CAF Deployed to Romania for Exercise SARMIS

Last week the Canadian Armed Forces deployed approximately 190 soldiers from 3 RCR, based out of Petawawa, Ontario to Romania to take part in Exercise SARMIS, which runs from May 15, 2015 to June 6 2015.

SARMIS, part of the larger OP REASSURANCE, is a multinational exercise focused on developing interoperability between NATO Allies. Canada is participating with units from Romania, the United Kingdom, and the United States at the Land Forces Combat Training Centre in Cincu, Romania.

Members of the 3 RCR at the Drawsko Pomorski Training Area in Poland. April 2015.
Photo: OP Reassurance/Land Task Force - CF Combat Camera

CAF Divers in Estonia clearing WW1 & WW2 Ordnance

Last week DND released its information with regards to  OP OPEN SPIRIT 2015 - where Canadian Armed Forces Divers are joining Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, and the US in Baltic waters - searching for and clearing unexploded ordnance from the world wars. The Operation started May 15, 2015 and runs to May 28 2015.

The CAF have sent 14 clearance divers and support personnel based out of Fleet Diving Unit (Atlantic) from CFB Halifax.

OP OPEN SPIRIT 2015's aims are to reduce the threat of unexploded ordnance throughout the Baltic Sea region. The region saw heavy fighting during both the First and Second World war, which included air bombardment, naval battles, mine-laying, and submarine warfare. As a result there are remaining ordnance which failed to detonate - causing a danger to maritime shipping and fisheries in the area.

Navy used eBay to keep HMCS Preserver operational

The Ottawa Citizen's Defence Watch learned recently that Royal Canadian Navy personnel went to extreme lengths to keep HMCS Preserver operational over the last few years. 

The Canadian Press, who supplied the information to Navy Commander Vice-Admiral Mark Norman showed that technicians were fighting a loosing battle to keep Preserver on duty. 

Despite the fact that the Canadian Armed Forces announced in 2014 that Preserver  and her sister ship Protecteur would be retired in 2015, personnel fought to keep them operational as long as possible, in several cases even using eBay to purchased used parts to repair the ship. 

This extreme step was taken as the original manufacturers long ago stopped making spare parts - which led to a disproportionate amount of time being used to find replacements. In many cases when the military requires a part that is no longer produced, they upgrade the equipment in question, or find a manufacturer to produce a specified amount of the required part for the remaining lifespan of the equipment. In the Navy's case - for Preserver that was not an option because of its impending retirement. 

An exact date for Preserver`s "Paying Off" (retirement) has not been set. 

Many critics are calling for an interim solution to be found for the Royal Canadian Navy's supply gap - construction on the new supply vessels are not set to begin until 2017 - and will not be ready before 2019/2020. 

Richmond Landing to house two new Military Memorial Monuments

With Canada's 150th Anniversary just around the corner, the military and public works announced late yesterday that they plan to add two new memorials to the "Memorial Walk" in Ottawa that begins in Major Hill's Park, and heads down Wellington Ave. to the War Museum at Lebreton Flats.

The site of the new memorials will be Richmond Landing, located right behind the Library and Archives Canada building. The site already houses the Royal Canadian Navy Monument.

A design competition for the two new memorials will be announced shortly, as the government wants both to be in place for the celebration of Canada's 150th Anniversary in 2017.

One memorial will be Canada's Victoria Cross memorial, and will honour the 99 Canadians who have been awarded the highest military honour throughout Canada's history.

The other memorial will be to Canada's Mission in Afghanistan and will honour both the Civilian and Military personnel who conducted the fourteen year long mission in Afghanistan between 2001-2014. Other details have not been released yet.

Canada in Iraq: Four CF-18s Bomb ISIS Targets

DND released more information early this morning about Canada's mission against ISIS, which has seen a slow down in the number of air strikes.

On May 6 two RCAF CF-18s hit an ISIS fighting position north  of the city of Bayji.

On May 8, a RCAF CF-18 attacked an ISIS target during a "roadside bomb installation" south-east of the city of Haditha.

On May 9, a RCAF CF-18 bombed an ISIS fighting position north of Bayji.

No new details on the expanded mission in Syria, which has been quiet since Canada's first strikes, due in large part to the lack of allies on the ground.