GINC Defence
Nation

Canada

Defence ministry: Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces (on government.ginc.org). Services: Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Coast Guard, Royal Canadian Air Force.

Canada on government.ginc.org · companies.ginc.org (when it opens)

Active personnel, published
53,153
World Bank armed forces total: 72,000 (2020)
Reserves, published
27,760
Whole security apparatus, published
119,420
Headcount published for 50 per cent of services, agencies and formations
Active platforms
4,801
Land 2,695 · Air 1,859 · Cyber and C4ISR 220 · Sea 27
Median year in service
1983
Interquartile 1981–2014, weighted by count
Domestic share
52 per cent
Of active platforms with a known origin
Supplier concentration
0.29
Herfindahl index of origin across 13 supplier nations

Force fingerprint

The national security structure sized by active headcount, always from the head of state: row 1 the head of state and government, row 2 the governing bodies (grey, each as wide as the forces beneath it), row 3 the services and agencies coloured by security domain, row 4 the major commands, row 5 the major formations. A hatched segment is a body whose headcount is not published.

  • Land
  • Sea
  • Air
  • Space
  • Cyber
  • Strategic
  • Intelligence
  • Internal security
  • Joint
  • Headcount not published

SVG · PNG

Order of battle

The whole national security structure from the head of state down to major formations. Bars are as wide as their headcount; the state and government bodies are drawn grey, as the government directory has them. Click a bar to zoom into it.

Known unknowns

  • CFINTCOM does not publish its headcount.
  • The RCMP does not publish the size of its federal national security programme.
  • CSIS's most recent published headcount dates from 2020.

Equipment fingerprint

Holdings by taxonomy: row 1 the ministry and its services, row 2 the six domains, row 3 the categories, row 4 each platform held as wide as its count, row 5 its split into active, reserve and on order. A hatched segment is a platform held with no published count.

Holdings

One row per platform held. Each figure is a claim with a source: the most recent official figure where one is published, else the most recent Wikipedia equipment list, else SIPRI's delivered total. Figures are never averaged.

