TEAM ARTEMIS: PROVEN SYSTEM. UNMATCHED SUPPORT.

By Newell Durnbrooke

EdC: Tell me about your RPAS team?

L3Harris: L3Harris has teamed with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to offer a modified Heron TP Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), which we have named the ‘Artemis UAS’, to specifically meet and exceed the requirements of Canada’s RPAS program. L3Harris is the prime contractor for this team and one of the two bidders down selected by the Canadian government. Over the next couple of months we will be announcing other Tier 1 members of our Team Artemis, so stay tuned.

EdC: What are the unique capabilities that the Artemis solution brings to the table?

L3Harris: Team Artemis offers several advantages to our customer, beyond the impressive operational capabilities of the Heron TP. First and foremost, we are proposing a solution that is free from the influence of non-Canadian governments, both in terms of operational use and sustainment. We believe this to have been an influence in Germany’s selection of the Heron TP for its expeditionary operations. Secondly, we are tailoring the mission system to meet Canada’s specific mission and security needs. But perhaps most importantly, we will be creating high-value jobs in Canada for manufacture and assembly of the aircraft and for the development of the mission system. 

EdC: How will Team Artemis meet Canadian government industrial requirements in terms of value and producing high-tech jobs?

L3Harris: By simply doing as much work as we can in Canada. As we approach the mission system, for example, we constantly challenge ourselves to find Canadian solutions for the design choices we make. Team Artemis has already done a cross-Canada tour to seek out the best companies, from Tier 1 partners to subcontractors and suppliers, from coast-to-coast-to-coast. We are committed to building a formidable pan-Canadian team, with small, medium and large businesses, to maximize the Canadian content of our solution. In fact, Team Artemis is exclusively positioned to maximize high-value Canadian jobs and technology transfer.

EdC: What other benefits to Canada does the Artemis solution provide?

L3Harris: In the defence world, we know that acquiring a capability is only the beginning. Complex defence equipment needs specialized care from companies that know the support business. As the RCAF’s premier In-Service Support provider, we at L3Harris have been supporting RCAF aircraft fleets for more than 40 years, including the CF-18, CC-150 Polaris, CP-140 Aurora, CT-114 Tutor and the CH-148 Cyclone. We understand Canadian airworthiness, both military and civil, maintenance, logistics, engineering, obsolescence, supply chain, and overall fleet management. With the long-term support of the OEM, IAI, as a key member of Team Artemis, we offer this proven Canadian support throughout the entire lifecycle of RPAS.

Executive Viewpoint: Francesco Norante: President of Leonardo Canada

By James Scott

CANSEC 2019 puts a lot of very busy people within reach of inquisitive types, in this case, allowing me to speak with Francesco Norante.

EdeC: Your company, in one form or another has been here for a long time, but there’s a new corporate structure for Leonardo in Canada, could you talk about that?

Norante: The company, last year, started to push quite a lot in terms of industrial presence world-wide. One of the strategic countries we identified was Canada. So, we have been here for the last fifty years, particularly DRS Canada. Over all, in Canada we have 400 people, spread out between Ottawa, where we have multiple locations, and Halifax.

However, last year our CEO, Allessandro Profumo, decide our presence abroad needed to be co-ordinated. So, he established a new office, located at 55 Metcalfe in downtown Ottawa and we created a national company, a full Canadian company.

Our responsibility is to co-ordinate commercial activities of the five divisions: Space, Helicopters, Aircraft training solutions, cyber security and critical infrastructure. We also have a mandate to expand the domestic market.

Our goal is to leverage technology that we have in the global group. We have over 46,000 employees around the world in 150 countries. We invest heavily in research and development; around 12% of our revenues are re-invested in new technologies.

What we like to do in Canada is leverage all the expertise that, at the moment, is not necessarily in Canada, bring that in and leverage what is in Canada.

There are a lot of start-ups, a lot of medium and small enterprises that can be complementary to our solutions. We would like to help them join us in terms of the global supply chain. So, it’s going to be of mutual benefit.

EdeC: Will this lead to Leonardo’s various national companies concentrate in certain areas rather than all do the same thing?

Norante: Yes, definitely. We are focused on the campaign we have already identified so, as you may know, we are advanced in the negotiation for the for the Cormorant Mid-Life Upgrade. We want to continue for the next twenty years, that will allow us to invest a lot in terms of new technologies and support Canada in terms of Search and Rescue operations which is critical to the country.

We are short-listed for the Flight Aircrew Training (FAcT), one of five qualified suppliers, which is a massive, complex campaign.

We have a contract for air traffic control radars, so we are going to invest in this country to replace an obsolete system all across the country. We have another contract for weather radars.

There are different areas of investment. We are looking at cyber security because we have a full division in Europe. We have developed a lot of expertise with NATO.

We are not just talking about products, but entire solutions. Leonardo has a unique capability to cover a very large spectrum of solutions and we invest in all of them. In Canada we have the possibility that we can mimic all the technology right across the board. It’s a very open field for us.

EdeC: At CANSEC your booth had the Aermacchi 345 jet trainer on display. Are you hoping to see some signal on replacing our training fleet soon?

Norante: what I can tell you is Leonardo is one of the few, if not the only company around who has invested a lot in aircraft trainers, that will always be a part of our approach. Training solutions has to include a platform and that is our interim solution. Obviously, we are aware of what is present in the country; the necessity to boost the economy and open the door to collaboration, so we are very flexible on that.

What we are trying to do in many activities is push for a tailored solution, a flexible solution that is good for the military. We are not here trying to push something the end user doesn’t need.

EdeC: The fashion in business is sometimes to grow big and broad and at other times to sell off acquisitions to focus on core business. Does Leonardo have the right mix of global reach and expertise?

Norante: Flexibility is one of the key aspects of success. You try to shape your solutions according to what the market wants and try to identify the best solution for the end-user.

Our divisions are not territorial but based on expertise world-wide. Then we have corporate to ensure co-ordination. Plus, in each country, you have a company like Leonardo Canada that is able to co-ordinate key exports.

I think, personally, I’ve been with the company for ten years, and I think it’s the best time to be with this company.

