Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BRUSSELS3421
2007-11-29 16:15:00
CONFIDENTIAL
USEU Brussels
Cable title:  

FRANCE ANTICIPATES USING GALILEO FOR MILITARY

Tags:  ECON ESA TSPA TSPL 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO9194
RR RUEHAG RUEHHM RUEHPB RUEHROV
DE RUEHBS #3421 3331615
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 291615Z NOV 07
FM USEU BRUSSELS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC
INFO RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEU/EU INTEREST COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 003421 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/ERA
DEPT FOR OES/SAT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2017
TAGS: ECON ESA TSPA TSPL
SUBJECT: FRANCE ANTICIPATES USING GALILEO FOR MILITARY
APPLICATIONS-RESPONSE TO C-WP7-01694


Classified By: Classified By: T. Smitham for reasons 1.5 (B/D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 003421

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/ERA
DEPT FOR OES/SAT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2017
TAGS: ECON ESA TSPA TSPL
SUBJECT: FRANCE ANTICIPATES USING GALILEO FOR MILITARY
APPLICATIONS-RESPONSE TO C-WP7-01694


Classified By: Classified By: T. Smitham for reasons 1.5 (B/D).


1. (C) Summary: French officials in Brussels
disclosed that the French military will look to use Galileo
in the future. Using their interpretation of the existing
European Space Policy, they explained that the legal
framework is permissive of certain military uses of space
assets, and that uses not currently covered will be discussed
in the future. They added that Great Britain is alone among
EU Member States in its opposition to using Galileo for
military purposes. End Summary.


2. (C) The French Permanent Representation,s
Counselors for Space and Transport explained on November 20
that the French military will look to use Galileo in the
future. They explained that of Galileo,s five satellite
navigation signals, the France plans to use the encrypted
Public Regulated Service (PRS) in military operations. They
explained that the existing European Space Policy allows for
military use of space assets if a similar use can be found in
the civil sector. As examples, they detailed that military
air and ground vehicles have civil analogues for positioning
and mapping and are therefore free to use Galileo in those
functions. They conceded that under current policy, it would
be impossible to justify using Galileo receivers for missile
guidance systems, but this, along with several other areas,
would be discussed in the future. (Comment: Though not
explicitly stated, the French officials implied that in the
future, they believed very few military applications of
Galileo would be prohibited. End Comment.)


3. (C) When asked about their understanding of
EU-wide support for military use of Galileo, the French
officials explained that only Great Britain currently was
opposed to the use of Galileo for military applications,
instead remaining loyal to alliance with the U.S. on the use
of GPS. They added that UK opposition will not limit other
Member States, military use of Galileo, as the existing
Space Policy leaves military use of space assets to the
Member States.


4. (C) The French officials added without being
prompted that they believe Europe, and particularly French
engineers, have solved all problems related to the protection
of the PRS signal. They explained there was early concern
the PRS signal could be hijacked by hostile forces, but new
encryption and anti-jamming capabilities have eliminated that
possibility. This was apparently partially in response to
U.S. concerns that the signal was not sufficiently protected
for use in military environments. They went on to state that
France is in favor of future talks with the U.S. on matters
of GPS and Galileo for security purposes. They were positive
on the idea of beginning the security working party
underneath the GPS-Galileo Agreement.

MURRAY
.