78 of 78 platforms
ReserveOn orderFigure from
Land · Main battle tank
Leopard 2A4/2A4MMain battle tank54Germany1979Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Canadian Armed Forces
Leopard 2Main battle tank29Germany1979Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Canadian Armed Forces
Leopard 2A6M/2A6M C2Main battle tank20Germany1979Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Canadian Armed Forces
Land · Infantry fighting vehicle
LAV 6Infantry fighting vehicle616CanadaWikipedia: List of equipment of the Canadian Armed Forces
Land · Armoured personnel carrier
BisonArmoured personnel carrier155CanadaWikipedia: List of equipment of the Canadian Armed Forces
RG-31 NyalaArmoured personnel carrier78South AfricaSIPRI Arms Transfers Databaselow
M113Armoured personnel carrier73United States1960Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Canadian Armed Forces
Coyote Reconnaissance VehicleArmoured personnel carrier56CanadaWikipedia: List of equipment of the Canadian Armed Forces
CougarArmoured personnel carrier7United StatesWikipedia: List of equipment of the Canadian Armed Forces
BuffaloArmoured personnel carrier5United StatesWikipedia: List of equipment of the Canadian Armed Forces
Land · Reconnaissance and light armour
LAV-25Reconnaissance and light armour697Canada1983SIPRI Arms Transfers Databaselow
Textron tactical armoured patrol vehicleReconnaissance and light armour500Canada2014Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Canadian Armed Forces
LAV 6.0 ACSVReconnaissance and light armourheld550CanadaWikipedia: List of equipment of the Canadian Armed Forceslow
Land · Towed artillery
M101 howitzerTowed artillery93United StatesWikipedia: List of equipment of the Canadian Armed Forces
M777Towed artillery33United Kingdom2005Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Canadian Armed Forces
GIAT LG1Towed artillery28FranceWikipedia: List of equipment of the Canadian Armed Forces
Land · Rocket artillery and MLRS
M142 HIMARSRocket artillery and MLRSheldUnited States1996Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Canadian Armed Forceslow
Land · Mortars (120 mm+)
L16Mortars (120 mm+)218United Kingdom1965Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Canadian Armed Forces
Land · Anti-tank missile system
ERYXAnti-tank missile systemheldFrance1994SIPRI Arms Transfers Databaselow
Spike-LRAnti-tank missile systemheldIsrael1997Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Canadian Armed Forceslow
Land · Ground-based air defence (short range)
JavelinGround-based air defence (short range)heldUnited KingdomSIPRI Arms Transfers Databaselow
RBS 70Ground-based air defence (short range)heldSweden1977SIPRI Arms Transfers Databaselow
Land · Ground-based air defence (medium and long range)
man-portable air-defense systemGround-based air defence (medium and long range)heldSwedenWikipedia: List of equipment of the Canadian Armed Forceslow
Land · Engineering and bridging
Krupp KMK 2025Engineering and bridging20GermanyWikipedia: List of equipment of the Canadian Armed Forces
ARV TaurusEngineering and bridging8GermanyWikipedia: List of equipment of the Canadian Armed Forces
HuskyEngineering and bridging5South AfricaWikipedia: List of equipment of the Canadian Armed Forces
Galion 850 seriesEngineering and bridgingheldUnited StatesWikipedia: List of equipment of the Canadian Armed Forceslow
WFEL Medium Girder BridgeEngineering and bridgingheldUnited KingdomWikipedia: List of equipment of the Canadian Armed Forceslow
Sea · Frigate
Halifax-class frigateRoyal Canadian NavyFrigateheldCanada1988Wikipedia: List of current ships of the Royal Canadian Navylow
Sea · Corvette and OPV
Harry DeWolf-class offshore patrol vesselRoyal Canadian NavyCorvette and OPVheldCanada2018Wikipedia: List of current ships of the Royal Canadian Navylow
Sea · Fast attack and patrol craft
RCN Orca-class patrol vesselRoyal Canadian NavyFast attack and patrol craftheldCanadaWikipedia: List of current ships of the Royal Canadian Navylow
Sea · Conventional submarine
Upholder/Victoria-class submarineRoyal Canadian NavyConventional submarineheldUnited Kingdom1990Wikipedia: List of current ships of the Royal Canadian Navylow
Sea · Naval aircraft and helicopters
CH-148 CycloneNaval aircraft and helicopters27United StatesWikipedia: List of active Canadian military aircraft
Air · Fighter and multirole
LSVWFighter and multirole1,333ItalyWikipedia: List of equipment of the Canadian Armed Forces
CF-188 HornetFighter and multirole85United States1983Wikipedia: List of active Canadian military aircraft
Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II CF-35AFighter and multirole2United States2015Wikipedia: List of active Canadian military aircraft
F-35A block 4Fighter and multirole–88United States2015Wikipedia: List of active Canadian military aircraft
Air · Strike and bomber
MQ-9 ReaperStrike and bomber–11United States2007Wikipedia: List of active Canadian military aircraft
