Canada has taken a major step toward strengthening its northern security by formalizing an agreement with Australia to develop a state-of-the-art over-the-horizon radar system designed to detect threats thousands of kilometres away. The partnership marks a significant milestone in Canada’s efforts to modernize continental defence and enhance surveillance capabilities across the Arctic.
During a visit to Canberra, Canada’s Secretary of State for Defence Procurement, Stephen Fuhr, and Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles announced the agreement that will enable Canada to acquire key components from BAE Systems Australia, one of the firms behind Australia’s successful over-the-horizon radar network.
Ottawa has committed more than $6 billion to the project, with $2.5 billion earmarked under the agreement with Australia. Construction and development work are expected to begin on July 1, marking the start of the delivery phase of one of Canada’s most ambitious defence projects in decades.
The advanced radar system will provide early warning and long-range tracking capabilities, allowing Canada to monitor potential threats in the air and at sea across the vast northern region. Initial operations are targeted for December 2029, while the complete system is expected to become fully operational by 2043.
Canadian companies will work alongside BAE Systems Australia to build the new capability, creating opportunities for domestic industry and technological development.
The radar network will include transmission and receiving sites in Southern Ontario. Land acquisitions near Barrie and the Kawartha Lakes region have generated concerns among some property owners, but the federal government maintains that extensive studies were conducted and that the selected locations are essential to meeting the system’s technical requirements.
The project forms a cornerstone of Canada’s broader NORAD modernization strategy, a 20-year initiative valued at nearly $39 billion aimed at reinforcing North American aerospace and maritime defence in an increasingly complex global security environment.
As geopolitical tensions continue to rise and the Arctic gains strategic importance, the Canada-Australia partnership signals Ottawa’s determination to safeguard the North and strengthen cooperation with trusted allies in protecting the continent.