Canadian Armed Forces training exercise in Wainwright creates European invasion scenario
Global News
More than 3,000 Canadian Armed Forces personnel are currently taking part in the Canadian Army's largest and most complex annual training exercise.
More than 3,000 Canadian Armed Forces personnel are currently taking part in the Canadian Army’s largest and most complex annual training exercise.
Approximately 3,200 personnel are taking part in Exercise Maple Resolve 22 in Wainwright, Alta. The exercise ensures soldiers are prepared to deploy in support of Canadians in any capacity, including combat operations. It also enhances their combat readiness.
This year, soldiers are going through the Date Europe scenario, which centres on a deteriorating security situation in Eastern Europe. According to the CAF, it theoretically proposes a situation where the Baltic States are invaded from the east by a fictional force and NATO is required to respond.
“That is fundamentally drawn from the current conflict in Europe, of course,” said Minister of National Defence Anita Anand, who was in Wainwright Thursday to meet with those taking part in the exercise. “But the reality is that our Canadian Armed Forces need to be prepared for any eventuality.
“My impression is that this is a highly organized and highly planned exercise. What I have seen today has been remarkable in terms of the level of planning that goes into a very complex exercise like this.”
Most of the soldiers taking part in Exercise Maple Resolve 22 are from 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (2 CMBG) based in Petawawa, Ont. It also includes soldiers from the United States and the United Kingdom.
Civilian actors are also taking part, helping the troops lay out what could be very real situations.
Col. Eric Landry, commander of 2 CMBG, said this large-scale exercise is part of training they’ve been doing all year.