Op IMPACT: CAF in the Iraq & Syria crisis

[Oldgateboatdriver]

On a ship, most seaman know exactly what is going on ... because we have stewards in the captain's cabin and the wardroom.  :nod:

 

[Old Sweat]

In the artillery the best indication of the situation for the troops on the gun positions was if the grid references of the fire missions were getting closer or moving away.

A little bit of effort to give the supporters an outline of what is going on would do a lot for their motivation and morale. Edward will probably remember the Gunner Newsletter the RCA staff in the HQ of the Mobile Command Division (an exercise organization) used to produce, primarily to break the monotony and express our appreciation to the supporting troops, especially during long, boring work-up periods.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

I found there was a huge disconnect between 70% of the people in Camp Canada and those who are directly involved in flight ops.  This could have been alleviated with monthly updates on what we are actually doing over Iraq.  I don't know, perhaps set up a little power point with some video footage from the missions.  They don't have to get too in depth but they could definitely start sharing some information.  The LRP Det CO would share information with the technicians on a weekly basis, obviously you wouldn't deliver classified information to the entire camp.  You could take the overlays off the footage and be generic with the descriptions.

Remind them that everything they are doing is having a direct effect on mission. 

All they see are guys and gals sitting around in their civvies one day and flight suits the next.  I think I wore my uniform about 40% of the time.

That reminded me of the short convo I heard about between M.K. and someone from the SC side on the patio last spring... ;D

 

[SupersonicMax]

I made a point to bring some of the ATF officers for a day on the flight line.  They would go to work with a crew, receive an int brief, assist to Mission Planning, briefing, aircraft start & takeoff. Then I would tell them to take note of the time.  Once the aircraft were on their way back, I would pick them up from the camp (most of the time I had to wake them up from bed), bring them back to the flight line, recover the jets, sit into the Int debrief and strike review prep and sit in the strike review with the ATF Commander.  Most were shocked by how long it takes to fully carry out a single mission: 12-14 hours.  Of that, at least 8 sitting in a space that is smaller than your car seat in which you can't stop for a bathroom break and in which you are tightly strapped in.  They were also shocked to see the threats we sometimes faced.

I think it was necesssary for the support side leadership to see what the operations side was going through and to see some of the reasons we tend not to do anything on time off. From when I started doing this, I say a big improvement in the relationship between "us" and "them". 

 

[Eye In The Sky]

That sounds like it worked well.  :nod:

 

[dimsum]

I made a point to bring some of the ATF officers for a day on the flight line.  They would go to work with a crew, receive an int brief, assist to Mission Planning, briefing, aircraft start & takeoff. Then I would tell them to take note of the time.  Once the aircraft were on their way back, I would pick them up from the camp (most of the time I had to wake them up from bed), bring them back to the flight line, recover the jets, sit into the Int debrief and strike review prep and sit in the strike review with the ATF Commander.  Most were shocked by how long it takes to fully carry out a single mission: 12-14 hours.  Of that, at least 8 sitting in a space that is smaller than your car seat in which you can't stop for a bathroom break and in which you are tightly strapped in.  They were also shocked to see the threats we sometimes faced.

I think it was necesssary for the support side leadership to see what the operations side was going through and to see some of the reasons we tend not to do anything on time off. From when I started doing this, I say a big improvement in the relationship between "us" and "them".

Seems like a great initiative - hopefully the LRP and Tanker dets do something similar. 

 

[Zoomie]

at least 8 sitting in a space that is smaller than your car seat in which you can't stop for a bathroom break and in which you are tightly strapped in. 

Thanks for the reminder Max - I was almost wondering why I didn't pursue flying upside down for a living - now I remember why. 

 

[SupersonicMax]

The worst part during those missions is that you don't even get to get upside down!  I can't really say I enjoy the long times in the aircraft....

 

[McG]

The editor's spin in titles & sub-headings aside, it looks like one former CDS can see a middle ground between the Conservative and Liberal visions for the Syrian & Iraq crisis. 

