USNORTHCOM Fact Sheet

Courtesy Photo | The U.S. Northern Command's official fact sheet.  

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, COLORADO, UNITED STATES

05.15.2018

Courtesy Story

North American Aerospace Defense Command

United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) was established on 1 October 2002 as a command dedicated to the defense of the homeland. In addition to Homeland Defense, USNORTHCOM also provided Defense Support to Civil Authorities (DSCA) by responding to natural or man-made disasters or emergencies, and supporting National Security Special
Events.

USNORTHCOM reached full operational capability on 11 September 2003. The following year, USNORTHCOM published its Theater Security Cooperation strategy, which set guidelines and goals in establishing cooperative ties with Mexico and Canada.

In September 2005, Hurricane Katrina offered the command’s first major DSCA challenge, and in 2006, North Korean missile launches tested NORAD and USNORTHCOM’s capability to detect and be prepared to respond to an ICBM attack.

The 2008 Unified Command Plan expanded USNORTHCOM’s responsibilities by adding the Bahamas, Turk and Caicos Islands, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the British Virgin Islands to the USNORTHCOM area of responsibility while the 2011 Unified Campaign Plan assigned USNORTHCOM responsibility for advocating for Arctic capabilities.

USNORTHCOM provided support to Hurricane Sandy relief efforts in October 2012, to wildland firefighting efforts in the northwest in 2015, and supported the 2017 hurricane relief efforts in Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

In 2018 USNORTHCOM continues to stand the watch with its partner command, North American Aerospace Defense Command.

For more information about NORAD and USNORTHCOM, please visit:
http://www.norad.mil and http://www.northcom.mil.

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Updated May 15, 2018

• Date Taken: 05.15.2018
• Date Posted: 05.15.2018 15:51
• Story ID: 277118
• Location: PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, COLORADO, US