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 | General Earle E. Partridge (1900–1990) | 12 September 1957 | 30 July 1959 | 1 year, 321 days | U.S. Air Force | |
| 2 | General Laurence S. Kuter (1905–1979) | 1 August 1959 | 30 July 1962 | 2 years, 363 days | U.S. Air Force | |
| 3 | General John K. Gerhart (1907–1981) | 1 August 1962 | 30 March 1965 | 2 years, 241 days | U.S. Air Force | |
| 4 | General Dean C. Strother (1908–2000) | 1 April 1965 | 29 July 1966 | 1 year, 119 days | U.S. Air Force | |
| 5 | General Raymond J. Reeves (1909–1998) | 1 August 1966 | 31 July 1969 | 2 years, 364 days | U.S. Air Force | |
| 6 | General Seth J. McKee (1916–2016) | 1 August 1969 | 30 September 1973 | 4 years, 60 days | U.S. Air Force | |
| 7 | General Lucius D. Clay Jr. (1919–1994) | 1 October 1973 | 29 August 1975 | 1 year, 332 days | U.S. Air Force | |
| 8 | General Daniel James Jr. (1920–1978) | 1 September 1975 | 5 December 1977 | 2 years, 95 days | U.S. Air Force | |
| 9 | General James E. Hill (1921–1999) | 6 December 1977 | 31 December 1979 | 2 years, 25 days | U.S. Air Force | |
| 10 | General James V. Hartinger (1925–2000) | 1 January 1980 | 30 July 1984 | 4 years, 211 days | U.S. Air Force | |
| 11 | General Robert T. Herres (1932–2008) | 30 July 1984 | 5 February 1987 | 2 years, 190 days | U.S. Air Force | |
| 12 | General John L. Piotrowski (born 1934) | 6 February 1987 | 30 March 1990 | 3 years, 52 days | U.S. Air Force | |
| 13 | General Donald J. Kutyna (born 1933) | 1 April 1990 | 30 June 1992 | 2 years, 90 days | U.S. Air Force | |
| 14 | General Charles A. Horner (born 1936) | 30 June 1992 | 12 September 1994 | 2 years, 74 days | U.S. Air Force | |
| 15 | General Joseph W. Ashy (born 1940) | 13 September 1994 | 26 August 1996 | 1 year, 348 days | U.S. Air Force | |
| 16 | General Howell M. Estes III (1941–2024) | 27 August 1996 | 14 August 1998 | 1 year, 352 days | U.S. Air Force | |
| 17 | General Richard B. Myers (born 1942) | 14 August 1998 | 22 February 2000 | 1 year, 192 days | U.S. Air Force | |
| 18 | General Ralph E. Eberhart (born 1946) | 22 February 2000 | 5 November 2004 | 4 years, 257 days | U.S. Air Force | |
| 19 | Admiral Timothy J. Keating (born 1948) | 5 November 2004 | 23 March 2007 | 2 years, 138 days | U.S. Navy | |
| 20 | General Victor E. Renuart Jr. (born 1949) | 23 March 2007 | 19 May 2010 | 3 years, 57 days | U.S. Air Force | |
| 21 | Admiral James A. Winnefeld, Jr. (born 1956) | 19 May 2010 | 3 August 2011 | 1 year, 76 days | U.S. Navy | |
| 22 | General Charles H. Jacoby Jr. (1954–2025) | 3 August 2011 | 5 December 2014 | 3 years, 124 days | U.S. Army | |
| 23 | Admiral William E. Gortney (born 1955) | 5 December 2014 | 13 May 2016 | 1 year, 160 days | U.S. Navy | |
| 24 | General Lori J. Robinson (born 1959) | 13 May 2016 | 24 May 2018 | 2 years, 11 days | U.S. Air Force | |
| 25 | General Terrence J. O'Shaughnessy (born 1964) | 24 May 2018 | 20 August 2020 | 2 years, 88 days | U.S. Air Force | |
| 26 | General Glen D. VanHerck (born 1962) | 20 August 2020 | 5 February 2024 | 3 years, 169 days | U.S. Air Force | |
| 27 | General Gregory M. Guillot | 5 February 2024 | Incumbent | 1 year, 316 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.
