Apr 22, 2022 | International
General Wayne Eyre, Chief of the Defence Staff, has announced the first Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) General and Flag Officer senior appointments and promotions for 2022.
April 21, 2022 – Ottawa – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces
General Wayne Eyre, Chief of the Defence Staff, has announced the first Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) General and Flag Officer senior appointments and promotions for 2022. The CAF’s requirement for General and Flag Officers is driven by the need to lead defence priorities at the institutional level, create and sustain a diverse and inclusive culture, and project leadership abroad.
· Lieutenant-General J.J.M.J. Paul will be appointed Commander Canadian Army, in Ottawa.
· Major-General S.R. Kelsey will be promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-General and appointed Deputy Commander Allied Joint Force Command Naples, in Naples Italy, replacing Lieutenant-General J.J.M.J. Paul.
· Major-General E.J. Kenny will be promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-General and appointed Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force, in Ottawa, replacing Lieutenant-General A.D. Meinzinger, who will retire from the Canadian Armed Forces.
· Rear-Admiral A.I. Topshee will be promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral and appointed Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy, in Ottawa, replacing Vice-Admiral C.A. Baines, who will retire from the Canadian Armed Forces.
The CAF’s promotion-selection process is evolving to select from among the best leaders who demonstrate strength of character and professional excellence.
All promotion candidates completed evidence-based character assessments in order to be considered eligible for promotion. A multi-rater (e.g. 360 degree) assessment was used as a confirmatory tool for candidates under active consideration for promotion. The group of evaluators for the multi-rater assessments were selected from as diverse a group as possible in order to obtain a holistic perspective of the candidate’s leadership behaviours and effectiveness. In addition to a number of due diligence verifications, each promotion candidate also underwent an interview by a third party, external to Department of National Defence and CAF, which focused on personal experiences, self awareness, past challenges, failures, and successes.
More information regarding this promotion selection process can be found here.
Further promotions, appointments, and retirements will be announced once they’ve been confirmed.
Biographies of senior officers may be made available upon request by contacting Media Relations.
Media Relations
Department of National Defence
Phone: 613-904-3333
Email: mlo-blm@forces.gc.ca
Mar 24, 2022 | International
Readout
Today, Defence Minister Anita Anand met with Latvian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Artis Pabriks during his visit to Canada.
March 23, 2022 – Ottawa, Ont. – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces
Today, Defence Minister Anita Anand met with Latvian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Artis Pabriks during his visit to Canada.
Minister Anand and Minister Pabriks condemned Russia’s egregious, illegal, and unwarranted attack against the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence of Ukraine. Minister Anand and Minister Pabriks reiterated their calls on Russia to immediately cease all hostile and provocative actions against Ukraine and withdraw all military and proxy forces from the country.
The Ministers agreed that Russia’s attack on Ukraine is also an attack on the rules-based international order, and consequently, that NATO’s deterrence and defensive measures on the Alliance’s eastern flank are more important than ever.
In this regard, Minister Pabriks acknowledged Canada’s contributions to the security of NATO’s eastern flank, including Latvia. Since 2017, Canada has led NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group in Latvia, and approximately 540 Canadian personnel are deployed to the country.
Minister Pabriks thanked Canada for its decision to extend Operation REASSURANCE for a number of years beyond 2023 and to deploy additional military capabilities to NATO’s eastern flank.
Minister Anand confirmed that the deployment of up to 460 additional CAF personnel announced by Canada in February 2022 is well underway, and provided Minister Pabriks with specific updates:
At sea, Canada is doubling its contribution to NATO maritime forces in the region. On Saturday, March 19, Minister Anand attended the departure ceremony for HMCS Halifax, which is on its way to join Standing NATO Maritime Group 1, with over 250 sailors and an embarked maritime helicopter on board. HMCS Halifax will join HMCS Montreal, which is already deployed to European waters.
On land, Canada is adding new military capabilities and personnel to the Battle Group in Latvia. An advance party for the artillery battery with forward observers and an unmanned aerial system have already been deployed to Latvia. On March 19, an RCAF CC-177 aircraft departed 8 Wing Trenton carrying Canadian Army members and M777 artillery guns to Latvia. Canada also will be contributing to the Multinational Division North and is currently considering what that contribution would look like.
In the air, a CP-140 Aurora Maritime Patrol aircraft has already been transferred to NATO command, and Canada will commence its next rotation of NATO Enhanced Air Policing in Romania this summer.
Minister Anand also reiterated that Canada has up to 3,400 troops pledged to the NATO Response Force (NRF), to be deployed if directly requested by NATO. This is a mix of Army, Air Force and Maritime capabilities.
