"Boots on the ground" for the first time with NORAD training exercise at 22 Wing

A NORAD training exercise involving U.S. Military Sentinel Radars and Avenger missile launchers at 22 Wing North Bay is breaking new ground.

Base Commander Col Henrik Smith says bringing in the ground component of Vigilant Shield has never been done before. “We routinely do command post exercises as part of this, but we’ve never had an air defence artillery component of it. It’s in the plans, but it would be exercised notionally.”

He goes on to say, “now there’s actually a system here.”

About 65 members of the South Carolina National Guard 263rd Army Air and Missile Defence Command are here for Vigilant Shield.

Col Donnie Wilson, with the 263rd, is the air missile defence task force commander for the exercise.

He says it’s symbolic in that they’re able to come across the border and train here together with the Canadian Armed Forces. “This is a great partnership and it shows the seriousness of what we’re doing to train together and learn and be able to interact daily.”

He goes on to say, “we hope we never have to do it for real, but if we’re not prepared to, then we can’t.” 

Col Wilson says the equipment has been deployed for a number of situations, including the Superbowl and U.S. Presidential support.

In terms of the heat seeking stinger missiles the Avenger is equipped with, he points out they’ve never had to “shoot one in anger” before within the NORAD region, but it’s there if it’s needed.