The National News Magazine of the Royal Canadian Navy
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The national news magazine of the Royal Canadian Navy CrowsnestVol. 11, No. 1 Winter 2017 www.navy-marine.forces.gc.ca Generate Forward Enabling deployed RCN assets to provide strategic capability abroad HMCS Vancouver sails near Kaikoura, New Zealand during earthquake relief operations. Photo: New Zealand Defence Force By Darlene Blakeley “HMCS Windsor’s deployment The RCN is a globally deployable, proves once again the tremendous multi-mission capable enterprise t began as a multinational exer- capability and agility of Canada’s readily available to meet the strate- cise in the Norwegian Sea, but navy operating forward,” he says. gic priorities of the GoC both at Isoon turned into an unantici- The RCN calls the concept home and abroad. However, produc- pated real-world operational patrol “Generate Forward”, and it maxi- ing mission-ready force elements is in support of NATO. mizes the operational use of limited a complex process. The inherent Her Majesty’s Canadian personnel and materiel assets, con- nature of force generating personnel, Submarine Windsor had been par- ducting force generation abroad in equipment and training into combat- ticipating in Exercise Dynamic order to also be readily available in capable teams requires significant Mongoose with over 3,000 sailors strategic operations. A driving force resources and extended time at sea and air personnel from eight allied behind current and future planning, in order to be operationally ready. countries last summer when the call it allows RCN assets away from “Generating forward will leverage came to support a classified NATO home waters to work with partners the unique capabilities of our sailors operation. With the concurrence of in developing relationships, friend- and ships to conduct much more the Government of Canada (GoC), ships and ultimately trust. It also force generation further offshore Windsor was rapidly re-tasked and allows the RCN to be geographically than we have done in recent years, able to remain in theatre for an addi- close and therefore much more while concurrently providing a readily tional two weeks before returning quickly responsive to any GoC available RCN capability for achiev- home. directive to re-task an RCN asset as ing strategic GoC priorities, from a “This request, and Windsor’s quick a first responder in areas of the demonstration of military resolve to response, highlights the value that world where it might be needed. humanitarian assistance and disas- having a submarine already “The mission success of Windsor ter relief,” adds Capt(N) Josée Kurtz, deployed brings to Canada and its was directly attributable to the Director Naval Operations and Plans allies,” says Vice-Admiral Ron Lloyd, broad, balanced skill sets of our sail- at National Defence Headquarters in Commander Royal Canadian Navy ors, combined with the geographic Ottawa. (RCN). positioning of the submarine while it VAdm Lloyd was impressed with was conducting other activities,” Strategic pre-positioning of assets Windsor’s contribution to the major says Captain (Navy) Jamie Clarke, As to where RCN assets will exercise and the ease with which it Commander Canadian Submarine deploy at any given point in time, the transitioned to the new operation. Group. GoC provides overarching strategic 2 ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY www.navy-marine.forces.gc.ca direction through the Global contribute to relief operations. unit and individual training objectives Engagement Strategy (GES), which As part of a multinational naval through mutually beneficial training defines planning for priority regions task group, Vancouver contributed and exchange opportunities. Profes- and countries based on Global to the evacuation of approximately sional development opportunities for Affairs Canada advice. The 900 people and the delivery of more naval personnel are achieved Department of National Defence than 216 tonnes of food and emer- through bilateral training and then executes operational command gency supplies such as generators, exchanges during all Generate of assets and personnel congruent portable pumps and portable chemi- Forward activities. to the GES, and finally the RCN pro- cal toilets. The ship’s involvement in “Training and exchange opportuni- vides assets to meet these strategic earthquake relief efforts fell under ties maintain institutional credibility objectives. The exact location and Operation Renaissance, which is the by ensuring that naval personnel nature of employment for RCN rapid deployment of the Canadian acquire valuable at-sea operational resides with the Commander of the Armed Forces to the scene of a experience and advance training RCN, based on the advice of the disaster overseas, as directed by and qualifications at all levels,” says RCN Global Engagement team on the GoC. Capt(N) Mike Knippel, Commander his staff. When urgent events occur, As another example, an RCN sub- Naval Personnel and Training Group RCN assets will respond under the marine pre-positioned off the coast in Esquimalt, B.C. direction of the appropriate opera- of South America can provide the In the