During their discussions, Minister Anand and Minister Pabriks met virtually with Canadian Army personnel stationed at CFB Valcartier, who will be departing for Latvia today as part of a Canadian Army Artillery Battery. The Ministers thanked these soldiers for their work in support of the NATO Alliance and wished them a safe journey to Latvia.
The two ministers agreed on the importance of continuing to provide Ukraine with comprehensive military aid. Minister Anand shared that Canada has announced six tranches of military aid to Ukraine since February 2022, and confirmed that much of this aid has been delivered to Ukrainian authorities and is making a difference in the current conflict.
The two Ministers agreed that both Canadians and Latvians benefit from the strong defence relationship between Canada and Latvia, and resolved to continue working together as NATO Allies to address current and emerging security challenges.
Contacts
Daniel Minden
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of National Defence
Phone: 613-996-3100
Email: daniel.minden@forces.gc.ca
Media Relations
Department of National Defence
Phone: 613-904-3333
Email: mlo-blm@forces.gc.ca
Mar 17, 2022 | International
Today, Defence Minister Anita Anand attended a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Extraordinary Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Brussels, Belgium, to discuss Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
March 16, 2022 – Brussels, Belgium – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces
Today, Defence Minister Anita Anand attended a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Extraordinary Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Brussels, Belgium, to discuss Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
During the meeting, Minister Anand and her Allied counterparts emphasized the importance of continuing to strengthen and adapt the Alliance and focused on consequences for Russia’s actions.
Ukraine’s Minister of Defence, Oleksii Reznikov, joined the meeting virtually to describe in detail the destruction caused by Russia and the determination of the Ukrainian people to defend their country.
Minister Anand reaffirmed Canada’s ironclad commitment to NATO and unwavering support for Ukraine. She highlighted Prime Minister Trudeau’s recent announcement that Canada will renew its multi-year commitment of Operation REASSURANCE, the Canadian Armed Forces’ (CAF) support to NATO’s assurance and deterrence measures in Central and Eastern Europe. She further underscored Canada’s support by highlighting the CAF’s efforts through Operation UNIFIER, Canada’s non-combat training and capacity building mission in support of Ukraine’s security forces, as well as Canada’s recent military equipment contributions to Ukraine.
On the margins of the meeting, Minister Anand hosted bilateral discussions with counterparts from Poland , Romania, Turkey, and the United Kingdom to discuss the ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine. They reflected on measures that have already been taken and ongoing coordinated efforts to restore global peace, maintain regional stability, and protect the rules-based international order.
Tomorrow in Brussels, Minister Anand will meet with U.S. Secretary of Defence, Lloyd Austin III, for a bilateral meeting.
Canada stands with the people of Ukraine and will continue to work closely with its NATO Allies and partners to coordinate support to Ukraine with military supplies, financial support and humanitarian aid as it fights for its sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence.
“Canada continues to condemn the Russian leadership’s unprovoked and unjustifiable actions. The discussions I had while at NATO reinforce the shared commitment of Allies and partners to supporting Ukraine and the need to adapt the Alliance’s deterrence and defence posture. In the face of the current security situation, NATO Allies have demonstrated the strength and resilience of the Alliance as we stand up for the rules-based international order.”
The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of National Defence
Daniel Minden
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of National Defence
Phone: 613-996-3100
Email: Daniel.Minden@forces.gc.ca
Media Relations
Department of National Defence
Phone: 613-904-3333
Email: mlo-blm@forces.gc.ca
Mar 12, 2022 | Business
In a significant boost to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision on ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’, and in sync with the announcement in the Union Budget 2022-23 that allocated 25% of Defence R & D Budget for industry led R & D, 18 major platforms have been identified by the Ministry of Defence for industry led Design & Development under various routes. The list is as follows:
Make-I
- Hypersonic Glide Vehicle
- Directed Energy Weapons (300 KW and more) [High Powered Electromagnetic Devices and High Powered Laser Devices]
- Naval Ship Borne Unmanned Aerial System (NSUAS)
- Light Weight Tank
- Self-Healing Mine Fields
- Unmanned Autonomous AI Based Land Robot
- 127 mm Naval Gun
- 127 mm Guided Projectile
- Electric Propulsion (Engines) for Ships
- Standoff Airborne Jammer
- Li-ion Cells/ Li-Sulphur Cells [Portable High Capacity Energy Systems replacing the Conventional Hydrocarbons
- Communication System (AFNET System Switches, routers, Encryptors& VOIP phones)
- Electro Optical (EO) Pod (with subsequent upgrade to EO/IR) with high resolution sensing
- ‘Plug and Play’ Housing/ Infrastructure for soldiers posted at extreme altitudes.
