Operation Noble Defender

Operation Noble Defender is a series of NORAD operations that validates the command’s capability to defend Canada and the United States against threats from every avenue of approach, and demonstrate the ability to integrate with other defense and security partners for a holistic defense of North America. Notifications for these operations are published from NORAD social media accounts on Facebook and Twitter.

• July 2022 - Continental U.S. NORAD Region coordinated and conducted joint operations with the U.S. Navy while concurrently launching jets from different locations across the United States' gulf coast and Puerto Rico.
• March 2022 - Alaskan NORAD Region, Canadian NORAD Region, and Continental U.S. NORAD Region crews responded simultaneously across the North American Arctic to simulated threats represented by bombers from United States Strategic Command. This iteration of Operation Noble Defender incorporated assets from Canada and the U.S. with support from Denmark allowing air defense operations from Thule, Greenland.
• October 2021 - SOCNORTH forces trained at Shemya Island, Alaska, demonstrating maritime infiltration, off-road mobility, special reconnaissance, remote communications, close quarters battle, and medical evacuation techniques.
• January 2021 - Alaska Air National Guardsmen of 176th Wing participated in the Operation Noble Defender search-and-rescue/personnel recovery in demanding Alaska winter conditions.
• April 2021 - NORAD F-15s and KC-135s flew simultaneously on the east and west coasts of the United States simulating air defense of ports in San Francisco, California and Wilmington, North Carolina.
• September 2020 - All three NORAD regions conducted dynamic force employment operations in the Arctic. F-22, CF-18 and F-16 fighter aircraft conducted air defense operations with support from an E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft, and KC-135 and CC-150T refueling tankers. These operations, under the operational control of Canadian NORAD Region, demonstrated agile and dynamic force employment to and from critical NORAD forward operating locations along North America’s northern approaches.