Ready Forces

Description

Field combat ready forces able to succeed in an unpredictable and complex security environment in the conduct of concurrent operations associated with all mandated missions.

Results

Our success in achieving the missions assigned by the Government of Canada is directly related to our ability to provide first-class training and capabilities to our Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members.

Readiness begins with the issuance of the Chief of the Defence Staff Directive for CAF Force Posture and Readiness (FP&R). This is the mechanism by which the Chief of the Defence Staff directs the CAF to staff, organize, train, and equip its forces to be ready to respond to Government of Canada direction and execute concurrent operations as outlined in Strong, Secure, Engaged: Canada’s Defence Policy.

The FP&R framework directs the readiness and related reporting requirements of the Force Elements that are the essential building blocks for Force Employment on all missions and operations. It also underwrites and supports Chief of the Defence Staff military advice to the Government of Canada and contributes to coherent defence business planning, and future force development. FP&R direction ensures that Force Elements (organizational entities consisting of personnel, equipment, and sustainment components which can be force generated and assigned to operational tasks) are generated in accordance with established readiness levels. Readiness levels are managed and achieved in accordance with the Environmental Commands’ Managed Readiness Plans through personnel management, individual training (training of individual CAF members), collective training (training teams to work together), validation events (assessments), management of equipment, and sustainment planning. Together, this provides the CAF with the flexibility to respond to the various SSE Core Missions, which include defence diplomacy, assistance to other government departments and agencies in support of domestic defence and security, provision of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, peace support operations, security forces capacity-building, and combat operations.

Both the strength and readiness of the CAF have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic which has aggravated pre-existing shortfalls in the CAF strategic intake of new members, the ability to deliver professional and collective training, the procurement of required equipment, the availability of health services and other sustainment functions. To address these pressures, the CAF is embarking on a concentrated period of reconstitution, focused on growing the CAF through recruitment, modernizing the military personnel management system as a means to better manage CAF career paths and retain the valuable knowledge, expertise, and skill-sets of current members, as well as ensuring that preparations to ready our forces are prioritized to deliver the strategic effects and operational outputs expected by the Government of Canada. 

The CAF’s managed readiness programs are organized to ensure that Force Elements are trained and adequately equipped as scalable, agile, responsive, and interoperable forces both domestically, collaborating with civil authorities and other government departments, and internationally with allies and partners.

The CAF conducted a majority of the activities in the Joint Managed Readiness Program. The Joint Managed Readiness Program ensures that different elements of the CAF are ready to conduct complex operations in contested, degraded, and operationally limited environments through participation in, and execution of, Canadian and international exercises and training events. Many planned exercises were reduced or cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on travel and gathering, and there were also host-nation cancellations. Nevertheless, certain key training activities with our allies and partners were carried out successfully in support of the CAF’s readiness to operate in the Arctic, conduct continental defence, and reinforce transatlantic collective defence and deterrence.

The CAF regularly conducted exercises through NORAD, covering a range of scenarios to ensure that the CAF is ready to respond to a variety of threats in collaboration with the United States. In FY 2021–22, the CAF participated in Exercise AMALGAM DART 21-1, a peacetime-to-wartime simulation intended to exercise aerospace warning and control capabilities, as well as Exercise VIGILANT SHIELD, an annual homeland defence exercise demonstrating the readiness and the ability to defend Canada and the United States by responding to a wide variety of security contingencies.

Through NORAD, the CAF also conducted exercises based on scenarios ranging from airspace restriction violations to responses to unknown aircraft. These exercises provided the opportunity to develop the skills required to ensure the interoperability between Canadian and United States NORAD-assigned aircraft. To enhance NORAD’s ability to operate in the Arctic, a range of CAF and United States Air Force aircraft conducted exercise flights over sparsely populated Arctic areas and operated from forward operating locations in Canada’s Arctic, given their proximity to the northern borders of Canadian airspace.

Gender-Based Analysis plus (GBA Plus)

Defence continued to integrate GBA Plus though all aspects of daily activities. At Strategic Joint Staff, the creation of a Diversity and Inclusion Officer, the establishment of an internal website, and creation of monthly newsletters on emerging trends kept Strategic Joint Staff members fully committed to the education and implementation of GBA Plus initiates and directives. As well, program analysis, integration, evaluation, and application of best practices were all incorporated into strategic plans development, which enabled more inclusive and more enduring systemic GBA Plus effects to be felt.

The department continued to integrate GBA Plus in its future force design, including multiple lines of effort, such as Objective Force 2030, the Defence Team Establishment Plan, and Force Mix and Structure Design, as well as in the development of decision-making products intended for senior leaders within the CAF/DND.

The CAF continued to leverage education opportunities provided by the Nordic Centre for Gender in Military Operations, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) department head for gender discipline, training CAF members as NATO-certified Gender Advisors and Gender Focal Points for operational deployment.

DND/CAF has continued to make progress in the development and delivery of GBA Plus–related training by increasing the number of experts available to support the internal organizations, develop tools, provide relevant data sources, and share examples of past related analysis. Progress was affected by the COVID‑19 pandemic as a result of the Public Health Measures limiting in-person learning, and the Defence Team is now using virtual tools to deliver training and assistance. DND/CAF continued to work with partners and allies to exchange best practices and lessons observed to increase capacity and expertise.

Extensive training has been developed to raise awareness of responsibilities regarding the Women, Peace and Security agenda and gender equality. All deploying personnel are required to complete GBA Plus online training. Additionally, employment equity courses, the prevention and response to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, Children in Armed Conflict and Conflict Related Sexual Violence training is undertaken when applicable to operational deployment.

