The Canadian Army is in the middle of a complete  reorganization of its divisions as part of its   shift back towards conventional war. They’re  basically trying to build up a division that   can actually train and fight as a division  for the first time since 1992. This video is  

a primer on the reorg breaking down the Canadian  Army’s new order of battle division-by-division. Before the reform, the Canadian Army had 4  Divisions with assigned brigades, support groups,   and training centres. The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th  Canadian Divisions had 1 Regular Force mechanized  

brigade group and 2 or 3 Reserve Brigade Groups  each, while the 5th Canadian Division had the   Regular Force 6 Canadian Combat Support Brigade  and 2 Reserve Brigade Groups. These divisions   were just force generators though, defined by  their geographical area. In a wartime scenario,  

deployed Regular Force units would  fall under 1st Canadian Division,   which existed purely as a deployable  headquarters without permanent brigades. Under upcoming changes, divisions will no  longer be defined by their geography but  

by their function. The 3rd Division is being  renamed the 1st Canadian Division and all of   the Regular Force brigades will be moved to  it. It’s what they’re calling their Manoeuvre   Division and will be deployable. The current  1st Canadian Division would then need to be  

renamed something else to provide Canadian Joint  Operations Command with a deployable headquarters. 2nd Canadian Division meanwhile will be  allocated all of the reserve brigades.   They’re calling it the Defence of Canada Division,  

with a deployable HQ focused on homeland  defense, domestic crisis response,   and arctic surveillance and community liaison.  Their brigades, though, are administrative. They are also standing up a Canadian Army  Support Division, which absorbing the 4  

Division Support Groups that were organic  to divisions. These support groups are   composed of Support Bases though as opposed to  Service Battalions, which are part of brigades. The Division Training Centres that were organic  to each division are also being renamed and  

reallocated to a new Army Training Centre under  the Canadian Army Doctrine and Training Centre. We’re going to go formation-by-formation to  figure out what the divisions will look like. Under the 1st Canadian Division, the  former 3rd Canadian Division HQ will  

be renamed the 1st Canadian Division HQ.  It will have command over the 1st, 2nd,   and 5th Canadian Mechanized Brigade Groups that  were previously under 3 separate divisions. A minor detail, but in writing brigades  are currently styled with cardinal numbers,  

like 5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group. Under  the reorganization the Regular Force formations   will be restyled with ordinal numbers,  like 5th Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group,   although this change doesn’t seem to apply  to the reserve force from what I’ve seen.

Each brigade group will consist of the existing  Headquarters (renamed from the HQ and Signal   Squadron), 1 or 2 Cavalry Regiments, 2 Mechanized  Infantry Battalions, 1 Combat Engineer Regiment,   and 1 Service Battalion. All these regiments are  battalion-sized. It’s been floated that 1st CMBG  

will get 2 Tank Regiments (an expansion from its  current one), while the other two will get one   medium cavalry regiment. I don’t know what the  timeline on a second tank regiment would be as   it would require new tanks. While other changes  are happening this year that seems more like it’s  

a few years out. The rumor is it would go at CFB  Wainwright which is home to Canadian Manoeuvre   Training Centre and no units of the 1st Brigade  Group, but that’s probably not been decided. Each mechanized brigade group is  also getting a new Signal Regiment  

that shares their number. However, each  brigade group’s standing light infantry   battalion is being transferred to  another formation of the division. The 3rd Canadian Light Infantry Regiment is  being stood up to take on the 3 light infantry  

battalions. This is basically to separate  the Global Response Task Force role from   the otherwise mechanized brigades, which only had  control over the light infantry due to geography. In a very strange move, the 3 battalions  are retaining their original regimental  

affiliations. They’re calling it a regiment  even though it’s filling a role that would   traditionally be held by a brigade or a group.  Groups in Commonwealth parlance are considered   regiment-equivalents and often only have  battalions from a single arm, although a  

simple brigade as opposed to a brigade group would  also be appropriate. Seems a bit silly to me. Further, each brigade group’s current  close support Artillery Regiment is   being transferred to a new 1st Canadian  Artillery Brigade. Basically a division  

artillery. These will eventually be equipped  with self-propelled howitzers and likely   retain a direct support relationship  and basing with specific brigades. In general support the 9th Rocket Regiment,  

Royal Canadian Artillery is being  stood up and will operate HIMARS. A service battalion and some type of UAS  unit, probably a battalion strength regiment,   may also be added to the artillery brigade at  some point. The rumor is the UAS unit will act  

as a sort of divisional recce regiment but  it is known that it will be Canada’s first   drone unit. Unit in Commonwealth parlance  meaning a battalion or regiment usually. Other Regular Force artillery is being re-rolled  or activated as part of the 6th Canadian Combat  

Support Brigade, which is also being reallocated  from the 5th to the 1st Division and rolled as   a Protection Brigade. The 4th General Support  Artillery Regiment, RCA already under the 6th   CCSB is being re-rolled in very short-range air  defense. Meanwhile, the 8th Air Defence Regiment,  

