North American Aerospace Defense Command facts for kids

Quick facts for kids North American Aerospace Defense Command
Crest of North American Aerospace Defense Command
Founded	12 May 1958 (66 years, 5 months)
Country	United States of America  Canada
Type	Binational Command
Role	The North American Aerospace Defense Command conducts aerospace warning, aerospace control and maritime warning in the defense of North America.
Headquarters	Peterson AFB, Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S.
Commanders
Commander	General Terrence J. O’Shaughnessy, USAF
Deputy Commander	Lieutenant-General Christopher J. Coats, RCAF
Chief of Staff	Major General Richard J. Gallant, USA
Command Senior Enlisted Leader	SgtMaj Paul McKenna, USMC

North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is a joint organization of Canada and the United States that provides aerospace warning and defense for North America. It was founded on May 12, 1958, as the North American Air Defense Command. Its main technical facility has been the Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center in Colorado, and for this reason NORAD is sometimes unofficially referred to as Cheyenne Mountain.

NORAD Tracks Santa

Every year on Christmas Eve, "NORAD Tracks Santa" tracks Santa Claus as he leaves the North Pole and delivers presents to children around the world. Today, NORAD relies on volunteers to make the program possible.

Images for kids

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  NORAD Regions and Sectors

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  The 25-ton North blast door in the Cheyenne Mountain nuclear bunker is the main entrance to another blast door (background) beyond which the side tunnel branches into access tunnels to the main chambers.

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  The North Warning System as envisioned by Canada and the US in 1987.

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  NORAD/USNORTHCOM Alternate Command Center prior to the Cheyenne Mountain Realignment.

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  1955 Sears ad with the misprinted telephone number that led to the NORAD Tracks Santa Program. NORAD Tracks Santa follows Santa Claus' Christmas Eve journey around the world.

See also

In Spanish: NORAD para niños