Canadian Armed Forces

The Canadian Forces (CF) (Fr: Forces canadiennes (FC)) are the combined branches of the military of Canada. The Canadian Forces are comprised of: the Canadian Forces Land Force Command, (which is the army branch); the Canadian Forces Maritime Command, (the naval branch); and the Canadian Forces Air Command, (the air force branch).

Command structure

Land Force Command (LF)

:Main article: Canadian Forces Land Force Command

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Canadian army brigades are administered through four geographically determined area commands:

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• LF Atlantic Area based in Halifax
• LF Quebec Area based in Montreal
• LF Central Area based in Toronto
• LF Western Area based in Edmonton.

In each command (except Atlantic), regular force troops comprising a mechanized brigade group (CMBG) are supported by reserve forces in nine brigade groups. Regular forces in the Atlantic command are based in the Combat Training School at CFB Gagetown.

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Today, Land Force Command (army) consists of three field-ready brigades:

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• 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group in Edmonton, Alberta,
• 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group in CFB Petawawa, Ontario, and
• 5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group in CFB Valcartier, Quebec (the francophone brigade).

Each brigade contains one regiment each of artillery, armour, and combat engineers and three battalions of infantry (all scaled in the British fashion), as well as a service battalion (logistics), a headquarters/signals squadron, and several minor organizations. A tactical helicopter squadron and a field ambulance are collocated with each brigade but not part of the brigade's command structure.

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Major training establishments and non-brigaded troops exist at CFB Gagetown and ASU St-Jean (now attached to CFB Montreal.) Well-known regiments in the army include Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) and Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in 1 Brigade, The Royal Canadian Regiment in 2 Brigade, and the Royal 22e Régiment or the "Van Doos" in 5 Brigade. A tank training range is at CFB Meaford in Ontario.

Related Topics:
CFB Gagetown - ASU St-Jean - Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) - Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry - The Royal Canadian Regiment - Royal 22^e Régiment

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Maritime Command (MARCOM)

:Main article: Canadian Forces Maritime Command

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Canada's naval forces are deployed in two fleets, Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC) at CFB Esquimalt on the west coast, and Maritime Forces Atlantic (MARLANT) at CFB Halifax on the east coast. There is no permanent naval presence on the Arctic coast at this time. The Canadian fleet comprises:

Related Topics:
CFB Esquimalt - CFB Halifax

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Air Force Command (AIRCOM)

:Main article: Canadian Forces Air Command

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Canada's air force is deployed at 13 bases across Canada under the overall direction of 1 Canadian Air Division and constitutes the Canadian NORAD Region. Major air bases are located in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador while administrative and command-control facilities are located in Winnipeg and North Bay. A Canadian component of the NATO Airborne Early Warning Force is based in Geilenkirchen, Germany. Wings vary in size from several hundred personnel to several thousand.

Related Topics:
NORAD - British Columbia - Alberta - Saskatchewan - Ontario - Quebec - Nova Scotia - Newfoundland and Labrador - Winnipeg - North Bay - NATO

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Principal aircraft include:

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• 121 McDonnell-Douglas CF-188A/B tactical fighter bombers
• 18 Lockheed CP-140 'Aurora' /3 CP-140A 'Arcturus' long-range patrol aircraft
• 28 Sikorsky CH-124 'Sea King' maritime helicopters
• 15 CH-149 Eurocopter 'Cormorant' search and rescue helicopters
• 98 CH-146 Bell 'Griffon' tactical transport helicopters
• 32 CC-130 Lockheed 'Hercules' combat transports
• 5 CC-150 'Polaris' Airbus A310 long range transports
• 6 CC-115 Dehavilland 'Buffalo' short range transports
• 6 CC-144 Canadair 'Challenger' jet transports (4 VIP/2 utility)
• 4 CC-138 Dehavilland 'Twin Otter' short range transports
• 22 CT-114 Canadair 'Tutor' jet trainers
• 24 CT-156 Raytheon 'Harvard II' trainers
• 21 CT-155 BAE 'Hawk' jet trainer
• 4 CT-142 Dehavilland Dash8
• 4 CT-133 'Silver Star'