Canadian Armed Forces Operations from 1990-2015 Update 2015 to the FIVE-W Database Prepared by: Michael A. Stevens, CD Valcom Consulting Group Inc., Albert Street, Suite 300 Ottawa, ON K1P 6A4 CSA: Dr. Michel Couillard, PMP DRDC – Centre for Operational Research and Analysis PWGSC Contract Number: W17714-4501268629 DRDC-RDDC-2015-C350 November 2015 The scientific or technical validity of this Contract Report is entirely the responsibility of the Contractor and the contents do not necessarily have the approval or endorsement of Defence R&D Canada. © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2015 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2015 i Abstract …….. This Contract Report documents the development of a database of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) operations, covering the period of 1 January 1990 to 31 December 2015 based on the FIVE-W Database [1] and its 2011 Supplemental Update [2]. The new FIVE-W Database 2015 (5W DB 2015) regenerates the original data in a relational database using Microsoft Access as its Database Management System (DBMS) software replacing the static Microsoft Word tables of the original. The 2015 version completes the data collected in the Supplemental Update [2] and adds the latest domestic, continental and expeditionary operations. The FIVE–W Database 2015 is presented as a complete set of unclassified CAF operations conducted between 1990 and 2015. Additionally, the names of operations conducted since 1945 and the names of other major activities labelled as “operations” are also captured as a means of creating a master list of operation nicknames. ii This page intentionally left blank. iii Executive Summary International Canadian Forces Operations from 1990-2015: FIVE-W Database 2015 Mike Stevens; DRDC CORA CR 2015-6133; December 2015. Introduction: The “FIVE-W Database” was originally created as a record of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) operations from 1 January 1990 to 31 December 2003. The intent was to capture sufficient information about the “who-what-where-when-why” of each operation to allow defence scientists to conduct utilization rate analyses for various services and major equipment fleets within the CAF [1]. The focus was on national and international operations that received formal names from the Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (DCDS). Activities that were considered to be routine force employment, such as sovereignty missions, support to other government departments (e.g., fisheries patrols or drug interdiction operations), and assigned national tasks such as search and rescue, were excluded. Classified missions, standing force commitments and major exercises were also excluded. In 2011, an update to the FIVE-W Database was undertaken to add partial records for expeditionary operations up to 31 December 2011 [2]. Finally, in 2015, a second revision was commissioned to fully update the FIVE-W Database across the full spectrum of domestic, continental and expeditionary operations [3]. Results: The 2004 FIVE-W database and its 2011 Supplement each consisted of just over 100 data “tables” contained in two separate Microsoft Word documents. By the strictest definition these static documents may be considered a “database”; however, after converting them into a single relational database managed with Database Management System (DBMS) software (Microsoft Access), the utility of the FIVE-W data is exponentially increased. In the new FIVE- W Database 2015 (5W DB 2015) [4], information can be arranged in a wide variety of formats to suit the researcher. This ability to categorize and filter information also allows the database to contain records that fall on the edge or even outside the intended FIVE-W scope thus permitting a more complete list of operations. Establishing categories to organize operations became an important step in this revision. The original taxonomy was updated and retained as a secondary categorization method. A new primary categorization was developed using the Program Alignment Architecture to group operations under the Strategic Outcomes that support the Canada First Defence Strategy. In adding the domestic and previously unidentified operations, the number of those that fall within scope, now 387, almost doubled from the previous work. Another 114 operation names are recorded that are outside the scope to bring the total number of operations identified in the 5W DB 2015 to 501. Significance: The 5W DB 2015 captures the essence of the “who-what-where-when-why” of CAF operations and illustrates how aspects of its force structure have been used since 1990. It provides operational research defence scientists with a flexible tool with which to analyse past operations and to predict future demand for the CAF. Future Considerations: The 5W DB 2015 is a fixed snapshot and, as time passes, there is a requirement to refresh the data for ongoing or recurring operations as well as capturing any new ones. RCAF flying hours in support of operations was a notable data area that was not fully discovered during the research for the 2015 update. iv This page intentionally left blank. v Table of Contents Abstract …….. ................................................................................................................................ ii Executive Summary........................................................................................................................ iv Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................... vi List of Tables................................................................................................................................. vii Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................................... viii 1 FIVE-W Database Update ........................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Background.................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Aim................................................................................................................................ 1 1.3 Scope ............................................................................................................................. 1 1.4 Master List of Operation Names ................................................................................... 2 1.5 New Primary Taxonomy ............................................................................................... 3 1.6 Conversion from Word to Access ................................................................................. 5 1.7 The FIVE-Ws ................................................................................................................ 6 1.8 Data Collection.............................................................................................................. 6 2 Deliverable................................................................................................................................ 8 3 Future Work............................................................................................................................ 31 3.1 Data Files..................................................................................................................... 31 3.2 Research Roadmap ...................................................................................................... 33 References ..... ............................................................................................................................... 35 List of Abbreviations..................................................................................................................... 37 vi List of Tables Table 1: Revised Mission-Task based Taxonomy........................................................................... 4 Table 2: Strategic Outcome based Taxonomy................................................................................. 5 Table 3: List of CAF Operations from 1990-2015. ......................................................................... 9 Table 4: Tombstone Records included in the FIVE-W Database.................................................. 26 vii Acknowledgements As this project is an update, the work done by Mr. Dave W. Mason is credited for providing the research into operations contained within the original Five-W database from 1990 to 2003 and its supporting documents [1]. Also, the 2012 update by Mr. Kurt Grant is acknowledged for identifying the international operations that occurred between 2003 and 2011 [2]. The archives and extensive support provided by the War Diaries section of the Directorate of History and Heritage (DHH) was greatly appreciated. viii This page intentionally left blank. ix 1 FIVE-W Database Update 1.1 Background The original “FIVE-W Database” was created as a record of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) operations from 1 January 1990 to 31 December 2003. The intent was to capture sufficient information about the “who-what-where-when-why” of each operation to allow defence scientists to conduct utilization rate analyses for various services and major equipment fleets within the CAF [1]. In 2011, a request from the Director of Capability Integration (DCI) to examine strategically significant trends and findings resulting from an