Canada in Iraq: CAF Looking to Deploy Griffons to Iraq

Written by: JDM, Canadian Forces Dispatch author
Last Updated: February 9, 2016 - 1:44 pm

With the dramatic shift in the Government of Canada's policy towards ISIS, and the change to Canada's contributions to the US-led Coalition against ISIS, Chief of Defence Staff Jonathan Vance provided some details in a technical briefing.

The total number of military personnel deployed will increase from the currently authorized 600, to 850. This adjustment will be seen in the required ground crew required for the CF-18s, which will be returning home, and the increase in the number of Special Forces trainers in Iraq.

While specific numbers of Special Forces have not been released, it is assumed that close to 200 Canadian Special Forces members will be in Norther Iraq working with the Kurdish Peshmerga within the coming months, as both Prime Minister Trudeau, and Minister of Defence Sajjan said clearly that the training commitment would triple.

For the Special Forces in Iraq, reporters asked the Prime Minister if the CAF will still be on the front lines of the fight against ISIS, and if they would still be marking targets for the remaining coalition partners in the air campaign. General Vance responded, "I want Canadians to know that we will be involved in engagements as we defend ourselves or those partners who we are working with.” Vance also indicated that Special Forces will continue to "mark ISIS targets" for the coalition. This is something that the US Special Forces members in Iraq are not currently able to do.

Minister Sajjan echoed Vance's statement, when he told CTV's Canada AM program, " This is a conflict zone - it comes with risks." 

In yesterday's Press briefing the Prime Minister said that as part of Canada's new advise and assist role, Canada would be sending small arms and ammunition to Iraq. Vance indicated that Canada would be supplying machine guns and riffles to Iraqi forces, but did not specify who in particular. He also could not indicate how the arms will be sent legally to Iraq; as Iraq is not approved for arms export under the Automatic Weapons Country Control List.

A CAF Door Gunner mans his machine gun aboard a CH-146 Griffon over the desserts of Afghanistan (Undated DND Photo)

To help mitigate some of the risks, the DND Spokesman was quoted as indicating that, the CAF is looking at deploying 4 CH-146 Griffon Helicopters to Iraq. Daniel Le Bouthier, was quoted to Defence Watch as saying, "options are being explored to enhance in-theatre tactical transport, further analysis, coordination and discussions with our coalition partners is required before details regarding the deployment of Griffon helicopters can be finalized, though the current plan calls for 4 airframes."

No specifics as to what the Griffons would be used for. CANSOFCOM has their own Griffon Helicopters, but there is no public information as to what vehicles CANSOFCOM has deployed in theater already.  The Griffons are expected to be used for Troop Transport, as well as Medi-Vac Capabilities within Norther Iraq.

Chief Instructor, Major Alain Matteau walks away from one of the Griffon helicopters of the 427 SOAS (Special Operations Aviation Squadron). At Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Petawawa, members of the ultra secretive Canadian Special forces (CANSOFCOM) go through a variety of training exercises.  (RICHARD LAUTENS / TORONTO STAR)

In Afghanistan, the CAF deployed RCAF Chinook and Griffon Helicopters. The Griffons were often used as gunships while the Chinooks took over the role as Troop Transport. There is no current plan to deploy Chinooks to Iraq. For a short period of time, the RCAF also piloted and leased Russian Mi-17-V5 Helicopters (known in the RCAF as CH-178's) while waiting for the Chinooks to be delivered. The RCAF added Armour plating and Gatling-guns to the Griffons that served in Afghanistan.

According to the RCAF; the Griffon aircraft can carry up to 13 people (two pilots, a flight engineer and 10 passengers) and has a maximum gross weight of nearly 5,400 kilograms. The Griffon can reach speeds up to 260 kilometres per hour.

There has been some backlash over the Governments commitment to withdraw Canada's CF-18s, even many calling the new mission a form of backing down to ISIS, and letting our allies down. That is not necessarily the case. According to Foreign Policy Magazine, Canada is "Doubling Down."  The article continues saying, "The Canadian government announced Monday its six CF-18 fighter planes would end their bombing runs on the Islamic State by Feb. 22 and come home. But don’t count Canada out. A close look at what Ottawa is doing in Iraq actually reveals a growing mission that may increase the dangers for Canadian troops." 