SUPPORTING THE CANADIAN MILITARY COMMUNITY: RBC Insurance Introduces Their Simplified Term Life Plan

Mike Hamilton, SVP, Sales, Distribution & Marketing, RBC Insurance

To explore the new initiatives offered by RBC Insurance to the military community, Esprit de Corps spoke with Mike Hamilton, SVP, Sales, Distribution & Marketing, RBC Insurance

Edec: I understand that RBC Insurance is offering a new service aimed at the military community. What was the genesis behind
RBC Insurance’s decision to create such a targeted initiative? 

MH: RBC is committed to Canada’s military and we saw the opportunity to do more to support the unique challenges they face. As a result, we are now offering our Simplified Term Life insurance coverage to help Canadian military personnel – both active and retired, and their spouses – get the insurance coverage they need. 

As a former member of the US army with 10 years of service, my ability to combine that experience with my leadership role at RBC Insurance allows me to see and understand the needs of both sides and to effect important change.

Edec: What are the unique challenges faced in the military and in transitioning to civilian life – and how to overcome them? 

MH: Military personnel have unique financial needs, for example having to change posts with little notice. This may require them to break their mortgage prior to maturity and that can be costly. 

There are also a number of challenges transitioning to civilian life; one-third of Canadian Veterans report difficulties with it. It is sometimes hard to see how your experience can be of benefit to the corporate world, and employers may not always know how to appreciate those skills. You’re also starting over in terms of building a network, which is just as critical in corporate as it is in the military. 

Edec: What benefits can the military community expect from RBC Insurance regarding this new initiative? 

MH: This product gives military personnel access to a product that has typically been difficult for them to obtain, or that they were charged higher premiums for. Our qualified experts can support them with their overall insurance planning needs for themselves and their families. We will also be taking a larger, holistic view of their unique financial needs. 

Edec: What are some tips or resources you can provide around the importance of support and financial knowledge?  

MH: A logical first thing is to reach out to not only your Veteran community, but also to business leaders and mentors in the field(s) you are interested in. 

Do not start the process when you are in the midst of retirement or transitioning out but rather start a year or two beforehand, so that you can build a solid support team 

Naturally, reaching out to someone who understands both sides (civilian and military) will really help. Of course, good financial literacy is important, so whether still in service or retired, look for a financial advisor who understands your unique needs. 

Edec: While this Simplified Term insurance is a new initiative, RBC has long been involved with the Canadian military community. Can you elaborate on that support? 

MH: Since 2011, efforts have been focused on recruitment programs directed at ex-military and their families through Treble Victor, Canada Company and True Patriot Love. The RBC Ex-Military Recruitment Program aims to help veterans and their families tap into great career choices at RBC and RBC Insurance. Ex-military are better than average workers – they just need help communicating their transferable skills. 

We also support the military with our philanthropic giving. For over 5 years, RBC senior business leaders have gathered at CFB Petawawa to participate in drills, which showcase the training and professionalism of Canada’s military. We are proud of our long-term commitment to help fund the Strongest Families Institute through True Patriot Love. We believe the families of those who serve should feel safe and supported here at home.

KEEPING THE CF-18 FLYING UNTIL 2032: Brig.-Gen. Todd Balfe Explains How The RCAF Will Accomplish That Mission

By David Pugliese

The Royal Canadian Air Force will keep its CF-18 fighter jets flying until around 2032. But how will they do it? Brig.-Gen. Todd Balfe, the RCAF’s Fighter Capability Special Advisor, recently talked to Esprit de Corps’ David Pugliese about how that project will unfold.

The Hornet Extension Project or HEP will be divided into two phases, Balfe noted. Phase 1 will provide interoperability and regulatory upgrades to enable the fighter aircraft to remain compliant with changing civilian aviation regulations and also to remain interoperable with Canada’s allies, in particular the U.S., said Balfe. Phase 2 is looking at addressing combat capability upgrades.

Canada’s existing 76 CF-18s plus the 18 interim F-18s that were purchased from Australia will all go through Phase 1. “That’s looking at things like new GPS navigation systems; a new transponder; a new interrogator, which allows us to do the identification, friend or foe, new radios for satellite communication; upgrade some of our mission computers and our data transfer units, upgrading the helmets, some modifications to the targeting pod to make it even more effective, and then of course all the simulator enhancements that have to go with that to support it,” explained Balfe. 

Balfe, a CF-18 pilot, noted that over the years the CF-18s have received a number of upgrades to keep the aircraft relevant. Those have included jam-proof radios, Link 16 and related equipment, precision-guided munitions, and Identification, Friend or Foe (IFF) interrogators.

Portions of Phase 1 will be started as early as 2021.  “A lot of these components are reasonably straightforward to change,” Balfe explained. “One black box out, another black box in. Some are a little more complex. So, it’s going to happen over multiple series of modifications to the aircraft.”

Initial operating capability for Phase 1 is expected in 2022. Full operating capability for both Phase 1 and Phase 2 is expected in 2025.

Only a select number of CF-18s will receive the Phase 2 enhancements because the RCAF is expecting to take possession of the first of the next generation fighter aircraft starting as early as 2025. “When we looked at (Phase 2), we were very conscious of the return on investment,” explained Balfe. “For example, we’re going to have 94 aircraft here fairly soon when we introduce the Australian aircraft. We’ll put those 94 aircraft through HEP Phase 1, but we will certainly not do 94 aircraft, not even close to it, to get to HEP Phase 2. (HEP Phase 2) is to give us sufficient combat capability to achieve operational parity against current threats to bridge to the future fighter aircraft.”

“To do the upgrade, for example, and only get one or two years of service out them makes no sense for the taxpayers’ dollars or for our use of DND’s budget dollars,” Balfe added. “So therefore, it’s a limited number of aircraft. That give us two squadrons with a capability, which is what we feel we need as we do the transition to the future fighter.”

As the future fighter aircraft are brought on line, the legacy CF-18 aircraft will be removed. The limited number of CF-18s which will go through HEP Phase 2 modernization will give the RCAF the bridge it needs to continue meeting NORAD and NATO commitments while new aircraft are introduced.

Balfe said final costing for the two phases is still being worked out. But it is expected that Phase 1 will cost between $250 million and $499 million. Phase 2 is estimated to cost between $500 million and $1 billion.

