Canada to Upgrade Jets Due to Inability to Meet NATO, NORAD Commitments

Canada needs to upgrade its fighter jets fleet as it is unable to meet concurrently its obligations to NATO and the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), Canadian Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan said in a press conference on Wednesday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The defense minister described the current situation concerning the Canadian combat jets as "capability gap," and warned if it is not resolved it can lead to a capability loss.

"Currently, we have 77 F-18s. Between our NORAD and NATO commitments, between how many jets are serviceable at one time, we cannot meet those both requirements simultaneously," Sajjan stated.

Sajjan noted that his team is working on developing a timeline for the combat jets’ upgrade.

NORAD’s mission in the Canada airspace region is to provide control and warning to Canadian defense authorities and protect North America, according to command.