Abuja – The Chief of Defence Space Agency, Air Vice Marshal Tommy Udoh, has called for passage of Defence Space Agency Bill to enable the agency effectively fight insurgency.
Udoh made the call at the public hearing on the bill, organised by the Joint Senate Committee on Science and Technology, and Defence on Thursday in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the proposed bill would enable the agency to ensure the security of the nation’s cyber activities.
The agency, which would be a parastatal under Ministry of Defence, would support Nigerian military operations within and outside Nigeria using different types of satellites, cyber operations and hardware, among other things.
Udoh said the passage of the bill would give the agency a legal framework to be part of the nation’s intelligence and security architecture towards bringing current and future conflicts to a favourable resolution.
He stressed that the importance of space technology in the fight against insurgency and other military operations in the country could not be undermined.
According to him, space technology and its applications were useful for both civil and military purposes, adding that developed countries like U.S., UK, Japan and France used space technology to enhance military operations.
“Gen. Joseph Ashy of the U.S. Air Force puts it succinctly by saying space is emerging as a military and economic centre of gravity for our information-dependent society, business and military.’’
Udoh said military application of space was integral to modern way of warfare, adding that space-based intelligence had become an important tool for military operations.
He pointed out that examples abound in modern battles, where space technology was used to enhance operations.
“When fully backed by an Act of the National Assembly, the agency will be better positioned to contribute more to military operations in the areas of geospatial intelligence, navigation, military communications, cyber security.’’ (NAN)