Cramer Questions NORTHCOM Commander Gen. Guillot on Canada Defense Spending, UAS Threats Over Bases

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WASHINGTON, D.C. - As military leaders confront evolving threats across the world, lawmakers on the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) heard testimony on the strategic posture of the United States Northern Command (NORTHCOM) and United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), two of the combatant commands central to U.S. homeland defense and security cooperation across the Western Hemisphere.

During the hearing, SASC Airland Subcommittee Chair U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) questioned General Gregory Guillot, commander of NORTHCOM and North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), on Canada's defense spending and how NORTHCOM is addressing unauthorized unmanned aerial system (UAS) incursions over U.S. installations.

In an exchange with Gen. Guillot, Cramer emphasized Canada's recent commitment to aim for spending 5% of its GDP by 2035-up from roughly 1.4% in 2024-to meet new NATO targets. He said it is encouraging the new administration in Canada is putting more of its resources into defense, but "we've gotten used to pledges that aren't fulfilled by certain countries."

"Is there pretty solid evidence that they're acting on that commitment to get to that 2% or greater in their defense budget?" asked Cramer.

Gen. Guillot said despite it taking a while for the procurement and the employment to ramp up, everything he's seeing at his level is "full commitment and full eagerness to expand."

Defending the homeland remains the core mission of NORTHCOM, but UAS incursions over U.S. military installations have become a growing concern. In 2024 alone, the U.S. Department of War (DOW) detected more than 350 drone incursions across over 100 U.S. military installations.

In response, Grand Forks Air Force Base has been designated as the Point Defense Battle Lab (PDBL) under Air Combat Command, tasked with leading tactical execution, experimentation, and the development of advanced techniques and procedures to counter small drone threats and help shape future policy and doctrine. Cramer indicated he will be attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony in North Dakota for the PDBL, which will help "us better inform policy as well as decisions on the spot."

"Colonel Rosales at the 319th Reconnaissance Wing at Grand Forks really is well postured and able to leverage industry contacts over at Grand Sky, which is an Enhanced Use Lease UAS park with big and small innovative industries," said Cramer. "It seems to me this is not just an all of government or all of joint force [challenge], but an all of innovation challenge that needs to be dealt with."

Cramer asked Gen. Guillot how he sees all of it coming together.

"It's certainly a mission that has expanded greatly over the last couple of years," said Gen. Guillot. "Our command was named the 'department synchronizer,' not only within our department but within the interagency. And then they also established [Joint Interagency Task Force] 401, which has been a fantastic organization commanded by General Matt Ross who has done a great job. […] Teaming with them, and installations like Grand Forks, […] and also with this body, your committee helped us last year with four authorities that we needed to ensure that we could effectively employ UAS to defend installations."

Gen. Guillot said one of those authorities allowed NORTHCOM to exchange information with local and state entities about the department's capabilities on bases. He said, "it's just going to get stronger and stronger and more necessary to tie instead of single point c-UAS capabilities into a network that extends beyond bases and into cities and communities."

Cramer asked Gen. Guillot whether higher education plays a role in some of those institutions that have those research capabilities. Gen. Guillot said "absolutely," and explained how higher education institutions have great systems that use off-the-shelf capabilities they can spread very quickly.