03/31/2010. Taken on strength on July 13, 1983, this CF-18A was similar to the F-18A-10-MC. The No. 425 Squadron aircraft is shown with tail markings to celebrate 50 years of NORAD, while the fuselage markings were applied to celebrate 400 years "Ville de Quebec 1608-2008". View also photo 10803.

NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) is a joint organization of Canada and the United States that provides aerospace warning, air sovereignty, and defense for the two countries. It was founded on May 12, 1958 (an effect of the Cold War) as a joint command between the governments of Canada and the United States, as the North American Air Defense Command.

Its main technical facility has been the Cheyenne Mountain Directorate, formerly Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center, of the Cheyenne Mtn. Air Force Station, Colorado; and for this reason NORAD is sometimes referred to as Cheyenne Mountain. In addition, the Canada East and Canada West Sector Air Operations Control Centres are located in the underground complex at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) North Bay in Ontario, Canada.