Canada buys $6.5bn radar system to detect Arctic threat

Canada will buy the radar system from Australia after it overtook the US in negotiations in a deal that marks the biggest defence export in the nation’s history.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at a Canadian Armed Forces forward-operating location in Iqaluit. Picture: The Canadian Press

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Canada will purchase a $6.5bn radar system from Australia after it overtook the US in negotiations to acquire the leading technology first, under a deal that marks the biggest defence export in the nation’s history.

Ottawa has agreed to purchase the Jindalee Over-the-Horizon Radar (JORN) system to build its new Arctic radar system, as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney seeks to bolster his country’s defence capabilities amid political pressure from US President Donald Trump.

The move follows Mr Trump’s threats to annex his northern neighbour as America’s “51st state”, and his punishing tariffs that have left Canada looking to strengthen ties with other longstanding partners, including Australia, Britain and Europe.

Defence Minister Richard Marles on Wednesday said discussions were still under way with the US to purchase JORN, spruiking the system as among the “best technology in the world”.

Defence Minister Richard Marles. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

“We’re talking with the US, as we have been for some time in relation to … JORN, that has been developed in Australia,” he said.

“It really is exquisite technology. But we are very excited about the prospect of working with Canada, as has been announced by Prime Minister Carney and has been discussed between Prime Minister Carney and Prime Minister (Anthony) Albanese.

“There’s a lot of water to go under the bridge here, but in collaborating with Canada in relation to this technology and working closely with them, what is in prospect is the single biggest defence industry export from Australia in our history.

“This is a really, really big opportunity for the nation.”

Mr Carney announced the purchase overnight, declaring that Canada’s Arctic Over-the-Horizon Radar system would “strengthen Canada’s Arctic security” by providing early warning radar coverage for threats from the north.

“Canada is, and forever will be, an Arctic nation, and we can never take our sovereignty and security in the region for granted,” he said.

Australian Strategic Policy Institute senior analyst in defence strategy Malcolm Davis said the system worked by bouncing radar signals off the electricity charged layer in the upper atmosphere, called the ionosphere, to detect aircraft and ships at distances of up to 3000km.

Dr Davis said the system used relatively “old technology” but it had been enhanced over time to be among the best; it could be used by the Canadians to detect Russian aircraft flying into their airspace or launching missiles at North America

“It’s no coincidence that this is happening at the same time that Trump is talking about forcing Canada to be the 51st state,” Dr Davis said.

“I think we Canadians are probably thinking we have to take steps just to reinforce our security, just in case we can’t rely on the US.

“So this system if the Australians and the Canadians are working together on this, it would be a system that would be deployed in northern Canada that would bounce radar signals off the ionosphere above the Arctic, come down to be able to watch Russian aircraft fly over Russian airspace and across the Arctic Ocean.”