Domestic and Continental Security

On this page

• Operation LENTUS in 2023
• Changing Pace of Operation LENTUS
• Requests for Assistance Process
• Indigenous Relations
• Canadian Rangers
• Impact of Climate Change on CAF Operations
• Arctic Sovereignty and Security
• High-Altitude Object Timelines
• High-Altitude Surveillance Balloon
• Search and Rescue

Operation Lentus in 2023

Key Facts

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Changing Pace of Operation Lentus

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Details

Operation LENTUS

• As per the Federal Emergency Response Plan, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) provide assistance when a province or territory requests federal support to deal with an emergency.
• Operation LENTUS is the CAF response to natural disasters in Canada. This operation follows an established plan of action to support communities in crisis. This plan can be adapted to multiple situations. These might take the form of forest fires, floods, ice storms, or hurricanes.
• CAF assistance complements and enhances provincial, territorial, and local resources with unique capabilities, including military personnel and equipment.
  • Based on the request for assistance, the CAF determines how many people to send, and what kinds of assets to send with them. In recent years, this has been anywhere from 60 to 2,600 members.
• The objectives of Operation LENTUS are:
  • To help provincial and territorial authorities;
  • To respond quickly and effectively to the crisis; and,
  • To stabilize the natural disaster situation.

2022 Deployments

• In response to Hurricane Fiona, the CAF deployed approximately 750 members across the Atlantic Region at the height of this event.
• On October 19, the Royal Canadian Air Force CC-130J Hercules aircraft transported two ambulances from Dryden, Ontario, to Pikangikum First Nation to restore medical transportation capacity.
• The CAF deployed six Liaison Officers to assist Newfoundland with planning and coordinating air transportation in response to wildfires from August 06 until August 15, 2022.
• The CAF deployed two CC-130 Hercules aircraft to support evacuations due to wildfires in Manitoba on July 16, 2022.
• The CAF deployed teams of Canadian Rangers to support evacuations due to flooding in Northwestern Ontario from May 12 until May 20, 2022.

2021 Deployments

• The CAF deployed over 700 members and 10 aircraft to British Columbia in November 2021 to support relief efforts in response to record-setting floods.
• From July 5 until September 5, 2021, over 300 members also deployed to British Columbia to help fight wildfires.
• The Canadian Armed Forces deployed over 100 members to the Manitoba Wildfire Service from July 20 to August 24, 2021.
• Throughout 2021, the Canadian Armed Forces received Requests for Assistance for floods in Yukon, British-Columbia, and Newfoundland; for wildfires in Ontario, Manitoba, and British-Columbia; and for tainted water in Iqaluit.
• From January 19 to 28, 2020, approximately 380 members of the Canadian Armed Forces supported the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador after a major snowstorm led to states of emergency in several communities.

NATO Climate Change and Security Centre of Excellence

• At the June 2022 NATO Summit in Madrid, Canada announced that Montréal would host the NATO Climate Change and Security Centre of Excellence.
• The Centre’s Operational Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the Sponsoring Nations on July 12, 2023.
• This Centre will help NATO, Allies, and other global partners better understand, adapt to, and mitigate the impacts of climate change on our security.
• Budget 2023 proposes to provide $40.4 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, with $0.3 million in remaining amortization and $7 million ongoing, to Global Affairs Canada and the Department of National Defence to establish the NATO Centre of Excellence.

