Commander of NORAD

Last updated February 14, 2024

The commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is a four-star general or admiral in the United States Armed Forces who serves as the head of all United States and Canadian joint aerospace military operational forces, stationed within the North American territories. The commander of NORAD concurrently serves as the commander of United States Northern Command and is the head of all U.S. military forces within the command's geographical area of responsibility. The commander of NORAD is nominated for appointment by the President of the United States and must be confirmed by the United States Senate. Prior to 2001, the title for the commander of NORAD was called the Commander-in-Chief of the North American Aerospace Defense Command. The commander of NORAD typically serves for two years.

No.	Commander		Term			Service branch
No.	Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office	Term length	Service branch
1		Partridge, Eagle E. General Earle E. Partridge (1900–1990)	12 September 1957	30 July 1959	1 year, 321 days	U.S. Air Force
2		Kuter, Laurence S. General Laurence S. Kuter (1905–1979)	1 August 1959	30 July 1962	2 years, 363 days	U.S. Air Force
3		Gerhart, John K. General John K. Gerhart (1907–1981)	1 August 1962	30 March 1965	2 years, 241 days	U.S. Air Force
4		Strother, Dean C. General Dean C. Strother (1908–2000)	1 April 1965	29 July 1966	1 year, 119 days	U.S. Air Force
5		Reeves, Raymond J. General Raymond J. Reeves (1909–1998)	1 August 1966	31 July 1969	2 years, 364 days	U.S. Air Force
6		McKee, Seth J. General Seth J. McKee (1916–2016)	1 August 1969	30 September 1973	4 years, 60 days	U.S. Air Force
7		Clay, Lucius D. Jr. General Lucius D. Clay Jr. (1919–1994)	1 October 1973	29 August 1975	1 year, 332 days	U.S. Air Force
8		James, Daniel Jr. General Daniel James Jr. (1920–1978)	1 September 1975	5 December 1977	2 years, 95 days	U.S. Air Force
9		Hill, James E. General James E. Hill (1921–1999)	6 December 1977	31 December 1979	2 years, 25 days	U.S. Air Force
10		Hartinger, James V. General James V. Hartinger (1925–2000)	1 January 1980	30 July 1984	4 years, 211 days	U.S. Air Force
11		Herres, Robert T. General Robert T. Herres (1932–2008)	30 July 1984	5 February 1987	2 years, 190 days	U.S. Air Force
12		Piotrowski, John L. General John L. Piotrowski (born 1934)	6 February 1987	30 March 1990	3 years, 52 days	U.S. Air Force
13		Kutyna, Donald J. General Donald J. Kutyna (born 1933)	1 April 1990	30 June 1992	2 years, 90 days	U.S. Air Force
14		Horner, Charles A. General Charles A. Horner (born 1936)	30 June 1992	12 September 1994	2 years, 74 days	U.S. Air Force
15		Ashy, Joseph W. General Joseph W. Ashy (born 1940)	13 September 1994	26 August 1996	1 year, 348 days	U.S. Air Force
16		Estes, Howell M. III General Howell M. Estes III (born 1941)	27 August 1996	14 August 1998	1 year, 352 days	U.S. Air Force
17		Myers, Richard B. General Richard B. Myers (born 1942)	14 August 1998	22 February 2000	1 year, 192 days	U.S. Air Force
18		Eberhart, Ralph E. General Ralph E. Eberhart (born 1946)	22 February 2000	5 November 2004	4 years, 257 days	U.S. Air Force
19		Keating, Timothy J. Admiral Timothy J. Keating (born 1948)	5 November 2004	23 March 2007	2 years, 138 days	U.S. Navy
20		Renuart, Victor E. Jr. General Victor E. Renuart Jr. (born 1949)	23 March 2007	19 May 2010	3 years, 57 days	U.S. Air Force
21		Winnefeld, James A. Jr. Admiral James A. Winnefeld, Jr. (born 1956)	19 May 2010	3 August 2011	1 year, 76 days	U.S. Navy
22		Jacoby, Charles H. Jr. General Charles H. Jacoby Jr. (born 1954)	3 August 2011	5 December 2014	3 years, 124 days	U.S. Army
23		Gortney, William E. Admiral William E. Gortney (born 1955)	5 December 2014	13 May 2016	1 year, 160 days	U.S. Navy
24		Robinson, Lori J. General Lori J. Robinson (born 1959)	13 May 2016	24 May 2018	2 years, 11 days	U.S. Air Force
25		O'Shaughnessy, Terrence J. General Terrence J. O'Shaughnessy (born 1964)	24 May 2018	20 August 2020	2 years, 88 days	U.S. Air Force
26		VanHerck, Glen D. General Glen D. VanHerck (born 1962)	20 August 2020	5 February 2024	3 years, 169 days	U.S. Air Force
27		Guillot, Gregory M. General Gregory M. Guillot	5 February 2024	Incumbent	8 days	U.S. Air Force