Balfe said that total maximum cost of $1.5 billion, in terms of keeping the aircraft operational out until 2032, was seen by the government and military leadership as “an efficient and a wise and a necessary use of resources.”

For Phase 2, Canada looked to its allies, particularly the U.S., for what those nations had done to improve the combat capability of the F-18. As a result, for Phase 2 Canada will modernize the aircraft’s primary sensor, its radar, examine buying advanced air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons, as well as improving the survivability of the aircraft in terms of self-defence systems. The fourth area for Phase 2 that needs to be dealt with involves mission support and security, said Balfe. “In other words, some of those advanced weapons go to a higher security level than we’re currently operating at and therefore, we have to bring in place measures to be able to mission plan and operate at those higher security levels,” he explained.

A number of advancements have been made on air-to-air weapons. For instance, the U.S. Air Force is in the midst of developing  the AIM-260 Joint Air Tactical Missile. That weapon is expected to have more range and capability than the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile used by the U.S., Canada and other nations. The USAF is hoping to field the new missile in 2022. 

On the air-to-ground side, Balfe said the RCAF could be looking at low collateral damage weapons with a standoff capability, which in turn, would increase aircraft survivability.

Can weapons purchased for Phase 2 be used on the future fighter?

Balfe said the RCAF has looked at that issue. “We did do a quick analysis of the platforms, and the majority of these weapons would flow across to all four of the competitors,” he explained. “Not all would, however, because those four aircraft don’t all carry the same weapons, aren’t all authorized for the same weapons. But I can tell you that the majority of the weapons would flow across.”

Such a cross-over would bring significant benefits, according to Balfe. “It’s not just the cost of the actual weapon. It’s the cost to the training of the individuals to maintain, load and employ those weapons. We almost see it as an investment in the future fighter, because those ground crews and air crews are going to be trained on a weapon that’s much more advanced than we have right now but yet is going be on the future fighter.”

UPDATE ON CANADA’S INTERIM FIGHTER JETS

The first two of the interim F-18s purchased from Australia entered operational service on June 28. The remaining 16 will arrive over the next 18 months, says Brig.-Gen. Balfe. The Australian aircraft are receiving modifications to bring them in line with the configuration of the RCAF’s CF-18s. New ejection seats are being installed as Australia uses a different seat than Canada. In addition, the operational flight program is being changed to the one used by Canada. The night vision imaging system is also being changed, said Balfe.

The other key modification is to install the targeting pods being used by the RCAF. Canada uses the Lockheed Martin Sniper Targeting Pod. Australia used the Northrop Grumman LITENING Targeting Pod. “We had to transition our aircraft to support our pod,” Balfe said.

EXECUTIVE INTERVIEW: Mike Greenley on MDA's Space and Defence Programs

Esprit de Corps: MDA is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. What have been the highlights of MDA’s achievements in the field of Space and Defence?

In February 1969, MDA began in the basement of John MacDonald, and 50 years later, we are an internationally recognized leader in space robotics and sensors, Earth observation satellites and ground systems, satellite communications technologies, geospatial radar imagery, and defence, intelligence and surveillance systems. I’ve recently had the chance to review the milestones and achievements MDA is recognized for, and while I am sharing a selection, it’s notable how many of these achievements are connected with Canada’s recognized leadership in these areas:

• Space Robotics: Canadarm: this iconic Canadian technology was flown on over 90 missions for NASA’s space shuttle program, along with TriDAR and Laser Camera Systems. Today, Canadarm2 and Dextre continue to support International Space Station missions.

• Space and Airborne Remote Sensing: world’s first image processed digitally from Seasat, RADARSAT-1, RADARSAT-2 and RADARSAT Constellation Mission; first constellation of satellites for insurance industry, and CP-140 Aurora Imaging radar system and exploitation system

• Space Sensors and Exploration Robotics: providing high resolution 3D scans of the Asteroid Bennu on OSIRIS-Rex mission, Advanced Space Vision System used on Dextre, multiple Mars rovers (Sample Fetch Rover, ESA ExoMars, NASA Phoenix and Curiosity)

• Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Services (CU-170, CU-173, CU-175)

• Systems integrator and In-service support for RCN: Significant 25-year heritage in providing support to Royal Canadian Navy’s interests:

• Kingston-Class, Electronic Systems Integrator and in-service support provider

• Victoria-Class Command Team trainers

• Naval Combat Operator trainer

• Naval Operations Software Solutions
(nee Maritime Command Operational Information Network)

• Leading provider of Global Procedure Design for USAF and FAA. Evaluated and selected by the U.S. Air Force for its safety, usability, and productivity, GPD is currently in use by more than 200 design specialists operating at over 100 locations around the world.

• Earth Observation Systems – delivered 100 ground receiving stations in over 25 countries

Esprit de Corps: Can you tell me about MDA’s current work in the Defence sector?

 We have had some pivotal awards that use our decades-long expertise in areas we are world leaders.

MDA is in year two of its three-year development of NATO’s new maritime operational command and control system TRITON.  TRITON will replace NATO’s existing legacy operations systems in this area. The goal of TRITON is to establish and share a common view of the battle space, improve situational awareness and decision-making processes for all NATO forces.  Interoperability is key, TRITON will enable NATO forces by building and disseminating key information such as the NATO Recognized Maritime Picture (RMP) and White Shipping Picture. TRITON will also provide a variety of decision aid and operational support functions. This work is being done primarily in our Halifax location, which we have more than doubled in size in the last year to accomplish this task.

Our leadership in space-based maritime domain awareness continues to deliver capabilities for Canada’s Department of National Defence under the Polar Epsilon projects. 
Since 2010, MDA has been providing space-based intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities for the Canadian Armed Forces exploiting MDA’s RADARSAT-2 that were delivered under the Polar Epsilon project. In 2016, MDA was selected as the prime contractor and will deliver short term in-service support that will provide advanced capabilities from the Government of Canada’s RADARSAT Constellation Mission, exploiting space-based synthetic aperture radar and its automatic identification system for derived ship detections for the Canadian Armed Forces global ISR needs.  Combining radar and AIS information will enable the CAF to locate ‘dark’ targets in the maritime domain enabling better cueing of reconnaissance platforms such as maritime patrol aircraft. Similarly, MDA delivered and currently supports a mobile ground station, called ‘Unclassified Remote-sensing Situational Awareness’, or URSA, which is accessing multiple satellite missions supporting deployments by the Canadian Joint Operations Command. This system has been deployed since December 2017 in Bahrain co-located with the USN Fifth Fleet Headquarters and part of the Canadian Joint Operations Command Operation Foundation.

