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The Role of the Canadian Armed Forces In the North

Major Pascal Sévigny

2 March 2015

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The Arctic

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Outline •  The role

–  Canada First Defence Strategy –  Historical Background –  Human Activity –  Arctic Challenges –  Spectrum of Operations & Challenges –  Canadian Armed Forces activity –  Support

•  JTFN •  NOH •  NHRK

–  Future in the Arctic

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Canada First Defence Strategy •  National Defence primarily contributes to

the sovereignty pillar of the Northern Strategy through the CFDS

•  Directs the CAF to –  Demonstrate a visible presence in the

region –  Have the capacity to exercise control over

and defend our Arctic territory –  Provide assistance to other government

departments and agencies when called upon

•  Investments under the CFDS banner •  National Defence activity is not military

posturing, but is intended to preposition Canada to meet safety and security challenges

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Directives

•  DND/CF Arctic Regional Strategy – Jun 09 •  Canada’s Northern Strategy – Oct 09 •  CDS/DM Directive For The DND/CF In

Canada’s North – Apr 11 •  Northern Employment and Support Plan •  JTFN 5-year Ops Plan - 2012 •  CJOC 5-year Northern Plan – Feb 2015

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Historical Background Role of the armed forces in the Arctic

Post-Cold War •  Canada and other Arctic states

downsized military presence in the region

•  Arctic Council formed in 1996

Traditional roles of the CAF •  Search and rescue •  NORAD

Cold War •  Region of confrontation between Soviet

Union and NATO •  Détente followed by renewed tension •  1987: Murmansk Initiative  

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Historical Background Recent changes Regional tensions: 2006-2011 •  Perceived efforts to re-militarize the Arctic

Cooperation: as of 2008 •  Northern Chiefs of Defence •  Arctic Security Forces Roundtable

Deterioration of relations with Russia •  Situation in Ukraine •  Canada, Norway, and the United States have suspended bilateral

military cooperation •  Increased Russian cooperation with China

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Arctic Council Countries

— Arctic Circle — Canada’s Arctic

Canada’s Arctic Council Priorities: - Responsible Arctic Resource Development -  Safe Arctic shipping -  Sustainable circumpolar communities

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Human activity Consequences of Climate Change •  Anticipated changes in the volume and nature of human activity in

the region •  Rising sea levels and agricultural concerns •  Increased commercial shipping

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Arctic challenges Distance Environment •  Harsh, cold, austere •  Topographical, and solar/geo-magnetic features •  Access to waterways

Infrastructure •  Sparsely populated •  Concentrated in a few cities

Logistics Communications Regional differences

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• Two  compe*ng  air  services  fly  Boeing  737  between  the  main  centers  in  the  AOR  

• The  737’s  are  adapted  to  carry  cargo  and  passengers  and  are  equipped  to  land  on  gravel  airfields  

• One  airline  uses  a  stretch  C-­‐130  to  fly  between  centres  and  the  Diamond  mines  in  the  NWT  

• Military  C-­‐130  supply  flights  operate  between  Winnipeg,  Trenton  and  CF  Sta*on  Alert    

• Commercial  Dornier,  Dash  7  and  Dash  8  are  capable  of  transi*ng  between  most  centres  without  re-­‐fuelling  

Distances

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•  Infrastructure in the north is difficult to maintain

•  The structures that exist are often remnants of old military facilities or scientific research stations

•  New stations such DRDC’s Northern Watch are under construction

•  NORAD’s Forward Operating Locations (FOLs) are located in Iqaluit, Rankin Inlet, Yellowknife and Inuvik

- The Rankin Inlet FOL is currently inactive

•  JTFN HQ is located in Yellowknife

Limited infrastructure and road systems – Lack of redundancy

Infrastructure

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The  North  Warning  System  remains  opera*onal  (most  sta*ons  are  automated)  

• NORAD  currently  operates  short  and  long  range  radar  sta*ons  across  the  AOR  

• All  sta*ons  are  self  sustained  with  on  site  genera*ng  capabili*es  and  their  own  aircraR  runways  

• The  majority  of  the  sta*ons  are  placed  with  marine  access  for  fuel  replenishment  

• New  contract  with  NasiTuq  being  draRed  

NORAD Infrastructure

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Gravel  runways  dominate  airstrips  above  66.5°N  

• There  are  a  large  number  of  opera*onal  and  abandoned  runways  throughout  the  AOR  

• Virtually  all  communi*es  depend  upon  air  travel  to  commute  to  the  major  centres  

