Latest news with #NORAD
Atlantic
3 hours ago
- Climate
- Atlantic
Let's Ban More Nonexistent Things
Oh, good! Congressional Republicans have introduced the Clear Skies Act, a bill 'to prohibit weather modification within the United States, and for other purposes.' I cannot stress enough that this is not what is causing any of the extreme weather we are seeing. Maybe that's the point. As Representative Tim Burchett of Tennessee (who sponsored the bill alongside Marjorie Taylor Greene) put it, 'If it doesn't exist, then you don't have anything to worry about.' As long as we are applying this 'let's ban nonexistent things' approach to legislation, I have some notes for the Clear Skies Act as it seeks to ban weather modification. This term, the bill notes, 'includes (i) geoengineering (ii) cloud seeding (iii) solar radiation modification and management (iv) a release of an aerosol into the atmosphere to influence temperature, precipitation, or the intensity of sunlight.' Why not cast a wider net? Don't stop at just (iv)! Let's also ban: (v) strip-club patrons 'making it rain' (vi) children singing 'Rain, rain, go away / come again some other day' (vii) any and all actions of the weather-modifying rodent Punxsutawney Phil, who must be brought before the House in chains to answer for his crimes (viii) Thor (ix) when your knees ache (this brings on rain) (x) witches setting to sea in eggshells (it is from these small crafts that they cast spells and raise storms to bedevil ships at sea) (xi) pathetic fallacy (banned until further notice) (xii) butterflies flapping their wings even a single time (this is how you make hurricanes) (xiii) the demigod Maui insofar as he is doing things with the breeze (xiv) caterpillars growing suspiciously thick winter coats (this is how we get blizzards) (xv) any and all frozen treats with names like Blizzard, McFlurry, Frosty, ICEE (could their intention be any clearer?) (xvi) fairies, fae, Fair Folk, sprites of all kinds (xvii) Prospero from The Tempest, specifically (known to use weather for revenge) (xviii) Storm from X-Men (ditto) (xix) Magneto (I don't understand how electromagnetism affects weather so we had better ban him just in case) (xx) Gandalf the Grey (Gandalf the White is okay, according to Stephen Miller) (xxi) leprechauns (xxii) Santa Claus (NORAD is already tracking him; simply order them to shoot to kill) (xxiii) The Midgard Serpent (if it ever releases its tail from its mouth, Ragnarok will ensue, and that is the last thing we need right now) (xxiv) gray aliens (Pleiadians are okay, according to Stephen Miller) (xxv) Hillary Clinton (some say she does weather things) (xxvi) NOAA (does this still exist?) (xxvii) releasing greenhouse gases willy-nilly without regard for the climate (well, it was worth a shot).
American Military News
4 days ago
- American Military News
Russian military aircraft tracked near Alaska
The North American Aerospace Defense Command announced on Tuesday that a Russian military aircraft was tracked inside the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone. However, military officials noted that the Russian military aircraft's movements were 'not seen as a threat' to either the United States or Canada. In a Tuesday press release, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, which is a joint U.S. and Canadian military command, confirmed that it 'detected and tracked Russian military aircraft operating in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on 22 July 2025.' According to the North American Aerospace Defense Command, the Russian aircraft remained in international airspace on Tuesday and did not enter the sovereign airspace of the United States or Canada. Tuesday's press release noted that Russian activity in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone 'occurs regularly and is not seen as a threat.' READ MORE: Russian warplanes enter Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone, tracked by US military While the North American Aerospace Command confirmed that a Russian military aircraft entered the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone, it did not confirm the identity of the Russian military aircraft. Tuesday's press release explained that an Air Defense Identification Zone 'begins where sovereign airspace ends and is a defined stretch of international airspace that requires the ready identification of all aircraft in the interest of national security.' The North American Aerospace Defense Command added, 'NORAD employs a layered defense network of satellites, ground-based and airborne radars and fighter aircraft to detect and track aircraft and inform appropriate actions. NORAD remains ready to employ a number of response options in defense of North America.' Another Russian military aircraft was 'detected and tracked' by the North American Aerospace Defense Command in April. At the time of the April incident, the North American Aerospace Defense Command released a statement similar to the statement released by the military command on Tuesday, confirming that the Russian military aircraft's activity was not viewed as a threat.