The Canadian Army developed training and provided instructors to enable peacekeeping units in United Nations missions to better understand the human dimension of their operating environments through engagement with a more diverse range of community members where the United Nations operates. In FY 2021–22, the Canadian Army’s Peace Support and Training Centre was involved in the Force Generation of a Task Force which lead United Nations Engagement Platoon training development and delivery of a proof-of-concept course in Rwanda, as well as training validation support to Operation PRESENCE in Entebbe, Uganda. The Task Force, like the United Nations Engagement Platoon themselves, are generated with gender parity in mind and consists of at least 50 percent women.

In FY 2021–22, the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) established the Diversity and Inclusion Command Advisory Team network within the Naval Reserve to advise and facilitate discussions on how the Naval Reserve and unit-level orders impact different intersecting identity factors. The RCN provided support to parents by ensuring access to pumping and/or nursing stations across the RCN, including Naval Reserve Divisions. In addition, the RCN initiated discussions for the drafting of guidance to ship’s Command Teams on making accommodations at sea for the LGBTQQIP2SAA (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, pansexual, two-spirit, androgynous, and asexual) community. The RCN also facilitated the implementation of Canadian Forces General Message Support for members pumping breast milk and/or nursing across the RCN, including Naval Reserve Divisions. Further, the RCN initiated discussions for the drafting of operational guidance to provide ship’s Command Teams to facilitate pumping and storing breast milk at sea when a ship’s schedule and mission permits.

The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) released an RCAF Professional Conduct Action Plan and overhauled governance structures to improve oversight for management of professional conduct and culture incidents. This included the creation of the RCAF Professional Conduct and Culture Team to synchronize the RCAF initiatives in pursuit of cultural reform and to organize and report on activities mandated by current legislation including GBA Plus, as well as the establishment of professional conduct and culture officers at each RCAF base. These positions will create the necessary focus within the RCAF to facilitate improved implementation of GBA Plus within the RCAF. Further, to better inculcate a culture of inclusivity, the RCAF training authority completed development of a new Performance Objective 404: “Establish a positive unit culture.” This new performance objective has been added to the Qualification Standard for all RCAF professional development courses.

More information on GBA Plus governance structures, human resources, and key impacts can be found in the “GBA Plus Supplementary Information Table” in the Supplementary Information Tables section of this report.

Experimentation

The Canadian Joint Warfare Centre (CJWC) continued to serve as national lead and coordination office for the Joint Arctic Experimentation series, the United States Joint Staff led Bold Quest series, and the Coalition Warrior Interoperability eXperiment. The three initiatives supported by the CJWC all required adjustments in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that restricted travel to experiment venues. The Joint Arctic Experiment conducted experiments from Canadian locations investigating heat loss from Arctic shelters, cold-weather injuries, aircrew life support equipment for cold-weather operation, and space-based sensing of targets in the Arctic environment. The Responsive Limited Experiment – Sitaware demonstrated that the configuration tested would require additional work to ensure that minimum operational requirements in the All Domain Environment could be met. The intended joint intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance data fusion experiment could not be matured sufficiently, due to the COVID-19 pandemic response travel and workplace restrictions.

Additional Defence-related experimentation activities are outlined in this report under Core Responsibility 4 – Future Force Design.

Key Corporate Risk(s)

There are many risks associated with the Ready Forces Core Responsibility, including one of the Key Corporate Risks explained below. Based on rapidly changing circumstances during the year affecting recruiting and retention, other risks related to personnel capacity are also being explored by the Department in connection with Ready Forces in future assessments

Materiel Maintenance – There is a risk that DND/CAF may have difficulty maintaining its materiel capabilities at the right level to support operations.

The above risk can affect the department’s ability to achieve the Departmental Results of the Ready Forces Core Responsibility.

Because the Defence Departmental Results Framework reflects a chain of delivery from conceiving of the required armed forces, to developing them and then executing operations, the activities to mitigate the risks to the Ready Forces Core Responsibility can also be found in other core responsibilities that deliver building blocks that enable the results of Ready Forces.

Many of the preventative and mitigating controls for this risk are articulated as activities of each Departmental Result below.

Departmental Result 2.1 – Canadian Armed Forces are ready to conduct concurrent operations

While working through critical shortfalls in military personnel strength, the CAF continued to generate and sustain high-readiness naval, land, air, space, cyber, and special operations forces and joint capabilities to meet Force Posture and Readiness levels directed by the Chief of the Defence Staff and the concurrent mission requirements of Strong, Secure, Engaged. 

Throughout FY 2021–22, the CAF progressed a number of initiatives to improve readiness, including the following:

• Exercise ARCTIC EDGE: A biennial Arctic warfare exercise led by United States Alaska Command in the Alaskan training areas to practise and refine Arctic Warfare tactics and procedures, as well as foster interoperability among Arctic allies. Exercise objectives included Canada–United States Arctic Interoperability, Command and Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance. The exercise improved live-fire interoperability with United States joint forces for continental defence. The objectives of detecting, mitigating, and resolving electromagnetic interference on leased commercial links were achieved. The other main objective achieved was the detection of targets of opportunity in a defined area using a microsatellite and the integration of that information into a Common Operating Picture. This involved technology and techniques linked to the adaption of automated site monitoring tools, “deep learning,” anomaly detection, aircraft classification, and airfield activity monitoring. Exercise participation included 30 156 personnel and a radar system from the Canadian Army;

