Commander of NORAD

Last updated November 30, 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	299 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

Related Research Articles

North American Aerospace Defense Command, known until March 1981 as the North American Air Defense Command, is a combined organization of the United States and Canada that provides aerospace warning, air sovereignty, and protection for Canada and the continental United States.

Ent Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base located in the Knob Hill neighborhood of Colorado Springs, Colorado. A tent city, established in 1943 during construction of the base, was initially commanded by Major General Uzal Girard Ent (1900–1948), for whom the base is named. The base was opened in 1951.

The United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) is one of eleven unified combatant commands of the United States Department of Defense. The command is tasked with providing military support for non-military authorities in the U.S., and protecting the territory and national interests of the United States within the continental United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, The Bahamas, and the air, land and sea approaches to these areas. It is the U.S. military command which, if applicable, would be the primary defender against an invasion of the U.S.

Norton Allan Schwartz is a retired United States Air Force general who served as the 19th Chief of Staff of the Air Force from August 12, 2008, until his retirement in 2012. He previously served as commander, United States Transportation Command from September 2005 to August 2008. He is currently the president and CEO of the Institute for Defense Analyses, serving since January 2, 2020.

Lieutenant General Joseph Richard Inge was an officer of the United States Army. He served as Deputy Commander, United States Northern Command, and Vice Commander, United States Element, North American Aerospace Defense Command, headquartered at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado in 2007. He retired in 2007, after a 38-year career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Continental NORAD Region</span> Joint U.S.-Canadian defense region

The Continental U.S. NORAD Region (CONR) is a component of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) that provides airspace surveillance and control and directs air sovereignty activities for the continental United States (CONUS). CONR is one of three NORAD regions. The two other Regions are the Canadian NORAD Region (CANR) and the Alaskan NORAD Region (ANR).

Victor Eugene "Gene" Renuart Jr. is a retired United States Air Force four-star general. His last military assignment was as the commander of United States Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command from March 23, 2007, to May 19, 2010. Prior to that, he served as director of strategic plans and policy, the Joint Staff. Renuart retired from the Air Force on July 1, 2010, after over 39 years of service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rick Findley</span> Canadian Forces Air Command officer

Lieutenant-General Eric A. "Rick" Findley, CMM, MSC, CD is a retired officer of the Canadian Forces Air Command and was the Deputy Commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) from July 2003 through August 2007.

Joseph James Nazzaro was commander in chief of Pacific Air Forces with headquarters at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii and commander in chief of Strategic Air Command with headquarters at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska.

General Lucius DuBignon Clay Jr. was a United States military leader who held the positions of commander-in-chief of the North American Air Defense Command, the Continental Air Defense Command, the United States element of NORAD, and was also a commander of the United States Air Force's Aerospace Defense Command. His father, Lucius D. Clay Sr. and his brother, Frank Butner Clay, were also both generals, and his grandfather was Senator Alexander Stephens Clay of Georgia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Howell M. Estes III</span> United States Air Force general (1941–2024)

General Howell M. Estes III served as commander in chief in the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and the United States Space Command (USSC), and served as commander in the Air Force Space Command (AFSC), headquartered at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. As commander, the general was responsible for the air sovereignty of the United States and Canada, providing tactical warning and attack assessment, directing space control and support operations, directing satellite control, warning, space launch and ballistic missile operations missions.

Lori Jean Robinson is a retired United States Air Force general who served as commander of the United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) and commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) from May 2016 to May 2018. She was the first female officer in the history of the United States Armed Forces to command a major Unified Combatant Command.

J. Marcel Duval, CMM, CD is a retired Canadian Forces Air Command general. His senior appointments were as the Commander of the 1 Canadian Air Division / Canadian NORAD Region and the Deputy Commander of NORAD.

Lieutenant General Joseph Jacques Charles "Charlie" Bouchard is a retired Royal Canadian Air Force general. He has served as Commander of 1 Canadian Air Division / Canadian NORAD Region, the Deputy Commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and Deputy Commander of Allied Joint Force Command Naples. On 25 March 2011, Bouchard was named Commander of the NATO military mission in Libya.

Louis Wilhelmus Franciscus Cuppens, CMM, CD was a Royal Canadian Air Force officer who served as deputy commander of NORAD from 1995 to 1998.

Joseph Pierre Julien St-Amand is a retired Royal Canadian Air Force Lieutenant-General. St-Amand served as deputy commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command and led its Canadian Element between 2015 and 2018. He previously commanded 441 Tactical Fighter Squadron, 4 Wing, and 1 Canadian Air Division, and was SHAPE Director of Strategic Planning between 2010 and 2011. During his tenure at SHAPE, St-Amand oversaw strategic planning for Operation Unified Protector.

Brett Cairns is a retired Canadian Air Force general who served Canada with distinction from 1973 to 2008. He also served with United States Armed Forces for 10 years of that 35-year period.

Lieutenant General Joesph Alain Jacques Parent is a retired senior Royal Canadian Air Force officer, who served as acting Vice Chief of the Defence Staff from May 2017 until his retirement in June 2018.

Lieutenant-General Christopher J. Coates CMM MSM CD is a former military officer of the Royal Canadian Air Force. In July 2020, he replaced Lieutenant-General Michael Rouleau as commander of Canadian Joint Operations Command. From July 2018 until July 2020, he was the deputy commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command succeeding Lieutenant-General Pierre St-Amand.

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

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

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

[1]

[2]

[3]