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The Role of the Canadian Armed Forces In the North
Major Pascal Sévigny
2 March 2015
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The Arctic
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Outline • The role
– Canada First Defence Strategy – Historical Background – Human Activity – Arctic Challenges – Spectrum of Operations & Challenges – Canadian Armed Forces activity – Support
• JTFN • NOH • NHRK
– Future in the Arctic
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Canada First Defence Strategy • National Defence primarily contributes to
the sovereignty pillar of the Northern Strategy through the CFDS
• Directs the CAF to – Demonstrate a visible presence in the
region – Have the capacity to exercise control over
and defend our Arctic territory – Provide assistance to other government
departments and agencies when called upon
• Investments under the CFDS banner • National Defence activity is not military
posturing, but is intended to preposition Canada to meet safety and security challenges
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Directives
• DND/CF Arctic Regional Strategy – Jun 09 • Canada’s Northern Strategy – Oct 09 • CDS/DM Directive For The DND/CF In
Canada’s North – Apr 11 • Northern Employment and Support Plan • JTFN 5-year Ops Plan - 2012 • CJOC 5-year Northern Plan – Feb 2015
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Historical Background Role of the armed forces in the Arctic
Post-Cold War • Canada and other Arctic states
downsized military presence in the region
• Arctic Council formed in 1996
Traditional roles of the CAF • Search and rescue • NORAD
Cold War • Region of confrontation between Soviet
Union and NATO • Détente followed by renewed tension • 1987: Murmansk Initiative
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Historical Background Recent changes Regional tensions: 2006-2011 • Perceived efforts to re-militarize the Arctic
Cooperation: as of 2008 • Northern Chiefs of Defence • Arctic Security Forces Roundtable
Deterioration of relations with Russia • Situation in Ukraine • Canada, Norway, and the United States have suspended bilateral
military cooperation • Increased Russian cooperation with China
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Arctic Council Countries
— Arctic Circle — Canada’s Arctic
Canada’s Arctic Council Priorities: - Responsible Arctic Resource Development - Safe Arctic shipping - Sustainable circumpolar communities
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Human activity Consequences of Climate Change • Anticipated changes in the volume and nature of human activity in
the region • Rising sea levels and agricultural concerns • Increased commercial shipping
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Arctic challenges Distance Environment • Harsh, cold, austere • Topographical, and solar/geo-magnetic features • Access to waterways
Infrastructure • Sparsely populated • Concentrated in a few cities
Logistics Communications Regional differences
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• Two compe*ng air services fly Boeing 737 between the main centers in the AOR
• The 737’s are adapted to carry cargo and passengers and are equipped to land on gravel airfields
• One airline uses a stretch C-‐130 to fly between centres and the Diamond mines in the NWT
• Military C-‐130 supply flights operate between Winnipeg, Trenton and CF Sta*on Alert
• Commercial Dornier, Dash 7 and Dash 8 are capable of transi*ng between most centres without re-‐fuelling
Distances
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• Infrastructure in the north is difficult to maintain
• The structures that exist are often remnants of old military facilities or scientific research stations
• New stations such DRDC’s Northern Watch are under construction
• NORAD’s Forward Operating Locations (FOLs) are located in Iqaluit, Rankin Inlet, Yellowknife and Inuvik
- The Rankin Inlet FOL is currently inactive
• JTFN HQ is located in Yellowknife
Limited infrastructure and road systems – Lack of redundancy
Infrastructure
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The North Warning System remains opera*onal (most sta*ons are automated)
• NORAD currently operates short and long range radar sta*ons across the AOR
• All sta*ons are self sustained with on site genera*ng capabili*es and their own aircraR runways
• The majority of the sta*ons are placed with marine access for fuel replenishment
• New contract with NasiTuq being draRed
NORAD Infrastructure
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Gravel runways dominate airstrips above 66.5°N
• There are a large number of opera*onal and abandoned runways throughout the AOR
• Virtually all communi*es depend upon air travel to commute to the major centres
• Many large mining facili*es have their own airstrips
• The largest mines, the diamond mines, can accommodate larger jets such as the Boeing 737
Airfields
