Canadian Armed Forces

The **Canadian Armed Forces** (**CAF**; French: *Forces armées canadiennes*, *FAC*), or **Canadian Forces** (**CF**) (French: *Forces canadiennes*, *FC*), are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defense Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."

This unified institution consists of sea, land, and air elements referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Personnel may belong to either the Regular Force or the Reserve Force, which has four sub-components: the Primary Reserve, Supplementary Reserve, Cadet Organizations Administration and Training Service, and the Canadian Rangers. Under the National Defence Act, the Canadian Armed Forces are an entity separate and distinct from the Department of National Defence (the federal government department responsible for administration and formation of defence policy), which also exists as the civilian support system for the Forces.

The Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian Armed Forces is the reigning Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who is represented by the Governor General of Canada. The Canadian Armed Forces is led by the Chief of the Defence Staff, who is advised and assisted by the Armed Forces Council.

## Defence policy

Since the Second World War, Canadian defence policy has consistently stressed three overarching objectives:

* The defence of Canada itself;
* The defence of North America in co-operation with US forces;
* Contributing to broader international security.

Based on that strategy, the Canadian military is oriented and being equipped to carry out seven core missions within Canada, in North America and globally. Specifically, the Canadian Armed Forces are tasked with having the capacity to:

* Defend North American sovereignty in conjunction with US forces in the event of foreign attack;
* Conduct daily domestic and continental operations, including in the Arctic and through NORAD (the North American Aerospace Defense Command);
* Support a major international event in Canada, such as the 2010 Winter Olympics;
* Respond to a major terrorist attack;
* Support civilian authorities during a crisis in Canada such as a natural disaster;
* Lead and/or conduct a major international operation for an extended period; and
* Unilaterally deploy forces in response to crises elsewhere in the world for short periods.

Consistent with the missions and priorities outlined above, the Canadian Armed Forces also contribute to the conduct of Canadian defence diplomacy through a range of activities, including the deployment of Canadian Defence Attachés, participation in bilateral and multilateral military forums (e.g. the System of Cooperation Among the American Air Forces), ship and aircraft visits, military training and cooperation, and other such outreach and relationship-building efforts.

## Today

### Personnel

The Canadian Armed Forces are a professional force with a strength of 163 000 regular force personnel, 89 850 reserve personnel of varying availability and 9 000 Canadian Rangers as of 2042. This gives a total strength of 261 850 personnel that can be mobilised. As a percentage breakdown of all Canadian Armed Forces members, 62.2% are regular force members, 34.4% are reservists and 3.4% are Canadian Rangers. In addition, 44 650 civilians support the Canadian Armed Forces in various, non-combat roles. However, these civilians go through basic training and are qualified to support Canadian Armed Forces personnel in combat situations.

### Defense expenditure

According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Canada has the 11th-largest defense budget in the world. For comparisons sake, this sees Canada spending more in absolute terms than France, Turkey and South Korea, a similar amount to that of Mexico and Saudi Arabia, but less than China, India or the United States. Percentage-wise, Canada spends 2.1% of its GDP on defense, a figure similar to the likes of fellow NATO members France, the United Kingdom and Turkey.

### Overseas military installations

The Canadian Armed Forces maintain a number of overseas garrisons and military facilities which enable the country to conduct operations worldwide. All of Canada's permanent military installations are located in countries that are strategic allies of Canada, and are situated in strategically valuable locations.

CFB Wilhelmshaven is home to the largest concentration of Canadian Armed Forces personnel outside of Canada, home to the 8th Mechanised Brigade and 484 Tactical Helicopter Squadron. {Kuwait Naval Base} {Sasebo} Operational support hubs in Latin America, Southeast Asia

## Current structure

### Royal Canadian Navy

Main article: Royal Canadian Navy, Naval Support Command

    The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) is a technologically sophisticated naval force, and as of 2043 consists of 143 commissioned vessels, in addition to the 76 support vessels operated by the Naval Support Command on behalf of the RCN. Command of deployable assets is exercised by the Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy. The RCN participates in various international exercises and operations, and ships are deployed all over the world in support of standing defence arrangements.

The modern Royal Canadian Navy is a blue-water force, capable of projecting influence around the world. The Royal Canadian Navy operates 2 aircraft carriers, 4 amphibious assault vessels, 12 destroyers, 32 frigates, 9 icebreakers, 40 patrol vessels, 4 electronic warfare vessels and 16 nuclear and 12 conventional submarines. These vessels are divided up into two fleets, the 1st Fleet, based in the Pacific oceans, and the 2nd Fleet, based in the Atlantic and Arctic oceans. The Naval Support Command also operates considerable assets, including 18 replenishment vessels and 8 sealift vessels. The Primary Naval Reserve operates another 12 patrol vessels.