Even the US Ambassador, Bruce Heyman agrees with the new mission outline. He indicated that Canada's new plan amounts to a "significant contribution to the coalition," and is "in line with the coalitions current needs." He went on to say, "The commitments that Prime Minister Trudeau and his cabinet ministers announced today are in line with the coalition’s current needs, including tripling Canada’s training mission in northern Iraq and increasing its intelligence efforts throughout the region. Canada remains an essential partner in the counter-Da’esh mission and we will continue to discuss with all coalition partners additional ways to intensify our efforts. The United States, Canada, and the rest of our coalition partners remain unwavering in our commitment to degrade—and ultimately destroy— Da’esh and we look forward to continuing that mission together.”

The Liberal Government's new ISIS plan goes beyond military contributions. The government will enhance measures focused on stabilization, counter-terrorism and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear security programming in the region, dedicating $145 million to unnamed initiatives in these areas over the next three years.

CAF Special Forces to Train Senegalese and Niger Spec. Forces

By David Pugliese, Defence Watch 

As many as 100 soldiers, most of them special forces from Petawawa, will be heading to Senegal to conduct counter-terrorism training for African commandos.

The training comes in the aftermath of the killings of six Canadians in Burkina Faso and as western nations try to shore up African militaries to battle Islamic extremists.

Maj. Steve Hawken, a spokesman for the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command, said the military personnel are taking part in Exercise Flintlock, an annual “counter-terrorism capacity building” event that provides troops from African nations with a variety of skills.

Those range from shooting to communications, mission planning and to first aid, and providing medical aid and support to civilian populations.

More than 1,700 military personnel from a variety of western and African nations are expected to participate in the U.S.-led Exercise Flintlock.

Canada’s participation was set up before the Burkina Faso attack, but military officers have noted that the exercise is taking on greater importance as al-Qaida and other extremist groups try to expand their influence in Africa.

Twenty-eight people died and 54 were injured when gunmen linked to al-Qaida seized hostages at a hotel and attacked a nearby café in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso’s capital city, on Jan. 15.

Among the dead at the hotel were six Quebecers, including a family of four.

Special forces from Algeria, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Canada, Tunisia, Italy, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, United Kingdom, and the United States have taken part in previous Flintlock exercises. It is unclear at this point which countries will be attending this year.

Hawken said members of the RCAF, Canadian Forces medical staff, and special forces will be taking part. They will be working with troops from Niger, he added.

Flintlock is scheduled to start Feb. 8 and run until near the end of that month.

Last year Canadian special forces involved in Flintlock training were pulled out of a town in Niger after a battle broke out between government forces there and Boko Haram, an Islamist extremist group.

The Canadians were training with Niger soldiers on the outskirts of the town of Diffa when members of the jihadist group launched attacks in the centre of the municipality. The Canadians were not involved in combat.

Canada’s involvement in Exercise Flintlock has continued to grow over the years. It first contributed 14 soldiers from the Canadian Special Operations Regiment, based in Petawawa, to Flintlock in 2011. Those troops trained members of Mali’s military in Senegal that year.

The Flintlock exercises are co-ordinated by the U.S. Africa Command.

A small number of troops from that command supported Burkina Faso’s military in dealing with the recent al-Qaida attack in Ouagadougou. U.S. troops were primarily advising and providing information to the response forces from Burkina Faso as well as to the French military as they dealt with the siege at the hotel, according to an Africa Command spokesman.

Burkina Faso soldiers and French special forces ended the attack after storming the luxury Spendid Hotel. They killed the gunmen and freed at least 126 hostages.

Al-Qaida’s North Africa affiliate, known as AQIM, claimed responsibility for the attack.

AQIM traces its roots to Islamic insurgents fighting the Algerian government. The insurgents have since become associated with al-Qaida and have branched out to conduct attacks in other countries in the region, as well as kidnapping westerners.

Canadian diplomats Robert Fowler and Louis Guay were held by AQIM after they were kidnapped in December 2008. They were released 130 days later amid claims by government officials in Mali that four AQIM detainees were set free in return.