List of deputy commanders

In recent years deputy commanders have always been Canadian air force lieutenant generals. Prior to the 1968 unification of the Canadian Forces, the deputy commanders were RCAF Air Marshals.^[1]

NORAD Deputy Commanders
Number	Name	Start of term	End	Notable positions held before or after
1	Air Marshal Roy Slemon, CB, CBE, CD	12 September 1957	14 August 1964	Chief of the Air Staff
2	Air Marshal Clarence Rupert Dunlap, CBE, CD	15 August 1964	25 August 1967	Chief of the Air Staff
3	Air Marshal William R. MacBrien OBE, CD	26 August 1967	22 January 1969
4	Lieutenant-General Frederick Ralph Sharp CMM, DFC, CD	23 January 1969	14 September 1969	Chief of the Defence Staff (1969–1972)
5	Lieutenant-General Edwin Reyno	September 1969	August 1972
6	Lieutenant-General Reginald J. Lane, DSO, DFC, CD	September 1972	October 1974
7	Lieutenant-General Richard C. Stovel, AFC, CD	October 1974	September 1976
8	Lieutenant-General David R. Adamson	September 1976	August 1978
9	Lieutenant-General Kenneth E. Lewis	18 August 1978	24 June 1980	Commander of Air Command
10	Lieutenant-General Kenneth J. Thorneycroft	June 1980	May 1983
11	Lieutenant-General Donald C. MacKenzie	May 1983	August 1986
12	Lieutenant-General Donald M. McNaughton	August 1986	August 1989
13	Lieutenant-General Robert W. Morton, CMM, CD	August 1989	August 1992
14	Lieutenant-General Brian L. Smith	August 1992	August 1994
15	Lieutenant-General J. D. O'Blenis	August 1994	August 1995
16	Lieutenant-General L. W. F. Cuppens	August 1995	April 1998
17	Lieutenant-General G E C Macdonald, CMM, MVO, CD	April 1998	August 2001	Vice Chief of Defence Staff, Canadian Forces (2001-2004)
18	Lieutenant-General Ken R. Pennie, CMM, CD	8 August 2001	14 July 2003	Chief of the Air Staff (2003–2005)
19	Lieutenant-General Rick Findley, CMM, MSC, CD	14 July 2003	2 August 2007
20	Lieutenant-General Charles Bouchard, OC, CMM, MSC, CD	2 August 2007	10 July 2009
21	Lieutenant-General Marcel Duval, CMM, CD	10 July 2009	15 August 2011
21	Lieutenant-General Thomas J. Lawson, CMM, CD	15 August 2011	4 September 2012	Chief of the Defence Staff
22	Lieutenant-General Alain Parent, CMM, CD	4 September 2012	1 July 2015
23	Lieutenant-General Pierre St-Amand, CMM, CD	1 July 2015	20 July 2018^[2]
24	Lieutenant General Christopher J. Coates, CMM, MSM, CD	20 July 2018^[2]	21 July 2020^[3]
25	Lieutenant General Alain Pelletier, MSM, CD	21 July 2020^[2]	2 June 2023
26	Lieutenant General Blaise F. Frawley	2 June 2023	present

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References

↑ Veale, Thomas F. (2008). Guarding What You Value Most: North American Aerospace Defense Command, Celebrating 50 Years. Government Printing Office. p. 49. ISBN 978-0-16-080436-6.
1 2 3 "NORAD TOCA". NORAD Public Affairs. 20 July 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
↑ @NORADCommand (July 21, 2020). "NORAD bids a fond farewell to Lieutenant-General Christopher Coates as he moves on to @CFOperations; and welcome ou…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.

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[1] Veale, Thomas F. (2008). Guarding What You Value Most: North American Aerospace Defense Command, Celebrating 50 Years. Government Printing Office. p. 49. ISBN 978-0-16-080436-6.

[:0-2] 1 2 3 "NORAD TOCA". NORAD Public Affairs. 20 July 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2018.

[3] @NORADCommand (July 21, 2020). "NORAD bids a fond farewell to Lieutenant-General Christopher Coates as he moves on to @CFOperations; and welcome ou…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.

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