future, RCN strategic global tional authority. government with strategic response engagement, through the concept of Many of the RCN’s forces are options to intercept illicit trafficking. Generate Forward, will continue to capable of generating forward, “Time and space considerations expand and leverage the production depending upon the area of opera- are often detrimental to timely of mission-ready forces while facili- tions and the potential missions and response of naval forces and strate- tating Canada’s diplomatic relations tasks. While it will primarily apply to gic response options for the govern- and regional partnerships in support Halifax-class warships and Victoria- ment,” says Capt(N) Kurtz. “The of higher GoC strategic intent. And class submarines, specialized ele- RCN concept of Generate Forward while deployments such as ments including clearance divers, will help to mitigate these concerns Windsor’s can change on a dime, the Maritime Tactical Operations should the need arise.” others are planned. HMC Ships Group, and Naval Security Teams all Ottawa and Winnipeg will be con- have a role to play in creating Professional development ducting an Indo-Asia-Pacific deploy- opportunities for capacity building opportunities ment in 2017 employing the and maintaining readiness while Forward-deployed RCN assets Generate Forward concept with deployed in strategically important also provide an opportunity to inte- anticipated engagements in numer- regions of the world. grate with global partners, facilitating ous locations. “The strategic pre-positioning of RCN assets provides options in HMCS Windsor returns to Halifax after being response to any emerging crisis,” re-tasked during a NATO exercise. explains Capt(N) Kurtz. “The avail- ability of RCN ships as they conduct their tasks throughout the world can often be leveraged to support devel- oping emergency situations.” For example, Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Vancouver was available at short notice to assist New Zealand following a 7.8 magni- tude earthquake that struck the South Island on November 14. Vancouver was in the vicinity of Auckland, NZ, at the time of the earthquake, preparing for a goodwill visit to celebrate the 75th anniversa- ry of New Zealand’s naval forces with other allied naval forces. At the request of the Government of New Zealand, the ship diverted to the region affected by the earthquake to Photo: DND Photo: www.navy-marine.forces.gc.ca ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY 3 Canadian sailor commands counter-terrorism task force By Darlene Blakeley or the second time in two years a Canadian naval offi- Fcer has taken command of Combined Task Force 150 (CTF 150), a counter-terrorism task force headquartered in Manama, Bahrain. Commodore Haydn C. Edmund- son officially assumed command of CTF 150 on behalf of Canada during a change of command cere- mony in December, taking over from DND Photo: Commander CTF 150, Commodore Haydn Edmundson, right, welcomes Cmdre Bilal Abdul Nasir of the Commander Cameron Steil of the Royal Australian Navy to Bahrain. Pakistan Navy. CTF 150 is one of three task the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Arabian assigned to CTF 150.” forces under Combined Maritime Sea and Gulf of Oman. Canada has commanded CTF 150 Forces (CMF), a multinational “I am honoured and privileged to on two other occasions: once in naval partnership that promotes command this task force and to 2008 and most recently from security, stability and prosperity work alongside our maritime security December 2014 to April 2015. In across approximately 3.2 million partners in the wider region over the addition to these command periods, square miles of international waters, next four months,” says Cmdre Canada has provided contingents in encompassing some of the world’s Edmundson. “During Canada’s com- support of other countries. Recently, most important shipping lanes. All mand of CTF 150 we will contribute from December 2015 to April 2016, 31 partner nations participate volun- to broader efforts in the region by a Canadian contingent consisting of tarily. suppressing terrorist activity through five officers and two non-commis- The deployment is part of denying terrorist organizations the sioned members of the Royal Operation Artemis, the Canadian use of maritime routes to smuggle Canadian Navy (RCN) was Armed Forces’ (CAF) ongoing con- illicit cargo. This will be accom- deployed as part of CTF 150, and tribution to counter-terrorism and plished by commanding the ships five members of the RCN deployed maritime security operations across and personnel of partner nations to Bahrain to support CTF 150 from April to August 2016. Ships of CTF 150 promote security Working with Cmdre Edmundson and stability across 3.2 million square miles of international waters. in Bahrain are 28 CAF members and two civilians from the Depart- ment of National Defence (DND). In addition, there are eight personnel from the Royal Australian Navy working on the headquarters team, including the Deputy Commander, Captain (Navy) Paul Scott. According to Cmdre Edmundson, Canada has a responsibility to its citizens, allies and partners to help safeguard the high seas.