APPENDIX XI

Glossary

 

 

14 Wing: The Air Force wing based at Greenwood NS. This wing provides both maritime patrol and search and rescue capabilities to Canada’s Atlantic region.

 

Aircraft Update: A major modernization of aircraft systems designed to replace obsolete systems and/or add new capabilities. Used to extend the life or “time in service” of the aircraft as an alternative to replacement.

 

Antonov AN-124: Large strategic transport aircraft dating from the Soviet era. Several are now operating commercially and are occasionally chartered by the CF in support of CF overseas operations.

 

Arcturus: The Canadian name for a Lockheed P-3 not fitted with the anti-submarine warfare equipment. Used for training and maritime surface patrol. The remaining 2 of these aircraft will be taken out of service with the CF in 2007.

 

Asymmetric Cuts: Refers to the fact that, for various reasons, the Air Force was required to provide a significantly larger percentage of the personnel cuts than the other two services.

 

Asymmetrical Threat: Describes a condition where the opposing force appears disproportionately larger or smaller than your own. Commonly used today when talking about the considerable conventional military might of the United States verses the apparently modest and mostly invisible capability of al quaida and the like.

 

Aurora: The Canadian name for the Lockheed P-3 maritime patrol aircraft. Used for anti-submarine warfare and maritime surface patrol. 18 of these aircraft are in service with the CF.

 

Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment ships (AOR): These ships replenish Task Groups at sea with food, munitions, fuel, spare parts and other supplies. They also have large medical and dental facilities. Using their large capacity and extended range, our Task Groups can stay at sea for longer, and go further.

 

Base: The home location for Canadian Forces units. Usually made up of infrastructure (housing, hangers, garages, runways, etc.) and an organization designed to provide a full range of support services to the unit(s) housed there.

 

Blue water navy and brown water navy: Blue water Navy - a navy that has a credible and balanced (deep ocean) power projection capability.

Brown Water Navy- is a term in American naval jargon referring to actions in near shore and river environments. Small gunboats and patrol craft are the ships used by a brown water force.

 

Boeing 707: An obsolete airliner no longer in service with the CF. Replaced by the A-310 Airbus (Polaris).

 

Bow-wave: The wave that forms at the bow of a boat when it moves through the water. The size of the bow wave is a function of the speed of the boat, ocean waves, and the shape of the bow. A boat with a large draft and a blunt bow will produce a large wave, while boats that plane over the surface of the water or boats fitted with a bulbous bow will create smaller bow waves. In the context of this report, the “bow wave” is a large accumulation of costs over time that results from a continually deferring infrastructure maintenance.

 

Buffalo: Twin engine light transport aircraft used by the CF for search and rescue on the mountainous west coast. 6 of an original 15 remain in service pending the purchase of a replacement.

 

Canada Command: Canada Command is the operational headquarters from which the CF will conduct routine domestic operations treating Canada as one area of operations.  Canada Command will eventually command six regional commands throughout Canada. The creation of Canada Com means that for the first time, a unified and integrated chair of command at the national and regional levels will have the immediate authority to deploy maritime, land and air assets in their areas of responsibility in support of domestic operations.

 

Canada Command will be headquarters in Ottawa but will not be co-located with National Defence Headquarters at 101 Colonel by Drive.

 

Canadian Forces: The armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consisting of one Service with called the Canadian Armed Forces.

 

Canadianizing: A coined term that refers to the program to replace  equipment aboard British-built VICTORIA-class submarines with equipment already in use in, or compatible with, Canadian naval vessels.

 

CC-130 Hercules: Four-engine military cargo aircraft in service with the Canadian Forces since the 1960’s. 32 of these remain in the CF inventory.

 

CEFCOM: Under the new CF structure, Canadian Expeditionary Forces Command (CEFCOM) is the unified command that is responsible for all Canadian Forces (CF) international operations, with the exception of operations conducted solely by Special Operations Group (SOG) elements. Similar to the integrated chain of command put in place under Canada Command (Canada COM), the CF's operational command headquarters responsible for domestic operations, CEFCOM will bring together under one operational command the maritime, land and air force assets to conduct humanitarian, peace support or combat operations wherever they are required internationally. Headquartered in Ottawa, CEFCOM will also be responsible for setting the standards for integrated training and final certification of assigned forces – ensuring that all units and personnel selected to conduct overseas duties are fully trained and ready to do so

 

CH-148: The Canadian designator for the new maritime helicopter that will eventually replace the Sea King.

