The commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is a four-star general or admiral in the United States Armed Forces who serves as the head of all United States and Canadian joint aerospace military operational forces, stationed within the North American territories. The commander of NORAD concurrently serves as the commander of United States Northern Command and is the head of all U.S. military forces within the command's geographical area of responsibility. The commander of NORAD is nominated for appointment by the President of the United States and must be confirmed by the United States Senate. Prior to 2001, the title for the commander of NORAD was called the Commander-in-Chief of the North American Aerospace Defense Command. The commander of NORAD typically serves for two years.
| No. | Commander | Term | Service branch | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Term length | ||
| 1 |
 | Partridge, Eagle E.General Earle E. Partridge (1900–1990) | 12 September 1957 | 30 July 1959 | 1 year, 321 days |  U.S. Air Force |
| 2 |
 | Kuter, Laurence S.General Laurence S. Kuter (1905–1979) | 1 August 1959 | 30 July 1962 | 2 years, 363 days | U.S. Air Force |
| 3 |
 | Gerhart, John K.General John K. Gerhart (1907–1981) | 1 August 1962 | 30 March 1965 | 2 years, 241 days | U.S. Air Force |
| 4 |
 | Strother, Dean C.General Dean C. Strother (1908–2000) | 1 April 1965 | 29 July 1966 | 1 year, 119 days | U.S. Air Force |
| 5 |
 | Reeves, Raymond J.General Raymond J. Reeves (1909–1998) | 1 August 1966 | 31 July 1969 | 2 years, 364 days | U.S. Air Force |
| 6 |
 | McKee, Seth J.General Seth J. McKee (1916–2016) | 1 August 1969 | 30 September 1973 | 4 years, 60 days | U.S. Air Force |
| 7 |
 | Clay, Lucius D. Jr.General Lucius D. Clay Jr. (1919–1994) | 1 October 1973 | 29 August 1975 | 1 year, 332 days | U.S. Air Force |
| 8 |
 | James, Daniel Jr.General Daniel James Jr. (1920–1978) | 1 September 1975 | 5 December 1977 | 2 years, 95 days | U.S. Air Force |
| 9 |
.jpg) | Hill, James E.General James E. Hill (1921–1999) | 6 December 1977 | 31 December 1979 | 2 years, 25 days | U.S. Air Force |
| 10 |
 | Hartinger, James V.General James V. Hartinger (1925–2000) | 1 January 1980 | 30 July 1984 | 4 years, 211 days | U.S. Air Force |
| 11 |
 | Herres, Robert T.General Robert T. Herres (1932–2008) | 30 July 1984 | 5 February 1987 | 2 years, 190 days | U.S. Air Force |
| 12 |
 | Piotrowski, John L.General John L. Piotrowski (born 1934) | 6 February 1987 | 30 March 1990 | 3 years, 52 days | U.S. Air Force |
| 13 |
 | Kutyna, Donald J.General Donald J. Kutyna (born 1933) | 1 April 1990 | 30 June 1992 | 2 years, 90 days | U.S. Air Force |
| 14 |
 | Horner, Charles A.General Charles A. Horner (born 1936) | 30 June 1992 | 12 September 1994 | 2 years, 74 days | U.S. Air Force |
| 15 |
.jpg) | Ashy, Joseph W.General Joseph W. Ashy (born 1940) | 13 September 1994 | 26 August 1996 | 1 year, 348 days | U.S. Air Force |
| 16 |
 | Estes, Howell M. IIIGeneral Howell M. Estes III (born 1941) | 27 August 1996 | 14 August 1998 | 1 year, 352 days | U.S. Air Force |
| 17 |
 | Myers, Richard B.General Richard B. Myers (born 1942) | 14 August 1998 | 22 February 2000 | 1 year, 192 days | U.S. Air Force |
| 18 |
 | Eberhart, Ralph E.General Ralph E. Eberhart (born 1946) | 22 February 2000 | 5 November 2004 | 4 years, 257 days | U.S. Air Force |
| 19 |
 | Keating, Timothy J.Admiral Timothy J. Keating (born 1948) | 5 November 2004 | 23 March 2007 | 2 years, 138 days |  U.S. Navy |
| 20 |
 | Renuart, Victor E. Jr.General Victor E. Renuart Jr. (born 1949) | 23 March 2007 | 19 May 2010 | 3 years, 57 days | U.S. Air Force |
| 21 |
 | Winnefeld, James A. Jr.Admiral James A. Winnefeld, Jr. (born 1956) | 19 May 2010 | 3 August 2011 | 1 year, 76 days | U.S. Navy |
| 22 |
 | Jacoby, Charles H. Jr.General Charles H. Jacoby Jr. (born 1954) | 3 August 2011 | 5 December 2014 | 3 years, 124 days |  U.S. Army |
| 23 |
 | Gortney, William E.Admiral William E. Gortney (born 1955) | 5 December 2014 | 13 May 2016 | 1 year, 160 days | U.S. Navy |
| 24 |
.jpg) | Robinson, Lori J.General Lori J. Robinson (born 1959) | 13 May 2016 | 24 May 2018 | 2 years, 11 days | U.S. Air Force |
| 25 |
 | O'Shaughnessy, Terrence J.General Terrence J. O'Shaughnessy (born 1964) | 24 May 2018 | 20 August 2020 | 2 years, 88 days | U.S. Air Force |
| 26 |
 | VanHerck, Glen D.General Glen D. VanHerck (born 1962) | 20 August 2020 | 5 February 2024 | 3 years, 169 days | U.S. Air Force |
| 27 |
.jpg) | Guillot, Gregory M.General Gregory M. Guillot | 5 February 2024 | Incumbent | 310 days | U.S. Air Force |
List of deputy commanders
In recent years deputy commanders have always been Canadian air force lieutenant generals. Prior to the 1968 unification of the Canadian Forces, the deputy commanders were RCAF Air Marshals.