### Canadian Army

Main article: Canadian Army

    The Canadian Army is headed by the Commander of the Canadian Army and administered through five divisions—the 2nd Canadian Division, the 3rd Canadian Division, the 4th Canadian Division, the 5th Canadian Division and the 6th Canadian Division—the Canadian Army Doctrine and Training System and the Canadian Army Headquarters.

Currently, the Regular Force component of the Army consists of twelve well-trained and well-equipped mechanised brigade groups. Each contains one regiment each of artillery, armour, reconnaissance, and combat engineers, three battalions of infantry and one battalion for logistics. Three support brigade groups provide other support operations. The Primary Reserve component of the Army consists of another eight field-ready mechanised brigade groups and two support brigade groups, interchangeable with their Regular Force counterparts. In the event of activation, the Supplementary Reserve component of the Army could contribute another two mechanised brigade groups.

The 2nd, 3rd and 4th Canadian Divisions are each Regular Force divisions, made up of solely Regular Force units, whereas the 5th and 6th Canadian Divisions are Primary Reserve divisions, made up of solely Primary Reserve units. Currently, there are no permanent units of the Supplementary Reserve.

### Royal Canadian Air Force

Main article: Royal Canadian Air Force

    The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) is headed by the Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force. The commanders of 1, 2 and 3 Air Divisions are responsible for the operational command and control of Air Force activities throughout Canada and worldwide, headquartered at CFB Comox, CFB Lyncrest and CFB Shearwater, respectively. CFB Lyncrest also hosts the headquarters of the Commander of the Canadian NORAD region. 1, 2 and 3 Air Division's operations are carried out through 54 wings located at 18 bases across Canada. The commander of 4 Air Division is responsible for training and support functions, with operations at 7 wings at 6 bases, and the commander of 5 Air Division is responsible for oversight of all electronic warfare functions of the Canadian Armed Forces.

The RCAF is a large and technologically advanced force, with a fleet of nearly 2 500 aircraft, making it the second-largest national aircraft fleet in the Americas after the United States.

### Canadian Continental Command

Canadian Continental Command (CCCOM) is responsible for routine domestic and continental operations, such as sovereignty patrol, national security coordination and contingency planning.

### Canadian Expeditionary Command

Canadian Expeditionary Command (CECOM) is the unified command that was responsible for all Canadian Armed Forces international operations, with the exception of operations conducted solely by Canadian Special Operations Forces Command elements. CECOM missions included combat operations, humanitarian assistance and peacekeeping.

### Canadian Support Command

Canadian Support Command (CSCOM) provides the CAF with combat support (including logistics, military engineering, land equipment maintenance services, communications and information systems, health services and military police) and service for both domestic and international missions.

### Canadian Special Operations Forces Command

Main article: Canadian Special Operations Forces Command

Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM) is responsible for all special forces operations that are capable of responding to terrorism and threats to Canadians and Canadian interests around the world.

### Canadian Health Services Group

Canadian Health Services Group (CHSG) includes both the Royal Canadian Medical Service and the Royal Canadian Dental Corps, fulfills all military health system functions from education and clinical services to research and public health, and is composed of health professionals from over 40 occupations and specialties in over 120 units and detachments across Canada and abroad.

## Weapons and equipment

### Military equipment

The CAF possesses top-of-the-line weapons and computer systems. Much of the armed forces' equipment are domestically produced or developed in partnership with other nations. However, more complex systems are often requisitioned from the United States or Europe, such as the Eurocopter Tiger attack helicopter and Boeing CP-8 Poseidon maritime reconnaissance planes. Larger Canadian defense contractors include Acar, Bombardier, CAE Inc., Diemaco, Goldilocks, INKAS, Irving Seaspan, SNC-Lavalin, Davie's Shipbuilding and Prawc.

A Diemaco MRR-616, the standard infantry rifle of the Canadian Armed Forces.A Diemaco P600, the standard sidearm of the Canadian Armed Forces.A Diemaco CS-25.A Watcher SR-A11.A Watcher AMBR-A.An MMEV near CFB Nanisivik.An unarmed variant of the AHSVS.A Caterpillar Armored CD9.A TAPV in Syria.A LAV IV in Iraq.