• BOLD QUEST: A United States Joint Staff–sponsored Coalition Capability Demonstration and Assessment series, and a collaborative joint and multinational enterprise in which nations, services, and programs pool their resources in a recurring cycle of capability development, demonstrations, and analysis. BOLD QUEST facilitates allied and partner nations’ ability to refine their technologies and their tactics, techniques, and procedures in demonstrations and assessments. The primary focus is to enhance interoperability within the concepts of target acquisition, tracking, and prosecution in a digital feed environment. The Canadian Joint Warfare Centre coordinated CAF participation in exercise BOLD QUEST as the National Lead for Canada. Participation in BOLD QUEST allowed Canada to improve interoperability through testing as follows:
  • Tests with CAF Environmental Commands and Canadian Special Operations Forces Command demonstrated acceleration of Joint Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance collection operations across a Federated Mission Network within a coalition theatre;
  • The Canadian Army certified that its radar system could identify friendly forces and exchange that data within the Artillery System Cooperation Activity and demonstrated current Digitally Aided Close Air Support software interoperability with allies; and
  • The Royal Canadian Air Force verified that its systems could ingest and distribute full-motion video / intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance data from and to allies and extend the range for radio communication with video bandwidth to forward operating bases.
• Exercise JOINTEX 21: Consisted of joint capability development and Professional Military Education activities to investigate how the CAF, and the broader Canadian National Security Team, need to adapt to conducting operations with increased cooperation between the sea, land, and air services and more effectively meet Government of Canada security demands and defend Canadian national interests. A key component, the Joint Operations Symposium 22, was originally scheduled for February 2022 but was postponed;
• Exercise MAPLE RESOLVE 21: As the premier Canadian Army training event of the year, this exercise validated named and contingency readiness elements using live simulation in a force-on-force exercise. During the exercise, approximately 2500 soldiers tested their abilities to integrate with allies within a whole-of-government approach and including non-governmental organizations, while operating within a realistic, complex, and challenging combat environment. The exercise, designed and developed by the CAF Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre, provided Canadian Army leaders, soldiers, other CAF members and allies with a unique opportunity to validate their combat readiness to support concurrent operations. Small contingents of United States and United Kingdom participants participated in the training event where the three allies worked to improve interoperability;

• Exercise UNIFIED RESOLVE 22: The largest Canadian Army computer-assisted simulation exercise, it validated the headquarters of multiple army organizations as elements of Canada’s named and contingency readiness commitments. Through the use of simulation, a challenging computer‑assisted exercise tests planning and decision making at multiple levels of Canadian Army leadership in a controlled virtual environment. An enduring exercise, Exercise UNIFIED RESOLVE 22 is internationally recognized, and allies seek to participate in this event for both its quality and training value. The exercise, designed and developed by the CAF Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre, provided CAF members and allies with an opportunity to enhance collective competence and interoperability across a spectrum of scenarios. The virtual nature of the exercise allowed for the participation of more than 500 participants from across the CAF while still respecting public health measures;
• Joint Readiness Training Centre: This event, run in Fort Polk, Louisiana, United States, by the United States Army, is a collective training field exercise for light units in a brigade context. The training event includes full-time opposing forces, observer controller trainers (who provide feedback to facilitate learning by exercise participants), and exercise control groups to ensure a realistic training environment. It is the culminating validation exercise in support of the Canadian Army’s requirement to provide a light infantry battalion group as part of Ready Land Forces necessary to meet Government of Canada requirements to be ready to conduct domestic support operations and non-combatant evacuation operations. Further, it enhances interoperability by allowing a Canadian battalion group to operate as part of a United States brigade. In FY 2021–22, 478 Canadian Army personnel met validation standards in this challenging event;

• Exercise PRECISE RESPONSE: A live agent and interoperability training exercise conducted on behalf of NATO with Defence Research and Development Canada at Canadian Forces Base Suffield, Alberta. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, the 2021 iteration was postponed until 2022;
• Exercise ARDENT DEFENDER: This joint, international, inter-agency Counter Explosive Threat exercise focused on training and developing best practices on a number of Counter Explosive Threat capabilities, to include Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Search, and Exploitation. The exercise consisted of approximately 260 military and civilian personnel from across the CAF, NATO, and 12 international partner nations. This field exercise enabled the practice of individual skillsets in a collective training environment, developing interoperability amongst our allies, tactical and technical exploitation skills and procedures, engagement with partner nations, and individual training validation of CAF Improvised Explosive Device Disposal operators. This exercise enabled the CAF to confirm the readiness of Counter Explosive Threat capabilities in support of possible future deployment;
• Exercise VIGILANT SHIELD: Although CJOC did not participate, as the exercise was reduced in scope due to COVID-19 health threat concerns, the CAF, through the Tier 1 Command Post Exercise, participated in the training of operations and command post staff from NORAD and United States Northern Command headquarters, their subordinate commands and other exercise participants, in Homeland Defense and Homeland Security missions and processes;
• Exercise VIGILANT SHIELD: An annual Tri-Command (NORAD, United States Northern Command and Canadian Joint Operations Command) exercise focused on the defence and security of North America. The initial Command Post Exercise was cancelled due to COVID-19 health threat concerns which then further impacted other related VIGILANT SHIELD activities. As a result of the reduced scope of this exercise, CJOC did not participate; and
• Additional joint and combined exercises included NORTHERN VIKING 21; SCHRIEVER WARGAMES 21; COALITION VIRTUAL FLAG 22; JOINT WARRIOR 21 (NATO); RED FLAG ALASKA; AMALGAM DART; CUTLASS FURY; CYBER FLAG; STEADFAST DEFENDER 21; GLOBAL ARCHER 21, ASTERX 22; and COALITION SPACE FLAG 22. The goal was to work with other government departments and multinational allies to enhance integration and interoperability.

