As Minister of National Defence, my top priority is the safety and protection of Canadians.
Working in collaboration with our partners, including the United States, NORAD and other departments, Canada was tracking a high-altitude object over Central Yukon.
North American Aerospace Defense Command detected this object and launched Canadian and US fighter aircraft to investigate. The object was visually identified using fighter aircraft assigned to NORAD.
In collaboration with our partners, including the United States, NORAD and other departments, Canada was tracking a high altitude object over the central Yukon.
NORAD Command detected the object and launched Canadian and U.S. fighter aircraft to investigate. The object was visually identified using fighter aircraft assigned to NORAD.
This exemplifies what NORAD is and what NORAD does best - and I was pleased to discuss this operation earlier today with my colleague, United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
Today, at the direction of the Prime Minister, aircraft assigned to NORAD successfully took down this high altitude airborne object at approximately 3:41 pm Eastern Standard Time.
To the best of our knowledge, this was the first time that a NORAD operation has downed an aerial object.
The object was flying at an altitude of approximately 40,000 feet, had unlawfully entered Canadian airspace, and posed a reasonable threat to the safety of civilian flight. The object was downed approximately 100 miles from the Canada, United States Border, over Canadian territory, in central Yukon.
Recovery operations are underway and will be supported by the Canadian Armed Forces, in coordination with the RCMP. This coordinated operation will allow a further investigation into this object.
