Commander of NORAD

Last updated August 21, 2025

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 (1941–2024)	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. (1954–2025)	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	1 year, 196 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]

No.	Commander		Term			Service branch
No.	Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office	Term length	Service branch
1		Slemon, Roy Air Marshal Roy Slemon, CB, CBE, CD (1904–1992)	12 September 1957	14 August 1964	6 years, 337 days	Royal Canadian Air Force
2		Dunlap, Clarence Rupert Air Marshal Clarence Rupert Dunlap, CBE, CD (1908–2003)	15 August 1964	25 August 1967	3 years, 10 days	Royal Canadian Air Force
3		MacBrien, William Ross Air Marshal William R. MacBrien, OBE, CD (1913–1986)	26 August 1967	22 January 1969	3 years, 10 days	Royal Canadian Air Force
4		Sharp, Frederick Ralph Lieutenant-General Frederick R. Sharp, CMM, DFC, CD (1915–1992)	23 January 1969	14 September 1969	234 days	Royal Canadian Air Force
5		Reyno, Edwin Michael Lieutenant-General Edwin Reyno, AFC, CD (1917–1982)	15 September 1969	31 August 1972	2 years, 351 days	Royal Canadian Air Force
6		Lane, Reginald John Lieutenant-General Reginald J. Lane, DSO, DFC, CD (1920–2003)	1 September 1972	1 October 1974	2 years, 30 days	Royal Canadian Air Force
7		Stovel, Richard Carlton Lieutenant-General Richard C. Stovel, AFC, CD (1920–2003)	2 October 1974	15 September 1976	1 year, 349 days	Royal Canadian Air Force
8		Adamson, David Ritchie Lieutenant-General David R. Adamson, CMM, CD (1923–2011)	16 September 1976	17 August 1978	1 year, 335 days	Royal Canadian Air Force
9		Lewis, Kenneth Edward Lieutenant-General Kenneth E. Lewis, CMM, CD (1929–1992)	18 August 1978	24 June 1980	1 year, 311 days	Royal Canadian Air Force
10		Thorneycroft, Kenneth John Lieutenant-General Kenneth J. Thorneycroft, CMM, CD (1928–2018)	24 June 1980	25 May 1983	2 years, 335 days	Royal Canadian Air Force
11		MacKenzie, Donald Colin Lieutenant-General Donald C. MacKenzie, CMM, CD (1931–2021)	26 May 1983	10 August 1986	3 years, 76 days	Royal Canadian Air Force
12		McNaughton, Donald Malcolm Lieutenant-General Donald M. McNaughton, CMM, CD (born 1934)	11 August 1986	11 August 1989	3 years, 0 days	Royal Canadian Air Force
13		Morton, Robert Wayne Lieutenant-General Robert W. Morton, CMM, CD (1937–2002)	11 August 1989	2 August 1992	2 years, 357 days	Royal Canadian Air Force
14		Smith, Brian Lachlan Melville Lieutenant-General Brian L. Smith, CMM, CD (born 1939)	3 August 1992	1 August 1994	1 year, 363 days	Royal Canadian Air Force
15		O'Blenis, James David Lieutenant-General J. D. O'Blenis, CMM, CD (1940–2018)	2 August 1994	7 August 1995	1 year, 5 days	Royal Canadian Air Force
16		Cuppens, Louis Wilhelmus Franciscus Lieutenant-General L.W.F. Cuppens, CMM, CD (1944–2022)	8 August 1995	7 April 1998	2 years, 242 days	Royal Canadian Air Force
17		Macdonald, George Ehelbert Cornell Lieutenant-General G.E.C. Macdonald, CMM, MVO, CD (born 1950)	8 April 1998	8 August 2001	3 years, 122 days	Royal Canadian Air Force
18		Pennie, Kenneth R. Lieutenant-General Ken R. Pennie, CMM, CD (born 1949)	8 August 2001	14 July 2003	1 year, 340 days	Royal Canadian Air Force
19		Findley, Rick A. Lieutenant-General Rick Findley, CMM, MSC, CD (born 1950)	14 July 2003	2 August 2007	4 years, 19 days	Royal Canadian Air Force
20		Bouchard, Joseph Jacques Charles Lieutenant-General J.J.C. Bouchard, OC, CMM, MSC, CD (born 1956)	2 August 2007	10 July 2009	1 year, 342 days	Royal Canadian Air Force
21		Duval, Marcel Lieutenant-General Marcel Duval, CMM, CD (born 1950)	10 July 2009	15 August 2011	2 years, 36 days	Royal Canadian Air Force
21		Lawson, Thomas James Lieutenant-General Thomas J. Lawson, CMM, CD (born 1957)	15 August 2011	4 September 2012	1 year, 20 days	Royal Canadian Air Force
22		Parent, Joseph Alain Jacques Lieutenant-General J.A.J. Parent, CMM, CD	4 September 2012	1 July 2015	2 years, 300 days	Royal Canadian Air Force
23		St-Amand, Joseph Pierre Julien Lieutenant-General J.P.J. St-Amand, CMM, CD	1 July 2015	20 July 2018	3 years, 19 days^[2]	Royal Canadian Air Force
24		Coates, Christopher J. Lieutenant-General Christopher J. Coates, CMM, MSM, CD	20 July 2018	21 July 2020	2 years, 1 day^[2]	Royal Canadian Air Force
25		Pelletier, Alain Lieutenant-General Alain Pelletier, MSM, CD	21 July 2020	2 June 2023	2 years, 316 days	Royal Canadian Air Force
26		Frawley, Blaise F. Lieutenant-General Blaise F. Frawley, CMM, CD	2 June 2023	15 July 2025	2 years, 43 days	Royal Canadian Air Force
27		Huddleston, Iain S. Lieutenant-General Iain S. Huddleston, OMM, CD	15 July 2025^[3]	Incumbent	36 days	Royal Canadian Air Force

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 "NORAD TOCA". NORAD Public Affairs. 20 July 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
↑ "Transfer of Appointment ceremony for Deputy Commander NORAD". North American Aerospace Defense Command. Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado: NORAD Public Affairs. 2025-07-15. Retrieved 2025-07-17.

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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 "NORAD TOCA". NORAD Public Affairs. 20 July 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2018.

[3] "Transfer of Appointment ceremony for Deputy Commander NORAD". North American Aerospace Defense Command. Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado: NORAD Public Affairs. 2025-07-15. Retrieved 2025-07-17.

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