Canada pledges jets, troops to NATO Force

[The_Falcon]

I should probably go to bed but instead I will post this

Sun, January 2, 2005


Canada pledges jets, troops

FRIGATE ALREADY COMMITTED TO NATO RAPID REACTION FORCE

By STEPHANIE RUBEC, OTTAWA BUREAU



CANADA WILL commit frigates, CF-18 fighter jets and ground troops to the newly created NATO rapid reaction forces, says our military's top general. Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Ray Henault said he's already committed a frigate to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's maritime response force.

And in the next year Henault said he expects ground troops and fighter jets to be earmarked.

"We already know where we can fit into it," Henault said in an interview. "For the land force in particular, it's beyond August of '05. The navy is already involved."

The 19-member defence alliance created a multinational quick response team in late 2002 and expects it to be ready to deploy by 2006.

The 5,000-strong land force unit is meant to be deployed to hot spots within five to 30 days of a unanimous decision by NATO members.

Henault said the Liberal government's pledge to finance the recruiting of 5,000 new regular force soldiers will allow Canada to commit ground troops to the NATO force without stretching itself too thin.

Henault said that'll happen once the army is done its 18-month break from major deployments in August.

"Deploying faster will become an important factor for us, especially with the NATO transformation that we're part of," he said. "That means the force has to be at a very high state of deployment readiness."

Henault retires in April and in June will take the top military post in NATO, where he will work as the military adviser to the alliance.

Henault said the Canadian Forces expects to commit CF-18 fighter jets by late 2005 and at least another frigate to the maritime leg of the rapid response force.

He said Canadians will begin training with NATO counterparts in 2005, even before the federal government makes a full commitment to join the maritime force. Canadian fighter pilots, frigates and ground troops will be committed for about one year to the NATO response forces -- six months for training and a six-month deployment.

"You really commit your forces for a year when you start engaging in NATO Response Force activity," he said.

Canada hasn't deployed its CF-18 fighter jets since the Kosovo bombing campaign in 1999. Since then 80 of the 118 Hornets have been undergoing massive upgrade to give them the technology to work with allies.

It will take another four years for all the aircraft to get the full upgrades. The air force expects to fly the 20-year-old CF-18s into 2017

 

[Bill Smy]

If the deployment of DART is an indication of Canada's concept of rapid deployment, I think NATO would be in for a surprise. 

 

[bossi]

If the deployment of DART is an indication of Canada's concept of rapid deployment, I think NATO would be in for a surprise.

Aw, geez ... you guys both beat me to the punch ...  ;D

My other reaction was ... frigates, F-18's ... and our over-worked Army ... riiiiiiiight ...

 

[Teddy Ruxpin]

This is NRF (NATO Response Force) 06.  The units involved (from the Army side anyway) have known about it for almost a year.  Shouldn't be a huge problem.  The story is slightly in error - NRF is currently running (don't ask me which units are earmarked from which countries, but I do know of one Italian Alpini battalion that was pulled off NRF for Afghanistan).

 

[Sandbag]

Is this what our SHIRBRIG committment is supposed to do?  Or am I really out to lunch on this one?

 

[Teddy Ruxpin]

Nope - totally different.  NRF is a "new" thing.  SHIRBRIG is on a much lower readiness level...and is UN rather than NATO.

Cheers,

 

[Sandbag]

Teddy R, thanks.   Of course more questions...does this mean earmarked units deploy overseas for a year, or is workup/training done in the first 6 months at home, followed by the 6 month deployment as part of NRF?

 

[Teddy Ruxpin]

Sandbag - no problem...

It's been a few months and I don't want to get into readiness levels on these means.

However, if I remember correctly - meaning I could be stale dated and/or wrong (!) - there's a readiness "window" similar to the old IRF(L).  Meaning: there's a work-up period (starting in xxx 2005), the unit is declared operationally ready (in 2006), then deploys (if required) during the "window" when it is declared to NATO - in all probability for a six month tour (given previous practice).  I can't remember how long the window for NRF is, to be honest...

Hope this helps.

 

[Sandbag]

Definitely helps, and I suspect I am the one with staledated info. Thanks.

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

Its not a big thing for us to provide a ship we have been providing ships to Standing Force Force Atlantic since its inception with Op Apollo being one of the few times we never provided a CPF or a 280 (only provided when we are in command).

 

[George Wallace]

Too late to reopen Lahr and Baden, but they would have been great incentives......making it a two to three year posting to a NATO Rapid Response Unit in Europe training with the other partners while 'awaiting the call'.  That would make a little more sense than recreating AMF(L) type of units here with no overlap, nor true experience and commonality with our NATO Partners should the call come to deploy 'rapidly'.  It could be a great way to increase our forces to a fourth Bde and also a great recruiting incentive.  I know I really enjoyed my time on the Rhine.   

D Sqn RCD had that task last year as a NATO RRU and it just seemed to fade out of existence by the time Fall arrived.  How serious is this current Government going to take this commitment?  



GW

 

[Kirkhill]

http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/TorontoSun/News/2005/01/02/pf-804686.html

I guess they must have figured out how to unstick the recruiting and training systems.

 

[48Highlander]

    This could get emberasing if we actually have to deploy them.

 

[McG]

I think this is a poorly written article.  We are not committing 5,000 ground troops to a NATO rapid reaction force.  We will commit a BG to a NATO rapid reaction brigade (the entire Bde may be around 5,000 but it will be mostly other members of NATO).

In addition to being able to indefinitely sustain two deployed BGs/TFs, the new managed readiness system will keep a BG in high readiness as a strategic reserve.  Unlike deployments (which rotate after 6 months) this will rotate annually.  This BG will be held to meet our commitment to the brigade, and may (if not deployed operationally during that year) deploy to Europe to participate in an annual NATO brigade exercise.

 

[X Royal]

Sounds a lot like the AMF of the late 70's early  80's. Only difference is back then the role did not rotate yearly but generally stayed with the same unit and also (although not limited to) an area of responsibility. The Canadian AMF role was the defence of northern Noraway, thus a major NATO EX every second year in Noraway. Prepositioned equipment was also left in Noraway.

 

[Teddy Ruxpin]

MCG has it bang on - and this is what I remember as well.  I've been out of the NRF loop for a while now (about six months), but we already know who the BG will be, etc..  All the rolling of eyes at this commitment need to stop - it is more than do-able - with what we have now.

As for "managed readiness" - as an ATOF "survivor", I'll keep my comments to myself!  Wait and see... LOL

 

[bossi]

... As for "managed readiness" - as an ATOF "survivor", I'll keep my comments to myself!   Wait and see ...

ROTFLMAO - thanks for my morning chuckle!  I love the trend to jump on bandwagons such as ASD or "train to need" ... and then watch the wheels fall off the wagon when the light of day reveals "bold, 'new' innovations" to be ... brainfarts ... (but by then, of course, people who got glowing PERs for their masterful strokes have been posted ... and somebody else is left holding the bag ... sigh ...)

 

[ghazise]

Where is the NRF going to be stationed?

 

[pbi]

The units tasked to source NRF stay in their home garrisons with all their gear. Eventually the Army will have a suite of kit for a battlegroup pre-positioned at Longue Pointe depot in Montreal, our primary SPOE (Sea Port of Embarkation), but I cannot ever forsee relocating units just to do a short-term task like NRF. Cheers.

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

Our BN was slated for this but last I heard it was canned.  We were suppossed to provide a LAV battalion which would fall under the British.