The plan includes the construction of bases in the cities of Yellowknife, Inuvik, and Iqaluit.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that the country plans to invest 35 billion Canadian dollars ($25.6 billion) in military facilities in the Arctic. In particular, Canada will build three new bases there and modernize local infrastructure for defense purposes.
The plan includes the construction of bases in the cities of Yellowknife, Inuvik, and Iqaluit. Additionally, four new Northern Operational Support Hubs (NOSH) will be created — these points are intended to support the operational activities of the armed forces in the region. The infrastructure in this region is also set to be modernized, including airports, updating or building new storage facilities for ammunition and fuel, and so on.
The plans are presented against the backdrop of repeated statements by U.S. President Donald Trump about the desire to gain control over Greenland and the aspiration to annex Canada itself. "With this plan, we are taking control of our future into our own hands. We will no longer rely on others for the protection of our security in the Arctic or the functioning of our economy. We are taking full responsibility for safeguarding our sovereignty," Mr. Carney stated.
The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) is a professional volunteer army with approximately 63,500 regular personnel and 27,000 reservists (by the end of 2025). They consist of the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The main tasks include protecting sovereignty, participating in NATO operations, and maintaining peace.
Structure: Includes Army Command, Navy, Air Force, as well as Special Operations Command (including the elite group JTF 2).
Army: The regular forces include three brigade groups with a limited fleet of armored vehicles (about 74 Leopard 2 tanks and over 1,000 armored vehicles).
Air Force: Comprises 267 aircraft, making it the sixth largest in the Americas.
Navy: Based in Halifax and Esquimalt, capable of providing repair services for NATO allies' ships.
Leadership: The Commander-in-Chief is the monarch (represented by the Governor General), and administrative management is carried out by the Department of National Defence.
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