SNOWCAT (support of nuclear operations with conventional air tactics)

SNOWCAT stands for support of nuclear operations with conventional air tactics. It is a NATO military acronym, and NATO's glossary of acronyms and abbreviations gives the expansion directly. The term describes participation in nuclear operations by conventional, non-nuclear air forces.

NATO describes SNOWCAT missions as allied fighter aircraft escorting dual-capable aircraft if those aircraft are called upon for a nuclear mission. The term belongs to NATO's nuclear deterrence and burden-sharing vocabulary. It is not a Canadian procurement category. The sections below explain how the term is used and what it means for suppliers who read defence documents.

What a SNOWCAT mission involves

A SNOWCAT mission is a supporting role. The aircraft that carry out the nuclear task are dual-capable aircraft, meaning aircraft that can perform conventional missions and, where authorized and configured, nuclear missions. In a SNOWCAT mission, other allied fighters accompany or escort those aircraft. The fighters use conventional tactics and carry out no nuclear task themselves.

NATO's public description names fighter escort as an example of a SNOWCAT contribution. An Allied Command Transformation report describes SNOWCAT in the same terms, as participation by non-nuclear forces in support of nuclear operations.

SNOWCAT and NATO nuclear burden-sharing

NATO identifies dual-capable aircraft as central to supporting U.S. nuclear weapons forward-deployed in Europe. Other Allies provide supporting capabilities and infrastructure. SNOWCAT is one way those Allies take part. It lets a country contribute to the nuclear mission through a supporting role rather than by operating dual-capable aircraft.

NATO sets out this reasoning in its remarks on NATO nuclear policy in a post-INF world. It presents supporting contributions as a way for additional Allies to share responsibility for deterrence.

Where the term is documented

The expansion appears in AAP-15, the NATO glossary of acronyms and abbreviations. The operational description comes from NATO's public statements on nuclear policy. The Allied Command Transformation report AC2011 Final Report uses the term as well.

NATO also maintains NATOTerm, its official database of non-classified military terminology. Readers who need the current NATO wording can consult NATOTerm.

What SNOWCAT means for a supplier bidding on Canadian public contracts

SNOWCAT is a NATO operational term. Suppliers will meet it in defence and alliance documents, not as a standard heading in a Canadian tender. CanadaBuys is the Government of Canada's platform for tender opportunities and procurement information. Its contract history covers contracts awarded by Public Services and Procurement Canada to businesses since January 2009 on behalf of federal departments and agencies.

Bid teams can use the CanadaBuys tender opportunities search to check whether a solicitation uses the term. They should read any requirement that cites it against the NATO definition above. They should not assume that a given department, program or procurement vehicle uses SNOWCAT in its contracting documents.