MDA also operates for the Canadian Armed Forces the Sapphire satellite providing space situational awareness to the Canada Space Operations Centre and for further input to the US Space Surveillance Network.  Sapphire was launched in early 2013 exceeding its 5-year mission design life and performance specifications.

Esprit de Corps: MDA’s RADARSAT Constellation Mission (RCM) will be a major contribution to the Government of Canada and in particular the Canadian Armed Forces. What is the latest status update on RCM?

The satellites are completed and have been shipped. They are currently stored at our sister company SSL in readiness for launch in 2019 by SpaceX.

Esprit de Corps: What are some of the Defence and Space projects that MDA plans to focus on as you head into the next half century?

Overall, we are increasing our role as a Canadian Content Value Proposition partner to international firms that need an engineering, manufacturing, and support partner for programs in Canada.

 Most recently, we are proud to be partnered on Canada’s Combat Ship Team lead by Lockheed Martin Canada. MDA will lead the integration and design of the Electronic Warfare system for the Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) warships.  While it may look like a slight departure from space, the CSC EW program and defence products we plan to build will use the innovation and technical expertise of all of our Richmond, Brampton, Halifax and Montreal locations. MDA will leverage our space radar, optical and antenna expertise into the naval arena to provide high quality, Canadian built products to support the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN).

MDA is the only company to deliver UAS systems and services to all three service branches of the Canadian Armed Forces (the RCAF, RCN, and Canadian Army).  Through these programs we delivered: highly-reliable and multi-INT airborne ISR platforms, payloads and exploitation systems, and supported both domestic and deployed operations.  After building a sovereign in-service support and sustainment capability, we have since leveraged our successes in Canada and expanded internationally. Today, teams of MDA personnel are deployed and operating company-owned UAVs in contested airspace overhead conflict zones, gathering and delivering critical ISR products, and helping our clients by performing first-line analyses on the collected data.  Proudly partnered with best-in-class UAS manufacturers (AeroVironment, Schiebel, General Atomics) we will continue honing our capabilities, in order to serve the future needs of the Canadian Armed Forces and the needs of Canada’s Allies.

Going forward, we will continue to support and enhance the NATO TRITON project as it replaces NATO’s existing systems over the next couple of years. The TRITON project is expected to become the standard for maritime command and control for many NATO nations.

And finally, we will be focused on delivering capabilities for the DND Space Program as outlined in Strong Secured and Engaged, highlighted by ISR capabilities for Surveillance from Space under the Defence Enhanced Surveillance from Space Program; Surveillance of Space for the Surveillance of Space 2 project; and satellite communications under the Enhanced Satellite Communications Polar project. 

 Esprit de Corps would like to thank Wendy Keyzer and Mike Greenley for their assistance in preparing this article.

THE CAF ON GLOBAL & DOMESTIC STAGES: An Interview With CJOC Commander LGen Stephen Bowes

LGen Stephen Bowes, commanding officer of Canadian Joint Operations Command, visited the CAF members deployed as part of Operation REASSURANCE’s enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group (eFP BG)Latvia in August 2017. (mcpl gerald cormier, efp bg latvia public affairs)

(Volume 24-11)

By Sandrine Murray

When wildfires were ravaging record amounts of forest in B.C. this summer, the Canadian Armed Forces were there. They spent 10 weeks assisting the province in managing the situation through Operation LENTUS.

The Canadian Joint Operations Command (CJOC) directed the regional joint task force responsible, as it does for most of the Forces’ operations. It administers the day-to-day management of all kinds of missions for the Chief of Defence Staff, including domestic and global challenges, ensuring Canada’s goals are met. CJOC has six standing regional Joint Task Force Headquarters across Canada, as well as a network of units and task forces that are deployed abroad. Esprit de Corps’ Sandrine Murray recently sat down with CJOC Commander LGen Stephen Bowes to discuss the organization’s efforts, evolution and future. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Esprit de Corps: Since you assumed command of CJOC, what have been your team’s main efforts?

LGen Bowes: I assumed command back in June of 2015, so it’s been two and half years now in this, and I’ve seen the evolutions go through. I’ve seen a government come into office and one of the first big tasks they had was what we called Operation PROVISION, which was to facilitate the movement of Syrian refugees into Canada. We played a role there, on the domestic side.

[Domestic operations are] rather routine for us, in a sense. What we’ve done in British Columbia this summer is not new — we were fighting fires in Fort McMurray and Saskatchewan the years before — and we also supported New Brunswick during the ice storm on the Acadian Peninsula. That’s a very normal set in the run of a year. We’re basically supporting other arms of government as the leads, in bringing the capabilities that we have —both in equipment, but more importantly in people — to those challenging circumstances.

During his visit to the eFP BG in Latvia last August, LGen Stephen Bowes spoke with our members of the allied NATO mission, including soldiers of the Polish armed forces

When I look at the world, we break it down in three ways: Canada, North America and the periphery — the United States, Mexico and the countries of the Caribbean — and then we look at the broader set of the world. You can subdivide that in terms of Canadian priorities, but those are the three that allow us to understand what the world really is.

We have an air task force that’s in Romania; a maritime task force that’s in the waters off of Europe; and a land task force that’s in Latvia. That consumes quite a bit of our time, so our focus is managing that mission. We’re in the Middle East and of course the [Persian] Gulf region. And we support a wider set of smaller missions that are currently in support of the United Nations, but also in support of things like the Multinational Force & Observers [an independent international organization] in the Sinai. We’ve been there for quite some time; it’s a very successful peace support mission between Egypt and Israel.

We are also part of something called Operation PROTEUS, which is to support the United States in building up the capacity of Palestinian security forces in the West Bank. We have people in Jerusalem, and across the West Bank, helping to build the capacity of the Palestinian security forces. So there’s a range of missions that are out there. And at the end of the day, the underlying theme in all of this is we focus on the management of the missions and their sustainment.

