First, these are big numbers and a bit astonishing for Canadians, I'm sure. This is the cost of doing business today in the world when it comes to advanced technology and investments.
We're investing $38.6 billion over 20 years to modernize Canada's NORAD capabilities. For example, we're working with Australia now on an Arctic over-the-horizon radar system. This is a profoundly important system. We will know in Canada—and our American neighbours will know—what may be coming at us from over the Arctic, whether it's the Canadian Arctic or Alaska. We have two sites in southern Ontario that are expected to be operational by 2029. National Defence is also working on many issues with indigenous, territorial and provincial partners.
The question of integrated air and missile defence, IAMD, is one that I'm pursuing with the Pentagon. I'm working with the secretary of defence now. The Prime Minister announced some months ago that, after 20 years of a bit of a chill on discussions with the United States on this question, it is important for us to have those conversations. We are having those conversations to see where this comes to ground and how we come to ground. We also, as I mentioned, have these forward operating locations in Inuvik, Yellowknife and Iqaluit, and a deployed operating base in Goose Bay.
All of these efforts are going to support NORAD operations, give us new capabilities and improve our readiness in the north. This is what people are expecting of us as we assert our security in and sovereignty over the Arctic.