Digital Transformation and Pan-Domain: The CAF’s Quiet Revolution in Military Affairs

In June 2022, then-Minister of National Defence Anita Anand announced an almost $40 billion plan described as North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) Modernization. However, on a closer reading, this plan is digital modernization in NORAD clothing. The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) is undergoing one of the most significant modernization efforts in its history, even larger than NORAD modernization once we understand that it is part of the CAF’s digital transformation. It is no coincidence that four of the five NORAD modernization investment areas either explicitly deal with modernizing command and control or existing Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) capabilities through digital modernization or are heavily associated with such capabilities. These NORAD command and control (C2) and C4ISR improvements are informed by the United States’ multi-domain concepts, which directly impacts how the CAF is modernizing its capabilities and how it fights. These modernization efforts are part of the CAF’s efforts to adopt pan-domain operating concepts, which is used interchangeably with multi-domain. To understand why the CAF is adopting pan-domain requires looking at how the United States is trying to achieve its multi-domain ambitions. The United States is developing Combined Joint All Domain Command and Control (CJADC2) as the principal means to conduct multi-domain operations. CJADC2 is described as a “once-in-a-generation” modernization of military command that aims to “connect sensors from all the military services… into a single network.” However, even this description of CJADC2 as simply “connecting the battlespace” into a unified network is reductive and only describes one-third of CJADC2. CJADC2 has three central pillars: (1) a unified cloud-based network, (2) which allows the use of data management and analytics on data collected from all assets and capabilities connected to the cloud network, (3) that is processed using artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) to achieve information superiority to enable commanders to make quicker and more informed decisions. These require changes to organizational structures to allow commanders to make the best use of their capabilities, and forces wide reforms to personnel, such as professional development, recruitment, training, and policy. When fully realized, the speed and quality of information provided improve C2 and commanders' decision-making at such a rate that some refer to CJADC2 as a revolution in military affairs. These capabilities form the core of how the U.S. views operating in a multi-domain context and directly encourages allies to adopt similar approaches. So why does this transformation of the U.S. military matter to Canada and why is CJADC2 implementation relevant for the Canadian military? The CAF rarely conducts military operations alone and most often fights alongside the United States, with whom Canada has the world’s only binational military command in NORAD. It is critical for the CAF to continue ensuring its ability to conduct operations with their American counterparts. Maintaining this critical defence relationship with the U.S. is one of the core reasons for the CAF adopting the pan-domain construct and currently developing pan-domain command and control (PDC2) as the Canadian version of CJADC2. Consequently, the CAF’s digital transformation efforts have implications beyond replacing legacy and analog processes with digital but is intrinsically connected to maintaining Canada’s defence relationship with the United States. This thus begs the question, how is the Government of Canada supporting the DND/CAF in conducting digital transformation and achieving pan-domain capability? Although the DND/CAF have fully bought into digital transformation and pan-domain pillars, there are barriers beyond the DND/CAF. Pan-domain/multi-domain concepts recognize the critical role that personnel and organizational structures have in ensuring the most effective application of CJADC2. Albeit seemingly being a small piece of the puzzle, looking into the CAF’s procurement of such capabilities allows us to investigate if the CAF is making the needed organizational changes required to fully transform. This paper will explain where the CAF is in its digital transformation, how it is building the CAF towards pan-domain capability, and the policy barriers preventing the CAF from modernizing.