I divide my responsibilities. I also oversee a joint training program that helps bring all the domains of the Canadian Forces together. Every day I go to work, I am concerned about the Forces’ protection and the well-being of our people that are deployed wherever they’re at, be it Canada or abroad.

Esprit de Corps: Have things changed at all since you took command in 2015, in the structure of the command, in its mandate or goals?

LGen Bowes: The CJOC I took command of is the same basic organization that we have today. We perhaps adapt and change small positions based on the missions, but CJOC is a broader team. It’s a joint team that’s right across the country. We have a joint air component commander in Winnipeg; we have a maritime component commander in Halifax. That structure hasn’t changed. In terms of the cycle of the tasks, things ebb and flow.

You wouldn’t be surprised to hear that I see more on the environmental side. I’ve certainly seen more active engagement by the military in support of other government departments and other branches of Canadian government writ large. I don’t expect that to change too much. There will always be fires and cycles, so we will continue to help Canadians in need as called upon by the appropriate provincial or federal authority. And the trends on the international stage have not changed in the last number of years. Our challenges are still the same. And that’s unlikely to change in the near term.

Esprit de Corps: What have been your main challenges in commanding CJOC?

During his tour of a vehicle/equipment display, LGen Stephen Bowes was given a presentation on some of the weapons the Italian military (top right) is currently using in the Latvian theatre. (photos by mcpl gerald cormier, efp bg latvia public affairs, dnd)

LGen Bowes: We have a very small force, and we have proven ourselves time and again to the Canadian people and the Government of Canada by delivering operational excellence. And the reason I refer to the smallness of the force is that, well, people tend to identify ships, planes and armoured vehicles, but our most important resources are people. The most important capability they bring to the table is their intellect: It doesn’t know gender, race, creed, colour, or sexual orientation. As we go forward as an organization, it’s how we ensure that the right person with the right skillset is appropriately trained, has the intellect and is assigned to the task. We went through a period in the early part in this decade where our budgets shrunk dramatically. The force got smaller.

Now we’re in a period where we are trying to grow in response to Strong, Secure, Engaged — the defence policy of the Government of Canada. But at the same time, growing is a challenge. We are more active than we were three to four years ago. We have more people deployed on operations. When I come to work every morning and leave every day, I’m always thinking about our people.

Where is the CJOC headed in 2018?

LGen Bowes: I see a continued uptake in the tempo. By tempo, I am referring to our personnel, primarily. We stand by for orders from the government through the Chief of Defence on peace support operations, as an example. If that comes down the pipe, then we will launch out in whatever direction that is given. But based on where the world is at, based on what I’m seeing, in the broader Middle East region, in Europe, in Africa, and in terms of weather and environmental challenges, I think the tempo of Joint Operations is going to be higher in the years ahead. And therefore, we seek to set the conditions to sustain that.

My perspective in this job is a lot shorter in timeline than others. Our service chiefs and others take a look at the longer term, they acquire equipment based on a longer-term piece. I’m focused very near-end, very day-to-day. I still look ahead and I still participate in that dialogue, but the Chief of Defence Staff is looking to me and our team here in Joint Operations Command to have a focus on the day-to-day operations and the near-term challenges.

We think in terms of rotations of our forces overseas. With a previous rotation that may have come out from an operation, we go through a formal lessons learned process. We identify where we need to make changes, how we prepare the force, and what its structure should be. We manage the force that’s there in the moment, and then we look ahead to say, ‘here’s the things we need to do to enable the next team that goes in to have success.’ The clear message coming out of that is our focus is delivering excellence in operations. But excellence in operations is entirely dependent on your personnel.

And now for a few rapid-fire questions:

What is your favourite movie? The Hunt for Red October.

Your favourite travel location? Disney World. I last went there with my granddaughters.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be? Seeing the future.

Favourite sports team? Montreal Canadiens.

Favourite season? Fall.

Your favourite meal? I love food period. Steak … but Thai food would be up there.

Dogs or cats? Dogs.

If you could sit down with one historical figure, who would it be? People who found themselves at a key moment in time and changed the course of history … Abraham Lincoln, Churchill, Roosevelt.

When you were growing up, what did you want to be? I think I wanted to be an athlete. High school to me was football in the fall, hockey in the winter, and baseball in the spring.

You can listen to only one song the rest of your life. Which would it be? I can think of a couple of Beatles’ songs. Hey Jude has got to be up there.

CANADA'S TOP COMMANDO: An Interview With MGen Michael Rouleau

MGen Rouleau during a townhall with members of CANSOFCOM deployed to Iraq earlier this year. A former commanding officer of Joint Task Force 2, MGen Rouleau has almost 25 years experience in the Canadian Army and is considered “a highly respected leader within the Canadian Armed Forces and the special operations community” by former CDS General Tom Lawson. (dnd)

(Volume 24-10)

By Sandrine Murray

Since February 2014, Major-General Michael Rouleau has been the commander of the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM), the Canadian government’s force of last resort for operational command.

Its five different units — Joint Task Force 2 (JTF2), the Canadian Joint Incident Response Unit – Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CJIRU-CBRN), the Canadian Special Operations Regiment (CSOR), 427 Special Operations Aviation Squadron (SOAS), and the Canadian Special Operations Training Centre (CSOTC) — are ready to respond to a wide range of missions, including: hostage rescue, maritime special operations, and combating weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). Special Operations Forces members are highly trained personnel ready to respond to missions of strategic significance.

 Esprit de Corps’ Sandrine Murray sat down with MGen Rouleau on September 19, 2017 to hear his thoughts on how the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM) has changed since its creation in 2006, about the mental health initiatives being undertaken within the organization, and where the special forces units are headed next. (adam peace, esprit de corps)

Esprit de Corps’ Sandrine Murray sat down with MGen Rouleau on September 19 to hear his thoughts on how the organization has changed since its creation in 2006, mental health initiatives within the organization, and where CANSOFCOM is headed next. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Esprit de Corps: What do you find makes Special Operations Forces soldiers unique?