Greening Defence and Moving Toward Net Zero

• National Defence and the CAF play a leadership role in efforts to meet the Government-wide target to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 as well as its near-term goal of 40 percent by 2025.
• Through the Greening Government Strategy, the Government of Canada is committed to reaching its greenhouse gas emissions of net-zero by 2050, including emissions from the Government’s National Safety and Security Fleet.
• National Defence is committed to working towards net-zero emissions from our National Safety and Security fleets, and we are working to develop our fleet decarbonization plans by 2024.
• On November 7, 2023, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development tabled his Fall 2023 reports.
• Report 7 found that all audited departments and agencies, including National Defence, were not on track to meet the federal government’s target to have 80% of its administrative fleet be comprised of Zero Emissions Vehicles by 2030.
  • The report made two recommendations:
    • That implicated departments/agencies develop strategic approaches to decarbonizing their fleets; and,
    • That departments/agencies report the numbers and percentages of zero‑emission vehicles and hybrid vehicles in their fleets separately, as well as the yearly procurement totals of these types of vehicles.
  • National Defence agreed to both recommendations, noting that it will develop its strategic approach through the department’s Defence Energy and Environment Strategy, and that it will report vehicle types and inventories to Parliament in annual Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy progress reports.

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Request for Assistance Process

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Details

Legal Framework

• The National Defence Act, subsection 273.6(1) provides the Government of Canada with a flexible mechanism that has historically been used to authorize CAF support to other government departments and agencies (both federal and provincial) in the fulfilment of their mandates.
  • This subsection does not cover duties involving assistance in respect of law enforcement matters.
• RFAs are not required for standing missions assigned to the CAF, such as aviation search and rescue.

RFA Protocol

• Provinces, territories, Indigenous governments, and municipalities are responsible for the management of emergencies within their jurisdictions.
• Should their capacity and resources (including from the private sector) be exceeded, they will seek federal assistance.
• Public Safety Canada (Emergency Preparedness), through the Government Operations Centre, typically coordinates the federal response with the implicated departments. This includes an analysis of National Defence’s capability.
• The Minister of Emergency Preparedness will then submit the RFA to the implicated federal departments.
• Upon receipt of the RFA, the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) provides military advice to the Minister, who then passes direction to National Defence.
• Upon receipt of the Minister’s direction and guidance, the CDS issues his orders to the CAF.

Cost of Domestic Operations

• National Defence generally absorbs the costs for domestic and continental operations. While there is a process in place to determine recoverable costs from non-government organizations and other government departments, the CAF does not typically seek reimbursement for such operations.

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Indigenous Relations

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Details

Indigenous Engagement

• National Defence is working in partnership with Indigenous peoples to advance reconciliation and to achieve the objectives of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). As part of these efforts, National Defence is engaging with Indigenous partners in a meaningful way to gain understanding of their perspectives, priorities, and values and to facilitate input on Defence matters.
• National Defence participated in the creation of the Inuit Nunangat Policy, which was co-developed with Inuit partners.
  • This policy directs federal departments and agencies to consider Inuit priorities and engage early on projects or initiatives that relate to Inuit Nunangat and that are intended for Inuit, no matter where they live.
• In April 2022, National Defence formally joined the Inuit-Crown Partnership Committee (ICPC) as a way to formalize and improve cooperation and collaboration with Inuit partners on sovereignty, defence, and security.
• The ICPC Leaders Meeting at the Ministerial level occurs three times a year. Once a year, it is co-chaired by the Prime Minister and the President Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), Natan Obed. Collaboration is also ongoing at the working level to make progress on shared priorities through the ICPC Working Group on Sovereignty, Defence and Security.
• In February 2023, following an incident in the Yukon involving the shooting down of a high-altitude object, National Defence engaged the Arctic and Northern Policy Framework (ANPF) All Partners Working Group, which is an officials’ level meeting, to provide Northern territorial and Indigenous partners with an update on the situation as well as a high-level, unclassified threat briefing on the Arctic.
• In October 2023, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence attended the ANPF Leadership Committee meeting and provided an update on NORAD modernization to Northern Territorial and Indigenous leaders and other federal Ministers.
• Also in October 2023, MND participated virtually to the 2023 Yukon First Nations Annual Summit, where he had the opportunity to engage with Yukon First Nations Chiefs, councillors, and leaders to discuss Arctic security and Northern defence.

Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples

• National Defence supports reconciliation with Indigenous partners by facilitating the strategic implementation of the United Nationals Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act and National Defence’s participation in the associated Implementation Action Plan.
• There are several key areas of the UN Declaration that have specific implications for National Defence/Canadian Armed Forces and reconciliation:
  • Deepening engagement and collaboration on areas of mutual interest, notably military activities on Indigenous lands;
  • Facilitating Indigenous participation and supporting self-determination; and,
  • Aligning our positions in treaty negotiations and in National Defence work that relates to land and to the environment with the Declaration.
• The UN Declaration Action Plan 2023-2028 was released in June 2023 and National Defence have a total of 5 Action Plan Measures (APMs): 1 cross cutting priority and 4 Inuit priorities.
  • The departmental action plan measure #45 aims at aligning Defence work with Article 30 and other relevant articles in the UN Declaration
  • The four action plan measures co-developed with Inuit will help DND/CAF advance the implementation of the Inuit Nunangat Policy and support the safety, security and defence objectives of the Arctic and Northern Policy Framework.
• In Budget 2022, National Defence received a total of $6 million over four years starting in 2023-24 for the Indigenous Reconciliation Program (IRP).
  • This program will support reconciliation with Indigenous partners and enable National Defence to better align its engagement and operations with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act and with the objectives of the UN Declaration.
  • the IRP will provide Grants and Contributions funding up to $1.5 million annually to fund projects that help DND leverage the expertise and traditional knowledge of Indigenous peoples across Canada. The goal of the program is to help National Defence in developing policies, programs and practices reflective of both First Nations, Inuit, and Metis priorities and National Defence needs.
  • The IRP will fund National Defence collaboration with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis partners to better understand diverse Indigenous perspectives, priorities and values. Funding will be available to support a broad variety of engagement, consultation and information sharing activities, and to encourage collaboration with DND on projects and activities such as military exercises, infrastructure projects, real property transactions, policy research and decision making.

Indigenous Investments in Procurement

• The Government of Canada has implemented a mandatory target to have at least five percent (5%) of the total value of construction contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses or joint ventures. This target includes both infrastructure and materials procurement. Departments will be phased in to meet this new target, with National Defence onboarding in the 2024-2025 fiscal year.
• In addition, the Government of Canada may also have Indigenous procurement obligations resulting from modern treaties that apply to Defence work.
• National Defence has partnered with Defence Construction Canada to develop a Joint Indigenous Procurement Strategy, which includes outreach and consultation with Indigenous communities and businesses.
• North Warning System In-Service Support Contract:
  • On January 31, 2022, Public Services and Procurement Canada, on behalf of National Defence, awarded a contract to the Nasittuq Corporation, an Inuit majority-owned company, for the operation and maintenance of the North Warning System.
  • Contract value: The contract is for an initial period of seven years and is valued at $592 million ($527 million before taxes). The contract also includes four two-year option periods for a total estimated value of $1.3 billion ($1.1 billion before taxes).
• Canadian Forces Station (CFS) Alert
  • On October 3, 2022, Public Services and Procurement Canada, on behalf of National Defence, awarded a contract to Nasittuq Corporation to provide support services to CFS Alert in Nunavut. The contract covers all support services for CFS Alert, including accommodations, food services, maintenance and operation of grounds and roads, buildings, fuel storage tanks, fire alarm systems, and water and sewage treatment systems.
  • Contract value: The contract is valued at $122 million (excluding taxes) for an initial period of eight-and-a-half years.

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Canadian Rangers

Key Facts

Details

• The Canadian Rangers are a subcomponent of the Army’s Reserve Force, and provide surveillance and sovereignty patrols, conduct training and support Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) operations to include federal responses to flooding, fires, and community evacuation events, and may be called upon to support provincial, territorial, and local authorities to assist ground search and rescue.
• Canadian Rangers are trained and supported by the Canadian Army and provide a CAF local presence, operational capability, and support to community resiliency in sparsely settled, remote, northern, coastal, and isolated areas of Canada which cannot be expeditiously supported by other elements of the CAF and the federal Government
• Canadian Rangers are considered trained upon enrolment. They receive no mandatory individual training. They also do not need to meet the CAF’s physical fitness standards.
• The Canadian Rangers also play a critical role in support of their local and neighbouring communities, including during the pandemic through the transportation and distribution of information and supplies, provision of wellness checks, and staffing of emergency centres. In addition, they provide evacuation support in the event of flooding and fires.
• Canadian Rangers provide a range of support and services, including: support to sovereignty operations; assistance to domestic operations (including through Op LENTUS); maintain a CAF presence in their local communities; instruct, mentor and supervise the Junior Canadian Rangers, and; participate in and support events in their local communities.

