Learn about the responsibilities and operations of the Joint Warfare Development branch

June 19, 2023 – Defence Stories

The Joint Warfare Development branch at the Canadian Joint Warfare Centre (CJWC) located at Shirley’s Bay in Ottawa, Ontario provides the framework that connects Joint operational requirements with the standards that enable national and international collaboration and interoperability.  It is responsible for the following:

1. Joint Doctrine:  Coordinates the joint doctrine development and promulgation process and maintains joint doctrine publications. Joint doctrine is a body of knowledge that provides direction and aids in the understanding, planning, and execution of joint operations. It is combined with lessons learned and the analysis of future trends to enable capability development, professional development, and training regimens.
2. International Doctrine and Standardization (NATO STANAGs):  Responsible for NATO standardization within Canada. Coordinates, monitors, and provides Canadian Armed Forces remittances to NATO.  Participates in NATO standardization and Quadripartite Combined Joint Warfare Conference – Doctrine meetings.
3. Joint Terminology:  Manages joint terminology by harmonizing doctrine and ensuring that agreed upon terms are used in the correct context to foster understanding across DND/CAF. 
4. Joint Targeting:  As the Joint Targeting Functional Center of Expertise, the CJWC maintains the joint targeting doctrine, and provides subject matter expertise input to the CAF Joint Training Capability (JTC). CJWC deliver courses on their own and are also working in cooperation with the Canadian Army Command and Staff College (CACSC) and the Canadian Forces School of Military Intelligence (CFSMI) to deliver courses in Ottawa and Kingston to support the JTC. CJWC is also supporting the Joint Targeting Familiarization Course (JTFC) on the Defence Learning Network (DLN) which is a prerequisite for all targeting courses and can be done by all Canadian Armed Forces members on DLN. (See CANFORGEN 040/23 for the targeting course schedule).