MGen Rouleau: There’s an uncommon level of commitment for the individuals who work here, and once they get here it’s a lot of work to be here. It’s a high-pressure environment; the expectations are very high. It’s an ongoing commitment. You don’t just get in the door and coast. There’s no such thing as coasting. We’re always going pretty hard at our job. What makes us unique though goes beyond the soldiers. We’re organizationally unique. We’re a very agile organization. We’re very flat as an organization, so we move quickly. We don’t have a lot of structure and hierarchy built into our organization. It allows us to move very quickly on issues to build, break, hack, iterate and do it all over again.

Esprit de Corps: Since you took over in February 2014, have there been any changes to the organizational structure?

MGen Rouleau: Special Forces has always had reserves of excellence at the tactical level. People do very well on the ground. But I felt where we needed to mature was as a Level 1 organization in the military, at the same level as the Army, the Navy and the Air Force. I felt that we had some distance to go to mature as that organization. I think we’re more coherent as a force right now, than we were. We’re more sustainable and forward-thinking in institutional terms. It’s not just about doing a great job, but about sustaining ourselves as an organization over the long term.

Esprit de Corps: Has it proven to be a challenge to be more open? Especially with the nature of the Special Operations Forces?

MGen Michael Rouleau reviews a group of CSOR soldiers, who are pulled from different parent units and trades, identifiable by their cap badges. (dnd)

MGen Rouleau: With running any organization, there are always challenges. There are always opportunities as well. There have been challenges wanting to open up more, as it would be unwise and unsafe. But, in opening up more, people’s appetites increase, especially about capabilities that relate to the national interest. There has been challenges internally — cultural challenges. Because we’ve operated in relatively closed-off ways, opening up more sort of makes my people ask the question, “Well, why are we doing this?” But Canadians can’t support something they know nothing about. And frankly, as a vehicle to recruiting more people, but also as a hedge. Because there’s always going to be not-so-great things happening in every organization and if you have nothing on the positive side when something bad happens, there’s nothing to balance it off with. There’s evidence of that in our outreach, here sitting with you. But like everything else in life, it has to have balance to it.

Esprit de Corps: The Liberal government promised $62-billion over the next 20 years and that includes 605 new Special Operations Forces soldiers. What are your thoughts?

MGen Rouleau: I am delighted. The CDS [Chief of the Defence Staff] had approved our growth a year ago within the Canadian Armed Forces, but that was affirmed now by government policy. We are going to grow by an additional 600 plus, which will bring us to just under 3,000 uniformed people, which is tremendous. That is going to allow us to develop depth, so that I won’t have to necessarily work my soldiers as much as I do now.

I would just point out though, those 605 people, they’re not going to be all special operators. You’ve got some operators, whether it’s a JTF2 operator, CJIRU operator in the chemical-biological space, or CSOR operator. We’re also giving some of those positions to our Air Force squadron, to our helicopter squadron. I have given the commander of the Air Force a certain number of those positions, so we can further develop the helicopter squadron. We are going to flesh out our schoolhouse as well, in Petawawa.

But I would also like to point out that we’re growing in the civilian defence team side. Because it would be out of sync to just grow uniforms but not the defence team. An effective CANSOFCOM is like a team effort, a team sport. I need my civilian defence team members to be a balanced element with my reserve members and with my regular members. It’s a balanced people portfolio that’s really going to help us get even better in the future.

 CSOR is a modern Special Operations Force that leverages leading-edge technology, capabilities and robust training to ensure operational success. CSOR’s lineage is traced back to the First Special Service Force, a joint American-Canadian SOF during the Second World War. Since its inception, CSOR has continuously engaged in operations in support of the Government of Canada’s Global Engagement Strategy. (dnd)

The last point I’d make is that one of the things we mention often here is growth, [but that doesn’t always mean] bigger and bigger. Growth for us is better and better. There’s a difference. I am not looking for the biggest CANSOFCOM possible. Because every person we grow by puts risk on our culture, on our uniqueness, on our specialness. What I want is a CANSOFCOM appropriately big enough to handle the future load that we think we’ll have to carry, but not one person bigger than that so that we’re not putting at risk our culture, and furthermore, that we’re not taking people away from the Army, the Navy and the Air Force, because we’re part of a bigger team.

Esprit de Corps: Is there any story you have the freedom to share that can reflect the reality of special forces and the level at which they operate?

MGen Rouleau: Two of my three tours at the Balkans were in non-special forces context. I got to the Balkans in 1991, right at the start of the conflict, and my last tour was in 1997. Reflecting on my special forces tour that occurred in 1997, I was a captain leading a small team back then. It was a different time. The Canadian Armed Forces hadn’t had Joint Task Force 2 for very long. It had only been around for four years operationally at that point. It was a young unit. It was not well-known, so it was hard to integrate into operations. We did some good work back then, but we were sort of trying to find our way even when we were deployed. When I think of operations now, I command and control my deployed forces. And I think that’s an important point to make, because I work for the Chief of the Defence Staff. He gives me my orders. I translate those orders to a commander I deploy, and that commander works for me. There’s an unbroken chain of clarity and speed in that system. And that’s not the way it was in the early years. Every relay doubles the noise and cuts the message in half.

Esprit de Corps: Has there been an increase in services offered to members of the special forces?

MGen Rouleau: I’ve got 30 years in the military and in the past several years I’ve seen such a difference from my first 25 or 27 years … it’s incredible. And it’s a good thing. My job as a commander is to establish the correct climate and culture for my command. Fundamentally, that’s one of my most important jobs.

I’ve tried to make a strong point with my subordinate commanders for people to understand that mental health is no different than physical health. We would never leave a trooper with a broken leg untreated. And so why would we ever consider leaving someone with a mental health concern untreated? It makes no sense.

Minister of National Defence Harjit Sajjan addresses the troops during his visit at Camp Érable, Iraq on December 21, 2016. Canada’s Special Operations Forces are comprised of highly skilled soldiers and its units kept at very high readiness levels, ready for deployment at a moment’s notice for service at home or abroad. (cf combat camera)

We’ve expanded; we spent a lot of time, about a year’s worth of work, putting together special forces mental wellness. We hired experts in the field; we supplemented our organic psychologists with other experts. We brought a multi-disciplinary team together: padres, social workers, psychiatrists, sports performance specialists, and human performance specialists. We developed a special operations mental agility program, which is a training program that gives people tools to be able to contend with stressors in life. More broadly, we developed the Optimizing Performance Force and Family (OPF2) initiative.