Air · Tanker
Airbus CC-330 Husky A330-200Tanker3Unknown2023Wikipedia: List of active Canadian military aircraft
CC-150 PolarisTanker3Unknown1992Wikipedia: List of active Canadian military aircraft
Airbus A330 MRTTTanker27France2011SIPRI Arms Transfers Databaselow
Air · Maritime patrol
Lockheed CP-140MMaritime patrol14United StatesWikipedia: List of active Canadian military aircraft
Boeing P-8 Poseidon CP-8A PoseidonMaritime patrol0United States2013Wikipedia: List of active Canadian military aircraft
Boeing P-8AMaritime patrol–14United States2013Wikipedia: List of active Canadian military aircraft
Air · ISR and electronic warfare aircraft
UMS Skeldar V-200 CU-176 GargoyleISR and electronic warfare aircraft6SwedenWikipedia: List of active Canadian military aircraft
Air · Trainer
CH-146C Mk II GriffonTrainer81United StatesWikipedia: List of active Canadian military aircraft
Canadair CL-41ATrainer24CanadaWikipedia: List of active Canadian military aircraft
T-6 Texan IITrainer22United States2000Wikipedia: List of active Canadian military aircraft
Alpha JetTrainer16France1977Wikipedia: List of active Canadian military aircraft
G120ATrainer14GermanyWikipedia: List of active Canadian military aircraft
Bell 206B-3Trainer13United StatesWikipedia: List of active Canadian military aircraft
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 HornetTrainer10United States1983Wikipedia: List of active Canadian military aircraft
Beechcraft King Air C90BTrainer7United States1964Wikipedia: List of active Canadian military aircraft
Grob G 120TPTrainer518Germany2018SIPRI Arms Transfers Databaselow
de Havilland Canada DHC-8 DHC-8-102Trainer4Canada1984Wikipedia: List of active Canadian military aircraft
PC-9Trainer2Switzerland1986SIPRI Arms Transfers Databaselow
EC135Trainer–19Germany1996SIPRI Arms Transfers Database
Pilatus PC-21Trainer–19SwitzerlandSIPRI Arms Transfers Database
Air · Transport aircraft
Boeing C-17A ERTransport aircraft5United States1995Wikipedia: List of active Canadian military aircraft
Challenger 600Transport aircraft4Canada1980Wikipedia: List of active Canadian military aircraft
Bombardier Global Express Global 6500Transport aircraft–6CanadaWikipedia: List of active Canadian military aircraft
Air · Transport and utility helicopter
Bell 412Transport and utility helicopter100United States1981SIPRI Arms Transfers Databaselow
Lockheed Martin C-130J-30Transport and utility helicopter17United States1999Wikipedia: List of active Canadian military aircraft
AgustaWestland AW101Transport and utility helicopter15Italy2000SIPRI Arms Transfers Databaselow
Boeing CH-47FTransport and utility helicopter14United States1962Wikipedia: List of active Canadian military aircraft
CH-149 CormorantTransport and utility helicopter13United KingdomWikipedia: List of active Canadian military aircraft
Airbus CC-295Transport and utility helicopter8Spain2001Wikipedia: List of active Canadian military aircraft
de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter DHC-6 Series 300Transport and utility helicopter4Canada1968Wikipedia: List of active Canadian military aircraft
Mil Mi-17Transport and utility helicopter3Soviet Union1977SIPRI Arms Transfers Databaselow
Airbus C295 EADS CASA C-295Transport and utility helicopter–16Spain2001Wikipedia: List of active Canadian military aircraft
Air · ISR UAV
RQ-11 RavenISR UAV15United States2003Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Canadian Armed Forces
RQ-21 BlackjackISR UAV10United States2014Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Canadian Armed Forces
Black Hornet NanoISR UAV3Norway2015Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Canadian Armed Forces
Heron-1ISR UAV2IsraelWikipedia: List of active Canadian military aircraft
Air · Loitering munition
AeroVironment SwitchbladeLoitering munitionheldUnited States2012Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Canadian Armed Forceslow
Cyber and C4ISR · Long-range radar
MSTARLong-range radar200United KingdomWikipedia: List of equipment of the Canadian Armed Forces
EL/M-2084Long-range radar10IsraelWikipedia: List of equipment of the Canadian Armed Forces
Oerlikon GDF series 35 mm twin gun mountLong-range radar10Switzerland1985SIPRI Arms Transfers Databaselow

Suppliers

Origin nations by share of active platforms, the domestic bar first. Colours follow the origin highlight: domestic, allied or treaty partner, other foreign.

Canada

Italy

United States

United Kingdom

Germany

South Africa

France

Switzerland

Israel

Spain

Sweden

Soviet Union

Norway

2,060

1,348

600

464

150

83

46

12

12

8

6

3

3

Sources for this nation

  • sipri-at
  • wikipedia:list-of-active-canadian-military-aircraft
  • wikipedia:list-of-current-ships-of-the-royal-canadian-navy
  • wikipedia:list-of-equipment-of-the-canadian-armed-forces

Structure: ref/units/CAN.yaml, every body with the source that acknowledges it. See sources and methodology.