The new commander of U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has begun a 90-day assessment that will include recommendations related to both commands’ abilities to fulfill their assigned missions.
The assessment is for the Defense Department, joint force, and Congress, Air Force Gen. Gregory Guillot told the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) on Tuesday during a posture hearing for NORTHCOM and U.S. Southern Command.
The recommendations will include Here the command could or should do more,” he said. “Once complete, I look forward to sharing my findings and updated vision for how NORAD and NORTHCOM will best execute the noble mission of homeland defense.”
HASC Chairman Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) in his opening statement outlined China’s ongoing infrastructure investments in South America, highlighting a new mega port in Peru that will be owned and operated by a company backed by the Chinese Communist Party, and investments in sea, space, telecommunications, critical minerals, and energy.
“This is just the latest in China’s effort to displace American influence and build a strategic footprint on our backyard,” Rogers said.
Guillot said China’s activities across Latin America are part of his assessment. He also said the review “is looking closely at the operational environment, specifically with Mexico, and how we address transnational criminal organizations.”
Rep. Jeff Jackson (D-N.C.) said that most of the fentanyl smuggled into the U.S. is produced by two cartels in Mexico and that Mexico’s president “has been very reluctant to acknowledge this problem” and partner with the U.S. military to help deal with the problem.
“Congressman, I can’t refute anything that you said,” Guillot replied.
In other matters, Guillot told the panel:
- As early as 2024, he expects Chinese aircraft to operate near the U.S. Air Defense Identification Zone. “That shows an overall concern I have about the growing capability of China, not only with aircraft…but also with ships and even submarines, being able to range further from China and closer to our shores.”
- Russia’s deployment of the first Severodvinsk-class nuclear-powered guided missile submarine in late 2022 to in late 2022 to its Pacific Fleet presents the U.S. West Coast with a land-attack cruise missile threat, which means there is a need to increase undersea sensor capabilities to detect this submarine threat further from U.S. shores than currently. The Severodvinsk has been part of Russia’s Northern Fleet since 2014, presenting a threat to the U.S. East Coast.