RCA, is being organized as a short-range air  defense regiment. It’s projected that the 8th   RCA will stand up 3 SHORAD batteries sequentially  in 2027, 28 and 29, as well as a Workshop Battery. This support brigade will be rounded out  by the new 1st CBRN Defence Battalion,  

a new ISTAR Battalion, the 1st Military  Intelligence Battalion (formerly Canadian   Army Intelligence Regiment), 21st Electronic  Warfare Regiment, 4th Engineer Support Regiment,   and new 6th Service Battalion for the  brigade. Any military police units placed  

under the division’s OPCON would probably  fall under the support brigade as well. Lastly for organic elements, a new 1st  Canadian Sustainment Brigade is being stood up,   although its only units will be its HQ and a new  1st Logistics Battalion. I’ve seen suggestion  

that there may be a maintenance unit as well,  although sustainment is probably seeing more   growth than anyone so building up this brigade  will probably take a bit. Pre-existing Field   Ambulance Units organic to Health Services  Groups, which provide medical support,  

would also likely be placed under  the OPCON of the Sustainment Brigade. In addition, a Tactical Aviation Brigade  is proposed to be incorporated under the   1st Division’s operational control. The  makeup includes 2 attack helicopter,  

2 medium utility helicopter, and 1 heavy  cargo helicopter squadrons. However,   it isn’t incorporated in short-term orders as  it’s probably contingent on the next Tactical   Aviation Capability Set Project delivering,  which won’t take place until 2032 to 2036,  

and tactical aviation is currently  part of the Royal Canadian Air Force. Tactical aviation is part of 1 Wing  Kingston today. It currently operates   5 Tactical Helicopter Squadrons, 4 of which  operate the Bell CH-146 Griffon and 1 of  

which operates the Chinook. The next Tactical  Aviation Capability Set Project is intended to   produce a replacement for the Griffon and  a new attack/reconnaissance helicopter,   which has been a capability gap since the  retirement of the Kiowa. I don’t really know  

the full details, but my guess is the Tactical  Aviation Brigade will be an enlarged 1 Wing. Moving onto the reservists, the picture is  much simpler in the 2nd Canadian Division. It will consist mainly of 10 Canadian  Brigade Groups. Each of these brigade  

groups is administrative in nature, consisting  of 2 to 7 single-battalion infantry regiments,   1 or 2 light cavalry regiments,  1 to 3 artillery regiments,   and single engineer and signal regiments and  service battalions. However, these can't be  

thought of as real deployable units. More like  individual augmentees for the Regular Force. The division will also oversee a  newly formed Canadian Rangers Group,   which will consist of the 1st to 5th  Canadian Ranger Patrol Groups. These  

groups were split between the 4 divisions.  They're basically responsible for regular   operations in Canada's remote arctic and  coastal regions that can't support full   military units. Recently the 1st CRPG completed  a 5,000-kilometre sovereignty patrol screening  

the Northwest Passage from the Yukon-Alaska  border to Churchill, Manitoba for example. The Canadian Rangers Group will basically be an  administrative formation to set standards and   not the force employer of Canadian Rangers.  That will be left to regional task forces.

Lastly, the 2nd Canadian Division is also getting  a 2nd Military Intelligence Battalion. This   is absorbing the 4 reservist Intelligence  Companies currently part of the divisions. Third up, a new Canadian Army Support Division  is being stood up. They’re basically handling  

the administration of Canada's military  bases that was formerly the purview of the   divisions. The 3rd Division's Support Group  is becoming Canadian Support Group (West).   The 4th Divisions will be CSG (Central),  the 2nd Division's will be CSG (East),  

and the 5th Division's will be CSG (Atlantic).  CFB Kingston will directly report to the division. And finally, a new Army Training Centre is  being stood up under the existing Doctrine   and Training Centre to handle the current Division  Training Centres. It’s a lot of training centres.

The 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Canadian Division  Training Centres are being redesignated   as ATC East, West, Central and Atlantic  respectively. However, this consolidation   doesn’t include the pre-existing Combat  Training Centres or CTCs, a separate command  

that includes the trade-specific schools  such as armor, infantry, engineers, etc. It's been stated all four of the ATCs will run all  courses, but they'll have their specialties which   they are the stewards of. ATC (West) will run an  uncrewed and counter-uncrewed systems center of  

excellence (basically a drone school modelled  on a program in Ukraine). ATC (Central) will   be the center of excellence for the Canadian  Army Soldier First Course, which is basically   the course after Basic Military Qualification  to teach moving, shooting, and communicating  

so they aren't totally useless to their gaining  unit before they head on to a CTC trade school.   It's kind of like US Marine Combat Training or  MCT. ATC (East) will focus on delivering courses   in French. And ATC (Atlantic) is the center  of excellence for leadership development.

Further, the Army Training Centre will  have control over 9 Battle Schools or   BSLs for the Primary Reserve. These BSLs are  aligned to the needs of a specific reserve   Brigade Group and share their numbering.  Two in the Atlantic were consolidated,  

which accounts for the 36/37 Battle School. This new setup is said to streamline Canada's  recruitment and training system. Primarily   reduce the time it takes to process recruits by  pooling training resources at the national-level.  

There's nothing more Commonwealth  than losing thousands of ready   applicants each year because Army  recruitment is stringing them along. If you found this video informative  consider signing up over on Patreon.  

There are merch benefits, exclusive videos,   and a Discord server over there. But  if not, I’ll see you in the next one.