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Major consideration for air mobility support
• There are a total of 10 airfields in the JTFN AOR that are capable of accommodating the CC-177 Globe Master in the JTFN AOR
• CC-138 Twin Otter very reliable in operating throughout the JTFN AOR
C-177 Capable Airfields & CC-138 Combat Radius
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Communica*ons are very challenging in the North
Divided in the following manner:
1. Nunavut -‐ 26 communi*es that are reliant on satellite Communica*on • Fibre upgrade underway
2. NWT -‐ 34 communi*es: • northern are reliant on
microwave towers • southern are reliant on fibre • 8 are reliant on satellite
3. Yukon -‐ 15 communi*es: • northern are reliant on
microwave towers • southern are reliant on fibre • 1, Old Crow, is reliant on
satellite
Communications
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Northern Spectrum of Operations and mission partners
Safety Security Defence
• Terrorism (RCMP, CAF) • Espionage (CSIS) • Counter Drug
(RCMP, CAF) • Smuggling
(CBSA, RCMP, CAF) - Human - Goods
• Cyber (All)
• SAR incidents - Maritime (CCG, CAF) - Air (CAF) - Ground (RCMP, EMO, CAF)
• Maritime disasters (CCG, DFO, CAF)
• Air disasters (CAF) • Natural disasters (EMO, CAF) • Environmental disasters (EMO, EC, CAF)
• Health threats / Pandemics (EMO, PHAC, CAF)
• Man Made Disasters (All)
• Sovereignty challenges (CAF)
- Air incursion (CAF) - Maritime incursion
(CAF, CCG) - Surface - Sub-surface
- Land incursion (CAF, RCMP, CBSA)
- Cyber attack (CAF)
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Arctic challenges: Safety • Threats to safety are a growing
concern in the Arctic.
• Major threats can include anything from forest fires to flooding to pandemics.
• Search and rescue incidents also present persistent safety challenges.
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Arctic challenges: Security • Security threats are an emerging concern
• New opportunities for exploitative individuals and groups such as criminals and terrorist organizations.
• CAF not the lead for security threats, but contribute to a whole-of-government approach to operating in this spectrum.
• CAF often play a supporting role to Canadian partners, such as by providing logistical, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities.
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Arctic challenges: Defence • Bottom line: We do not see an immediate
conventional military threat in the North, nor the emergence of one in the foreseeable future.
• Despite this, we remain vigilant in our core mandate to defend Canada and its sovereignty.
• Important to sustained strategic deterrence, mainly with partnerships such as NORAD.
• Continually engage in dialogue with our international Arctic partners, both bilaterally and multilaterally.
• These efforts achieve a low risk, low tension environment in the Arctic region.
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Arctic challenges: Defence, cont’d
Notable Arctic challenges to defence: • The size of the region makes monitoring
and identification of targets of interest challenging.
• This, as well as geographical size, also pose challenges to scalable responses.
• NORAD is a prime vehicle through which to mitigate these two challenges.
• Exercises, persistent northern presence, and infrastructure such as the North Warning System, provide additional relief.
• New technologies may also help.
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Arctic challenges: Defence, cont’d Russia: • The only country with a viable military capacity
to challenge Canada in the Arctic region. • Currently improving its military infrastructure and
capabilities in its Arctic region. • However, we do not view these efforts as a
precursor for offensive military action against us. • These initiatives are consistent with long-
standing Russian government policy in the Arctic
China: • Attracted to energy and resources in the
Arctic, as well as shipping potential. • These lawful activities do not constitute
a threat to Canada.
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CAF activities in the North Joint-Task-Force North • Area of Responsibility includes 4 million square kilometres • Coordinates and supports CAF activities in the North • Works closely with various levels of government and Aboriginal communities
Canadian Rangers • Our ‘eyes and ears’ in the Arctic • Critical to exercising Canada’s Arctic sovereignty • Providers of key support to CAF Arctic activities
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CAF activities in the North
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• Unique challenges to SAR missions in the North.
• Of 377 SAR incidents north 55 during 2013, the CAF conducted 38 SAR missions.
• Volunteers are an important piece of our SAR response capability.
• CAF actively cooperate and coordinate with Arctic international partners, including through exercises.