The Canadian Army is a soldier-centric, professional and inclusive force made up of our Regular Force personnel, Primary Reserves, Canadian Rangers and public servants. Throughout FY 2021–22, the Canadian Army generated combat-effective, multi-purpose land forces for deployment in multiple concurrent operations to achieve Canada’s defence objectives. Specifically the Canadian Army achieved the following:

• Generated the leadership and troops necessary to command and execute domestic and expeditionary operations, including Operations LENTUS, LASER and VECTOR at home, and abroad with Operations IMPACT, REASSURANCE and UNIFIER, as well as our international engagement with allies and partners, and with organizations such as NATO;

• Provided more than 5400 personnel for twenty-four operations in Canada and ten international missions;
• Provided individual training to more than 37 000 soldiers and officers, giving them the skills and knowledge needed to achieve their mission, both abroad and at home, irrespective of the challenges presented;
• Adapted its Managed Readiness Plan to better enable readiness in support of concurrent operations, both at home and abroad, recognizing the fluid domestic and international security environment and the rapidly evolving defence reality. This adjustment enabled the Canadian Army to respond more quickly to emerging requirements such as the very short notice force generation of an artillery battery and electronic warfare troop for deployment to Europe to join other Canadian and multinational forces already in Latvia with Operation REASSURANCE;
• Continued the modernization of the Canadian Army, in support of Strong, Secure, Engaged initiatives, maintained an agile and responsive force. Through the Canadian Army Modernization Strategy, a five-year-horizon plan, the Canadian Army will evolve to prepare for present and future threats and challenges. FY 2021–22 saw progress toward all initiatives including digitalization, doctrine, and a more inclusive organizational structure;
• In addition, Force 2025 is reviewing all components of the Canadian Army and seeks to optimize and modernize its structures to meet current and projected operational requirements as well as support Strong, Secure, Engaged initiatives. During FY 2021–22, a preferred course of action was selected for further analysis. One of the objectives of Force 2025 is to continue the integration of the Primary Reserves, Canadian Rangers, public servants and the Regular Force into a single, inclusive team. The implementation of a Soldier Readiness Policy–Reserve, which improves upon previous direction regarding training requirements and increased predictability for part-time personnel, started on a trial basis in FY 2021–22;
• Continued to refine its ability to force generate land power by improving cooperation and interoperability with allied nations to further support Canadian Army readiness and defence policy objectives. The Canadian Army promoted the CAF as a credible and reliable military partner and promoted broader Canadian outreach. In particular, in response to direction in the Mandate Letter addressed to the Minister of National Defence, the Canadian Army strengthened partnerships to “develop and launch a comprehensive Indo-Pacific strategy to deepen diplomatic and defence partnerships in the region.” This was achieved through annual Army-to-Army Staff Talks between the Canadian Army and its United States, Australian, and New Zealand counterparts, as well as the presence of Exchange or Liaison Officers in Alaska, Hawaii, and Australia;
• Provided joint capabilities to the CAF: Joint Counter Explosive Threat Task Force; Joint Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defence; and Joint Targeting Training functions. A highlight in FY 2021–22 was Canada’s participation in a virtual session of the NATO Capability Development Group Knowledge Management Panel, where Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Warning and Reporting procedural standards were further developed and sensor integration addressed amongst the alliance and partners. The Knowledge Management Panel is reaching out to other stakeholders in order to take a more holistic approach;

• The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) continued operationalizing the Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessels (AOPV) known as the Harry DeWolf-class;
• In the spring of 2021, the RCN collaborated with the Royal Canadian Air Force to execute shipboard helicopter operating limit trials with the first ship of the class, HMCS Harry DeWolf, AOPV 430. The trials were designed to see how the winds interacted with the helicopter around the infrastructure and flight deck of the entire class. Executing these trials achieved the first milestone on the road to future operations with embarked maritime helicopters, specifically the CH‑148 Cyclone;
• Shortly after its commissioning ceremony in June 2021, HMCS Harry DeWolf departed Halifax, Nova Scotia, on its first deployment, which would see it support Operation NANOOK 21 before completing a circumnavigation of North America:
  • HMCS Harry DeWolf sailed westward through the Davis Strait to the Beaufort Sea and successfully traversed a path through the famed Northwest Passage. This was the first time since HMCS Labrador’s northern voyage in 1954 that a Royal Canadian Navy ship had completed the same route taken by the fateful 1845 Franklin Expedition;
  • The AOPV 430 patrolled Canadian Arctic waters while interacting with Inuit communities in the Qikiqtani region, collaborating with elements of the Canadian Army, the Canadian Rangers, Defence Research and Development Canada, members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and United States Coast Guard ships Escanaba and Richard Snyder; and
  • The sustainment capacity of the in-service support contractor for the class was tested with a deployed maintenance period in Esquimalt, British Columbia. The operational deployment continued in warmer continental waters, with support for Operation CARIBBE in the Eastern Pacific and following a transit through the Panama Canal, in the Caribbean Basin. Helping to stem the flow of illicit narcotics in the region, the RCN successfully conducted two interdictions during the operation, seizing over 2500 kilograms (approximately 5510 pounds) of illicit narcotics in cooperation with the embarked United States Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment.
• The second ship of the class, the future HMCS Margaret Brooke, AOPV 431, was delivered to Canada in July 2021, then conducted a post-delivery work period. This work period was extended until November 2021 due to supply chain and workforce challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. After successfully completing its first readiness assessment, the future HMCS Margaret Brooke commenced its at-sea post-acceptance trials. Between February and March 2022, the ship completed its Ice Breaking and Operations in an Arctic Environment trials, confirming its capability to operate in first-year sea ice up to a thickness of 120cm. This confirmation of operational capability allows the ship to be employed through the full range of intended missions, which includes coastal surveillance, SAR, drug interdiction, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief operations in Canada’s three oceans, in almost all weather conditions;
• Exercise CUTLASS FURY: A biennial joint, international, inter-agency medium-scale exercise. CUTLASS FURY 21 had serials representing full-spectrum warfare with a particular focus on anti-submarine warfare. The exercise utilized a pan-domain force employment model and consisted of nearly 1000 military personnel from across the CAF, NATO (including the United States Navy and the French Navy). The live, at-sea exercise trained the Canadian Atlantic surface and subsurface fleet, allies, and joint elements in tactical-level maritime warfare as part of a multinational task group in a dynamic and rapidly evolving multi-threat environment. Exercise design leveraged new synthetic technologies and basic joint targeting to develop maritime operations in a threat environment. It also leveraged modern marine mammal mitigations to prevent harm to the environment;
• Fleet Diving Units participated in Exercise NORTHERN CHALLENGE, Exercise TAZ RUNNER, Operation BELL ISLAND WRECKS, Operation YARMOUTH, and Operation LOUISBOURG. These operations and exercises were conducted both domestically and internationally and included disposal of various types of explosive devices;
• The following strategic-level initiatives intended to re-align, modernize, and streamline operational sustainment have been initiated and continue to evolve to enable operations and improve both situational awareness and stewardship of resources:
  • A Chief of the Defence Staff and Deputy Minister Initiating Directive for the Establishment of a DND/CAF Ammunition and Explosives Program was promulgated in order to improve support to CAF operations, address long-term strategic governance issues, identify gaps and risks, enable improved management of inventory, and support a more enhanced/deliberate procurement strategy; and
  • The Modernization and Integration of Sustainment and Logistics project is working toward the building of an enhanced and integrated capability that will modernize the end-to-end Defence supply chain and improve the overall business of Defence in areas such as materiel readiness, decision making, process efficiencies, technology transformation, and workforce connections.
• Operation NANOOK-NUNALIVUT 22: The CAF conducted a multinational dive exercise and a small-scale combined joint land domain activity to foster greater combined and joint interoperability;
• Operation NANOOK-NUNAKPUT 21: The CAF conducted a series of presence activities along the Northwest Passage with regional government departments. The activity was designed to develop domain awareness, foster greater interoperability and increase overall readiness;
• Operation NANOOK-TATIGIIT 21: In support of other government departments, the CAF conducted an exercise as part of an inter-agency response to an incident in the North, a major maritime incident requiring a Mass Rescue Operation along the eastern coast of Baffin Island. The primary focus was interoperability and readiness of the CAF and other government departments and agencies. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this exercise was separated into two distinct events: the actual “rescue” operation at sea followed by a separate and distinct exercise of a mass influx of “rescued” civilians into a small Northern community;