Rick Hillier urges use of airstrikes or special forces to keep ISIS 'off balance'
Former top general slams Conservative record on Syrian refugees, saying 'we wasted a huge amount of time'
By Katharine Starr, CBC News
27 Nov 2015

Canadian airstrikes against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria are "valuable" tools, but there are also other ways of assisting in the fight, including the use of special forces and long-range artillery, says retired general Rick Hillier.

"I personally would like to see the airstrikes continue because I think that's valuable," the former chief of defence staff of the Canadian Forces said in an interview Friday on CBC News Network's Power & Politics.

Hillier told host Hannah Thibedeau he would like to see the fighter jets stay.

"However, if we do not do that, there are other ways of assisting. I'd like to see the special forces and maybe even long-range artillery with precision warheads to do those kinds of attacks, to keep [ISIS] leadership off balance so they can't plan, recruit, finance and project violence around the world like they've been doing."

"I do think special forces on the ground, who do these very precise, surgical strikes would be a very powerful, capable thing to do."

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has promised to withdraw Canada's six CF-18 fighter jets from the airstrike mission against ISIS and focus on training local ground troops instead.

"My belief is, if you're going to train, you're all in," Hillier said.

"When you send those units you've trained out to conduct operations, they'll learn a whole pile of lessons. If you've not been there with them as the trainers you can't help them improve and move to the next level."

Regardless of the form Canada's involvement in the mission takes, Hillier says it's "essential" for the country to stay engaged.

"Every single ISIS leader should never have a single moment in their life when they're not worried about looking at the sky and having a missile come out and end their life, or go to bed and have that door blown in and have some commandos come in and capture or kill them," said the former top soldier, who commanded the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan.

"They should be worried because if they're not, they're going to have more time to plan. And I believe Canada has to be a part of that."

Hillier also weighed in on the escalating tension between Russia and Turkey.

Relations between the former Cold War antagonists are at their lowest in recent memory after Turkey, a NATO member, shot down a Russian jet for allegedly breaching Turkish airspace on Tuesday.

"Is it worrisome? Yes, it is," Hillier said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned of "significant consequences" after the plane was downed, while Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu insisted his country has the right to take "all kinds of measures" against border violations

"I think Turkey was pushed to a certain degree. I'm not sure what other options they had … but obviously [Turkey] felt it was a solution. They are a member of NATO and I think we have to stand with them."

Trudeau has said that Canada will help to "de-escalate what is obviously a tense situation."

It's a situation Hillier isn't sure will involve ready co-operation from Russia.

"I've not dealt with Putin personally. He does seem somewhat immune to negotiation," Hillier said.

"But maybe he's not immune to the fact that finally, after several years of him pushing the boundaries … somebody's actually stood up to him in a way he perhaps did not expect."

The retired general, who called for 50,000 Syrian refugees by Christmas in a previous interview on Power & Politics, said the government's commitment to resettling 25,000 Syrians in Canada by March 2016 is a good place to start.

But Hillier had harsh words for the previous Conservative government's refugee record.

"The previous government — we pissed away three months that we could have been looking after those desperate people fleeing for their lives," he said.

"We did not do anything and so we wasted a huge amount of time. Thumbs down."

"Thumbs up to the current government, I've got to say that," he added of the Liberals' resettlement plan.

"As they try to shape themselves to govern the great nation of Canada, here they are engaging on this incredible endeavour, which great nations should do."

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/rick-hillier-isis-airstrikes-1.3340900

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Seems like a great initiative - hopefully the LRP and Tanker dets do something similar.

There was when I was there but not quite that..detailed and informing (IMO).

 

[The Bread Guy]

Let's see how long it takes for the "where eez the fire?" jokes to begin  ;D

The scope of the Trudeau government's reconfigured mission in Iraq will be broader than just the military and could include a sizable police training contingent, Canada's foreign affairs minister said Wednesday.

Stephane Dion found himself repeatedly buttonholed in the polished hallways of NATO headquarters over the last two days, sometimes by countries eager for Canada to join their endeavours, as the United States made clear it expects allies to do more in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

"It's more than just military, but it's always about security," Dion told The Canadian Press in an interview.

"You can't have security only with military. You have security when people feel secure with their institutions and they believe in them."

