The head of the Army’s space division has warned that Russia is considering installing nuclear weapons in orbit.
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The head of Canada’s military space division says the country should be “absolutely concerned” about Russia’s potential capabilities amid global fears the Kremlin is considering deploying nuclear weapons to target satellites.
“It would be catastrophic,” said the Brigadier General. Commander Christopher Horner of the 3rd Canadian Space Division during an interview cbc Home.
“Everything we’ve come to rely on, whether from a communications platform level or a GPS level – if (Russia) deploys that kind of capability and then detonates it – will be destroyed,” Horner told host Katherine Cullen.
Horner’s warning comes as global leaders, including NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, have expressed fears of Russia using nuclear weapons against satellites.
In December, Rutte said German newspaper Welt am Sonntag says such a move by Russia would violate the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, which bans weapons of mass destruction in space.
Brigadier-General. Christopher Horner, commander of 3 Canadian Space Division, says Canada should be ‘absolutely concerned’ about Russia’s potential capabilities as global leaders express fears the Kremlin is considering putting nuclear weapons in space.
Two years ago, US and Russian officials clashed at the UN after Russia vetoed a US-drafted UN Security Council resolution calling on countries to stop an arms race in outer space.
At the time, Russia’s UN Ambassador Vasily Nebenzia told reporters that the resolution was “a joke”, while then-Deputy US Ambassador Robert Wood said that Russia voting against the resolution “makes you wonder if they’re hiding something.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin also weighed in on the issue, saying his country “has always been and still is categorically against the deployment of nuclear weapons in space.”
Horner said the scale of the potential threat is what has caused so much commotion over the years.
As far as Canada is concerned, Horner said the country will “work as a middle power with our partners globally to make sure that things like this don’t happen and … really put diplomatic pressure where they need to be on that path. …
“From a military standpoint, I just recommend (that) we should really put pressure on them not to put nuclear weapons in space, because that would be a very terrible thing to do for a number of reasons.”
‘Sovereign Space Launch Capability’
2025 federal budget $182.6 million is set aside over three years for the Department of National Defense to establish a “sovereign space launch capability”, which would allow Canada to launch its own commercial and military satellites into orbit from Canadian soil.
many projects The race to establish Canada is already underway first commercial spaceport. Horner said such a capability is essential to “providing Canada with assured access to space” – and could come with additional benefits.
“I can tell you that the space economy is growing rapidly. So from an economic prosperity perspective, it gives us access to a market that we didn’t have before,” Horner said.
“But I also see challenges from a military perspective with the small number of launch providers available globally.”
Horner warned that limited providers and increased demand for launches could result in a system where those with the most money can launch their satellites the fastest, leaving Canada on the backfoot without a domestic option.
“And then it will cost more for Canadians to find a way for SpaceX, or Blue Origin, or Rocket Lab, or someone like that, to launch,” he said.
While Canada waits for a spaceport, Horner highlighted other ongoing efforts in Canada’s aerospace sector.
“We have incredible companies that can imagine, design and build satellites in Montreal and Toronto, here in Ottawa – there is incredible intellectual capital and assets in this country that are world-leading,” Horner said. “We can achieve sovereignty as a country through our ability to complete the economic cycle or economic chain in space,” he stressed.