• Operation NANOOK-TUUGAALIK 21: The RCN conducted a maritime multinational series of activities at sea, focusing on cooperation with allied navies, reinforcing the CAF as a key maritime partner and expert in Arctic safety, security, and defence matters, not only in Canada’s North, but in the circumpolar strategic context. The deployment of HMCS Harry DeWolf (an Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel) and HMCS Goose Bay (Maritime Coastal Defence Vessel) included participants from the United States Navy, a United States Coast Guard cutter, and one Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker;
• Exercise STEADFAST DEFENDER 21: The CAF participated in this premier NATO Major Joint Exercise that is conducted on a triennial basis, focusing on the strategic reinforcement of Europe, and is the primary vehicle used by Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe for aligning deterrence objectives. It provided an opportunity to train and evaluate/observe a wide range of command and force structures in the transatlantic reinforcement of NATO’s collective defence and deterrence operations in Europe. The CAF’s contribution improved interoperability with international partners and reinforced NATO’s collective defence and deterrence strategic objectives;
• Exercise TALISMAN SABRE: Occurring biennially, TALISMAN SABRE is the largest combined joint training activity between the United States and Australia. The exercise is designed to improve the combat readiness and interoperability of participating forces and practise warfighting, crisis-action planning, and contingency responses in the Indo-Pacific region. The CAF contributed staff and a frigate, HMCS Calgary, to the combined force reinforcing strategic objectives for the region;
• Exercise TRADEWINDS: An annual United States Southern Command exercise intended to promote regional security cooperation in the Caribbean region by involving security forces and disaster response agencies in order to focus on countering threats and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief coordination. During this year’s event co-hosted by Belize and Mexico, the CAF supported several lines of effort to build partner capacity in the region. The CAF provided mentors to the Caribbean Task Force to teach the operational planning process to military members from Belize, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Bermuda. The operational planning process is used to develop and analyze courses of action to achieve a mission and produce actionable orders for subordinate units to conduct operations efficiently. The CAF also delivered a dive training program and provided a dive mentor team to develop partner nation participants’ skillsets on combined dive operations. CAF subject matter experts supported the planning and conduct of a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief exercise as an area of interest to the host nations to complement the security focus of the exercise. In preparation for Exercise TRADEWINDS 23, CAF members delivered the Canadian Exercise Planning course for the designated host nations, Guyana, to provide the foundation to enable them to effectively design and develop the exercise concept and requirements. This training event was conducted successfully, fully achieving 16 of its intended Joint Mission Essential Tasks and partially achieving three of them;