Canadian Ranger Training

There are two optional Individual Training courses offered to the Canadian Rangers:

• Canadian Ranger Basic Military Indoctrination training that lasts 7 days and includes:
  • General Canadian Ranger service knowledge, CAF benefits, and administrative requirements;
  • Function as a patrol member and how to fire the Canadian Ranger service rifle, and;
  • Employ field craft and first aid.
• Canadian Ranger Patrol Leaders Course that lasts 8 days:
  • Leading a patrol and conducting patrol administration and small arms ranges.
• Common training for all Canadian Rangers include:
  • Safe handling and shooting of the C19 rifle;
  • Map reading and navigation;
  • First aid;
  • Communication;
  • Survival and fieldcraft;
  • Small party tasks, including sovereignty patrols, support to a conventional force, and Ground Search and Rescue.

Employment

• The Canadian Rangers employed for force generation are funded by the Canadian Army for part-time, basic, individual, and collective training activities, such as:
  • Basic and routine local training
  • Individual Training and unmentored patrol activity
  • Collective patrol training
  • Compensated (Paid) on average 12 days per year
• Junior Canadian Rangers (JCR) Program
  • The JCR program is a youth program. Under the Mentorship of the Canadian Rangers, the program provides young Canadians (ages 12 to 18) with Life Skills, Ranger Skills and Traditional Skills based on the culture and history of their local communities.

Reimbursement

• Acquiring equipment for Canadian Rangers through the local economy or the Canadian Forces Supply System presents significant sustainment challenges.
• As such, a Canadian Ranger that is authorized to use personal equipment for an approved CAF activity that incurs damage or results in the the loss of equipment, is entitled to reasonable cost of repairs or the fair market value of a replacement item, so long as these items are not already insured under a private premium.
• The primary source of delay in payment for a loss or damage claim is the Canadian Armed Forces obligation to meet the conditions set out in DAOD 7004-2, Compensation for Loss or Damage to Personal Property and CBI 210.01(4) (Canadian Rangers – Equipment eligible for compensation) prior to authorizing said payment.
• If a loss or damage claim can be completed prior to the Canadian Ranger Instructor leaving the community, reimbursement can normally be completed through direct deposit within a few weeks. Additionally, a commanding officer is authorized to grant a cash advance, equal to the amount of the claim, but not exceeding $1,000 which enables prompt payment in many cases.
• In most cases however, repairs cannot be completed prior to the departure of the Canadian Ranger Instructor due to the lack of spare parts or insufficient local technical expertise to repair the vehicle.
• In recognition of the importance of this personal equipment to the livelihood of the Canadian Rangers, the CAF has recently streamlined the compensation claims process to allow more immediate levels of authority in their chain of command to approve their compensation claims. This will significantly expedite the process for Canadian Rangers to receive their reimbursement for repair or replacement of personal equipment in a timely manner.

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Impact of Climate Change on CAF Operations

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NATO Climate Change and Security Centre of Excellence

• The establishment of a NATO Climate Change and Security Centre of Excellence (CCASCOE) is an ongoing initiative led jointly by Global Affairs Canada and the Department of National Defence, to better understand climate change security challenges and inform military preparedness.
• The CCASCOE will be a platform for both military and civilians to develop, enhance, and share knowledge on climate change security impacts. It will also allow them to work together to build required capabilities, develop best practices, and contribute to NATO’s goal of reducing the climate impact of military activities.
• In addition to hosting the Centre and supporting its operation, Canada is bringing its unique knowledge and abilities in a range of relevant sectors to the functioning of the Centre. Through the cooperative efforts of its participants, the work of this Centre will enhance the security of Canada, NATO, and people around the globe.
• The CCASCOE has reached initial operating capacity in October 2023 with the opening of its temporary location in Montreal and with the arrival of some key Canadian and international staff, including its Director. Next steps include obtaining NATO accreditation and reaching full operating capacity by summer 2024.

