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INUVIK - The man in charge of protecting Canadian and United States skies arrived in Inuvik earlier this month for a one-day visit.

Gen. Gene Renaurt, Commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command, U.S. Air Force, arrived in Inuvik travelling on a F-18 jet from Yellowknife on May 11.

Gen. Gene Renaurt: Commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command, U.S. Air Force, arrived in Inuvik earlier this month for a military briefing. - photo courtesy of NORAD

Renaurt could not be reached for comment but Canadian navy Lt. Desmond James, a spokesman at NORAD headquarters in Colorado Springs, told the Drum on Tuesday that the purpose of the visit to the base was simply to get a military briefing on current operations there.

He couldn't say whether Renaurt spent any time in the town centre.

Inuvik is one of four Forward Operating Locations (FOLs) located in the North from which the airforce along with NORAD can deploy fighter aircraft in response to, or in anticipation of, "unwelcome activity."

The other FOLs are located in Yellowknife, Iqaluit and Rankin Inlet. Several times throughout the year Canadian NORAD Region conducts operations and training at these locations.

Though there are no NORAD personnel permanently stationed in the North, its headquarters in Winnipeg maintains a significant amount of infrastructure throughout the area.

James said Inuvik serves as a particularly important site because of its unique location.

"It's about as far northwest as you can get," he said. "That is pretty important when you're talking about air defence. If it's a civilian aircraft flying into Canada, we want to know about it."