Exercise MAPLE ARCH 16: Fostering international military relations in Eastern Europe

CAF Army Press Release

The opening ceremony for Exercise MAPLE ARCH 16 (MA16) was held today at the International Peacekeeping and Security Center (IPSC) in YAVORIV, located near LVIV, Ukraine. Approximately 200 military personnel from Canada, Ukraine, Poland, and Lithuania gathered on the parade square to mark the beginning of the exercise as their national flags were raised to the sound of their countries’ national anthems.

A soldier from Poland, Lithuania, Canada, and Ukraine salute during the national anthems at the opening ceremony for Exercise MAPLE ARCH 16 in YAVORIV, Ukraine on November 7, 2016.

The NATO’s Partnership for Peace (PfP) exercise MAPLE ARCH (MA) is a series of annual joint exercises that have been traditionally hosted on a rotational basis between Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine under NATO’s PfP program.

Exercise MAPLE ARCH 16 is a 10-day command post exercise (CPX) focussed on combat, peacekeeping and stability operations to ensure a safe and secure environment within an identified operating area. This year’s exercise will be conducted from 7 Nov - 18 Nov 2016 in Ukraine.

In addition to the activities related to the MA16 scenario, the Canadian Contingent will also participate in a Remembrance Day ceremony along with their brothers and sisters in arms from Op Unifier, Canada’s contribution to support Ukrainian forces through capacity building, in coordination 

DND/CAF has been supporting EX MA through the Military Training Cooperation Program since planning for the first exercise began in 1994, in accordance with the Program’s Treasury Board mandate to enhance PSOinteroperability among Canada’s partners and achieve influence in areas of strategic interest to Canada.

The MAPLE ARCH series provides an opportunity for the Canadian Army (CA) to foster international military relations through the conduct of a multinational exercise; enhance interoperability among troop contributing nations using common SOPs, the Military Decision Making Process (MDMP) and the Operational Planning Process (OPP); and promote collective competence and confidence.

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.

3rd RCR Off To Poland

A MI-8 helicopter flies over CAF members and the 6th Polish Airborne and
the 173rd American Airborne in joint training in July 2014.
Photo: CF Combat Camera, Cpl Mark Schombs. 

Some 125 members of the 3rd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment left Petawawa on Monday for Poland.

The soldiers are headed to Poland as part of Operation REASSURANCE, where they will spend the next three months on a training mission with other NATO nations, including the Polish military. The training will focus on inter-operations between forces.

This is the second deployment to Eastern Europe under Op. REASSURANCE. Members from Petawawa deployed last year as well, under the NATO training plan.