The Defence Climate and Sustainability Strategy

• Tabled in Parliament on 2 November 2023, the Defence Climate and Sustainability Strategy (DCSS) is a new, expanded approach building on the Defence Energy and Environment Strategies of 2017 and 2020.
• The DCSS includes 21 new targets in the areas of climate change (mitigation, adaptation, awareness) and environmental sustainability. Targets were contributed from across the department and represent a National Defence-wide approach. The signature target is National Defence’s commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
• In order to better integrate climate action with climate impact, the DCSS includes a new theme that highlights the intersection between climate and security.

DND/CAF Climate Resilience and Environmental Sustainability Science & Technology (CRESST) Strategy

• The CRESST is a departmental strategy publicly announced on 6 November 2023. The CRESST identifies ways in which S&T efforts can help National Defence achieve its climate and environmental ambitions, while maintaining or improving operational effectiveness.
• Encompassing a long-term perspective, the CRESST provides a guide towards opportunities for collaborative partnerships, knowledge exchange, and targeted defence research within three strategic objectives set in the context of defence and security:
  1. Conduct research to enable climate change mitigation and environmental sustainability;
  2. Assess challenges, risks, and opportunities with the environment and climate change; and,
  3. Conduct research to support climate change adaptation and resilience.

Defence Energy and Environment Strategy – Select Results from 2022/23

• In 2022/2023:
  • 86% of the commercial light-duty vehicles procured were hybrid or electric, bolstering our efforts to transition 100% of this fleet from fossil fuels.
  • 72% of electricity consumed across carbon intensive grids was clean electricity.
  • 64% of eligible bases are implementing energy performance contracts.

Decarbonising Defence Fleets

• The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) are developing Operational Fleet Decarbonization Plans (OFDPs) individually, as per the Greening Government Strategy (GGS) commitments for the National Safety and Security Fleet (NSSF).
• The OFDPs will be submitted to TBS – CGG (Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat - Centre for Greening Government) in 2024.
• The OFDPs will present National Defence’s plan for reducing overall emissions from RCAF and RCN operations, on the path towards net-zero emissions by 2050.
• These plans incorporate a number of initiatives, including:
  • A gradual evolution to low-carbon intensity fuels;
  • The use of energy-efficient platforms, where possible;
  • The review of operational procedures for efficiencies that would lead to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions;
  • Investments in net-zero research and innovation; and
  • Carbon dioxide removal.

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Arctic Sovereignty and Security

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Details

CAF Footprint in the Arctic

• The CAF exercises surveillance and control in the Arctic, maintains a visible and persistent presence, responds to aeronautical search and rescue (SAR) incidents, assists provinces and territories with ground SAR operations and natural disaster emergencies when required, supports Arctic and Northern peoples and communities, and contributes to whole of government priorities in the region.
• The CAF’s permanent presence in the North is anchored by Joint Task Force North (JTF-N) in Yellowknife, along with 440 Transport Squadron RCAF,1 Canadian Ranger Patrol Group Headquarters and a Company of reserve infantry. JTF-N has approximately 300 personnel, including two JTF-N detachments in Whitehorse and Iqaluit.
• The Canadian Army’s Arctic Response Company Groups are regionally-focused elements capable of projecting to Canada’s North to conduct sovereignty operations, facilitate disaster response support, and provide general assistance to other Government departments.
• The CAF’s footprint in the North also includes:
  • Canadian Forces Station Alert, the northernmost CAF outpost; and
  • Canadian Armed Forces Arctic Training Centre (CAFATC) in Resolute Bay, Nunavut, which provides a permanent location for training and operations in the High Arctic. The Canadian Army runs an annual Northern Exercise (NOREX) at CAFATC.
• National Defence also has a number of assets used by NORAD, including the North Warning System, and three Forward Operating Locations in Yellowknife and Inuvik (NWT), and Iqaluit (Nunavut).Through NORAD modernization, National Defence is investing in upgrading these three Forward Operating Locations, as well as the Deployed Operating Base, 5 Wing Goose Bay (NL). This will strengthen NORAD’s ability to mount a more robust forward presence, including to support deployments of the future fighter, with potential opportunities for multipurpose infrastructure that could benefit local communities, including Indigenous partners.