 

Challenger: Small passenger jet aircraft. Used by the government’s executive flight service for the transport of senior officials (4 aircraft) and by the Air Force (2 aircraft) for light transport and medical evacuation. All aircraft are operated by the Air Force and maintained by Transport Canada.

 

Chief of Defence Intelligence: A military officer at the rank of Major-General or Rear Admiral whose responsibility is to provide intelligence services to DND and the CF in support of defence planning and military operations and to support other government departments as it relates to the security of Canada.

 

Chief of Defence Staff: The Chief of the Defence Staff has primary responsibility for command, control and administration of the Canadian Forces and military strategy, plans and requirements.

 

The Chief of the Defence Staff is appointed by the Governor-in-Council on the advice of the Prime Minister. The CDS also has a special relationship to the Governor General who, as the Queen's representative in Canada, exercises virtually all of her powers under the Constitution and, therefore, serves as Commander in Chief of the Canadian Forces. Thus there is in formal terms, though not in practice, a direct "line of command" from the Head of State through the CDS to all the officers who hold the Queen's Commission and, through them, to all members of the Canadian Forces.

The Chief of the Defence Staff is charged with the command, control and administration of the Canadian Forces and advises the Minister on all these matters - including military requirements, capabilities, options and the possible consequences of undertaking or failing to undertake various military activities. Whenever required, the Chief of the Defence Staff advises the Prime Minister and Cabinet directly on major military developments. The CDS is thus the senior military advisor to the Government as a whole.

The Chief of the Defence Staff implements government decisions involving the Canadian Forces by issuing appropriate orders and instructions. The CDS is accountable to the Minister for the conduct of CF activities, as well as for the condition of the Forces and their ability to fulfill the military commitments and obligations undertaken by the government.

 

Chinook: Large, twin-rotor helicopter typically used to transport equipment, troops and supplies around a theatre of operations. No longer in the CF inventory.

 

CFB - Canadian Forces Base: See “base” above.

 

Coastal Defence Vessels: Are multi-role minor war vessels whose primary mission is coastal surveillance and patrol. Coastal surveillance involves general naval operations and exercises, search and rescue, law enforcement, resource protection and fisheries patrols. The ships are very flexible -- inter-changeable modular payloads can be fitted for route survey, bottom object inspection and mine hunting and countermeasure.

 

Command and Control Capability: The ability to collect, analyze and communicate information, plan and coordinate operations, and provide the capabilities necessary to direct forces to achieve assigned missions.

 

Cormorant: The new search and rescue helicopter acquired by the CF over the past five years. 15 are in service with the CF based at Comox, BC, Trenton, ON, Greenwood NS and Gander NFLD.

 

Counter-intelligence: Those activities which are concerned with identifying and counteracting the threat to security posed by hostile intelligence services or organizations or by individuals engaged in espionage, sabotage, subversion or terrorism.

 

Coyote: Light armoured reconnaissance vehicle.

 

DART – Disaster Assistance Response Team: A military organization designed to deploy rapidly anywhere in the world to crises ranging from natural disasters to complex humanitarian emergencies. It:

§           responds rapidly, in conjunction with national and regional governments and non-governmental agencies, to stabilize the primary effects of an emergency or disaster;

§           provides purified drinking water and medical aid to help prevent the rapid onset of secondary effects of a disaster; and

§           gains time for the deployment of national and international humanitarian aid to facilitate long-term recovery in a disaster-stricken community.

 

Datasets: A logically meaningful grouping or collection of similar or related data. Data having mostly similar characteristics (source or class of source, processing level and algorithms, etc.).

 

DCDS: Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff Responsible to the Chief of the Defence Staff – Plan, direct and support DND and CF operations (force employment – national and international); The mission of the DCDS Group is to excel in the conduct of contingency operations through Joint Force Planning, Generation, Enhancement and Development

 

Destroyer: A destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a task or battle group and defend them against smaller, short-range attackers (originally torpedo boats, later submarines and aircraft).