Arctic search and rescue:
CAF activities in the North
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• Shared responsibility among federal, provincial/territorial and municipal organizations, as well as volunteer SAR organizations
• Ground SAR (GSAR) is different from aeronautical and maritime SAR
• Primary responsibility of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) is the provision of aeronautical SAR and the coordination of the aeronautical and maritime SAR system
• CAF resources may assist in GSAR efforts, medical evacuations and other humanitarian incidents if requested by the responsible provincial/territorial or municipal authority
Divided into 3 x Zones each with a Joint Rescue Coordination Centre
Canadian SAR Zones
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Other routine activities: • Routine surveillance flights
• Regular flights to Canadian Armed Forces Station Alert and other Defence locations for resupply
• Regularly provide assistance to our federal partners in the North
CAF activities in the North
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1 Canadian Ranger Patrol Group (1 CRPG) • 46 pers • 1850 Rangers • 60 communi*es
440 (Transport) Sqn • 50 pers • 4 x Twin OTers
Headquarters • 47 pers
• Det YT (3) • Det NU (4)
Junior Canadian Rangers (JCR) • 1300 JCR • 40 communi*es
2005 Personnel • 104 Reg • 21 Pres • 1850 Rangers • 30 Civ
Area Support Unit North (ASU(N)) • 55 pers
JTFN Forces
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JTFN Timelines for Support • Commander’s Assessment Team (CAT)
– 8 hrs
• Canadian Rangers – Recce 8 hrs / Vanguard 12 hrs / Main Body 24 hrs
• Immediate Reaction Unit (IRU) – Recce 8 hrs / Vanguard 12 hrs / Main Body 24 hrs
• JTFN Command Element – 24 hrs
• Arctic Response Company Group (ARCG) – Recce 10 days / Advance Party 25 days / Main Body 30 days
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Role and Functions of NOH Role • To enable rapid force projection as well as the conduct and sustainment of
CJOC operations in the North
What they deliver • Support projection of deployed force to forward location, C2, sustainment
and redeployment for up to 30 days – Coy Gp (H1) – Bn (H2)
• Transition from strategic to tactical airlift • Reorganization and equipping of deployed elements
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Inuvik
Yellowknife
Iqaluit
Resolute Bay
Whitehorse Rankin
Inlet
Cambridge Bay
Hall Beach
Alert
Northern Operations Hubs
• Alternate Hubs selected based on existing infra, C17 accessibility, and identified gaps in Twin Otter / rotary wing coverage • Minimal investment at Alternate Hubs • Hubs are designed for response to emerging crisis but can be utilized for exercises as a means to exercise and validate
Primary Hubs
Alternate Hubs
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NOH Functions delivered to TF – Reception, Staging and Onward Movement (RSOM) of all pers deploying in
the AO – Materiel management, which may include storage, and materiel
consolidation / de-consolidation – Local procurement and contracting of services – Transport: Local transport and coordination of forward movement. In the
context of a light deployment, as expected for Northern Operations, necessary contracting to support tactical movement of the pers deploying will be undertaken by the NOH pers and subject to the limitations of the area
– Sp to aircraft services, such as fuelling and in-flight feeding – Strategic CIS support, including secure and non-secure communications – Engineering support, such as real property management, and environmental
services – Personnel services such as mortuary affairs – Financial services pertaining to contracting and procurement – Integral HSS for hub pers – Theatre logistical sustainment and reach back – Movement control
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NHRK • Enables the NOH to be activated quickly.
– Activation Component: One set will be purchased and centrally located to allow rapid deployment. It is designed to activate the Hub and set up the Ops centre.
– Contingency Component: Contains a Relocatable
Temporary Camp (RTC) that can be deployed rapidly on short notice. Used in the event the FOL/PAB has to be occupied by NORAD, or if capacity of existing infra is exceeded.
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Anticipated challenges
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Future defence challenges • Situational Awareness • Maintaining a visible presence • Preparing Forces • Providing timely and credible response • Providing a robust sustainment system
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Looking ahead
• Continued acceleration of interest and activity in the North means that Canadian Armed Forces will play increasingly vital role in the region.
• North will remain challenging environment in which to operate.
• Addressing capability gaps in communications, surveillance, infrastructure and sustainment will continue to be top priority.
• Growing demands and costs of operating in the region mean that strengthening cooperation with territories, OGD, industry and international partners will be increasingly important.
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