• Many  large  mining  facili*es  have  their  own  airstrips  

• The  largest  mines,  the  diamond  mines,  can  accommodate  larger  jets  such  as  the  Boeing  737  

Airfields

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Major consideration for air mobility support

•  There are a total of 10 airfields in the JTFN AOR that are capable of accommodating the CC-177 Globe Master in the JTFN AOR

•  CC-138 Twin Otter very reliable in operating throughout the JTFN AOR

C-177 Capable Airfields & CC-138 Combat Radius

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Communica*ons  are  very  challenging  in  the  North    

Divided  in  the  following    manner:    

1.  Nunavut  -­‐  26    communi*es  that  are    reliant  on  satellite    Communica*on  •  Fibre  upgrade  underway  

2.  NWT  -­‐  34    communi*es:  •  northern  are  reliant  on  

microwave  towers  •  southern  are  reliant  on  fibre  •  8  are  reliant  on  satellite  

3.  Yukon  -­‐  15    communi*es:  •  northern  are  reliant  on  

microwave  towers  •  southern  are  reliant  on  fibre  •  1,  Old  Crow,  is  reliant  on  

satellite    

Communications

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Northern Spectrum of Operations and mission partners

Safety Security Defence

•  Terrorism (RCMP, CAF) •  Espionage (CSIS) •  Counter Drug

(RCMP, CAF) •  Smuggling

(CBSA, RCMP, CAF) - Human - Goods

•  Cyber (All)

• SAR incidents - Maritime (CCG, CAF) - Air (CAF) - Ground (RCMP, EMO, CAF)

• Maritime disasters (CCG, DFO, CAF)

• Air disasters (CAF) • Natural disasters (EMO, CAF) • Environmental disasters (EMO, EC, CAF)

• Health threats / Pandemics (EMO, PHAC, CAF)

•  Man Made Disasters (All)

•  Sovereignty challenges (CAF)

- Air incursion (CAF) - Maritime incursion

(CAF, CCG) - Surface - Sub-surface

- Land incursion (CAF, RCMP, CBSA)

- Cyber attack (CAF)

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Arctic challenges: Safety •  Threats to safety are a growing

concern in the Arctic.

•  Major threats can include anything from forest fires to flooding to pandemics.

•  Search and rescue incidents also present persistent safety challenges.

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Arctic challenges: Security •  Security threats are an emerging concern

•  New opportunities for exploitative individuals and groups such as criminals and terrorist organizations.

•  CAF not the lead for security threats, but contribute to a whole-of-government approach to operating in this spectrum.

•  CAF often play a supporting role to Canadian partners, such as by providing logistical, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities.

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Arctic challenges: Defence •  Bottom line: We do not see an immediate

conventional military threat in the North, nor the emergence of one in the foreseeable future.

•  Despite this, we remain vigilant in our core mandate to defend Canada and its sovereignty.

•  Important to sustained strategic deterrence, mainly with partnerships such as NORAD.

•  Continually engage in dialogue with our international Arctic partners, both bilaterally and multilaterally.

•  These efforts achieve a low risk, low tension environment in the Arctic region.

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Arctic challenges: Defence, cont’d

Notable Arctic challenges to defence: •  The size of the region makes monitoring

and identification of targets of interest challenging.

•  This, as well as geographical size, also pose challenges to scalable responses.

•  NORAD is a prime vehicle through which to mitigate these two challenges.

•  Exercises, persistent northern presence, and infrastructure such as the North Warning System, provide additional relief.

•  New technologies may also help.

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Arctic challenges: Defence, cont’d Russia: •  The only country with a viable military capacity

to challenge Canada in the Arctic region. •  Currently improving its military infrastructure and

capabilities in its Arctic region. •  However, we do not view these efforts as a

precursor for offensive military action against us. •  These initiatives are consistent with long-

standing Russian government policy in the Arctic

China: •  Attracted to energy and resources in the

Arctic, as well as shipping potential. •  These lawful activities do not constitute

a threat to Canada.

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CAF activities in the North Joint-Task-Force North • Area of Responsibility includes 4 million square kilometres • Coordinates and supports CAF activities in the North • Works closely with various levels of government and Aboriginal communities

Canadian Rangers • Our ‘eyes and ears’ in the Arctic • Critical to exercising Canada’s Arctic sovereignty • Providers of key support to CAF Arctic activities

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CAF activities in the North

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•  Unique challenges to SAR missions in the North.

•  Of 377 SAR incidents north 55 during 2013, the CAF conducted 38 SAR missions.

•  Volunteers are an important piece of our SAR response capability.

•  CAF actively cooperate and coordinate with Arctic international partners, including through exercises.