 

DIR (Defence Intelligence Review): The DIR is directly linked to the command and control requirement.  The DIR was a recent review of all aspects of defence intelligence to increase the capacity and capability of the National Defence

Command Centre (NDCC) and enhance defence intelligence in general.   The review reflects today’s complex operating environment, which requires improved situational awareness and net-centric responses.  The DIR has also highlighted the need to better co-ordinate intelligence activities across departmental and functional components.

 

Environment:This term designates the naval, land and air components of the Canadian Forces.

 

Fiscal Year: The financial or accounting year of an organization, which may or may not coincide with the calendar year. An organization may find it convenient to end its accounting year at a time when inventory stocks are down. The fiscal year of Canada's federal and provincial governments runs from April 1 to March 31.

 

Frigate: A warship intended to protect other warships and merchant marine ships and as anti-submarine warfare (ASW) combatants for amphibious expeditionary forces, underway replenishment groups, and merchant convoys. Canada has 12 general purpose frigates of the HALIFAX-class. Incorporating many technological advances, including an integrated communications system, a command and control system, and a machinery control system, these vessels' weapons, sensors and engines form a formidable platform of defensive and offensive capabilities. They are quiet, fast, and have excellent sea-keeping characteristics.

 

FWSAR: Fixed-wing search and rescue as the name implies is that portion of the SAR mission conducted by conventional aircraft as opposed to helicopters. Fixed-wing resources tend to be used in the initial phases of the search to locate the distressed ship or aircraft and helicopters to perform the rescue. With limitations, both have some capability to perform the other’s role.

 

Geomatics: a field of activities that uses a systematic approach to integrate all means used to acquire and manage data obtained from sources in space.

 

Force generation:The principles, fundamentals and process that dictate how forces will be created that include equipping, training and otherwise preparing for operations.

 

Force projection: The ability to project the military element of national power from Canada, in response to requirements for military operations. Force projection operations extend from mobilization and deployment of forces to redeployment.  

 

Griffons: Light utility helicopter used to transport small groups of troops and light equipment around the battlefield. 75 of 100 purchased in the 1990’s are in service with the CF.

 

GTS (GTS Katie): GTS refers to a Gas Turbine Ship and the GTS Katie was a 750-foot, roll on/roll off cargo ship.

 

Huey: Light utility helicopter used to transport troops and light equipment around the battlefield. Replaced by the Griffon in the CF inventory.

 

HUMINT: A category of intelligence derived from information collected and provided by human sources. 2. Intelligence derived from information collected and provided by human sources.

 

Imagery: A collective term that means the representations of objects reproduced electronically or by optical means on film, electronic display devices, or other media.

 

Impact Statement: A written statement to the Chief of Defence Staff and Deputy Minister by a Level One senior manager that indicates what the impact will be on his or her organization should the full allocation of requested funds not be provided for the coming Fiscal Year.

 

Information Technology: The scientific, technological and engineering disciplines as well as to the management technologies used in information handling, communication and processing, their applications and associated software and equipment and their interaction.

 

Interoperability: The capability to communicate, execute programs, or transfer data among various functional units in a manner that requires the user to have little or no knowledge of the unique characteristics of those units.

 

Interoperability of materiel: Many believe that it can make a major contribution to the smooth running of multilateral operations through interoperability of materiel and common command, control and communications arrangements.

ISAF: International Security Assistance Force. The ISAF in Kabul, Afghanistan is UN mandated and NATO led.

 

Joint Support Ship: The Joint Support Ship will provide three distinct capabilities to provide better support to both naval and land forces during joint, national and international operations. It replaces the current AOR. Its roles are:

 

a)     Underway Support to Naval Task Groups – Underway support is the term used to describe the transfer of liquids and solids between ships at sea. This underway support also includes the operation of helicopters and a second line maintenance capability for helicopters, as well as a task group medical and dental facility;

b)    Sealift – To meet a range of possibilities in an uncertain future security environment, three Joint Support Ships together will be capable of transporting 7,500 lane metres of vehicles and stores. This will provide for the transport of an army battle group. The capability will also include a flexible self load and unload function; and

c)     Afloat Support to Forces Deployed Ashore – This capability will provide a limited joint force headquarters at sea for command and control of forces deployed ashore.