Operation NANOOK

• Op NANOOK is the Canadian Armed Forces’ signature northern operation with three strategic objectives. First, to enhance and expand the CAF’s capabilities, footprint, and readiness. Second, to preserve and safeguard Canada’s Arctic sovereignty. Third, to develop interagency, intergovernmental, Indigenous, and multinational partnerships and interoperability.
• Operation NANOOK-NUNALIVUT 2023. March 1 to 20, 2023. More than 200 CAF personnel worked together with armed forces members from Norway, Belgium, France, and the UK to conduct activities including joint long-range patrols, complex logistical support, and under-ice diving activities.
• Operation NANOOK-TUUGAALIK 2023. August 8 to September 29, 2023. A maritime exercise intended to build capability in the Arctic and interoperability with allies. In 2023, the U.S., Denmark, and France participated in the operation, including for the first time, a U.S. Navy submarine, the USS San Juan.
• Operation NANOOK-NUNAKPUT 2023. August 25 to September 9, 2023. A series of presence and surveillance activities in the Northwest Passage.
• Operation NANOOK-TATIGIIT 2023. October 24 to 28, 2023. Whole-of-Government emergency and disaster response exercise, planned and executed with territorial, federal, Indigenous, and community partners. This exercise took place in Whitehorse and this year’s iteration focused on an ice storm scenario.
• Additional northern operations include Operation LIMPID, the Canadian Armed Forces’ ongoing surveillance and presence mission, and Operation BOXTOP, the mission to supply Canadian Forces Station (CFS) Alert.

International Cooperation

• As outlined in Strong, Secure, Engaged, and the Arctic and Northern Policy Framework, the Defence Team will work to enhance cooperation with Arctic Allies and partners to strengthen domain awareness and information sharing and will also look to increase participation in joint training exercises in the region.
• National Defence is also deepening strategic-level collaboration with like-minded Arctic Allies and partners. In September 2023, the Chief of the Defence Staff attended the annual meeting of the Arctic Chiefs of Defence in Oslo. DND/CAF also continues to engage like-minded Arctic nations at the officials’ level to explore opportunities for deepened collaboration.
• Additionally, the Prime Minister attended an annual meeting with Nordic Prime Ministers in Iceland on June 25-26, 2023, to strengthen ties with Nordic nations and address key mutual priorities, including Arctic security.
• Defence Research and Development Canada is an active participant in the International Cooperative Program for Polar Research (ICE-PPR) with several Arctic nations, excluding the Russian Federation, to advance National Defence’s scientific knowledge of the evolving Arctic environment (e.g., sea ice, temperature, salinity, ambient noise levels); and to ensure continued effectiveness in defence capabilities, systems and platforms, and their adaptation for future Canadian Armed Forces operations.
• Arctic Security Forces Roundtable (ASFR) is an annual event co-chaired by Norway and the United States through USEUCOM, to promote regional understanding, dialogue, and cooperation among Arctic Security Forces, and enhance multilateral Arctic security and safety operations.
  • ASFR includes representatives from the seven like-minded Arctic states, as well as France, Germany, the U.K., and the Netherlands. The last in-person meeting took place in Turku, Finland in April 2023, with Commander Joint Task Force North attending as Canada’s senior representative.