• CJOC continued to use the Operational Support Hub (OSH) network to provide effective support to expeditionary operations as required. The global OSH network, including its specific physical locations, was continually assessed for effectiveness and efficiency. Instead of some physical locations, contracts and agreements with industry, allies and partners were utilized to provide effective and economical support to some deployed operations. Expansion of the OSH network was assessed as not required at this time based on current operations. Should deployed operations change, the OSH network will be re-assessed as part of the normal planning process;
• As we continued to improve Command and Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) readiness, areas of focus for the CAF included the following:
  • Integrating Command and C4ISR within the Five Eyes environment and enhancing communication and information exchange capabilities within a Five Eyes environment. Collaborative efforts continued through the CJOC-led NATO Battlefield Information Collection and Exploitation System (BICES) Working Group at NATO headquarters. The CAF continued to develop the Operational Distributed ISR Network (ODIN) to allow the seamless exchange of ISR data;
  • Command and Control (C2) and cooperation with Arctic nations, including the United States through NORAD and United States Northern Command, in the conduct of Arctic missions or operations. The CAF participated in NORAD and NORTHCOM exercises throughout the year, integrating planning cycles and activities. The CAF also took part in the Arctic Security Forces Roundtable to coordinate activities in the north and to have a better understanding of each nation’s perspectives in the region;
  • The CAF progressed the National Defence Operations and Intelligence Centre concept, as part of the overall National Defence Secure Campus project, which will facilitate information superiority, and time dominant C2 in a multi-domain context;
  • DND/CAF ensured that IT infrastructure enabled efficient and effective Cyber Operator training and support to key exercises, including the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence-led Exercise CYBER WARRIOR, United States Cyber Command-led Exercise CYBER FLAG and Exercise LOCKED SHIELDS, led by the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence;
  • The following exercises were also focused on improving C4ISR:
    • Exercise CYBER WARRIOR was conducted in the United Kingdom in November 2021, with the objectives to conduct cyber and command-and-control operations; develop techniques, tactics and procedures with United Kingdom cyber forces on defensive and offensive cyber protocols; and develop a Canada/United Kingdom Cyber Operations Policy. This activity was focused on 13 selected Joint Mission Essential Tasks, all of which were achieved;
    • Exercise VIGILANT SHIELD was reduced in scope. The initial Command Post Exercise was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic health concerns, which then further impacted other related VIGILANT SHIELD activities. Due to the reduced scope of this exercise, the CAF did not participate;
    • The CAF did not participate in Exercise CYBER COALITION, due to strategic-level focus of the final exercise instead of the desired technical focus; and
    • Exercise CYBER FLAG was conducted in the United States. Among its objectives were to improve tactical level cyber operations skills against a live opposing force, exercise full-spectrum cyberspace operations, and exercise defence-of-nation information technology infrastructure. These aspects were focused on ten Joint Mission Essential Tasks, nine of which were achieved and one of which was partially achieved.
• The Department continued to move on several major and minor capital cyber projects, such as Cyber Defence Decision Analysis and Response; Network Command and Control Integrated Situational Awareness Capability; Cyber Security Defence Preparedness Analytics Capability Asset Discovery; Vulnerability Assessment; and Configuration Compliance and Interim Cyber Training Capability.
• A contract enabling the operational community to better understand the Tactical Data Link interoperability between two different platforms was awarded during FY 2021–22. This will augment other interoperability coordination roles provided by other communities;
• In FY 2021–22, the Canadian Space Operations Centre:
  • Continued to examine options for a capable and robust Canadian space operations interoperable command and control system in order to employ, defend, and protect space capabilities in support of operations described in Strong, Secure, Engaged;
  • Deployed a Joint Space Support Team as part of joint and combined exercises to provide space subject matter expertise and to facilitate communication between the exercise execution teams and the Space Operations Centre; and
  • Processed, with our allies, many space support requests for named operations around the globe. Products generated from these requests utilize space-based capabilities to inform deployed teams on such items as the Global Positioning System, satellite communications electromagnetic interference, and space situational awareness.

The CAF, through the Joint Operations Fusion Lab, continued to develop its capability and capacity to test integration of joint intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance and C2 systems in FY 2021–22.

Throughout FY 2021–22, the RCAF supported the readiness of the CAF through a number of exercises and was required to adjust to circumstances such as the following:

• Exercise COALITION VIRTUAL FLAG 22-1: The United States Air Force Commander distributed mission training exercise conducted at Kirkland Air Force Base and around the globe. The exercise was designed to provide training in synthetic, theatre-level, joint combat operations in contested and degraded combat environments. COALITION VIRTUAL FLAG also provided opportunities to interact with land, maritime, air, special operations, cyber, and space elements from Five Eyes nations. Canadian domestic participants included 50 personnel in an RCAF control and reporting centre, operating two CH-148 simulators, a CP-140M simulator and three RCN Frigate simulators. Forty-one CAF/DND members deployed to the United States Air Force Distributed Mission Operations Centre, a CAF Air Support Operations Centre. CAF/DND personnel conducted cyber operations, conducted Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems Operations including Close Air Support weapon strikes. Space personnel conducted missile warning and attack assessment exercises. All 16 planned joint mission-essential tasks were achieved plus one unplanned task (conduct cyber operations) due to the addition of the cyber team;
• Exercise GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT 22: A capstone year, GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT 22 focused on improving competitive advantage and warfighting concepts in the Pacific and shaped conceptual thinking on complex warfighting issues spanning the next 30 years. The nexus of the Wargame was circa 2032 Russian aggression in the Baltic Region. This event was de-scoped due to COVID-19 pandemic complications;
• Exercise BLUE FLAG 22: An advanced aerial combat training exercise with participation from the United States, NATO and other allied countries training for real air combat situations held in Israel. The RCAF intended to send an observer to review the remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS), but due to ongoing COVID-19 pandemic restrictions it did not participate;
• Exercise GLOBAL LIGHTNING 22: An annual United States Strategic Command–led command post and battle staff exercise incorporating elements of strategic deterrence; space operations;, cyberspace operations; joint electronic warfare; global strike; missile defence; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; and analysis and targeting. Canada ultimately did not participate; and
• Exercise NORTHERN VIKING 21: A European Command–directed, USAF Europe–led, joint and coalition exercise focused on the defence of Iceland and sea lines of communication in the Greenland–Iceland–United Kingdom gap. This event was cancelled in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The RCAF also supported the objectives of DND/CAF and the Government of Canada by participating, together with the RCN, the CA, and our allies, in joint and combined exercises designed to enhance integration and interoperability. In FY 2021–22, the RCAF participated in more than 15 major exercises, including the following:

