U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld revealed plans Wednesday to establish the Northern Command, a new military zone stretching across North America, including Canada, the U.S., Mexico and the Caribbean.

The 2002 United Command Plan will establish the zone on Oct. 1. Rumsfeld said the Northern Command, or Northcom will complement existing Pacific, European, Central and Southern command zones.

Rumsfeld said Northcom will take over homeland defence and will prepare battle-ready joint forces to defend the United States from attacks from abroad.

Donald Rumsfeld

For the first time, tanks, troops, planes and ships will report to a single headquarters to defend both the United States and the North American continent.

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The establishment of the new zone means every part of the globe will be covered by the U.S. military, he said.

Northcom will be based at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colo., along with the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD.

The Northern Command will be headed by Air Force General Ralph Eberhart, the current commander-in-chief of NORAD.

Unlike NORAD, Northcom will be made up of American military personnel only. No Canadian forces will be assigned to it.