The OPF2 targets an operator demographic, and everyone [fits into the] CANSOFCOM demographic and a family demographic. It’s a regime of tools to help them contend with the stresses of working here, or being with a loved one who works here. It’s not just about helping people who work here. It’s about giving them the tools they need to not get broken in the first place, hopefully. But more than that, if they are hurting, it’s about taking care of them because there’s more to life than the military. We all have lives after the military, and I don’t want my people to ever leave the military broken.

FORCE GENERATION: Plotting The Way Forward For Canada's Army

 Lieutenant-General Paul Wynnyk addresses the crowd in attendance during the official Commander of the Canadian Army Change of Command Ceremony that was held on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on July 14, 2016. The parade marked the formal hand-over of the leadership of the Canadian Army from Lieutenant-General Marquis Hainse to Lieutenant-General Paul Wynnyk. (cpl andrew wesley, directorate army public affairs)

(Volume 24-07)

By Micaal Ahmed

On June 21, 2017 Esprit de Corps journalist Micaal Ahmed met with Lieutenant-General Paul Wynnyk, Commander of the Canadian Army, for an in-depth interview on the current challenges facing the Canadian Army and plans for the future. The text below has been edited for length and clarity.

Esprit de Corps: General, first of all, allow me to thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with Esprit de Corps today. It is most appreciated. You have been the commander of Canada’s Army for nearly a full year now, and this has been a period of great transition for the Canadian Armed Forces. What would you say have been your three greatest challenges to date?

LGen Paul Wynnyk: Well, I think the challenges are common to any Army Commander. There is one constant challenge, and that’s making sure that our troops are prepared for operations both at home and overseas. As a force generator, that’s probably the most important thing that we do here in the Army — to make sure that our troops are well-trained, well-led and well-equipped for operations.

I would say that what’s unique about last year is the work we’ve done on preparing for the release of the new Defence Policy: Strong, Secure, Engaged. The last policy we had was in 2008, so it’s not something that comes up on every Army Commander’s watch. I sit on the Policy Committee, and in fact I’m the only service commander that sits. So, that was challenging in a very good way. We had the opportunity to shape the next 20 years, which is a privilege most Army Commanders don’t experience.

The third challenge … [speaking of Operation HONOUR, which addresses inappropriate sexual behaviour in the Canadian Armed Forces] is ensuring that every member of the Canadian Army understands the importance of respect for others. We constantly place emphasis on treating our people right. Sexual misconduct is but one aspect of treating our people right and acting ethically. In fact, I’m not sure I would call it a challenge, but the way we do business. Obviously, there are issues that come up from time to time, and we deal with them, but I think the emphasis that [Chief of the Defence Staff] General Vance has placed on this issue and the buy-in that we have from the entire leadership across the Canadian Armed Forces, is paying dividends.

 With Chief of Defence Staff General Jonathan Vance (right) looking on, LGen Paul Wynnyk (left) signs the official scroll that hands over the leadership of the Canadian Army to him from his predecessor, LGen Hainse, during the Commander Canadian Army Change of Command Ceremony. (cpl andrew wesley, directorate army public affairs)

 Esprit de Corps: Following up on that theme, in what area would you feel you have accomplished the most positive change to date?

LGen Paul Wynnyk: I wouldn’t say that I have personally accomplished anything. I mean, I work here with a fantastic Army team. I think we’ve made a lot of progress in the last year on strengthening the Army Reserve — that has been a big priority. And, as you probably read in the new Defence Policy: Strong, Secure, Engaged, this is the first Defence Policy that has a separate section dedicated to the Reserves. We are also making progress in actually devolving a number of responsibilities and authorities right down to the unit level.

A good example I’ll use is recruiting for the Army Reserve. Prior to the first of April, recruiting was centrally controlled through the Chief of Military Personnel, and it was a rather lengthy process. The average time to get into the Army Reserve, and I suspect it was the same for the other Services, was about six to seven months. As you can well imagine, for most of our younger people who want to join — 17, 18, 19 years old — most of them are not willing to wait around for that length of time and seek employment elsewhere.

So what we’ve done is we’ve transferred the authorities and responsibilities from the Chief of Military Personnel and we’ve pushed it right back down to the unit level. So now a young person, in their last year of high school or first year of university, can actually walk into a local armoury, conduct a number of tests — there’s the basic physical fitness test, we do a medical screening, we do a basic criminal background check — and they can be enrolled in as little as two weeks. We’ve actually proven that concept. From my point of view, that’s huge because that should be able to increase the strength of a number of our units. We’re competing for young Canadians with skills; we’re an employer. We need to get people in, and a seven-month waiting period just hasn’t done it. So I’m confident this initiative will help maintain and increase the strength of the Army Reserve.

And there are more significant initiatives in the Defence Policy. You may have noticed that one of the more significant changes is guaranteed summer employment for the first four years of reserve service. That, from my point of view, greatly incentivizes reserve service. For example, if you’re a university student, you get a break May-June-July-August. Well, if you’re a member in good standing in a Reserve unit, you’ve got guaranteed employment. You can essentially pay your way through school with your reserve service alone.

 Following the June 21 sit-down interview, Canadian Army Commander LGen Paul Wynnyk took a few minutes to talk about some of the memorabilia and photographs that adorn his office walls to Esprit de Corps’ Micaal Ahmed.

The other thing that I’m very proud of is all the work that was done in setting up the enhanced Forward Presence mission for our battle group in Latvia. This is essentially breaking new ground. We haven’t had troops permanently assigned to Europe since the end of the Cold War — we pulled out in the early 1990s — so there’s not a lot of memory here about what’s involved in stationing and sustaining troops in Europe. And, starting next year, we will have a national command element in Europe — up to about 30 folks who will be permanently posted to the Riga [Latvia] area with their families. These are three-year postings, in addition to our battle group rotating through on a six-month basis.

So those are but two examples of recent Army achievements.  Now these are not things I have accomplished; these are things that the Army as a whole has accomplished, and I’m just privileged to lead.