Arctic search and rescue:

CAF activities in the North

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•  Shared responsibility among federal, provincial/territorial and municipal organizations, as well as volunteer SAR organizations

•  Ground SAR (GSAR) is different from aeronautical and maritime SAR

•  Primary responsibility of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) is the provision of aeronautical SAR and the coordination of the aeronautical and maritime SAR system

•  CAF resources may assist in GSAR efforts, medical evacuations and other humanitarian incidents if requested by the responsible provincial/territorial or municipal authority

Divided into 3 x Zones each with a Joint Rescue Coordination Centre

Canadian SAR Zones

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Other routine activities: •  Routine surveillance flights

•  Regular flights to Canadian Armed Forces Station Alert and other Defence locations for resupply

•  Regularly provide assistance to our federal partners in the North

CAF activities in the North

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1  Canadian  Ranger  Patrol  Group    (1  CRPG)  •  46  pers  •  1850  Rangers  •  60  communi*es  

440  (Transport)  Sqn  •  50  pers    •  4  x  Twin  OTers  

Headquarters  •  47  pers  

•  Det  YT  (3)  •  Det  NU  (4)  

Junior  Canadian  Rangers  (JCR)  •  1300  JCR  •  40  communi*es  

2005  Personnel    •  104  Reg  •  21  Pres  •  1850  Rangers  •  30  Civ    

Area  Support  Unit    North  (ASU(N))  •  55  pers  

JTFN Forces

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JTFN Timelines for Support •  Commander’s Assessment Team (CAT)

–  8 hrs

•  Canadian Rangers –  Recce 8 hrs / Vanguard 12 hrs / Main Body 24 hrs

•  Immediate Reaction Unit (IRU) –  Recce 8 hrs / Vanguard 12 hrs / Main Body 24 hrs

•  JTFN Command Element –  24 hrs

•  Arctic Response Company Group (ARCG) –  Recce 10 days / Advance Party 25 days / Main Body 30 days

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Role and Functions of NOH Role •  To enable rapid force projection as well as the conduct and sustainment of

CJOC operations in the North

What they deliver •  Support projection of deployed force to forward location, C2, sustainment

and redeployment for up to 30 days –  Coy Gp (H1) –  Bn (H2)

•  Transition from strategic to tactical airlift •  Reorganization and equipping of deployed elements

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Inuvik

Yellowknife

Iqaluit

Resolute Bay

Whitehorse Rankin

Inlet

Cambridge Bay

Hall Beach

Alert

Northern Operations Hubs

•  Alternate Hubs selected based on existing infra, C17 accessibility, and identified gaps in Twin Otter / rotary wing coverage • Minimal investment at Alternate Hubs • Hubs are designed for response to emerging crisis but can be utilized for exercises as a means to exercise and validate

Primary Hubs

Alternate Hubs

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NOH Functions delivered to TF –  Reception, Staging and Onward Movement (RSOM) of all pers deploying in

the AO –  Materiel management, which may include storage, and materiel

consolidation / de-consolidation –  Local procurement and contracting of services –  Transport: Local transport and coordination of forward movement. In the

context of a light deployment, as expected for Northern Operations, necessary contracting to support tactical movement of the pers deploying will be undertaken by the NOH pers and subject to the limitations of the area

–  Sp to aircraft services, such as fuelling and in-flight feeding –  Strategic CIS support, including secure and non-secure communications –  Engineering support, such as real property management, and environmental

services –  Personnel services such as mortuary affairs –  Financial services pertaining to contracting and procurement –  Integral HSS for hub pers –  Theatre logistical sustainment and reach back –  Movement control

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NHRK •  Enables the NOH to be activated quickly.

–  Activation Component: One set will be purchased and centrally located to allow rapid deployment. It is designed to activate the Hub and set up the Ops centre.

–  Contingency Component: Contains a Relocatable

Temporary Camp (RTC) that can be deployed rapidly on short notice. Used in the event the FOL/PAB has to be occupied by NORAD, or if capacity of existing infra is exceeded.

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Anticipated challenges

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Future defence challenges •  Situational Awareness •  Maintaining a visible presence •  Preparing Forces •  Providing timely and credible response •  Providing a robust sustainment system

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Looking ahead

•  Continued acceleration of interest and activity in the North means that Canadian Armed Forces will play increasingly vital role in the region.

•  North will remain challenging environment in which to operate.

•  Addressing capability gaps in communications, surveillance, infrastructure and sustainment will continue to be top priority.

•  Growing demands and costs of operating in the region mean that strengthening cooperation with territories, OGD, industry and international partners will be increasingly important.

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