Cooperation with the United States in the Arctic

• Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center (JPMRC) is a U.S. Army exercise in Alaska that focuses on training in extreme cold weather environment and Northern conditions. JPMRC 24-2 will occur in Alaska from in mid-late February 2024 and include Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Air Force participation, enhancing cooperation between Alaskan units and our forces.
• Exercise ARCTIC EAGLE-PATRIOT is a regularly scheduled exercise that involves the response to a natural disaster with small task Arctic warfare events and last ran from February 23 to March 2, 2022, in Alaska. The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) exercised Light Urban Search and Rescue capabilities and Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear defence capabilities during this exercise.
• ICE EXERCISE (ICEX) was a submarine under/through the ice operation, which took place in the winter of 2022 in Alaska. ICEX 2022 was the 98^th iteration of the exercise. The Royal Canadian Air Force worked with the U.S. Navy with the construction of a temporary ice camp by providing two CC-138 Twin Otter to transport supplies and personnel into and out of austere locations on sea ice.
• Operation NOBLE DEFENDER is a recurring NORAD defensive operation that takes place throughout the year and has been ongoing since 2019. The latest iteration of Operation NOBLE DEFENDER took place from August 15 to September 10, 2023, in Alaska. In addition to NORAD’s fighter aircraft and other air assets, this year’s operation included wider participation of Canadian and American military personnel.
• Exercise ARCTIC EDGE (EX AE) is a biennial exercise to demonstrate and refine joint Can-U.S. interoperability during Arctic Warfare Operations in a severely degraded Arctic environment. The CAF and Defence Research and Development Canada last participated in this exercise between February 28 and March 17, 2022. Planning is on going for Canada’s participation in the next serial from February 26 to March 8, 2024.

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High-Altitude Object Timelines

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High-Altitude Surveillance Balloon

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NORAD Modernization

• Canada is investing $38.6 billion over twenty years to modernize our contribution to NORAD. This marks the most significant upgrade to Canada’s NORAD capabilities in nearly four decades.
• NORAD modernization investments are focused on five key areas:
  • Enhancing surveillance and threat detection;
  • Improving command, control, and communications;
  • Modernizing air weapons systems;
  • Upgrading our infrastructure and support capabilities; and
  • Investing in research and development.

Operation LIMPID

• Operation LIMPID is the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) mission to detect threats to Canada’s security as early as possible. The CAF keeps a routine watch over Canada’s air, maritime, land, and aerospace domains. It also maintains a physical presence in some areas.
• Each of Canada’s regions has a distinct geography and environment. As a result, Operation LIMPID makes use of CAF task forces and agreements that are already in place in each area.
• The following CAF services and groups support Operation LIMPID:
  • Sea: The Royal Canadian Navy provides maritime domain awareness.
  • Air: The Royal Canadian Air Force provides aerospace domain awareness in coordination with the Canadian NORAD Region.
  • Land: The Canadian Joint Operations Command’s Regional Joint Task Forces provide land domain awareness. They coordinate with Provincial emergency services. The Canadian Rangers also provide support.
  • Space: The Canadian Space Operations Centre coordinates space domain awareness data.
  • Cyber: The Canadian Forces Network Operations Centre coordinates cyber domain awareness.
• Joint Task Force North (JTFN) leads CAF operations in the North. This region includes:
  • Yukon;
  • Northwest Territories; and
  • Nunavut.
• JTFN’s surveillance area for maritime operations extends to the North along Greenland’s territorial borders. It reaches north to the pole. In the west, it extends to the border of Yukon and Alaska.
• JTFN’s total surveillance area covers nearly 8.8 million square kilometres.

