Transcript

(J) CBRN defence training recently took place at Defence Research and Development Canada in Suffield, Alberta.

For those who might not know, CBRN stands for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear.

(S) The training will result in increased interoperability with 12 NATO allies and partners, and was part of the annual Exercise PRECISE RESPONSE.

We spoke with Exercise Director, LCdr Éric Dumas, to learn more.

(LCdr Dumas) PRECISE RESPONSE is Canada’s contribution in assisting the development of our NATO allies and partner’s CBRN defence capabilities. This is the 16^th iteration, we started in 2004 and it’s been taking place here at CFB Suffield ever since. The exercises here involve 12 NATO countries, of course, our allies and partners, and we also had the participation as a participant, not an inspector role, but the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. We’re fortunate enough to have the support of the defence scientists here at Defence Research and Development Canada Suffield, who put numerous hours, who put challenging scenarios in place. Especially in this phase now, is divided into task force work, where the nations contribute capabilities, and the task force, with those capabilities, try to achieve a mission down in the exercise area.

The most valuable experience that I take back from this exercise is the will for nations that don’t necessarily operate in the same fashion, to work together, and to make sure that at the end of the day, everything has to work. PRECISE RESPONSE is truly an amazing leveraging tool, for not only the Canadian Forces, the Department of National Defence, but for the Canadian government, with our NATO allies and partners.