 

JTF-2: The Joint Task Force Two (JTF 2) of the Canadian Forces is a Special Operations Forces unit that is responsible for federal counter-terrorist operations.  The mission of JTF 2 is to provide a force capable of rendering armed assistance in the resolution of an incident that is affecting, or has the potential to affect, the national interest. The primary focus is counter-terrorism (CT), however, the unit can expect to be employed on other high value strategic tasks.  JTF 2 was created on April 1, 1993, when the Canadian Forces (CF) accepted responsibility for federal counter-terrorism operations from the RCMP. Since its inception, the unit has continuously evolved to meet modern-day threats. As the events of 11 September 2001 have shown, the threat of terrorism comes from an elusive, sophisticated and determined enemy. In order to maintain an edge in this operational environment, JTF 2 is continuously developing new capabilities, technologies, and tactics. The year 2001 marked an important milestone in the history of JTF 2. The unit was committed to the international Special Operations Forces coalition in Afghanistan, completing its operations there in November 2002. This deployment was the first time JTF 2 was used in a major combat role outside Canada. The unit played a critical role in coalition Special Operations Forces and earned the respect of Canada’s allies for its professionalism.

Kiowa: A small helicopter used primarily for battlefield reconnaissance. No longer in service with the CF.

 

Labrador Helicopter: A twin-rotor helicopter formerly used by the CF for search and rescue. Replaced by the Cormorant.

 

“Level One” Manager: Senior military officers or senior civilian executives who hold Assistant Deputy Minister status and occupy key positions in DND at the level just below Chief of Defence Staff and the Deputy Minister.

 

Littoral: The coastal sea areas and that portion of the land which is susceptible to influence or support from the sea, generally recognized as the region which horizontally encompasses the land-watermass interface from 100 kilometres (km) ashore to 200 nautical miles (nm) at sea, and extending vertically into space from the bottom of the ocean and from the land surface

 

Medium Lift helicopter: Name given to a larger category of utility helicopter than is currently in the CF inventory. Would be used to transport larger groups of troops and their equipment around the battlefield. Consideration for acquiring this capability is underway but actual specifications have not yet been determined.

 

Mid-life refit: In a naval sense, a refit consists of preventive, corrective and unique maintenance activities that are undertaken at the half-way point of a vessel’s designed life. Major overhauls of heavy machinery and the replacement of obsolete electronic systems and/or sub-systems are typically undertaken.

 

Militia: Army component of the Primary Reserve.

 

Mine-hunting: The technique of searching for, or clearing mines using mechanical or explosion gear, which physically removes or destroys the mine, or produces, in the area, the influence fields necessary to actuate it.

 

National Interests: The concept of the security and well-being of the sate, used in making foreign policy. A national interest approach of foreign policy demands realistic handling of international problems, based on the use of power divorced from moral principles and values. Conflicts of national interest in the state system are resolved through diplomacy, international law, international institutions or, ultimately, through war.  The national interest concerns the defence and maintenance of the social, political and economic stability of Canada and, thereby, the security of the nation.

 

Operational Tempo: Ops Tempo normally refers to unit activity and Pers Tempo refers to individual activity.

 

Overseas Rotations/ROTO: The frequency by which military units are rotated between Canada and overseas theatres. ROTO is a colloquial term for rotation.

 

Personnel tempo: The frequency and quantity of time spent on military duties away from home.

Note 1: The accumulation of absences from home can be due to overseas deployments individual or unit-level training or incremental tasking. Personnel tempo is therefore not just a phenomenon experienced by Canadian Forces members on deployed operations. 