Esprit de Corps: In regards to Canada’s enhanced Forward Presence, many have questioned whether this is an unnecessary provocation of Russia given that, as a NATO member, Latvia is protected under Article 5 of NATO’s charter, which guarantees collective defence to all member states. In your opinion, does the deterrent factor in this case outweigh the risk of provocation?

LGen Paul Wynnyk: Absolutely. If anybody is provocative, it’s been Russia. I mean, they invaded a sovereign state — they invaded Ukraine. I’m a big believer that deterrence is necessary in Eastern Europe, particularly in the Baltics. And, once again, the Baltic states are NATO members and requested our presence in their countries — they all have small militaries — so I think it’s absolutely the right thing to do.

Esprit de Corps: The Liberal government recently released a Defence Policy review. What were your initial reactions to the changes and what will this mean for the Army in particular?

LGen Paul Wynnyk: If you look at this policy the way it’s actually structured, people come first. I think this sends a powerful statement in itself. It doesn’t apply just to the Canadian Army; it applies to the Canadian Armed Forces. But it really speaks to, first of all, addressing our most important asset, our most precious asset, which is our personnel. Making sure that we have the institutions in place, the services in place, to support not only our servicemen and servicewomen, but also their families.

A new transition unit will be set up to make sure that, as people transition out of the Canadian Armed Forces that everything is done properly. There will be no waiting for pensions and medical issues including a solid transition of files to Veterans Affairs will be done before servicemen and servicewomen are released. So I think that’s very positive, not only for the Army but for the Canadian Armed Forces as a whole.

There are a number of explicit statements about equipment purchases, as we go forward, that we didn’t have in the past. Plus, this Defence Policy has been actually costed for the future. I’ll give you a couple of examples: logistics vehicles, trucks — something that we’ve struggled with a little recently — and ground-based air and munitions defence, which is a capability deficiency that we have in the Canadian Army. All is now above the funding line.

Esprit de Corps: One of the recommendations made in the Defence Policy review is to increase the Reserve Force. Given that the current manning levels in the Reserves are below authorized strength, how do you plan to boost recruitment and retention in the future?

LGen Paul Wynnyk: In the Defence Policy, you’ll see that there’s an explicit statement to increase the size of the regular Canadian Armed Forces by 3,500 and the Reserves by about 1,500. Most of the 3,500 will go into what we call joint enablers — intelligence, cyber — so not necessarily service-specific. And of the 1,500 Reserve positions, approximately 900 will come to the Army Reserves as we go forward.

: Exercise Collaborative Spirit aims to familiarize senior government personnel and industry leaders with the combat capabilities that exist in 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, 4th Canadian Division, and the CAF to showcase its personnel and equipment. LGen Paul Wynnyk (second from left) answers a question from one of the participants after disembarking from a CH-47 Chinook helicopter. (mcpl kurt visser, directorate army public affairs)

Yes, we are below manning levels in some critical trades. Two that really come to mind for me are some of our signals trades and mechanics. There’s just, quite frankly, a lot of demand in the civilian world for technological trades, so we need to produce more signalers — those who work with radios, computers, really on that technological edge. We also need more maintainers — those who fix vehicles, weapons and equipment. Once again, these skills are in high demand in the civilian world. But as technology becomes more sophisticated, our vehicles, our weapons become more and more sophisticated as well, which means the training time to get somebody up to the qualified level takes longer and longer.

So, getting back to the maintainers, I think we’ve actually recruited a sufficient number, but we don’t have a sufficient number of trained maintainers right now. It takes almost two, sometimes three years to get them to the level that we require.

Esprit de Corps: There is currently an emphasis on the Canadian Armed Forces being fully interoperable among the branches, and with select allied militaries. Is there a blueprint in place for the Canadian Army to achieve this goal?

LGen Paul Wynnyk: Absolutely. In fact, there are a number of organizations; there’s an organization called ABCA Armies — the American British Canadian Australian and New Zealand Armies’ Program, which also includes the U.S. Marine Corps, where we get together very frequently and discuss interoperability issues, equipment capabilities, and the conduct of exercises where we can develop interoperability and find out where the problems are, and address them as we go forward. And that has been long-standing.

We work with traditional allies there and, as you realize, some of those allies — the U.S. and the U.K. in particular — are part of NATO, so a lot of that interoperability is fungible — it can move backwards and forwards between alliances. So, I would say that we build around our core alliances. And many of the NATO standards are based on some of the work that’s done in ABCA. Interoperability is a key aspect of our profession. Because, as we deploy on operations — historically, even the very first expeditionary operation that Canada did was in 1884 as part of the Nile Expedition and we didn’t do it alone, we worked with the British— every deployment we’ve ever done has been in concert with our allies. Interoperability is fundamental.

Esprit de Corps: Thank you. And now for a few rapid-fire questions:

Who was your greatest influence while growing up? My dad. He was a great dad. He was a Second World War veteran, the commanding officer of my army cadet corps and my high school principal. It was hard to escape him!

Who would you consider to be a hero? It’s not one but many – the spouses and partners who support our men and women in uniform.

What was your first job? I worked in a beer bottle depot, loading beer bottles onto trucks.

What do you consider a ‘guilty pleasure’? Soft ice cream and scotch — but never together.

When was the last time you cried? It was at Christmas because my wife and I were laughing so hard. I can’t remember what it was about.

What is your favourite fast food outlet? A&W. I’m a teen burger guy.

What is your favourite sports team? The Edmonton Eskimos.

LGen Wynnyk answers questions from members of the Montreal Territorial Battalion Group deployed to Pierrefonds during Operation LENTUS, the CAF’s response to the flooding in western Quebec and eastern Ontario in the spring of 2017. (mcpl julie turcotte, dnd)

Favourite vacation spot? Anywhere near a trout stream in the Rocky Mountains.

Worst memory from basic officer training? I don’t remember basic officer training. That was 35 years ago. [laughs] I love my job. I have loved every aspect of this career. If you asked me for any bad memories, in the military I’d be hard pressed to come up with something.

Best day of your career (so far)? I would say, anytime the Army Sergeant Major and I can get out of the office and spend time with soldiers.