORAD’s mission and capabilities to meet the challenges posed by ever-changing threats testifies to the strength of the NORAD Agreement and the solid relationship between Canada and the U.S.” he said. “The strength of the NORAD relationship has enabled it to serve as an extremely flexible framework, one that adapts to an evolving security environment.”