Thursday, February 13, 2025

Charles S. “Duff” Sullivan

: Senior Fellow

Expert Overview

Senior Fellow Charles S. “Duff” Sullivan is a former general officer and senior military commander who has served at the highest levels of operational command and leadership. He entered the private sector in 2009 following a 31-year career in the Royal Canadian Air Force and continued to serve in senior leadership roles.

Career highlights include serving as president of Boeing Canada, chairperson of the Transportation Appeal Tribunal of Canada, director-general of Capability Development at National Defence Headquarters, and the director of International Security in the Prime Minister's Privy Council Office with oversight of foreign & defence policy, defence procurement, NORAD, NATO, and Canada’s commercial and security interests globally.

As the director of operations of the Canadian NORAD Region, he led the transformation of Canada’s new Homeland Defence and Continental Security mission in the wake of 9/11 and the Air Security Mission over the G8/G20 Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, in 2002.

Prior to retiring from the RCAF, Sullivan served at the rank of Major-General on a 13-month tour of duty in Afghanistan where, as the theatre Air Czar, he commanded Kabul International Airport, Kandahar, and several other coalition airfields, and led military air operations country-wide, including NATO combat air operations. As Deputy Chief Joint Operations, he was the command approval authority for ground force and Special Forces operations, dynamic targeting, and NATO’s Counter Narcotics Mission.

During his Air Force career, he accumulated over 3,500 hours piloting jet aircraft, including 1,600 hours flying CF18 Hornets. He has flown operational missions over Europe during the Cold War, the Persian Gulf, Bosnia, Croatia, Kosovo, Canada’s high Arctic and the North Atlantic. He has commanded a Tactical Air Control Party, a CF18 Fighter Squadron, an Air Force Fighter Wing and Main Operating Base, and NATO forces during combat operations in Afghanistan.








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