| No. | Commander | Term | Service branch | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Term length | ||
| 1 | Air Marshal Roy Slemon, CB, CBE, CD (1904–1992) | 12 September 1957 | 14 August 1964 | 6 years, 337 days | Royal Canadian Air Force | |
| 2 | Air Marshal Clarence Rupert Dunlap, CBE, CD (1908–2003) | 15 August 1964 | 25 August 1967 | 3 years, 10 days | Royal Canadian Air Force | |
| 3 | Air Marshal William R. MacBrien, OBE, CD (1913–1986) | 26 August 1967 | 22 January 1969 | 3 years, 10 days | Royal Canadian Air Force | |
| 4 | Lieutenant-General Frederick R. Sharp, CMM, DFC, CD (1915–1992) | 23 January 1969 | 14 September 1969 | 234 days | Royal Canadian Air Force | |
| 5 | Lieutenant-General Edwin Reyno, AFC, CD (1917–1982) | 15 September 1969 | 31 August 1972 | 2 years, 351 days | Royal Canadian Air Force | |
| 6 | Lieutenant-General Reginald J. Lane, DSO, DFC, CD (1920–2003) | 1 September 1972 | 1 October 1974 | 2 years, 30 days | Royal Canadian Air Force | |
| 7 | Lieutenant-General Richard C. Stovel, AFC, CD (1920–2003) | 2 October 1974 | 15 September 1976 | 1 year, 349 days | Royal Canadian Air Force | |
| 8 | Lieutenant-General David R. Adamson, CMM, CD (1923–2011) | 16 September 1976 | 17 August 1978 | 1 year, 335 days | Royal Canadian Air Force | |
| 9 | Lieutenant-General Kenneth E. Lewis, CMM, CD (1929–1992) | 18 August 1978 | 24 June 1980 | 1 year, 311 days | Royal Canadian Air Force | |
| 10 | Lieutenant-General Kenneth J. Thorneycroft, CMM, CD (1928–2018) | 24 June 1980 | 25 May 1983 | 2 years, 335 days | Royal Canadian Air Force | |
| 11 | Lieutenant-General Donald C. MacKenzie, CMM, CD (1931–2021) | 26 May 1983 | 10 August 1986 | 3 years, 76 days | Royal Canadian Air Force | |
| 12 | Lieutenant-General Donald M. McNaughton, CMM, CD (born 1934) | 11 August 1986 | 11 August 1989 | 3 years, 0 days | Royal Canadian Air Force | |
| 13 | Lieutenant-General Robert W. Morton, CMM, CD (1937–2002) | 11 August 1989 | 2 August 1992 | 2 years, 357 days | Royal Canadian Air Force | |
| 14 | Lieutenant-General Brian L. Smith, CMM, CD (born 1939) | 3 August 1992 | 1 August 1994 | 1 year, 363 days | Royal Canadian Air Force | |
| 15 | Lieutenant-General J. D. O'Blenis, CMM, CD (1940–2018) | 2 August 1994 | 7 August 1995 | 1 year, 5 days | Royal Canadian Air Force | |
| 16 | Lieutenant-General L.W.F. Cuppens, CMM, CD (1944–2022) | 8 August 1995 | 7 April 1998 | 2 years, 242 days | Royal Canadian Air Force | |
| 17 | Lieutenant-General G.E.C. Macdonald, CMM, MVO, CD (born 1950) | 8 April 1998 | 8 August 2001 | 3 years, 122 days | Royal Canadian Air Force | |
| 18 | Lieutenant-General Ken R. Pennie, CMM, CD (born 1949) | 8 August 2001 | 14 July 2003 | 1 year, 340 days | Royal Canadian Air Force | |
| 19 | Lieutenant-General Rick Findley, CMM, MSC, CD (born 1950) | 14 July 2003 | 2 August 2007 | 4 years, 19 days | Royal Canadian Air Force | |
| 20 | Lieutenant-General J.J.C. Bouchard, OC, CMM, MSC, CD (born 1956) | 2 August 2007 | 10 July 2009 | 1 year, 342 days | Royal Canadian Air Force | |
| 21 | Lieutenant-General Marcel Duval, CMM, CD (born 1950) | 10 July 2009 | 15 August 2011 | 2 years, 36 days | Royal Canadian Air Force | |
| 21 | Lieutenant-General Thomas J. Lawson, CMM, CD (born 1957) | 15 August 2011 | 4 September 2012 | 1 year, 20 days | Royal Canadian Air Force | |
| 22 | Lieutenant-General J.A.J. Parent, CMM, CD | 4 September 2012 | 1 July 2015 | 2 years, 300 days | Royal Canadian Air Force | |
| 23 | Lieutenant-General J.P.J. St-Amand, CMM, CD | 1 July 2015 | 20 July 2018 | 3 years, 19 days | Royal Canadian Air Force | |
| 24 | Lieutenant-General Christopher J. Coates, CMM, MSM, CD | 20 July 2018 | 21 July 2020 | 2 years, 1 day | Royal Canadian Air Force | |
| 25 | Lieutenant-General Alain Pelletier, MSM, CD | 21 July 2020 | 2 June 2023 | 2 years, 316 days | Royal Canadian Air Force | |
| 26 | Lieutenant-General Blaise F. Frawley, CMM, CD | 2 June 2023 | 15 July 2025 | 2 years, 43 days | Royal Canadian Air Force | |
| 27 | Lieutenant-General Iain S. Huddleston, OMM, CD | 15 July 2025 | Incumbent | 156 days | Royal Canadian Air Force | |
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