Canadian forces

The term Canadian Forces or FC (English: Canadian Forces or CF ), refers to the combined branches forces Militaire S of the Canada: command of the terrestrial Force (the army or the terrestrial force), maritime Command (navy) and air Command (the air force). The Canadian Forces belong to the ministry for the national defense whose offices (general headquarter) are located at Ottawa, the Canadian capital. The Canadian Forces are divided into two groups of quite distinct people, the Militaires of the row and the Officier S. At the structural level, the Canadian Forces are divided into five branches: the regular force, the force of reserve, the additional reserve, the Framework of the Instructors of Canadian Juniors and the Rangers.

General information and history

Effective

regular Force : approximately 62.300 members

Force of Reserve : approximately 21.500 members

civil Employees : approximately 20.000 (scientific drivers, researchers, engineers, caretakers, etc)

Rangers Canadian : approximately 3.500 “indigenous militia” (Scandinavian population) Used like Militia and expert of ground in the 3 Canadian territories (Territories of the North-West, Yukon, Nunavut)

Ministry for the Defense of Canada : Approximately 20.000 civils servant Budget federal with the safety of Canada in 2006-2007 (including the GRC)

24,9 billion dollars

Row in the world

Canadian Army : 56e in importance (number) world (regular Forces)

9^e military budget in importance in the world in 2007

Canadian Economy : among the first 8 economies of the world

Canadian Population : 34^e world rank

Territory : 2^e world rank.

Having suffered from a chronic under-financing, particularly in the years 1990, the FC were, in 2004, with the limit of their capacity. The causes of this under-financing are numerous; among those, let us quote in particular the crisis of the debt which undermines Canadian public finances starting from the end of the Années 1980 (and which explains of good part the lack of interest on behalf of the Canadian population and the liberal government of Jean Chrétien towards national defense), the geographical proximity of the United States which makes almost superfluous the idea to maintain an large army to defend the territory and the anticipation of the dividends of the peace , which immediately followed the Cold war.

This under-financing is all the more paradoxical as the Canadian government regularly engages the FC in missions of UNO. It is besides in Canada that one owes the concept of blue helmets, which had been proposed by the future Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson, then Foreign Minister, as original solution to solve the Crise of Suez Canal.

Although far from many and of a thin budget compared to other nations, the FC knew to show their effectiveness. Several of the countries of NATO will be involved with the FC in Canada because of its vast camps of drive which allow true situation of combat, and this, as well for the army as aviation. Even NASA comes to use the resources and the expertise in Canada while making live training courses of winter survival to the Astronaute S in order to push back their limits.

The FC took share with the following conflicts:

the War of Boers
the First World War
the Second world war
the War of Korea
the Force of NATO in Germany (Cold war)
the first war of the Gulf
the countryside of Afghanistan (always in progress)

Certain important battles in which the Canadian forces took part are:

the Battle of the peak of Vimy
the Battle of the Sum
the unloading of Normandy (Juno beach)
the Battle of the St. Lawrence

They also took part in all the missions of blue helmets (UNO) without exception. For this reason, she played a big role in Bosnia-Herzégovine, with Haiti, the Kosovo, the Rwanda, in Israel (Golan).

Canada has an army comparable (in term of equipment) with Switzerland or Australia. They have means of projection higher than Italy and Spain but remains lower than France of with the absence of aircraft carrier. The FC use mainly foreign material coming from several countries of NATO and (of Europe and the United States) in majority manufactured under license in Canada.

The structure of the FC is very similar to that of the British forces. The Officier S, that they are those of the army, the navy or the air force, are formed first of all at the School of Leadership and Recruits of the Canadian Forces, then partly by the royal military Collège of Canada in Ontario. Thereafter, they are dispersed through the country to supplement their speciality there. And as regards the Military of the row, it will be formed at the School of leadership and the recruits of the Canadian Forces to the Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu garrison with the Quebec, then like in the case of the officers, the members of the row continue thereafter their formation (for example in the infantry, the genius, artillery, mechanics etc) in one or the other of the military academies distributed through the country. Canada does not make really distinction between soldiers and warrant officers. Any soldier starts with the rank of soldier to finish, if it has required qualities, with the rank of regimental sergeant major (higher rank for nonan officer)

The Canadian Armed forces are especially recognized for their contribution to the missions of UNO, for the professionalism of its infantry and her research units and rescue.

