Vanguard Magazine

When asked what impressed him the most during his first few months at the SPOC, BGen Whale highlighted the strong theme that runs through all US national security policy and strategy directives emphasizing the critical nature of working closely with allies and part- ners to build strong partnerships. The US clearly understands, as do all the CSpO partners, that, in BGen Whales words, "Space is a team sport." space www.vanguardcanada.com DECEMBER 2020/JANUARY 2021 17 Combined Space Operations allies. Close cooperation with our military space allies allows all partners to share, assure, and protect their space capabilities. A struc- tured approach, leveraging a process called a Space Support Request, facilitates that international cooperation. Under the umbrella of the Combined Space Operations initiative, the JFSCC is supported by CANSpOC to access the collective capabilities coordinated through the CSpOC in Vandenberg AFB, CA and the allied Space Operations Centers of the United Kingdom, Australia, France, and Germany. This close collaboration pro- vides significant and essential access for the CAF to a robust set of space capabili- ties while fulfilling allied burden-sharing. BGen Adamson describes the support Canada receives as "excellent." Since the mid-1980s, over 35 CAF space professionals have been stationed in the United States under NORAD, em- bedded in many of the United States Air Force space units, from Thule Greenland to Beale AFB in California. CAF personnel supported missions ranging from missile warning, space surveillance, instructional positions at the space cadre training estab- lishments, and staff positions within USSF (and its predecessors) headquarters. In keeping with the significant transfor- mation of the CAF Joint Space Program, 2020 saw the first CAF General Officer posted to the U.S. SPOC with the appoint- ment of BGen Kevin Whale as the Advi- sor to the SPOC Commander, Lt General Stephen Whiting. Like all elements of the forming USSF, the SPOC headquarters is a very lean organization, and BGen Whale has significant responsibilities in supporting the stand-up and evolution of this Field Command level organization. BGen Whale's priorities are to champion and coordinate cross-cutting projects and innovation; coordinate the presentation of forces for employment by US Space Command; support the requirements and strategy element within the headquarters; and, to lean into international partner co- operation (Mil to Mil) at the SPOC level, consistent with the CSpO initiative. When asked what impressed him the most dur- ing his first few months at the SPOC, BGen Whale highlighted the strong theme that runs through all US national security policy and strategy directives emphasizing the critical nature of working closely with allies and partners to build strong partner- ships. The US clearly understands, as do all the CSpO partners, that, in BGen Whales words, "Space is a team sport." The year 2020 is perhaps the most sig- nificant year to date in the history of the Canadian military space program, when the Canadian military space cadre earned its place among the traditional operational domains in line with the 'defend and pro- tect' mandate outlined in the 2017 Cana- dian Defence Policy. The foundation has been laid for a highly trained, capable, and effects-focused team of military space pro- fessionals to deliver space-effects and pro- vide a proven combat edge to the men and women of the CAF and our allies, wher- ever and whenever needed. André Dupuis has over 35 years of experi- ence in the Canadian Armed Forces in air defence, space operations, mission execu- tion, and strategic planning. Throughout his career, he was selected to lead a num- ber of highly-visible transformational ini- tiatives, which include: a member of the North American Air Defence Moderniza- tion, which managed the North Warning System; led the team that established the Canadian Forces Aerospace Warfare Centre; transformed the Canadian Armed Forces' Directorate of Space Development, into a fully-functional military capability, spanning the entire spectrum of force development, force generation, and force employment. Upon retirement from the RCAF in July 2014, André founded Space Strategies Con- sulting Ltd (SSCL), a company that focuses on providing trusted third-party advice to commercial, civil, and national security space enterprises. BGen Kevin Whale. Photo: Space Operations Command

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