Connecting the dots on Canada’s connected battlespace
| Author | Alex Wilner,Kevin Budning,Guillaume Cote |
| Published date | 01 March 2021 |
| Date | 01 March 2021 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0020702021992855 |
| Subject Matter | Policy Brief |
Policy Brief
Connecting the dots on
Canada’s connected
battlespace
Kevin Budning
Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, Carleton
University, Canada
Alex Wilner
Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, Carleton
University, Canada
Guillaume Cote
Collins Aerospace, Canada
Abstract
A “connected battlespace” (CB) aims to leverage emerging technologies, such as low
Earth orbit satellites, internet of things devices, cloud computing, and artificial intelli-
gence, in order to collect, process, and disseminate large quantities of data in real time,
thereby providing decision-makers with the ability to respond to threats faster and with
more precision. Despite its promise, as a concept, a CB is still misunderstood, under-
developed, and understudied. In an effort to fill this gap, this policy brief describes several
key findings derived from an expert stakeholder workshop that the authors convened in
July 2020. Workshop participants probed several questions about the development of
Canada’s CB infrastructure, touching on a number of themes, including alliance partner-
ships, emerging technology, procurement, national security, and defence strategy. Our
article synthesizes and analyzes key discussions held during this workshop.
Corresponding author:
Alex Wilner, Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University, Richcraft Hall, 1125
Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, Canada.
Email: alex.wilner@carleton.ca
International Journal
2021, Vol. 76(1) 154–162
!The Author(s) 2021
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DOI: 10.1177/0020702021992855
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