Canadian Armed Forces

The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; French: Forces armées canadiennes, FAC) are the unified military forces of Canada, including sea, land, air, and special operations forces commands referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Air Force, and Canadian Special Operations Forces Command. Under the National Defence Act, the Canadian Armed Forces are an entity separate and distinct from the Department of National Defence (the federal government department responsible for the administration and formation of defence policy), which also exists as the civilian support system for the forces.

The commander-in-chief of the Canadian Armed Forces is the Governor General. The chief of the Defence Staff is the professional head of the Canadian Armed Forces, who under the direction of the minister of national defence and together with the assistance of the Armed Forces Council, manages the operations of the Canadian Armed Forces.

In 2026–2027, Canada's military expenditures are budgeted at approximately US$63 billion, or around 2.0 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP). Marking the first time in decades the country has spent 2.0% of GDP on its defence.The Canadian Armed Forces are a professional volunteer force that consists of approximately 100,000 personnel, split between approximately 68,000 active personnel and 32,000 reserve personnel, with a sub-component of approximately 5,000 Canadian Rangers.

Canada's peacekeeping role during the 20th century has played a major role in its positive global image. Canada has long been reluctant to participate in military operations that are not sanctioned by the United Nations (UN), such as the Vietnam War or the 2003 invasion of Iraq. In the 21st century, Canadian direct participation in UN peacekeeping efforts has greatly declined, with its military participation reallocated to UN-sanctioned operations through the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

The CAF operates several other commands, including Canadian Forces Intelligence Command, Canadian Joint Operations Command, and Canadian Special Operations Forces Command. Personnel may belong to either the Regular Force or the Reserve Force, which has four sub-components: the Primary Reserve, Supplementary Reserve, Cadet Organizations Administration and Training Service, and the Canadian Rangers.