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CC-130J Hercules aircraft prepare to take off for a parachute drop at Tancos Airfield, Portugal, during JOINTEX 15 as part of NATO’s Exercise Trident Juncture 15 on Oct. 28, 2015. Cpl Alex Parenteau Photo, Canadian Forces Combat Camera
Canadian Armed Forces sailors, soldiers, airmen and airwomen, and Special Operations Forces personnel, in Portugal, Spain, Italy, and at sea recently completed the live exercise portion of JOINTEX 15.
JOINTEX is a biennial Canadian exercise and a keystone for Canadian Armed Forces posture and readiness activity aimed at enhancing operational mission preparedness.
The live exercise (LIVEX) phase took place in Western Europe. Activities leading up to the LIVEX included senior staff officer training during a “table top” exercise in Ottawa in January and February, and Combined Joint Inter-Agency Task Force Headquarters staff training during a “command post” exercise in Meaford, Ont. in September and October.
For the LIVEX portion of JOINTEX 15, as part of NATO’s Trident Juncture 15, Canada has contributed a Canadian multinational task force headquarters, a Canadian Army brigade with multinational elements attached, four ships, one submarine, Canadian Special Forces elements and three CC-130 Hercules aircraft.
Royal Canadian Air Force pilots participate in a mass NATO paradrop at Santarém, Portugal, on Oct. 28, 2015, during Exercise Trident Juncture 15. Pte Ferraz, Santa Margarida Local Operations Control Photo
“The Canadian Armed Forces is considered to be one of the most responsive armed forces within the [NATO] Alliance,” said Gen Jonathan Vance, chief of the defence staff.
“As such, Canada has been a major contributor to NATO operations. Our participation in Exercise Trident Juncture 15 is another example of our commitment to supporting NATO by providing modern, deployable capabilities to allied missions and highly trained personnel.”
JOINTEX 15 provided an opportunity to create and exercise our ability to command Canadian and international forces in the most challenging international contingency operations, in a scale and scope rarely seen in recent history. It demonstrated Canadian leadership and capability in headquarters, and in deployed formations, units, and elements which serve to strengthen Alliance integration and interoperability capabilities.
JOINTEX has four general objectives:
- Practice, evaluate, and improve Canadian Armed Forces capacity and ability to command and conduct joint combined integrated forces in complex operations.
- Practice, evaluate, and further develop national contingency plans.
- Advance, integrate, and evaluate force development and joint force capability enhancements.
- Develop, document, and institutionalize the Canadian Armed Forces distributed training and simulation capability.
The JOINTEX series serves to advance Canadian Armed Forces mission preparedness by practicing joint combined and integrated expeditionary full spectrum operations, developing concepts and procedures, and providing a focus for force development.
Portuguese paratroopers jump from a Canadian CC-130J Hercules aircraft on a drop zone near Tancos Airfield, Portugal, during JOINTEX 15 as part of NATO’s Exercise Trident Juncture 15 on Oct. 27, 2015. MCpl Jonathan Barrette Photo, Canadian Forces Combat Camera
“I am proud of the contribution our sailors, soldiers, airmen and airwomen have made to this historic training event,” said LGen Steve Bowes, commander of Canadian Joint Operations Command.
“Thanks to their efforts in developing our interoperability, they are improving the Canadian Armed Forces’ ability to conduct successful joint and multinational operations in the future.”