One of his nine bilateral meetings included the Italian foreign minister and the possibility of Canada joining Italy in Iraq's Kurdish north. More than 100 Carabinieri -- Italy's national police force -- are training local police in areas recaptured from ISIL.

"Is it an area where we may have a contribution that would be welcome? It is something we have to discuss with the Americans, with the Italians and others," said Dion.

He added that Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan is leading the drive to recraft the mission following the withdrawal of CF-18 jetfighters from combat, which is expected to happen sometime this winter ....

A touch of backstory from the Italian side here, and info on a big hit the ITA carabinieri took in IRQ in 2003 here (usual Wikipedia caveats apply).

 

[McG]

It seems the Iraqi Kurds would like help training police and firefighters.

Kurds want help training police and firefighters too, envoy says
Canada was right to open 1,300 spots for refugees in 2013, Saccomani adds
Stephanie Levitz, The Canadian Press
The Ottawa Citizen
02 Dec 2015

There is room for the federal government to expand its efforts to help train Kurdish forces battling the militants of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, Canada's ambassador to Iraq says.

While the Kurds want the ongoing special forces training to continue, they are asking for help in other areas, Bruno Saccomani said Tuesday in an interview with The Canadian Press from his home base in Jordan.

"Something that I'm very proud that they are asking for is police and firefighter training, which is something Canada can do," Saccomani said.

Whether that's what Canada will do is up to the government to decide, he hastened to add.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said last month that Canada will increase the number of ground troops it has in Iraq to help train local forces, but hasn't said what specific role those troops will play.

"I've committed repeatedly to my allies that we were going to do more on the training front and that means obviously more than just 69 trainers," Trudeau said while travelling to the Philippines for a summit in November.

"How many that will be, what form that will take, what kind of engagement we're going to have, those are things that we're going to work out."

Canadian soldiers played a leading role in the training of Afghan police during that war. The experience has repeatedly been cited as a template for future military operations.

Saccomani said resources in Iraqi Kurdistan are being stretched thin due to the demands of the 1.5 million displaced people currently in the region.

A mix of Sunni and Shia Muslims, as well as Christians, all thrown together in tight quarters creates a challenge, he added. "The community policing part of it might be something Canada would be able to do quite nicely."

When the Canadian Press asked the ambassador other questions about the ongoing campaign against ISIL, Global Affairs staff who were on hand said the questions were "outside the scope" of the interview and Saccomani did not answer them.

While Saccomani represents Canada's interests in Iraq, he is also the ambassador to Jordan.

He arrived in 2013, the same time as hundreds of thousands of Syrians began fleeing into Jordan to escape the civil war in their country. That summer, the Conservatives announced a small program to help Syrian refugees, opening up 1,300 spots for resettlement.

When asked whether Canada should have done more in 2013, Saccomani said the situation was in such flux that the efforts at the time - providing funds and support for humanitarian and logistical aid to refugees and the countries hosting them - was just what was needed, under the circumstances.

"If you're sitting in a wind tunnel somewhere and there's no other elements disturbing you but the wind, it's easy to make these assumptions," he said.

"But given the reality and the unpredictable nature of the conflicts that we were being faced with and the terrorist organizations that were percolating all of this, Canada did absolutely the right thing."

Neither the Syrians nor the Jordanians ever thought the crisis would extend as long as it did, he said, and now that it has, people have begun looking for other kinds of help.

Canada's offer of resettlement for 25,000 Syrians by the end of February is just one example.

Operations are ramping up at the processing facility the Canadian government launched this week in Amman for refugee cases from Jordan - over 100 people went through the system on Monday and Tuesday, Saccomani said.

 

[Dissident]

Put me in coach.

 

[The Bread Guy]

.... While the Kurds want the ongoing special forces training to continue, they are asking for help in other areas, Bruno Saccomani said Tuesday in an interview with The Canadian Press from his home base in Jordan.

"Something that I'm very proud that they are asking for is police and firefighter training, which is something Canada can do," Saccomani said.

Whether that's what Canada will do is up to the government to decide, he hastened to add. ....

