Joint Task Force 2 (Also referred to as JTF2) is a Canadian, Tier 1, special operations capable force that operates both on a domestic level and abroad. Serving under the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CSOFC) it has been compared to other units such as the US Delta Force, British SAS/SBS, Australian SASR and the New Zealand SAS. A highly classified unit, its missions and operations are not usually commented on by the Canadian government or its armed forces, which has led to controversies over its covert actions abroad.
1 Motto, Patches and Insignia of JTF2
1.1 Motto of JTF2
JTF2’s Motto is
‘Facta Non Verba’ – ‘Deeds Not Words’
1.2 Patches and Insignia of JTF2
Although JTF2 operators do not frequently sport patches on their uniforms they are pictured commonly wearing the Canadian flag on their uniforms.
2 History and Operations of JTF2
2.1 SERT and the Founding of JTF2
JTF2 was founded in 1993 off of the back of an already existing unit named the Special Emergency Response Team (SERT). SERT operated under the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and this unit provided a tactical capacity to respond to major terrorist incidents which may occur throughout Canada.
In 1992, then Deputy Minister of Defence Robert Fowler announced that he was recommending disbanding and transferring the RCMP’s SERT capacity to the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). This was going to be done to create a new military counter-terrorist group.
This decision to transfer the SERT counter-terrorist capacity to the military was due to the fact that the CAF offered a greater pool of recruits to draw from than already existing civilian police forces. Another factor which fed into this decision was the public reaction to the police being taught to use primarily lethal means of countering criminals.
2.2 Activation of JTF2
JTF2 was activated in early 1993 with just over 100 members who were drawn from various regiments of the CAF. This primarily consisted of the Canadian Airborne Regiment and the Princess Patricias Canadian Light Infantry.
JTF2 was given the SERT facility located near Ottawa on Dwyer Hill Road as their own base of operations. This facility remains their Garrison to this day.
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2.3 Further Operations of JTF2
Due to JTF2’s secretive nature, it has been deployed numerous times, many of which have been under highly classified status and are therefore unknown. What follows are some of the publicly shown operations or operations in which they are known to have taken part.
2.3.1 Bosnia
Operators from JTF2 were inserted into Bosnia alongside Canadian forces where they operated in two-to-four-man teams. Their role was to hunt for Serbian snipers who were targeting United Nations forces in an area known as the sniper alley. This area was the informal name for streets such as Ulica Zmaja od Bosne and Meša Selimović Boulevard in Sarajevo.
These streets were lined with Serbian sniper outposts which made it difficult for civilians and UN forces to traverse as they were frequently targeted.
JTF2 was also scheduled to take part in a hostage rescue operation in Operation Freedom 55 but this was cancelled as the Bosnian Serb forces released all the prisoners voluntarily.
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2.3.2 Zaire
In November 1996, the Canadian army deployed JTF2 in Zaire to help the Canadian General Maurice Maril to meet the Rwandan-backed rebel leader Laurent Kabila. Whilst in the country, they were attacked by Congolese militias.
2.3.3 Haiti (Late 90’s – Early 2000’s)
JTF2 was also deployed to Haiti in 1996 to advise local security forces, train local SWAT teams and raid weapon smugglers and their depots in Port-au-Prince. JTF2 operators were also allegedly in the country when Haitian president Jean-Bertrand Aristide was ousted from power in 2004. During this deployment, they protected the Canadian embassy and secured the local airport in order to extract foreign personnel.
2.3.4 Vancouver Olympics
In 2010, JTF2 operators were assigned to provide security and support at the Winter Olympic Games which were being held in Vancouver.
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2.4 GWOT
JTF2 was heavily involved during the Canadian participation in the Global War On Terror (GWOT) in both Iraq and Afghanistan. They were deployed alongside conventional forces and other special operations units of allied forces.
2.4.1 Early GWOT Participation & Task Force K-Bar (2001-2002)
Directly in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks in New York and the American declaration of the ‘War On Terror’, approximately 40 JTF2 operators were sent to southern Afghanistan in early December 2001. They took part in Task Force K-Bar, originally designated Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-South (CJSOTF-South), alongside special operations units from seven other countries. This was the first major ground operation in the war in Afghanistan.
The Canadian public, however, was not informed of this deployment and they were allegedly deployed without then Prime Minister Jean Chrétien’s permission in Early October 2001. Under Task Force K-Bar, JTF2 worked extensively alongside the US 3rd Special Forces Group.
During one of their joint operations, a JTF2 Chinook took a hard landing near a target site of a Taliban command node; the mission almost ended in complete disaster.
In January 2002, JTF2 operators alongside SEAL Team 3, the German KSK and a Norwegian SOF team were inserted into the series of caves just south of Tora Bora. They spent around 9 days collecting information and reconnaissance data, as well as clearing an estimated 70 caves and 60 structures that were found in the area. However, they did not encounter any al-Qaeda members.