Under the Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020, ‘Make’ Category aims to achieve self-reliance by involving greater participation of Indian industry. Projects involving design and development of equipment, systems, major platforms or upgrades thereof by the industry can be taken up under this category. For Projects under Make-I sub-category, Ministry of Defence will provide financial support up to 70% of total cost of prototype development.
Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) Model
Under SPV model, private industry will be encouraged to take up design and development of military platforms and equipment in collaboration with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and other organizations. Following two platforms have been identified under this category.
- Long Range Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) [High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE)]
- Indian Multi Role Helicopter (IMRH)
iDEX
Projects of Start-ups, MSMEs etc. involving high-end innovation would be pursued under the iDEX category and the following platform has been selected under this category.
- Low Orbit Pseudo Satellites
Make-II
Under Make-II, which is funded by industry with assured procurement, following platform has been listed.
- Anti-jamming Systems for Multiple Platforms
Out of 18 major platforms mentioned above, following four platforms have been already accorded Approval-In-Principle (AIP) under Make-I category on 03 March 2022:
- Communication System (AFNET System Switches, routers, Encryptors& VOIP phones)
- EO Pod (with subsequent upgrade to EO/IR) with high resolution sensing
- Standoff Airborne Jammer
- Light Weight Tanks
The indigenous development of these projects will help harness the design capabilities of domestic defence industry and position India as a design leader in these technologies.
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Mar 10, 2022 | International
Today, Defence Minister Anita Anand, accompanied by Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), General Wayne Eyre, concluded a trip to Europe during which they reaffirmed Canada’s strong support to Ukraine and commitment to working with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Allies and partners to strengthen the Alliance’s deterrence and defence posture, and support the security of the region.
March 9, 2022 – Naples, Italy – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces
Today, Defence Minister Anita Anand, accompanied by Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), General Wayne Eyre, concluded a trip to Europe during which they reaffirmed Canada’s strong support to Ukraine and commitment to working with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Allies and partners to strengthen the Alliance’s deterrence and defence posture, and support the security of the region.
In Riga, Latvia, Minister Anand joined Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in meetings with several European counterparts, including Latvian Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš, the Prime Minister of Estonia, Kaja Kallas, and the Prime Minister of Lithuania, Ingrida Šimonytė, as well as the Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez. Minister Anand and General Eyre then supported the Prime Minister during a meeting with NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg. They discussed ongoing security challenges facing Ukraine and underscored the importance of collective security in preserving global peace and security and the rules-based international order.
During the visit, Minister Anand and General Eyre visited with Canadian Armed Forces personnel deployed to Task Force Latvia Headquarters and the enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group at Camp Ādaži, in support of NATO assurance efforts. They also met with Latvian Minister of Defence, Artis Pabriks and Lieutenant General Leonīds Kalniņs, Commander of the Latvian National Armed Forces, where they reiterated Canada’s unwavering commitment to NATO, Latvia and the enhanced Forward Presence.
Prime Minister Trudeau also announced that Canada will renew its multi-year commitment to Operation REASSURANCE, the Canadian Armed Forces support to NATO’s assurance and deterrence measures in central and eastern Europe.
During the second leg of the trip the Minister and CDS travelled to Naples, Italy, where they discussed NATO assurance and deterrence plans with members of the Allied Joint Force Command stationed there. They also participated in a town hall with Canadian Armed Forces members deployed in the region.
Since January 2022, Canada has responded to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine by providing financial support, humanitarian and military aid, and imposing financial sanctions and measures to support Ukraine.
“Since Russia began its illegal and unconscionable attack, Ukrainians have displayed immense courage and determination by fighting for their freedom. Canada stands with them. Our government will continue to provide Ukraine with a comprehensive military aid package, and we will work to ensure that this additional equipment is delivered safely and expeditiously. We will leave no stone unturned in our efforts to support Ukraine.”
The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of National Defence
“Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine has reaffirmed the importance of a strong and unified NATO. Now more than ever, the Canadian Armed Forces must continue the important work of collaborating with our closest Allies and trusted international partners. This week, Minister Anand and I met with several of our NATO counterparts to discuss current and future security threats and we thanked personnel deployed throughout Europe for their unwavering commitment and steadfast resolve.”
Chief of the Defence Staff, General Wayne Eyre
Daniel Minden
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of National Defence
Phone: 613-996-3100
Email: Daniel.Minden@forces.gc.ca
Media Relations
Department of National Defence
Phone: 613-904-3333
Email: mlo-blm@forces.gc.ca
