EX Boreal Warrior - RHLI to undertake Arctic Patrol

It's called the High Arctic, and in North America, most of it is Canadian. To maintain our sovereignty and to preserve the Canadian Forces' ability to operate even in the toughest environments, the RHLI are being dispatched on a national sovereignty mission in the dead of the Arctic winter.

The Rileys have participated in many such missions dating back to the 1960's and continuing today. Exercise Boreal Warrior 2 , sponsored by 32 Brigade (Toronto), will again contain an RHLI contingent as it did last year. The mission will take a company of soldiers overall, with a platoon from each of 31, 32, and 33 Brigades, all part of Land Force Central Area, the Army in Ontario.

After a work-up weekend, ten Rileys will board their aircraft bound for Baker Lake, Nunavut in the geographic centre of Canada, on February 10 th , 2006. When they get off the plane, they will experience temperatures down to –30 C – air so cold that spit will freeze before it hits the ground.

Before their return on February 25 th , the soldiers will take part in a wide variety of activities. In addition to patrols under the guidance of Arctic experts the Canadian Rangers, the Rileys will take spend time on improvised live-fire ranges to prepare for either a or raid or ambush with live ammunition. Live-fire under such conditions is extremely demanding and builds discipline and instils confidence in the soldiers' weapons and arctic kit.

The RHLI are fast developing expertise in this demanding military art in defence of Canadian sovereignty. Watch for the full story with pictures when our contingent returns.

Read about the RHLI 2003 Boreal Warrior Exercise for the story and photos like the one above.