Space

by **Terminator** Mon 27 Jan 2020, 11:16 am

Royal Canadian Air Force and space

The Royal Canadian Air Force is the authority for the Department of National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces Joint and Combined Space Program. Roles and leadership, capabilities, operations, partnerships, innovation, and training.

Royal Canadian Air Force and space

by Cypher Wed 13 Jul 2022, 7:32 pm

Military plans to create Canadian Space Division in coming weeks

“We are looking forward to this very important milestone in the further development of the RCAF’s capabilities and skills for space operations.”

David Pugliese • Ottawa Citizen
Publishing date: Jul 13, 2022

The Canadian Forces will create a new group to focus on the growing importance of space to military operations and the country’s security.

The idea of establishing a Canadian Space Division has been circulating at National Defence headquarters in Ottawa since 2019, but it is now expected to be in place by September.

“3 Canadian Space Division is expected to be stood-up in the coming weeks,” Maj. Jill Lawrence, a public affairs officer with the Royal Canadian Air Force’s director general of space, confirmed Wednesday. “We are looking forward to this very important milestone in the further development of the RCAF’s capabilities and skills for space operations.”

Royal Canadian Air Force Brig. Gen. Michael Adamson, director general for space, said earlier this year that Canada was looking at following its allies who had created similar organizations.

Australia earlier this year announced it was creating a defence space command, but no details were available on the size of the organization. As U.S. president, Donald Trump ordered the creation of the United States Space Force in 2019 with more than 8,000 personnel. In April 2021, Britain stood up its Space Command to coordinate space operations and procurement of space systems. It has around 400 staff.

Canada’s division will be much smaller. Adamson told the U.S. publication, Space News, earlier this year there were around 180 personnel working on space-related defence issues. “We’re hoping to grow the enterprise across the entire Canadian Forces up to 270,” he said.

The overall figure will include Department of National Defence civilian personnel and military staff working on space-related tasks in operations centres. “It makes logical sense for us to look at standing up a Canadian Space Division that basically generates those forces that will then be able to be employed in operations for army, air force, navy and SOF (special operations forces),” Adamson said.

The division would be responsible to the Royal Canadian Air Force commander for the generation of space capabilities for various missions. The RCAF is responsible for defending and protecting military space capabilities and developing space-based capabilities for the Canadian Forces. Procurement of space systems will still be handled by various organizations in the RCAF, National Defence and Public Services and Procurement Canada.

Space-based systems have a significant place in the lives of the Canadian public, which relies on such equipment for everything from banking transactions to daily weather reports.

In the military realm, Canadian soldiers regularly use space-based assets to operate effectively on the battlefield. Such systems do everything from allowing long-range communications to guiding weapons to their targets. The Department of National Defence uses space systems to monitor the maritime approaches of the nation and conduct surveillance on locations around the world.

Adamson has pointed out that he has been educating senior Canadian military commanders not only about the importance of space, but also the potential threats to the space-based capabilities they need.

National Defence has plans to spend billions of dollars on space systems in the coming years. It is looking at a future replacement system for the RADARSAT Constellation Mission, a satellite system that provides surveillance information from around the globe.

In addition, the military wants to put in place a new satellite system allowing for communications in the Arctic. Initial operating capability for that was set for 2029, but that has since been moved to 2032. Other nations have also expressed interest in that polar communications project, which is expected to cost billions of dollars. Those countries include New Zealand, Denmark, Norway, France, the United Kingdom and the U.S.

Space-based systems are also expected to play a key role in the upcoming modernization of the joint Canada-U.S. North American Aerospace Defence Command.

Defence Watch

by **Accer** Thu 01 Jun 2023, 5:10 pm

Fast-track military space projects and have PM head new council for space priorities, industry group says

“Investments in new space innovations are essential for defence and national security."

David Pugliese • Ottawa Citizen

Published Jun 01, 2023

The Canadian government should accelerate military satellite programs and create a national council headed by the prime minister to co-ordinate space priorities for the country, an organization representing country’s top space companies and researchers says.

The Liberal government has committed to spending billions of dollars on new military communications and weather satellites as part of its defence strategy.

But Space Canada, which represents 50 high-tech firms and research groups, says in a new report that those programs aren’t expected to be in place until the 2030s, a process too slow to keep pace with emerging technologies.

The group also wants to see the establishment of a National Space Council, chaired by the prime minister, to coordinate space priorities across government and to develop strategic space policy and directives.

“Investments in new space innovations are essential for defence and national security,” said Brian Gallant, CEO of Space Canada and former premier of New Brunswick. “Numerous countries are already recognizing the tangible benefits stemming from the prioritization of space.”

Last year, Defence Minister Anita Anand outlined Canada’s contributions to the modernization of the North American Aerospace Defence Command, many of which will involve space sensors, new radars and cutting-edge technology. The Canadian portion of the over-the-horizon radar project, part of the NORAD modernization effort, is worth at least $1 billion, according to National Defence briefing documents obtained by this newspaper. Also included is a new surveillance satellite system worth more than $5 billion.

The domestic space industry can provide the full range of capabilities that Canada has prioritized for continental defence, Space Canada pointed out.

But there is growing frustration among some domestic aerospace and defence companies that the Liberal government has been passing over Canadian technology and is instead opting for foreign systems. In addition, companies are warning that some projects are stalled.

Space Canada pointed out that no progress is planned for this year or next on the key satellite programs that the government’s defence strategy outlined as critical to national security.

“The Canadian space industrial base has the capabilities to deliver these programs at a speed of relevance, either as a traditional capital project from concept to development through to implementation and in-service support, or as commercially procured capabilities and services,” Space Canada’s paper sasid. “Canada’s space innovators are ready to move forward with these programs now.”

Leadership from the political level has also been identified by Space Canada as critical. With a National Space Council chaired by the prime minister, government would have a forum to co-ordinate strategies for commercial, civil and military space priorities, it noted.

“Canada lacks a unifying federal body to coordinate national space strategy and policy to keep Canada competitive in the new space economy,” the group wrote. “The National Space Council will enable a whole-of-government approach to the development of space capabilities across government departments.”

Such a federally-led approach would allow co-ordination for increasing the country’s space industrial base and potential exports of Canadian-made systems and technology.

Some of Canada’s closest allies have established similar national-level councils to provide government-wide coordination of space policy and national strategy. In the United States, the national space council is led by Vice-President Kamala Harris.

In December 2022, the House of Commons defence committee heard concerns that Canada’s main satellite surveillance system — the RADARSAT Constellation — would reach the end of its useful life in October 2026.

But a replacement for those spacecraft, outlined in the Liberals’ defence policy, would not be in orbit until 2035, Auditor General Karen Hogan warned.

“What we’re looking for is for the government to have a bit of a contingency plan,” Hogan told MPs on the Commons defence committee. “What will happen should these satellites reach the end of their useful lives? Right now, the government either buys information commercially or turns to its allies.”

David Pugliese is an award-winning journalist covering Canadian Forces and military issues in Canada. To support his work, including exclusive content for subscribers only, sign up here: ottawacitizen.com/subscribe

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