Exercise ARDENT DEFENDER 2025
The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) hosted representatives from 10 allied nations and four partner observers at 5th Canadian Division Support Base Gagetown for Exercise ARDENT DEFENDER, held from October 16-29.
ARDENT DEFENDER is a multinational counter-improvised explosive device (C-IED) exercise hosted by CAF and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) organization. We had the opportunity to talk to Major Vincent Dupont (CAF), Exercise Director and Captain Jake Moscato of the Australian Defence Force about the exercise, which brings together participants from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Czechia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Germany, Sweden, Slovakia, and the United Kingdom.
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE
“It is seen as one of the premier training venues for counter-explosive threat specialists across the world,” Dupont told CDR. “Every year the Exercise grows in interest. I really get positive feedback from more and more nations and the NATO Centre of Excellence. They want to hear about what we’re doing here. They want to participate and they want to integrate so it just tells me that we’re on the right path.”
“For my background in technical exploitation it’s really one of the only opportunities that we have internationally to exercise… and really synchronize how we do things back home in Australia with the rest of the world and NATO,” said Captain Moscato. “We take a lot of lessons learned from the experience gained in Exercises like this.”
ARDENT DEFENDER has been training NATO allies every year since 2013. This was the third year it was held at Gagetown, making use of the Camp Argonaut Training Centre as a staging area to support participants.
READ: Exercise ARDENT DEFENDER Begins at CFB Gagetown
For Canada, the exercise supports ongoing modernization and restructuring efforts and CAF’s readiness mandate.
ADDITIONAL INFO
- The exercise has been conducted annually since 2013 and has hosted explosives experts from Allied nations, military partners, and civilian organizations.
- The CAF EOD Organization is the authority for enabling and synchronizing actions to counter explosive threats on behalf of the CAF.
- The CA is modernizing through the acquisition of new armoured vehicles, digital command systems, drones, and training technologies, which enhance its readiness and its interoperability with Allies and partners.
- The CA is the largest component of the CAF, with approximately 23,000 full-time soldiers and 19,000 reservists across Canada.
- 4 Engineer Support Regiment is the CA’s High Readiness Engineer Unit. The Regiment excels in specialty engineering capabilities, including counter-explosive threat, theatre opening, water supply, and geomatics intelligence.
READ: Exercise TRIDENT FURY – CDR EMBEDDED