| Number | Name | Photo | Start of term | End | Notable positions held before or after |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Air Marshal Roy Slemon, CB, CBE, CD | 
|
12 September 1957 | 14 August 1964 | Chief of the Air Staff |
| 2 | Air Marshal Clarence Rupert Dunlap, CBE, CD | 15 August 1964 | 25 August 1967 | Chief of the Air Staff | |
| 3 | Air Marshal William R. MacBrien OBE, CD | 26 August 1967 | 22 January 1969 | ||
| 4 | Lieutenant-General Frederick Ralph Sharp CMM, DFC, CD | 23 January 1969 | 14 September 1969 | Chief of the Defence Staff (1969–1972) | |
| 5 | Lieutenant-General Edwin Reyno | September 1969 | August 1972 | ||
| 6 | Lieutenant-General Reginald J. Lane, DSO, DFC, CD | September 1972 | October 1974 | ||
| 7 | Lieutenant-General Richard C. Stovel, AFC, CD | October 1974 | September 1976 | ||
| 8 | Lieutenant-General David R. Adamson | September 1976 | August 1978 | ||
| 9 | Lieutenant-General Kenneth E. Lewis | 18 August 1978 | 24 June 1980 | Commander of Air Command | |
| 10 | Lieutenant-General Kenneth J. Thorneycroft | June 1980 | May 1983 | ||
| 11 | Lieutenant-General Donald C. MacKenzie | 
|
May 1983 | August 1986 | |
| 12 | Lieutenant-General Donald M. McNaughton | August 1986 | August 1989 | ||
| 13 | Lieutenant-General Robert W. Morton, CMM, CD | August 1989 | August 1992 | ||
| 14 | Lieutenant-General Brian L. Smith | August 1992 | August 1994 | ||
| 15 | Lieutenant-General J. D. O'Blenis | August 1994 | August 1995 | ||
| 16 | Lieutenant-General L. W. F. Cuppens | August 1995 | April 1998 | ||
| 17 | Lieutenant-General G E C Macdonald, CMM, MVO, CD | 
|
April 1998 | August 2001 | Vice Chief of Defence Staff, Canadian Forces (2001-2004) |
| 18 | Lieutenant-General Ken R. Pennie, CMM, CD | 
|
8 August 2001 | 14 July 2003 | Chief of the Air Staff (2003–2005) |
| 19 | Lieutenant-General Rick Findley, CMM, MSC, CD | 
|
14 July 2003 | 2 August 2007 | |
| 20 | Lieutenant-General Charles Bouchard, OC, CMM, MSC, CD | .jpg)
|
2 August 2007 | 10 July 2009 | |
| 21 | Lieutenant-General Marcel Duval, CMM, CD | 
|
10 July 2009 | 15 August 2011 | |
| 21 | Lieutenant-General Thomas J. Lawson, CMM, CD | 
|
15 August 2011 | 4 September 2012 | Chief of the Defence Staff |
| 22 | Lieutenant-General Alain Parent, CMM, CD | 
|
4 September 2012 | 1 July 2015 | |
| 23 | Lieutenant-General Pierre St-Amand, CMM, CD | 
|
1 July 2015 | 20 July 2018 | |
| 24 | Lieutenant General Christopher J. Coates, CMM, MSM, CD | 
|
20 July 2018 | 21 July 2020 | |
| 25 | Lieutenant General Alain Pelletier, MSM, CD | 
|
21 July 2020 | 2 June 2023 | |
| 26 | Lieutenant General Blaise F. Frawley | 
|
2 June 2023 | present |
References
- Veale, Thomas F. (2008). Guarding What You Value Most: North American Aerospace Defense Command, Celebrating 50 Years. Government Printing Office. p. 49. ISBN 978-0-16-080436-6.
- ^ "NORAD TOCA". NORAD Public Affairs. 20 July 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
- @NORADCommand (21 July 2020). "NORAD bids a fond farewell to Lieutenant-General Christopher Coates as he moves on to @CFOperations; and welcome ou…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.