Note 2: As with virtually all other NATO nations, the CF and DND are experiencing two converging demands. The first is that the general level of operational commitments have increased over the last ten years while the second is that the demands made on personnel during non-operational times have also augmented. The latter factors include obvious indicators such as the ice storm or flood relief efforts (with Y2K yet to come) and frequent retraining due to Military Occupational Structure (MOS) Review driven changes and new general purpose courses (Standard for Harassment and Racism Prevention (SHARP), ethics, environmental, etc). These also encompass the Quality of Life (QOL) dissatisfiers of reduced cost moves, lack of promotions, uncertainty over future ASD or downsizings, and potential pension amendments as well as the growing reality that continued reductions of non-operational positions is making postings to bases and HQs highly stressful. While Ops Tempo normally refers to unit activity and Pers Tempo refers to individual activity, the real concern is the cumulative effects of what could be considered "career tempo" have the potential, particularly for the CF, to reduce commitment, increase burnout and contribute to elevated unscheduled attrition.

 

Platform: Refers to a ship, aircraft or vehicle on which a weapon system is mounted.

 

Polaris: Canadian designator for the A-310 Airbus used by the CF to transport passengers and bulk freight. Two are being modified to function also as tankers to provide air-to-air refueling. 5 are in service with the CF.

 

RECCE - Reconnaissance: A mission undertaken to obtain, by visual observation or other detection methods, information about the activities and resources of an enemy or potential enemy, or to secure data concerning the meteorological, hydrographic, or geographic characteristics of a particular area.

 

Recognized Maritime Picture: A plot compiled to depict maritime activity on each of Canada’s coasts is referred to as a Recognized Maritime Picture.  The term “recognized” is used to indicate that the picture has been analyzed and evaluated prior to its dissemination.  In other words, rather than having observing stations or units simply pass data among themselves, there is a central authority to whom data is forwarded for compilation, evaluation and dissemination as a recognized picture – a Commander’s evaluation of what is happening in a given area.

 

Regular Forces: Component of the Canadian Forces that consists of officers and non-commissioned members who are enrolled for continuing, full-time military service.

 

Reserve Force: Component of the Canadian Forces that consists of officers and non-commissioned members who are enrolled for other than continuing, full-time military service when not on active service. The Primary Reserve comprises the Militia, the Naval Reserve, the Air Reserve and the Communications Reserve. Other sub-components of the Reserve Force are: the Supplementary Reserve, the Cadet Instructors Cadre and the Canadian Rangers.

 

Risk Management: A logical step-by-step process to protect, and consequently minimize risks to, the government’s property, interests and employees. Risk includes the chance of damage to or loss of government property, and the chance of incurring second- or third-party liability to non-government entities.

 

ROE - Rules of Engagement:Directives issued by competent military authority which specify the circumstances and limitations under which forces will initiate and/or continue combat engagement with other forces encountered.

 

Route survey: Involves the detailed collection of ocean bottom information in order to provide a "before" picture of the ocean bottom.  A multibeam side scan sonar is used. Collected information includes; Bathymetry (underwater topography), Sediment Classification, Object Positioning and Identification and Mine Burial Impact Assessment.  Although the primary focus is to compile and catalogue acoustically derived imagery beneath pre-determined shipping routes, Route Survey also works with Other Government Departments (OGDs) through various Memorandums of Understanding (MOU), providing Aid to Civil Power.

 

Rust-out: The physical deterioration of a real property or moveable asset, causing a degradation in the asset's performance, which may cause increased operating and maintenance costs, decreased economic life, and a negative impact upon service delivery.

 

SAR: Search and Rescue.

 

Sea King: A medium-sized maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare helicopter. These operate both from ashore and from Canada’s naval ships at sea. In service since the 1960’s, it is scheduled to be replaced. 29 remain in service with the CF.

 

Sealift: To transport (personnel or supplies) by sea.

 

Side-scan sonar: A category of sonar system that is used to efficiently create an image of large areas of the sea floor. This technique is used for a wide variety of purposes, including creation of nautical charts and detection and identification of underwater objects and bathymetric features. The sensor emits pulses down toward the seafloor across a wide angle perpendicular to its path through the water, which may be towed from a surface vessel or submarine, or mounted on the ship's hull.

 

“Sign off and Aircraft”: Certify that maintenance work completed on the aircraft has been done correctly and that the aircraft is ready to be flown.

 

SITREP - Situation Report:A report giving the situation in the area of a reporting unit or formation.

 

Six Pack: Refers to a deployment package of 6 CF-18 aircraft along with the crews and other essentials required to operate away from home.