AQIM helps finance its operations through kidnappings and weapons and drug smuggling.

dpugliese@ottawacitizen.com

Twitter.com/davidpugliese

Canada concludes participation in largest NATO exercise since 2002

News Release from DND: 

Canada concludes participation in largest NATO exercise since 2002

November 6, 2015

OTTAWA – Today, 1650 Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) sailors, soldiers, airmen and airwomen, and Special Operations Forces personnel, in Portugal, Spain, Italy, and at sea, completed the live exercise portion of JOINTEX 15.

JOINTEX is a biennial Canadian exercise and a keystone for Canadian Armed Forces posture and readiness activity aimed at enhancing operational mission preparedness. The live exercise (LIVEX) phase occurred between October 21 and November 6 in Western Europe. Activities leading up to the LIVEX included senior staff officer training during a Table Top Exercise in Ottawa, in January and February, and Combined Joint Inter-Agency Task Force Headquarters staff training during a Command Post Exercise in Meaford, Ont., in September and October.
Quick Facts

For the LIVEX portion of JOINTEX 15 as part of NATO’s Trident Juncture 15, Canada has contributed a Canadian Multinational Task Force headquarters, a Canadian Army Brigade with multinational elements attached, four ships, one submarine, Canadian Special Forces elements and three CC-130 Hercules aircraft.

JOINTEX 15 provided an opportunity to create and exercise our ability to command Canadian and international forces in the most challenging international contingency operations, in a scale and scope rarely seen in recent history.

JOINTEX 15 demonstrated Canadian leadership and capability in headquarters, and in deployed formations, units, and elements which serve to strengthen Alliance integration and interoperability capabilities.

JOINTEX had four general objectives:

Practice, evaluate, and improve Canadian Armed Forces capacity and ability to command and conduct Joint Combined Integrated Forces in complex operations.

Practice, evaluate, and further develop national contingency plans.

Advance, integrate, and evaluate force development and joint force capability enhancements.

Develop, document, and institutionalize the Canadian Armed Forces Distributed Training and Simulation Capability.

The JOINTEX series serves to advance CAF mission preparedness by practicing Joint Combined and Integrated Expeditionary Full Spectrum Operations, developing concepts and procedures, and providing a focus for force development.

Quotes:

“The Canadian Armed Forces is considered to be one of the most responsive armed forces within the Alliance. As such, Canada has been a major contributor to NATO operations. Our participation in Exercise TRIDENT JUNCTURE 15 is another example of our commitment to supporting NATO by providing modern, deployable capabilities to allied missions and highly trained personnel.” General Jonathan Vance, Chief of the Defence Staff


“I am proud of the contribution our sailors, soldiers, airmen and airwomen have made to this historic training event. Thanks to their efforts in developing our interoperability, they are improving the Canadian Armed Forces’ ability to conduct successful joint and multinational operations in the future.” Lieutenant-General Steve Bowes, Commander Canadian Joint Operations Command

Election 2015: Kenney - Conservatives to Increase CANSOFCOM

In an election promise that was made about 2 weeks ago - but went unnoticed by many - Defence Minister Jason Kenney who is running for re-election in Calgary-Midnapore announced in Regina that if the Conservatives are re-elected, they will increase the size of the Canadian Armed Forces Special Forces by 35% over the next several years.

CAF JTF2 Members in Jamaica; helpin train the Jamaican Military on counter-insurgency engagement. Photo: Ottawa Citizen December 2014

The Canadian Armed Forces Special Operations Command (CANSOFCOM) is currently made up of five units; composed of just over 1,900 personnel. The Conservatives want to increase the Special Forces community by some 665 members by 2022. 

Such a plan, according to Kenney would require $75 million over the next four years. Kenney said that the Conservatives would invest $10 million in 2016-17, increasing to $30 million in 2019-20. Once the expansion was complete, the new CANSOFCOM would require $50 million a year to maintain the troop levels. 

Increasing the Special Forces community would help the CAF meet all its operational requirements, within Canada and Internationally. "Expansion of the Special Forces units will ensure that our Armed Forces are prepared to respond to the terror threat posed by groups such as the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)," Kenney said.