In March 2002, JTF2 recon teams took part in Operation Anaconda, as well as conducting close-protection tasks and direct action missions. This included an alleged mission at the siege of Mirwais Hospital in Kandahar, where a US Army Special Forces operational Detachment-A (SFODA) killed a group of al-Qaeda members who were hiding in a hospital ward. JTF2 also conducted a series of operations with the New Zealand SAS.
2.4.2 Early GWOT Participation (2004)
In 2004, around 40 JTF2 operators serving within Task Force K-Bar were awarded a US Presidential Unit Citation for their service in Afghanistan. Little is known about their operations in 2004 but during a press conference the former Canadian Chief of Defence Staff, General Rick Killier, stated that JTF2 operators were in “high demand” and were considered “world-class”. Killier went on to say that the unit (referring to JTF2) was providing direct support to the Afghan government and was directly involved in neutralising and targeting Taliban leadership in southern Afghanistan. He stated:
“trying to help neutralize those leaders is a key part of their role and that’s what they will continue to do.”
2.4.3 Early GWOT Participation (2005-2006)
In November 2005, members of the Iraqi terrorist group, the Swords of Righteousness Brigade, kidnapped several members of the Christian Peacemaker Teams, a Christian charitable organisation that was set up to support teams of peace workers in conflict zones all over the globe.
In response to their kidnapping, Task Force Knight, the British special forces task force in Iraq, initiated Operation Lightwarer. This was aimed at finding and rescuing the hostages who had been taken. A small team of JTF2 operators and Canadian intelligence experts joined the operation.
In cooperation with Task Force Knight, JTF2 carried out numerous raids across Baghdad which then enabled the British SAS to rescue the three remaining hostages on 23 March 2006. Although JTF2 was known to be involved in the operation, Canadian officials never confirmed their involvement.
[Source, source, source, source]
2.4.4 Longest Confirmed Sniper Kill
In June 2017 it was reported that a sniper within JTF2 shot and killed an ISIL fighter from a distance of 3,540 meters (2.2 miles). This set a record for the longest confirmed kill.
The killing shot was taken from a high-rise building utilising a Canadian military-issued McMillan Tac-50 rifle. This rifle, designated as the C15 Long-Range Sniper Weapon (LRSW) by the Canadian Military, is a .50 calibre (12.7x99mm) anti-materiel rifle commonly used by snipers in an anti-personnel role.
[Source]
3 Organisation of JTF2
JTF2 is one of several different units under the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM). It serves alongside the other units under this structure.
Structure of CANSOFCOM:
- Joint Task Force 2 (JTF2)
- Canadian Joint Incident Response Unit (CJIRU)
- Canadian Special Operations Regiment (CSOR)
- 427 Special Operations Aviation Squadron (427 SOAS)
- Canadian Special Operations Training Centre (CSOTC)
3.1 JTF2 Structure
Although JTF2’s structure is classified and not known, there is some information provided by former members of the group on both its layout and what each division contains.
3.1.1 Squadrons of JTF2
JTF2 contains several different squadrons all of which have different purposes. These include:
- Operational Squadrons: JTF2 consists of multiple squadrons that serve as the unit’s fighting forces. Each of these squadrons is made up of several specialised troops and they are capable of conducting a variety of special operations.
- Training and Support Squadrons: In addition to the aforementioned operational squadrons, JTF2 has several dedicated training squadrons. These are responsible for training and preparing operators in several fields. This includes advanced marksmanship, close-quarters-battle (CQB) and also specialised driving amongst other fields.
- Support and Technical Squadrons: These squadrons provide logistical, intelligence and technical support to JTF2.
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3.1.2 Troops of JTF2
JTF2 consists of several different variants of ‘troops’. These include:
- Assaulter Troops: These troops specialise in direct action missions such as hostage rescue, counter-terrorism operations and also high-value-target (HVT) extraction.
- Specialist Troops: These troops are specialists in fields such as sniping, breaching, demolitions and also reconnaissance. These troops can also specialise in advanced language skills, intelligence gathering and medical support.
- Support Troops: These troops are non-combat support and they focus on planning, logistics and maintenance of equipment.
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3.2 Assets of JTF2
JTF2 is alleged to have around 300 personnel with the average age of a JTF2 operator being 35. The unit’s command base is located in Dwyer Hill Training Centre known as “The Hill”.
3.2.1 The Hill
JTF2’s base of operations has several different facilities attached to it. This includes:
- CQB facility
- Gymnasium
- Olympic-sized pool
- Shooting range
- An 8-story building used for hostage-rescue training.
