A proposal worth approximately $250 million has been put forward to the Canadian government by a company predominantly owned by the French and U.K. governments. The plan aims to offer the military secure satellite broadband coverage in the Arctic, as per information obtained by CBC News.
Eutelsat, a competitor to Elon Musk’s Starlink, already serves the Canadian military to some extent. The company seeks to enhance this partnership as Canada endeavors to broaden its defense contracts beyond U.S. suppliers.
During last year’s G7 summit in Alberta, French President Emmanuel Macron is said to have introduced the idea of Canada’s Department of National Defence participating in an initiative led by the French Ministry of Defence in collaboration with Eutelsat to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
One of the primary concerns raised by Prime Minister Carney was the potential impact on the Telesat Corporation, a former Canadian Crown corporation that transitioned into a private entity in the 1990s.
Telesat is currently developing its Lightspeed system, which entails a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation of satellites designed to deliver high-speed broadband services. In December, the Canadian government announced a strategic partnership with Telesat and MDA Space to enhance the Canadian Armed Forces’ military satellite communications (MILSATCOM) capabilities.
Eutelsat has its satellite network operational in partnership with Canadian entities and has been supporting Canadian military operations in Latvia. David van Dyke, Eutelsat’s General Manager for Canada, emphasized the company’s ability to provide Canada with a “sovereign capacity capability,” where the country would have full ownership of satellite capacity in the Far North or any other required location.
This capability would ensure that Canada is not reliant on a single entity that could potentially disrupt services for political reasons. Van Dyke referenced incidents where Elon Musk reportedly shut down Starlink services in Ukraine during a critical military operation in September 2022, leading to service disruptions in key regions.
Starlink, a major provider of broadband internet access in Canada’s Far North, has faced scrutiny due to Musk’s past government affiliations and actions, resulting in Ontario canceling a substantial contract with Starlink. Eutelsat, which has had significant contracts with the U.S. government, including the Pentagon, experienced a contract non-renewal under the Trump administration’s revised defense priorities.
Eutelsat’s proposal to Canada emphasizes the importance of having a reliable defense partner and maintaining control over secure systems and data. The company’s pitch revolves around enabling Canada to partner with trusted nations and providing necessary support for defense initiatives such as over-the-horizon radar sites, NORAD modernization projects, and defense expansion into northern regions.