CTV News
6 days ago
- Science
- CTV News
Clearview Township chosen as transmit and receive site for the Arctic Over-the-Horizon Radar project
As part of Canada's plan to modernize the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), the Department of National Defence is exploring the the first transmit and receive sites for the Arctic Over-the-Horizon Radar (A-OTHR) project. On Thursday, a preliminary receive site in Clearview Township was revealed, offering over 288 hectares of agricultural land. 'A-OTHR which provides early warning radar coverage and threat tracking and will significantly expand NORAD and the CAF's situational awareness of objects approaching and entering Canadian airspace from the North,' stated the Department of National Defence (DND). In June 2022, the Minister of National Defence announced Canada's plan to modernize its contribution to NORAD. This project is part of the country's $38.6 billion plan. Clearview Township, Ont. Site map of Clearview Township, Ont. site. (Department of National Defence) According to the Department of National Defence, initial work is anticipated to begin at the Kawartha Lakes and Clearview Township sites in winter 2026. 'The selection of the first two sites sets the foundation for further development and expansion and is a major milestone toward reinforcing Canada's security and sovereignty in the Arctic,' stated DND. DND says it will launch a public engagement period to provide more information and allow the public to share feedback and ask questions. A-OTHR concept A-OTHR provides early warning radar coverage and threat tracking and will significantly expand NORAD and the CAF's situational awareness of objects approaching and entering Canadian airspace from the North. (Department of National Defence) Up to four permanent sites will be required for the system's final two transmit and two receive locations. DND says it is currently exploring possible siting locations in southern Ontario. Over-the-horizon radar can conduct surveillance at far greater ranges than regular radar technology by bouncing radar beams off earth's ionosphere. DND plans to conduct several environmental and site studies before beginning work. The A-OTHR project could reach initial operational capability by the end of 2029.
CBS News
6 days ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Russian aircraft spotted and tracked flying near Alaska again, NORAD says
Russian military planes were detected flying near the coast of Alaska on Tuesday, the North American Aerospace Defense Command said, marking the latest in a string of sightings in recent months. The planes were not considered a threat, as Russian activity in that airspace happens regularly, according to the military command. U.S. officials have not specified the type of aircraft spotted this week or how many of them were there. CBS News has reached out to NORAD for more information. The aircraft flew through a section of international airspace called the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), which is a designated area just outside of U.S. and Canadian sovereign space that both countries surveil closely for national security reasons. Aircraft are also expected to identify themselves when entering this region. NORAD said it tracked the Russian planes after detecting them and confirmed that they remained in the international zone. "NORAD employs a layered defense network of satellites, ground-based and airborne radars and fighter aircraft to detect and track aircraft and inform appropriate actions," the command said in a news release, adding that it "remains ready to employ a number of response options in defense of North America." Military officials in the U.S. have reported the presence of Russian planes in the ADIZ a handful of times already since the beginning of the year. In April, NORAD said the command had detected Russian warplanes flying off the coast of Alaska, within the bounds of the defense identification zone. Less than three months earlier, the U.S. and Canada scrambled fighter jets to follow Russian warplanes seen over the Arctic, in an incident that drew some scrutiny as the region became a source of increasing geopolitical tension. The U.S. military said it later dispatched two F-16 fighter jets from Alaska to Greenland, to "forward posture NORAD presence in the Arctic." In September 2024, NORAD posted dramatic video of a Russian fighter jet flying "within just a few feet" of NORAD aircraft off the coast of Alaska. At the time, a U.S. general said "the conduct of one Russian Su-35 was unsafe, unprofessional, and endangered all." Two months before that incident, the U.S. military said it intercepted four Russian and Chinese bombers in international airspace off the Alaskan coast.
Newsweek
7 days ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
US Tracks Russian Military Jet Near Alaska
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said it had detected and tracked a Russian military aircraft operating near Alaska on Tuesday, July 22, though it remained in international airspace. The Russian aircraft was operating in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), NORAD said, without specifying its type. "This Russian activity in the contiguous U.S./Alaskan ADIZ occurs regularly and is not seen as a threat," NORAD said in a release. "An ADIZ begins where sovereign airspace ends and is a defined stretch of international airspace that requires the ready identification of all aircraft in the interest of national security." It comes amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Russia over the war in Ukraine. U.S. President Donald Trump set a deadline for Russia to make peace or face deeper economic sanctions. He has also agreed to send more American weapons to Ukraine in response to Russia's recent intensification of its invasion. This is a developing article. Updates to follow.