• Exercise INIOCHOS: An advanced training exercise hosted by Greece, designed to train Air Battle Managers using a realistic battle environment where personnel are exposed to an intensive battle rhythm with realistic attrition and changing scenarios that include modern threats tailored to produce the fog of war;
• Exercise JOINT WARRIOR: A biannual, United Kingdom–led tri-service and multinational exercise intended to improve joint and combined interoperability between allied and partner navies and prepare participants for a role in a joint and combined maritime environment. The current exercise provided workups for the United Kingdom’s Carrier Strike Group. The RCAF participated with the RCN by providing a CH-148 helicopter where training in complex sub-hunting scenarios to protect the Carrier Strike Group was a priority;
• Exercise TASWEX: A theatre anti-submarine exercise hosted by the United States Navy at Keflavik, Iceland, with participation from NATO Allies including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Norway. The exercise provided training and engagement with anti-submarine warfare partners employing classified anti-submarine warfare contingency plans; enabled tactics and procedures development during anti-submarine warfare operations with allies; and provided aircrew, technicians and operations support personnel with training to rebuild significant proficiency losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic;
• Exercise FAUCON GAULOIS: A force generation exercise hosted and led by the French Air Force to prepare for non-combatant evacuation operations / personnel recovery while operating in contested environments. Canada participated with CH-146 utility helicopters and will be integrating with fighter aircraft and Airborne Early Warning and Control Systems Aircraft from France and other NATO Allies;
• Exercise ANNUALEX: A combined large-scale bilateral exercise between the United States Navy and the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force designed to strengthen and demonstrate the United States–Japan alliance and increase interoperability. It reinforced combined operations in the Pacific and Japanese areas of responsibility. Australian and Canadian forces participated with the RCAF’s CP-140M to gain valuable experience in operating in the Pacific theatre with key allies;
• Exercise ARCTIC WARRIOR: An annual United States–led exercise based in Alaska to conduct air mobile training in extreme cold weather. Canada participated with the CH-146 and CH-147 helicopters and a CH-138 Twin Otter aircraft to reinvigorate equipment, training, and operational requirements in the Arctic environment;
• Exercise FRISIAN FLAG: Netherlands-led NATO exercise which improved joint and combined interoperability between allied and partner fighter force operations, integration of airborne, ground-based, and sea-based assets. The RCAF participated with CF-18 aircraft, successfully re-establishing and improving interoperability with Canada’s NATO Allies, conducting complex mixed multinational fighter force missions. In the first European Flag-level exercise since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic; and
• Exercise GREEN FLAG: A flagship exercise hosted and led by the United States Air Force to increase airlift and airdrop training in conjunction with ground forces on a large scale. Participation was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions.

The RCAF has dedicated both time and effort toward many virtual bilateral and multilateral training events such as Exercises COALITION VIRTUAL FLAG and COALITION VIRTUAL WARRIOR as well as many space-based exercises. Continued work through virtual participation maintains and enhances readiness utilizing various simulators; this has optimized weapon systems and training at various levels. The RCAF continues to work closely with allied partners as well as other government agencies and industry in Science and Technology-related initiatives, improving capabilities and interoperability.

The previously initiated CAF Operation TALENT and Operation EXPERIENCE addressed personnel shortages and ensure that current and future operational objectives as identified in Strong, Secure, Engaged are met. The RCAF reconstitution efforts to rebuild and modernize RCAF culture, capabilities, and workforce frameworks are aligned. The RCAF continued to coordinate efforts defined in these initiatives and will continue well beyond FY 2022–23 in order to achieve the needed levels of healthy, experienced personnel and the overall RCAF modernization goals.

In FY 2021–22, the RCAF continued to improve and advance the integration of space-based capabilities. The following elaborates on some of the previously listed exercises, wargames, and significant projects that specifically target the space domain:

• Exercise SCHRIEIVER WARGAME 21-9: The pre-eminent combined wargame set five to 30 years in the future, designed to support concept development and inform decisions about future space mission responsibilities and operational architectures. The RCAF has participated in this wargame for over a decade and it has led to fundamental changes in the way the Five Eyes and other partners conduct space operations;

As a joint capability, space involves CAF members and their civilian Defence Team counterparts working together to deliver capabilities that provide strategic advantage. Integrated through the Canadian Space Operations Centre, the CAF team continued to participate in space operations activities with allied partners under the Combined Space Operations Agreement to support the initiative. This work brings together numerous organizations within the CAF to create a common vision for identifying responsible behaviours and common actions and language against nations that do not abide by those behaviours in order to meet the space-related goals of Strong, Secure, Engaged:

• The RCAF continued to expand the Whole-of-Government Approach to the RADARSAT Constellation Mission. Using this collaborative approach, DND and other government departments continued to share access to space-based imagery and data produced by this next generation of Canadian Earth observation satellites via systems such as Polar Epsilon 2. Polar Epsilon 2 also contributed to maritime domain awareness for Canada;
• In support of RCAF readiness and defence policy objectives, in FY 2021–22 the RCAF continued to refine command and control development and improve cooperation with allied nations by participating in the following fora, talks and activities:
  • NATO Air Chiefs’ Symposium: This conference enabled Air Chiefs to discuss Air and Space Power under the overarching theme of Accelerating Momentum through Modernization. The Air and Space Power Conference hosted by the Royal Air Force was presented virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic;
  • NATO Space Centre of Excellence: Canada participated in concept development for the stand-up of the NATO Space Centre of Excellence in France, to describe how it will support the alliance and its partners in enhancing their preparedness and ability to operate within a disrupted, degraded, and denied space environment;
  • Air and Space Power Conference: An annual forum hosted by the Royal Air Force Chief of the Air Staff, drawing together over 450 high-ranking delegates including air chiefs and military commanders from around the world, as well as business, science, and technology leaders. The conference stimulated challenging and thought-provoking debate on air and space power, and also served to widen the reach of air and space power understanding in order to promote development and engagement;
  • Air Power Conference: An annual conference hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force Chief of the Air Force and attended by over 15 Air Chiefs, mostly from Pacific-facing nations. This conference contributes to the global dialogue focusing on the contribution of Air and Space Power to Indo-Pacific security;
  • Combined Space Operations Principals Board: An annual two-day working engagement attended by the highest level of Canadian space allies, including the Five Eyes, France, and Germany. This Board provided governance and oversight for the implementation of the combined space operations initiative; and
  • Pacific Air Chiefs Symposium: This symposium, hosted by the United States Pacific Air Force, was attended by the Air Chiefs of 15 nations. It consisted of bilateral and multilateral meetings, a tabletop exercise, and panel discussions. This engagement resulted in the strengthening of relationships with allies and partners within the Indo-Pacific region, as well as the development of a mutual understanding of common issues and challenges. Discussions focused on regional security, air domain awareness, multi-domain operations, interoperability and cyber security.