 

Special Forces: Canadians served with distinction in several types of Allied Special Forces units during the Second World War. One such unit was the legendary U.S. and Canadian combined 1st Special Service Force or, as it was commonly known, "the Devil's Brigade." It achieved a sterling combat record despite overwhelming odds. While tactics, weapons and technology have changed, today's JTF 2 soldiers are perpetuating the basic qualities that define such units.

 

Special Operations Group (SOG): As articulated in the 2005 Defence Policy Statement, the operational transformation of the Canadian Forces will focus on the establishment of new joint organizations and combat structures that can meet the Government’s expectations for effectiveness, relevance and responsiveness.  A key element of this transformation is the creation of a Special Operations Group (SOG) that will be capable of responding to terrorism and threats to Canadians and Canadian interests around the world. 

 

The SOG will be composed of  Joint Task Force 2 (JTF2), the Canadian Forces’ special operations and counterterrorism unit; a special operations aviation capability centred on helicopters; a Joint Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Defence Company ; and supporting land and maritime forces.  The SOG will be capable of operating as an independent formation but its primary focus will be to generate Special Operations Forces (SOF) elements to support Canada Command (Canada COM) and the Canadian Expeditionary Forces Command (CEFCOM).  Integrating special operations forces in this manner will increase their impact in

operations, as well as the range of options available to the government in the deployment of the Canadian Forces.

 

Squadron: The basic operating unit of (usually) an air force. Typically consists of about 10 to 20 aircraft, crews and support equipment designed to operate as an entity.

 

Strategic airlift: The type of airlift used to haul large quantities of materiel (and personnel) over long distances, usually from home to a marshalling point in the theatre of operations. Usually large aircraft with long unrefueled range.

 

Strategic (plan): A plan for the over-all conduct of a war. A long-range plan that includes the major objectives of an organization and how they are to be attained.

 

Submarines: Self-propelled submersible types regardless of whether employed as combatant, auxiliary, or research and development vehicles which have at least a residual combat capability. Canada has four of the VICTORIA-class that are combatants provide the Navy with formidable defensive and offensive capabilities, along with a valuable anti-submarine (ASW) training asset. They are extremely quiet and stealthy, and well suited for current naval defence roles. Important amongst these is support to other federal government departments, including participation in fisheries, immigration, law enforcement and environmental patrols.

 

Sustain forces deployed: To provide for the needs of forces conducting operations away from home to include food, housing, medical care, fuel, ammunition, spare parts reinforcements etc. In short everything the force requires to continue to operate.

 

T-33: A fighter aircraft from the 1950’s used until recently by the Air Force for combat support missions (training, towing gunnery targets, etc.). No longer in service.

 

Tactical airlift: The type of airlift used to carry personnel and materiel over shorter distances within a theatre of operations. Usually smaller, somewhat more agile aircraft with some capability to defend against attack.

 

Tactical (plan): A detailed and relatively short-range plan describing the immediate goals, their order of priority, their completion dates, the precise means to be employed and the coordination required.

 

Tracker: A smaller twin-engine maritime patrol aircraft formerly used for fisheries and other inshore maritime patrol. No longer in service with the CF.

 

Trained and effective personnel and technicians: Personnel who have been fully trained and qualified to perform their assigned function and who are otherwise available (medically fit etc.) to perform it.

 

Trinity / Athena: TRINITY and ATHENA are organizations within Maritime Forces Atlantic and Maritime Forces Pacific respectively. Among their responsibilities are administering the Maritime Operations Centres that are being augmented by representatives from six other government departments (Transport Canada, the RCMP, the Canadian Border Service, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard) to create the new Maritime Security Operations Centres that will “fuse” data from each department’s units to create an improved Recognized Maritime Picture.

 

V Corps: The US Army formation that was in Iraq in 2003

 

Vessels of Interest: Any seagoing vessel that is traveling in or near Canada’s territorial waters that may be of interest for any number of reasons that are of interest to Canada.

 

Wing: An air force structure consisting of a number of squadrons and other units designed primarily to conduct operations. A Wing will usually specialize in providing a single capability such as a fighter force or airlift.

 

Yakolev-42: Soviet era Russian airliner similar in appearance to a Boeing 727.

---

Back to top