A new $120 million quick reaction alert facility under construction at Canadian Forces Base Bagotville will house a new fleet of flight-ready CF-35A fighter jets to enhance support for North American Aerospace Defense Command operations. NORAD, a joint organization between the United States and Canada, conducts aerospace warning, aerospace control and maritime warning missions to defend North America against threats.
The 7,400-square-meter QRA facility, located within a 17,000 sqm secure fenced compound, will include aircraft hangar bays, office space and sleeping quarters for personnel. According to the Canadian Department of National Defence, establishing the infrastructure will increase the readiness of the Canadian Armed Forces to respond to any airspace threats in the region.
Quebec-based construction company Pomerleau is designing and building the facility, with completion expected in 2027.
The construction is part of the Defence of Canada Infrastructure Project under the $38.6 billion NORAD Modernization Plan, through which funding is provided to upgrade fighter infrastructure and NORAD QRA capabilities at military bases in Canada.
Marie-France Lalonde, parliamentary secretary to the minister of national defense, said the investment reflects the country’s commitment to the binational command, noting that similar funding will be provided to future military infrastructures supporting CAF in defending the North American aerospace.