The Royal Canadian Air Force will acquire 88 future fighter aircraft to enforce Canada’s sovereignty and to meet Canada’s NORAD and NATO commitments, while recapitalizing many of its existing aircraft fleets such as the CP-140 Aurora anti-submarine warfare and surveillance aircraft. Finally, the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command will expand its operational capacity and invest in capabilities that enable Canada’s rapidly deployable and agile Special Forces to provide their unique skills both at home and abroad. In addition to these key investments, this defence policy identifies a number of capability areas in the Reserve Force which will also be funded. The Canadian Armed Forces has taken great strides in recent years to improve the overall integration of Canada’s military capabilities, as well as the interaction with other government departments, to ensure the security and defence of Canada. The Canadian Armed Forces will leverage the unique characteristics of naval, army, air, and special operations forces and better integrate them to ensure continued Canadian and allied military advantage. The continued integration of Primary Reserve training and equipment with the Regular Force has also contributed substantially to Canadian Armed Forces operations. As our capabilities evolve, the skills inherent in the Reserve Force will produce full-time capabilities through parttime service. ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY Naval forces provide Canada with a responsive and agile means to respond across a wide spectrum of maritime situations, and serve as an instrument of national power on the international stage. Canada possesses a vast maritime estate – it has the world’s longest coastline, the second largest continental shelf, and the fifth largest Exclusive Economic Zone in the world. This calls for naval forces that are designed and structured to operate in some of the most extreme ocean conditions. Further, since a large part of Canada’s prosperity relies on the maintenance of free and open access to international waters for trade and commerce, Canada requires a Navy that is organized and sized to project power responsively and effectively far from Canada’s shores. NATIONAL SHIPBUILDING STRATEGY This Blue Water Navy requires a balanced mix of platforms, including submarines, surface combatants, support ships and patrol vessels, in sufficient quantities to meet our domestic and international needs. A fleet built around an ability to deploy and sustain two naval task groups, each composed of up to four combatants and a joint support ship, provides Canada with a relevant contribution to any international mission while assuring the ability to monitor our own ocean estate and contribute to the security of North America. The Royal Canadian Navy’s ability to establish persistent presence, be self-sustaining at sea, refocus rapidly from one type of mission to another, and interdict threats far from national territory and populated areas represents a vital component of Canada’s prosperity, security, and defence. The National Shipbuilding Strategy is a long-term project to renew Canada’s federal fleet of combat and non-combat vessels. Partnerships were formed with two Canadian shipyards to deliver much-needed vessels to the Royal Canadian Navy and the Canadian Coast Guard. The Strategy provides jobs and benefits to Canadians and rebuilds our country’s industry. The Royal Canadian Navy’s flexibility, global reach, and staying power, allow it to succeed across a broad mission set: combat operations, rapid provision of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to those in need, defence diplomacy, and collaborating with other government departments and agencies on a daily basis in support of domestic defence and security. Underpinning this naval capability will be a continued emphasis on building and maintaining a picture of what is happening in our own waters and increasingly overseas – as a means to anticipate and respond to threats, in cooperation with other government departments and agencies as appropriate, as well as our allies. Armed with better awareness and understanding, the Royal Canadian Navy must be able to adapt to an ever-changing maritime environment. The Maritime Tactical Operations Group (MTOG) boarding team capability is an example of this adaptability – it provides an innovative response to the changing nature of threats associated with interdicting vessels at sea. In addition, as the complexity of naval 34