[Source]
4 Equipment of JTF2
JTF2 Operators use a wide variety of weapons and equipment. This includes, but is not limited to:
4.1 Personal Weapons
Assault Rifles (ARs)
- Colt Canada Series – C7, C8, C8SFW – 5.56mm NATO
Sub Machine Guns & Personal Defence Weapons (SMGs & PDWs)
- HK MP5 – A2, A3, SD – 9x19mm Parabellum
- FN P90 – FN 5.7x28mm
Sidearms
- SIG Sauer P226 – 9x19mm Parabellum
- SIG Sauer P320 – 9x19mm Parabellum
Shotguns
- Remington Model 870 – 12-Gauge
- Benelli M3 – 12-Gauge
Light Machine Guns (LMGs)
- FN Minimi C9A1 – 5.56x45mm/7.62x51mm NATO
Sniper Rifles & Designated Marksmen Rifles (SR &DMRs)
- Sig Sauer SIG 716 G2 – 5.56x45mm NATO
- Accuracy International AWP – 7.62x51mm NATO/.308 Winchester/.243 Winchester
- C14 Timberwolf – .338 Lapua Magnum
- HK PSG1 – 7.62x51mm NATO
- M110 SASS – 7.62x51mm NATO
- McMillan TAC-50 – .50 BMG
- Barrett M82 – .50 BMG
[Source, source, source, source, source, source, source, source]
4.2 Explosives and Launchers
- M203 Grenade Launcher – 40x46mm SR
- HK GMG Automatic Grenade Launcher – 40x53mm
- HK HK69A1 Grenade Launcher – 40x46mm grenade
- Rafael Spike-LR
- Saab Bofors Dynamics AT4 – 84mm
- Carl Gustaf M4 – 84x245mm R RCL
[Source, source, source, source, source]
5 Selection and Training of JTF2
5.1 Eligibility Requirements for JTF2
All potential members of JTF2 have to meet several criteria prior to entry into the organisation. This includes:
- Minimum 2 years of military service for Regular Forces
- Minimum 3 years of military service for Reserve Forces
- Obtain security clearance
- Obtain approval from the chain of command
- Complete the Pre-Screening Physical Fitness Test
- Pass the medical examination
- Be parachute-trained or willing to complete parachute training
[Source]
5.2 JTF2 Selection Process
Candidates are required to go through a 2-phase selection process. This includes:
- Phase 1 – Canadian Armed Forces members of regular and reserve apply for service with JTF2 and receive approval for their application from their current unit’s commanding officer.
- Phase 2 – Candidates complete the pre-screening physical fitness test (PFT), medical evaluation, aptitude testing and an interview with the Personnel Selection Officer. Candidates files are then forwarded to JTF2.
[Source]
5.3 Pre-Screening Physical Fitness Test (PFT)
The PFT is required for progression through and into JTF2. It consists of:
- Day 1
- 20-metre shuttle – minimum of Level 9
- Press-ups – 40 or more (non-stop)
- Sit-ups – 40 or more in a time limit of 1 minute
- Heaves – 5 or more (non-stop)
- Combat Swim Test – 25-metre swim in combat fatigues, boots, rifle and no flotation (no time limit)
- Day 2
- Loaded March – 13km carrying 35kg in 2 hours 26 minutes or less
- Casualty Drag – Evacuate a simulated casualty of a similar weight, but no less than 70kg, over a distance of 25 metres
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5.4 JTF2 Assessment Centre
After completing the PFT and the above phases, candidates are required to go through the JTF2 Assessment Centre (JTF2-AC). This is a seven day course in which candidates are measured on their performance whilst being placed under physical and mental stress to determine their suitability for special operations.
During this period candidates are tested on several fields such as:
- Physical fitness
- Phobia tests:
- Height
- Water
- Confined Spaces
- Individual and teamwork tasks
- Psychological profile
- Problem-solving
- Interpersonal skills
Upon completing this, candidates are brought before a selection board to see if they are eligible to proceed onto the Special Operations Assaulter Course.
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5.5 Special Operations Assaulter Course (SOAC)
The SOAC is approximately 7 months long and is overseen by the SOAC Warrant Officer. During the SOAC, candidates receive individual and collective training in several areas such as:
- Land navigation
- Patrolling
- Basic and advanced Weapons
- Insertion and extraction techniques
[Source]
5.6 Pathways into JTF2
JTF2 has several pathways by which potential operators can enter when joining the unit after completing the SOAC. These ‘pathways’ into JTF2 are listed below:
- Category A: Special Operations Assaulters (SOA)
- Directly employable in tactical aspects of counter-terrorist/hostage rescue tasks. This category is open to both genders of any rank. They have to be volunteers and are selected based on successful completion of the special operations assaulter course (SOAC)
- Category B: Combat Support – Consists of two groups
- Mobility – Members who are tasked with tactical mobility and other combat support tasks. Open to both genders and all ranks.
- Specialists – Selected technical specialists who are volunteers or are identified and recommended by commanding officers.
- Category C: Combat Service Support
- Personnel who are selected from regular forces to fulfil JTF2 support requirements. Volunteers and also personnel who are identified and recommended by commanding officers.
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6 Conclusion
JTF2 is a highly specialised and highly trained unit which operates within the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM). It has been deployed on operations in combat zones all over the globe in support of allied nations, which has garnered it deep respect and appreciation for its methods and tactics. This has led to the unit being ‘highly requested’ amongst allied forces due to its high-quality of operations. It has been instrumental in the implementation and protection of Canadian diplomatic interests globally from its founding all the way through the Global War On Terror (GWOT).