• The Canadian Special Operations Forces Command remained postured at a very high readiness level to disrupt or respond to emerging crisis situations or threats to Canadians and Canadian interests. Further, the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command contributed to the CAF’s ability to anticipate threats through the generation of forces designed to conduct discreet intelligence collection, surveillance, and reconnaissance activities.

For more information, refer to the following websites:

• Learn about various military exercises that train and prepare the CAF for future operations at home and abroad;
• Royal Canadian Navy;
• Canadian Army;
• Royal Canadian Air Force;
• Canadian Special Operations Forces Command;
• Canadian Rangers;
• Canadian Joint Operations Command;
• Canadian Forces Intelligence Command; and
• NORAD.

Results achieved

Departmental results	Performance indicators	Target	Date to achieve target	2019–20 Actual results	2020–21 Actual results	2021–22 Actual results
2.1 Canadian Armed Forces are ready to conduct concurrent operations	% of operations that are capable of being conducted concurrently	100%	31 March 2025	100%	100%	100%
	% of force elements that are ready for operations in accordance with established targets	100%	31 March 2025	80.34%	71.7%	71%Footnote 1

Financial, human resources and performance information for the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces’ Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

Departmental Result 2.2 – Military equipment is ready for training and operations

Since FY 2017-18, the Canadian Army Equipment Readiness Plan has been produced to ensure that the serviceability of Canadian Army equipment is maintained to support readiness and operational outputs. In July 2021, the plan was revised so that, rather than having an aspirational goal of 80 percent serviceability rate across all vehicle fleets, the targets are now linked to department, Government of Canada, or NATO requirements. The Canadian Army continued to improve its processes and resources management (i.e., parts and direct labour) to attain the serviceability goal. The Canadian Army engaged with stakeholders to make progress toward disposal of obsolete inventory to create increased focus on maintenance resources on the Canadian Army equipment required to meet operational remits and the continued force generation of land power. In particular, three obsolete fleets are on track for disposal in the next five years. Although the COVID-19 pandemic public health measures continue to affect the efforts of technicians, serviceability levels are only slightly below results from previous years.

Broadly across the Defence Team, equipment was made available to support CAF training and operational requirements through the Equipment Support Program. In particular, National Procurement is the term given to DND Corporate accounts aligned to the in-service sustainment and disposal of aerospace, land, maritime equipment, as well as ammunition and common-use materiel such as uniforms, test equipment, and special operations forces equipment. In-service sustainment includes maintenance, engineering support, engineering changes, and inventory replenishment. Although the National Procurement Program ensures that equipment is made available to support CAF training and operational requirements, its serviceability is generally ensured by the CAF undertaking maintenance and repair activities within their formations. The department’s materiel group is responsible for the execution of the National Procurement Program, which represented over $3.256 billion in FY 2021–22 and provided equipment support to maritime, land, and aerospace equipment, as well as ammunition and common-use materiel such as uniforms and test equipment. Also in FY 2021–22, funding for the key fleets identified in support of the NATO Readiness Initiative was secured and prioritized to ensure that those fleets are available when called upon.

The National Procurement Program experienced a myriad of financial pressures associated with aging fleets and life extensions, the expansion of mandated activities, technological advances and increased contract costs. These pressures, compounded by COVID-19 and high inflation have resulted in a maintenance demand and resource mismatch which has, in turn, increased the risk of materiel availability for operational requirements. This increasing maintenance deficit will continue to grow exponentially unless a step change in funding levels occurs. In response to these challenges, in FY 2021–22 the department initiated a National Procurement Program Review with a view to highlight the Department’s approach to management of the Program, to define the funding challenge, and to provide recommendations for process improvements and areas for further analysis. Notwithstanding these efforts, the challenges highlighted are ongoing and contributing to the trending decline in CAF readiness. 

Results achieved

Departmental results	Performance indicators	Target	Date to achieve target	2019–20 Actual results	2020–21 Actual results	2021–22 Actual results
2.2 Military equipment is ready for training and operations	% of maritime key fleets that are serviceable to meet training and readiness requirements	At least 90%	31 March 2022	98.2%	94.1%	54%Footnote 1
	% of land fleets that are serviceable to meet training and readiness requirements	At least 70%	31 March 2022	65.4%	62.7%	65.8%Footnote 2
	% of aerospace fleets that are serviceable to meet training and readiness requirements	At least 85%	31 March 2022	60.8%	55%	43%Footnote 3

Financial, human resources and performance information for the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces’ Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

Budgetary financial resources (dollars)

The following table shows, for Ready Forces, budgetary spending for FY 2021–22, as well as actual spending for that year.

2021–22 Main Estimates	2021–22 Planned spending	2021–22 Total authorities available for use	2021–22 Actual spending (authorities used)	2021–22 Difference (actual spending minus planned spending)
9,972,852,765	9,972,852,765	10,734,430,873	9,984,959,562	12,106,797

Human resources (full-time equivalents)

The following table shows, in full‑time equivalents, the human resources the department needed to fulfill this core responsibility for FY 2021–22.

2021–22 Planned full-time equivalents	2021–22 Actual full-time equivalents	2021–22 Difference (actual full-time equivalents minus planned full-time equivalents)
46,716	45,281	(1,435)

Financial, human resources and performance information for the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces’ Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.