Military plans 47 Arctic sensor stations for Norad

National Defence plans to install 47 sensor stations across the North, starting as early as next summer, to strengthen Norad’s surveillance and early warning abilities, according to regulatory filings reported by The Canadian Press.

The project, called Crossbow, would begin in Yukon near the Alaskan border and follow the Arctic coast through the Northwest Territories, reaching as far as Alert, Nunavut, the northernmost permanently inhabited place in the world.

Hercules aircraft and Chinook helicopters would airlift the passive sensors, which resemble large shipping containers on metal legs. Royal Canadian Air Force spokesperson Lt.-Cmdr. Melanie Aqiqi said initial deployments could start next summer, with initial operating capability in 2029. She said Crossbow is part of a broader network supporting northern air domain awareness.

The stations will run on solar and wind power and remain unstaffed year-round, apart from temporary crews for set-up and an annual maintenance cycle. One filing with a Nunavut regulatory board describes self-powered, autonomous systems built for continuous operation in extreme Arctic conditions.

The sensor project is expected to be complete by 2032 and to run for another 20 years after that. Two sensor systems already operate at Alert and Sachs Harbour, N.W.T.

Documents submitted to the Nunavut Planning Commission call the project of “national significance.” Planned sites include two in Quttinirpaaq National Park on Ellesmere Island and four inside a migratory bird sanctuary on Banks Island. The filings say the effect on wildlife is expected to be little to none. The exact reasons for choosing sites are classified, though they were picked so containers can be airlifted in a few days.

Ottawa is spending billions to modernize Norad’s equipment. Crossbow falls under the Northern Approaches Surveillance system, announced in 2022 by then-defence minister Anita Anand, which also includes an over-the-horizon radar project. Anand said at the time that the capabilities of the joint Canada-U.S. project are classified.

Northern defence spending has already reached Nunavut communities. See our report on $85.5M for the Rankin Inlet runway, and on Ottawa’s preliminary deal for six Saab GlobalEye jets.

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