Forging an Arctic Alliance: Canadian-U.S. JIATF-Arctic

• Main Author: Bradley, Douglas A.
• Other Authors: NAVAL WAR COLL NEWPORT RI JOINT MILITARY OPERATIONS DEPT
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2010
• Subjects: Government and Political Science; Military Operations; Strategy and Tactics; *INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS; DEFENSE SYSTEMS; LEADERSHIP; ARCTIC REGIONS; COMMAND AND CONTROL SYSTEMS; NORTH AMERICA; NATIONAL SECURITY; TASK FORCES; CJIATF-A(CANADIAN-U.S. JOINT INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE ARCTIC); Arctic; Northwest Passage; Climate change; Northwest passage
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA535574; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA535574

An ice-free Northwest Passage in the summer of 2007 signaled the next chapter in North American continental defense and security. Long protected by a formidable, icy environment along the high northern approach, the effects of climate change opening an Arctic maritime domain require U.S. and Canadian leadership to re-evaluate theater command and control to mitigate the growing space-force imbalance. Shared interests, limited resources, and a strong history of bi-lateral security cooperation provide the foundation for establishing a combined Canadian-U.S. Joint Interagency Task Force Arctic (CJIATF-A) to meet new national strategic objectives in the Arctic. This paper examines the operational factors supporting the creation of a bi-national combined interagency task force, develops a notional command and control organization to achieve unity of command and unity of effort. While arguments against formation of a bi-national Arctic command are considered, this paper concludes that a combined Joint Interagency Task Force Arctic (CJIATF-A) under NORAD with alternating leadership, will best enable a COCOM to address the complexities of the changing Arctic region to promote responsible growth, regional stability, and continental security. The original document contains color images.