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Search and Rescue

Key Facts

Details

• Given its size, remoteness and weather conditions, Canada has one of the most difficult environments for conducting search and rescue (SAR) operations.
• SAR operations are a shared responsibility among federal, provincial/territorial and municipal organizations, as well as air, ground and maritime volunteer SAR organizations. The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) is responsible for aeronautical incidents and the effective operation of the coordinated aeronautical and maritime search and rescue system.
• CAF resources may also be called upon, when local resources are exhausted, to provide assistance in support of a province or territory with ground and humanitarian SAR.
• Successful SAR operations rely on, among other factors, having the right capabilities at the right time, including the right equipment, highly-skilled personnel, an appropriate response posture and location of SAR resources, and adequate procedures.

Response Capabilities

• SAR squadrons have been strategically located across the country, according to the historical distribution of distress incidents in order to provide the most effective SAR response to the greatest number of potential incidents.
• The main Wings and associated Squadrons include:
  • 19 Wing Comox: Located on Vancouver Island, BC, 442 Transport and Rescue Squadron carries out SAR operations from the BC-Washington border to the Yukon, and from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean.
  • 17 Wing Winnipeg: Located in Winnipeg, MB, 435 Transport and Rescue Squadron conducts air mobility and search and rescue operations.
  • 8 Wing Trenton: Located on Trenton, ON, the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (Trenton) is responsible for SAR operations over a large region of central and northern Canada. 424 Transport and Rescue Squadron located in Trenton also conducts SAR operations in the Central region.
  • 14 Wing Greenwood: Located in Greenwood, NS, SAR operations are conducted by 413 Squadron.
  • 9 Wing Gander: Located in Gander, NL, 103 Squadron answers calls across the Atlantic region, one of the busiest SAR regions in Canada.

SAR Technicians

• The CAF has about 140 SAR technicians (SAR Techs) that help rescue people in distress in remote or hard-to-reach areas.
• SAR Techs provide advanced pre-hospital medical care and specialize in Arctic rescue, parachuting, diving, mountain-climbing and helicopter rescue.
• SAR Techs are present on every CAF primary SAR aircraft sent on SAR missions.
• “That Others May Live” is a motto long-embraced by SAR Techs that serve in the RCAF.

SAR Resources

• The CC-130 Hercules is used for SAR operations, as well as transport operations. It has a range of more than 7,200 km and can transport approximately 80 passengers, operate on short unpaved runways, and fly in severe weather conditions.
• The CH-146 Griffon is a utility tactical-transport helicopter and is capable of supporting the tactical transportation of troops and materiel for SAR operations.
• The CH-149 Cormorant is a long-range helicopter dedicated to SAR that can operate in severe conditions. It can carry up to 12 stretchers or a load of 5,000 kg. Its stable hover for critical hoisting operations has enabled the rescuing of mountain climbers, lost hikers, and ship crews, among others.

Procurement of Fixed-Wing Search and Rescue Aircraft

• National Defence is procuring 16 new Fixed-Wing Search and Rescue aircraft, to enable more effective missions in all weather conditions that will enable:
  • Detection, identification, and classification of objects and people in low light and challenging conditions, using state-of-the-art sensors;
  • Better communication with other search and rescue systems through modern communication, navigation, and data management tools;
  • Conducting searches across the full range of Canada’s search and rescue areas of responsibility;
• National Defence has already received 15 of these aircraft.

Cormorant Mid-Life Upgrade and Simulator Solution Contracts

• Two contracts with a total value of up to $1.24 billion were awarded to CAE Inc, and to Leonardo U.K.
• These contracts were awarded for:
• The upgrade of the CH-149 Cormorant fleet, as well as increasing the size of the fleet from 13 to 16 aircraft (valued at $1.168 billion).
• The delivery of a domestic training flight simulator that will enable RCAF members to train in Canada, rather than travel to the United Kingdom to train on simulators that may not be consistent with Canadian aircraft (valued at $78 million).

Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC)

The JRCC works collaboratively with national and international partners to coordinate SAR responses. Their main responsibilities include:

• Providing early alerting
• Maintaining and promoting the highest standard in SARSAT monitoring systems
• Supporting Air distress
• Supporting Marine Distress
• Supporting Humanitarian calls for help
• Managing our resources effectively

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