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Canada - US Relations Canadian Navy leads major multi-national naval-air exercise
ESQUIMALT B.C.- Canadian Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard units will work together with naval and air assets from the United States in the largest exercise of its kind to take place off the West Coast of Vancouver Island from May 16 to 27. The task group for the exercise Trident Fury, organized by the navy’s Maritime Forces Pacific, will be under Canadian leadership, commanded by Commodore Roger Girouard, Commander of Canadian Fleet Pacific. The exercise is aimed at advancing Canada’s ability to respond to offshore threats and unlawful acts from within a coalition environment.
Over 2000 personnel will participate in the exercise Trident Fury, composed of five Canadian navy vessels, three Canadian Coast Guard vessels, three US navy vessels, and air assets including CF-18s and United States Air National Guard F-16 and F-15 fighter aircraft, KC-135 air to air refuelling aircraft, NATO Airborne Warning and Control Systems (AWACs) and others. The close coordination between the Canadian navy, air force and US assets during this exercise will demonstrate the benefits of joint operations, and the importance of close cooperation with our allies as outlined recently in the Defence Policy Statement.
The scenarios for exercise Trident Fury have been designed around the implementation of a United Nations Security Council Resolution. This will increase the interoperability of coalition forces by developing coordination and communications in support of shared national maritime requirements. It also helps Canadian sailors to maintain the skills that are required to work in a task group environment during international operations.
The exercise first initiated from the need to develop a sea phase for the Operations Room Officers’ (OROs) course and Directed Work Ups for HMCS Protecteur. Due to the level of planning and the resulting tremendous training opportunity that emerged, the exercise grew in scope to include Air Force and American participation.
OROs are responsible for leading the operations team, coordinating their ship’s resources during battles at sea. They report directly to the ship’s Commanding Officer on all operational matters and must be well versed in all aspects of ship war-fighting including air operations, above water and underwater warfare, and communications. “Through exercise Trident Fury, the Canadian Forces will have an excellent opportunity to train these officers in tactics involving a variety of assets including US and Canadian Navy ships, Coast Guard ships, and combat aircraft,” said Commander Kurt Salchert, Commanding Officer of HMCS Vancouver, the ship which will embark the ORO students. “This superb training and assessment phase at sea will set them up for success as Operation Room Officers on the ships in which they will serve.”
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NOTES TO EDITORS/NEWS DIRECTORS: A Media day will take place in Comox on 19 May to include exercise briefs, a flight on an AWACs, interviews with key exercise participants including Commodore Roger Girouard, as well as watching mass aircraft takeoffs and landing. There are also limited positions available to cover the exercise at sea from 23 to 25 May. This will be an interesting opportunity for unique visuals and coverage that is rarely available in the local area. Interested media are asked to contact Navy Public Affairs for more details.
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