Canada in Iraq: RCAF Airstrike near Ramadi

In a press release on it's OP IMPACT webpage, DND announced that on 8 January 2016, while taking part in coalition airstrikes in support of Iraqi security forces operations to clear ISIS from Ramadi, two CF-18 Hornets successfully struck an ISIS fighting position southeast of Ramadi using precision guided munitions.

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 Most likely Headed to the Ukraine

While DND has yet to release any official plans, the government has not yet announced an expansion of Op REASSURANCE, CTVNews has learned that the CAF is preparing to send Canadian Troops to the Ukraine in a non-combat role, most likely to work alongside US forces in a training role.

CTVNews' source told CTV that "The government is still working out the details, but a training mission is one of the options on the table."

The Conservative government has been hinting at an expansion of Op REASSURANCE for weeks, even stating that its budget (with Op IMPACT's) will be kept quiet for security reasons. Canada is planning this mission to keep up its strong Anti-Putin stance and to help shore up the Ukrainian government.

Canada's Op REASSURANCE is currently comprised of:

Air Task Force:

• 4 CF-18 Hornet fighter jets, with Military personnel and support staff, deployed from January to April 2015 to Eastern Europe to maintain a Canadian presence among our NATO Allies.

NATO Baltic Air Policing 

• Stationed in Siauliai, Lithuania, 4 CF-18 Honet's along with 135 personnel and support staff were deployed from September to December 2014. 
• Part of NATO's peacetime role - to preserve integrity of European Airspace from Air attacks. This is provided for nations not having full range air defence assets of their own ( Albania, Luxembourg, Iceland, Slovenia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia)

Air Task Force Romania 

• Stationed in Campia Turzii, Romania from May to August 2014 - 6 CF-18 Hornet's and approximately 200 personnel and support staff. 

Maritime Task Force: 

• Task Force HMCS Fredericton - Currently Deployed 
• Task Force HMCS Toronto - Deployed from July 2014 to January 2015 
• Task Force HMCS Regina - Deployed from January 2014 to August 2014

Land Task Force: 

Officially Deployed from May to December 2014 - however CAF personnel are deployed in the region under other* operations.

• Exercise ORZEL ALERT - Western Poland - 45 CAF Members, May 5-9 2014 
• Exercise SABRE STRIKE - Baltic States - 120 CAF Members, 9-20 June 2014
• Exercise PEGASUS KORSARZ - Poland - CAF led exercise, 23-27 June 2014 
• Exercise GNIEZNO - Poland - CAF led exercise, 2-6 July 2014 
• Exercise STEADFAST JAVELIN II - Latvia - 100 CAF Members, 2-8 September 2014 
• Exercise ANAKONDA - Poland 24 September to 3 October 2014 
• Exercise COMBINED RESOLVE III - Germany - 100 CAF Members, 16 September to 12 November 2014 
• Exercise IRON SWORD - Lithuania - 10 CAF Members  13-15 October and 2-14 November 2014
• Exercise FALCON - Poland 21-26 November 2014 
• Winter Warfare Training - Lithuania - 3rd RCR 8-12 December 2014 
• *Exercise ALLIED SPIRIT I - Germany 45 CAF Members 16-28 January 2015

3rd RCR & Ex MOUNTAIN WARRIOR in Poland

DND revealed yesterday that approximately thirty-five (35) members of the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment (RCR) based out of Petawawa will be participating in Exercise MOUNTAIN WARRIOR in Trzclaniec, Poland throughout the month of April.

The 3rd RCR is joining in on this exercise with our Polish NATO ally to better develop our mountaineering expertise, says the news release from DND. The exercise will further promote interoperability, collective training and overall operation proficiency.

Exercise MOUNTAIN WARRIOR is a training exercise held every year, hosted by Poland's 25th Air Cavalry Brigade Reconnaissance Company. They regularly operate in the mountain regions, high altitudes and cold weather environments. This training will help prepare Canadian troops for operations in mountainous regions, high altitudes and extreme weather conditions that are usually only found in mountain regions. Each soldier will traverse steep mountain passes while carrying 25kg of cold weather gear and other survival kit.