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Capt(N) Chris Taitt, Director Naval Requirements says the Navy is redefining how it commands maritime operations for Canada.
“This is probably the most fundamental rethink since at least CF transformation in 2005,” Taitt said.
WHY IT MATTERS
In a future fight, the Navy may not control the electromagnetic spectrum it relies on to command ships at sea.
Moving command ashore puts the coastal maritime operations centres at the centre of warfighting, not just domestic response.
It will require a major investment in a secure digital backbone, a significant opportunity for industry.
THE PROBLEM AT SEA
Taitt said the Navy can no longer assume full command of the electronic warfare spectrum in either the Pacific or the Atlantic.
That means traditional command afloat “may no longer be fit for purpose,” he said. “And so we intend to move that ashore.”
WHAT CHANGES ASHORE
Both coasts have long run maritime operations centres. Since the 2005 transformation, much of their planning capacity has gone toward domestic response and consequence management.
“That is no longer the world that we live in,” Taitt said.
Under the new approach, the maritime component commander will own the centres and coordinate distinctly maritime missions, including:
Anti-submarine warfare
Maritime interdiction operations
Surveillance operations
Possibly, one day, control of remote and autonomous systems
Fusing data into a recognized maritime picture, giving commanders an authoritative view of the battlespace at sea
The effort is building toward a “fight from the MOC” concept, benchmarked on a similar U.S. initiative. Taitt cautioned that Canada likely won’t match the American vision in resources or mandate.
THE CATCH
It all depends on data infrastructure.
“The data problem that we are facing is absolutely immense,” Taitt said.
New tools and analytics matter, he said, but the digital backbone is the key piece. Without it, the rest falls apart.
WHAT’S NEXT
The shift will be shaped by a new naval strategy expected shortly after the defence policy update is released. A family of warfare concepts will follow, with command and control and maritime domain awareness among the most critical.
BOTTOM LINE
The Navy is betting its ability to fight on a network ashore. Whether that works depends less on new ships than on whether Ottawa builds the secure digital infrastructure to support it.