And here's why this kind of help may be right up the Ambassador's alley, especially if dealing with Italian cops - from his bio - highlights mine:

Bruno Saccomani (Dawson College, Montréal, 1979) has had a varied career serving with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Mr. Saccomani began his career in 1985 as a criminal investigator in British Columbia. He also held positions in the RCMP Drugs Section and as a senior investigator before being assigned to the prime minister’s security detail in Ottawa in 1996. Following an assignment as special investigator in the Immigration and Passport Division, Mr. Saccomani was promoted to the commissioned ranks of inspector and then prime minister’s travel officer. Mr. Saccomani has served abroad as an assistant liaison officer in both Italy and Thailand. In addition, Mr. Saccomani has been involved in many major international projects, including coordinating police activities in preparation for a G-8 summit in Italy and working with diverse international partners to provide a cohesive security response following the events of September 11, 2001, in the United States. Most recently, Mr. Saccomani was the officer in charge of the prime minister’s protection detail. Mr. Saccomani replaces Mark Gwozdecky.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Tracking ISIL: Canadian Long Range Patrol Detachment reaches 300 sorties

The low-pitched drone of a Canadian CP-140M Aurora’s engines greets members of Air Task Force-Iraq (ATF-I) as it taxies under the hot desert sun. The sound is a familiar one at the airbase in Kuwait, as the mission marked the 300th sortie for the aircraft in the fight to halt and degrade the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant..

The Aurora’s role within the coalition is to provide an Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance capability; the Aurora gathers accurate information that informs any decision to engage a target. This effort is supported by the members of the Long Range Patrol Detachment team, along with the Weapon System Management team and key enablers in Canada.

“"Canada’s Long Range Patrol Detachment is proud to celebrate over 300 multi spectral, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance missions in support of Operation IMPACT. Aurora maintainers, aircrew, sensor operators, and communications suite personnel are providing vital assistance to coalition efforts to enable local security forces as they take the fight (to ISIL)," said the Long Range Patrol Detachment Commander.

Before CF-18s can execute a strike on a target, a significant amount of analysis needs to be performed to ensure that the target is a valid military objective and, most importantly, that it conforms to the Law of Armed Conflict.

The Aurora’s ability to gather video and still images over an extended period of time allows intelligence personnel to build a picture of the tactical level situation at a potential strike location. The footage and imagery attained is reviewed to determine the movement of ISIL fighters.

One of the Aurora’s tasks is to maintain awareness of ISIL positions and determine if there is any civilian activity in the area. This information allows planners and coalition partners to assess the impact an airstrike may have on a given area. The Aurora is a key component in the targeting process and assists leaders in determining the risks associated with an operation and minimizing the risk to the local population.

The Long Range Patrol Detachment flew its first mission on October 30, 2014, following the announcement by the Government of Canada that it would contribute air assets to the Middle East Stabilization Force.

A little over a year later, the ground crew technicians are maintaining high mission completion rates despite working in extreme heat and blowing sand.

“"It is definitely more challenging to work in a desert environment but we are adapting to the conditions,"” said an Aurora maintenance technician from 19 Wing Comox, British Colombia. “"We are proud to represent Canada and know we are providing a strong contribution to the coalition’s mission."”

--------------------------------------------

BZ

 

[Good2Golf]

Well done to the RCAF's LRP force.  Thanks for the storyline, EITS, and thanks for your folk's contribution to ATF-I. :nod:

Regards
G2G

 

[The Bread Guy]

Tracking ISIL: Canadian Long Range Patrol Detachment reaches 300 sorties

Good catch - thanks for sharing.

BZ to the team!

 

[Eye In The Sky]

330+ missions is A LOT of OFF-STA pizzas!!  :subbies:

 

[Quirky]

330+ missions is A LOT of OFF-STA pizzas!!  :subbies:

Makes peferct sense now. I saw an Aurora crew in ASAB get off their aircraft. Pretty sure the oleos leveled off.  :whiteflag:

 

[dimsum]

Makes peferct sense now. I saw an Aurora crew in ASAB get off their aircraft. Pretty sure the oleos leveled off.  :whiteflag:

Isn't the Acoustic Sensor Operator motto "sleep 'til you're hungry, eat 'til you're tired"?