Ranks

Structure of the ranks of the Canadian Forces.

Note: these ranks are those of the Army, but those of the air forces and navy are identical except for the colors (uniform): Ground (green), Air (blue), Navy (black).

Military rank of the row

Ranks of the soldiers of the row

In the terrestrial forces, the ranks of soldier with senior corporal can change name according to the type of unit. It is current to see the terms “lance-corporal”, “rider”, “sapper”, “bomber”, etc

Rank officers

Ranks of the officers

Old ranks

Before the unification of the three services of the Canadian Armed forces, each branch had its own badges of rank. For more details, to see the detailed page

Command of the terrestrial Force

regular Force: 29.500
Reserve: 15.500
Civil: 4500
114 tank Leopard C2 (must withdrawn of the service from here a few years and replaced by Leopard 2)

100 Leopard 2A4/6 NL (bought with the armed forces Dutchwomen).

20 Leopard A6M rented with the German army for the mission in Afghanistan

203 armor-plated vehicles of recognition Coyote
651 transport of troop (light armored vehicle) VBL III
199 transport of troops armor-plated Bison
232 general-purpose armored vehicles (VBP) Grizzly
341 tracked armored vehicles M113 A3 (9 alternatives)
200 pieces of artillery (105mm and 155mm)
34 systems of anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons (ADATS)
20 guns bitube of anti-aircraft defense Oerlikon 35 mm
10 control units of shooting Skyguard II
24 VBP of very brought closer anti-aircraft defense
9.438 vehicles of support various (Truck, jeep, etc)

The army has also to buy USMC, 7 Obusier S light tractor drawn of 155 mm M777.

Lastly, with its recent addition with the military budget, the conservative government of 2006 allowed the acquisition of 2300 new logistic trucks of intermediate sizes and related components whose value amounts to 1,2 billion dollar; 16 helicopters of average transport to heavy, a project estimated at 4,7 billion dollars; four strategic transport aircraft C-17 and of 17 transport aircraft tactical, estimated total costs of 8,3 billion dollars and finally, three boats of supply at the cost of 2,1 billion dollars.

In 2007, following the operations in the war of Afghanistan, 20 Leopard 2A6 were rented with the Germany to be immediately used on the ground and the purchase of 100 others model 2A4/6 (NL) was confirmed. Thus cancelling the purchase of 66 guns mobile ( styker mobile gun )

List units of the terrestrial Force

See the detailed article: List of the units of the Canadian terrestrial force

Maritime command

Regular force: 9500

Reserve: 4000

Civilians: 3700

The naval Aéronautique belongs to the air Command but is placed under the maritime Command. It consists of 28 Hélicoptère S CH-124 Sea King (replaced soon by 28 CH- 148 Cyclone), 18 planes of maritime patrol CP-140 Aurora and 3 CP-140A Arcturus.

In 2005, its fleet includes/understands approximately 110.000 tons of combat ships distributed as follows:

4 Underwater S of patrol with long operating range (SSK) of type Upholder, class Victoria
3 Destroyer S for anti-aircraft fight on zone (DDG) of Tribal type, classifies Iroquois (Also Ship of Command) (Huron NCSM is décomissionné)
12 frigates of general-purpose patrol (FFH) of City type, Halifax class (has a semi-furtive technology)
12 Navires of coastal defense, (minesweepers) (MSO) of class Kingston
2 Pétrolier S-supply craft (AOR) standard Protecteur
several auxiliaries (ship school, tug boat, fire, high-speed motorboats…)

The names of these buildings are preceded by the initials NCSM (Canadian Ship of Its Majesty) or in English HMCS (Her Majesty' S Canadian Ship)

Air command

regular Force: 14.500
Reserve: 2.600
Civil: 2.500

Apparatuses: Approximately 400 apparatuses, including/understanding the Helicopter S and planes of research, as well as the drive and transport aircraft.

Combat the principal plane of the FC is CF-18 Hornet. Canada has 115 of them, including 81 operational. In 2011 the Government would consider replaced cf-18 by the F-35.

It should be noted that to Canada, any air apparatus belongs to aviation. For this reason, the tactical air command of the terrestrial forces and the Naval Aviation are provided by the air Command.

List operational units of the Air force

See too

Second operational Force interarmées

External bonds

Official site
State of the forces Canadian according to CBC/Radio-Canada

Gates

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