The following is a hierarchical outline for the Canadian Armed Forces at the end of the Cold War. It is intended to convey the connections and relationships between units and formations.

Following the 1967 Canadian Forces Reorganization Act the Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force were amalgamated in 1968 as the Canadian Armed Forces. Since then the Chief of Defence Staff is directly responsible for all services and commands of the Canadian Armed Forces and advises the Canadian Government in all military matters. Policy is developed in the Armed Forces Council, which is made up of the commanders of the functional commands.

In 1989 the Canadian Armed Forces had 84,600 active personnel, 7,800 of which were female, and 21,300 reserve personnel, 4,200 of which were female. Around three quarters of all military occupation were open to women in 1989 and the government actively pursued a policy to open more occupations to women. The 1987 Defence White Paper "Challenge and Commitment" called for an expansion of the reserve forces to approximately 90,000 troops, however with the end of the Cold War this plan was shelved.

The article is based on the Canadian government's 1987 White Paper "A Defence Policy for Canada" (Link), which was published at the end of 1987. The White Paper served as basis for the overall structure and the equipment numbers. The article was then expanded with information from the Canadian Armed Forces Annual Historical Reports, which provided a complete listing of all units in existence in 1989. Additional information came from the linked Wikipedia articles, a German brochure about the Canadian Forces based in Germany (Link) and the current Canadian Armed Forces website and the unit histories listed there.

National Defence Headquarters

National Defence Headquarters, in Ottawa Communications Security Establishment, in Ottawa, signals intelligence agency Assistant Deputy Minister (Materiel), responsible for acquiring, introducing and supporting Canadian Armed Forces equipment Rescue Coordination Centres at CFB Halifax, CFB Trenton, CFB Edmonton and CFB Esquimalt Canadian Forces Support Unit (Ottawa) 1 Canadian Forces Logistics Liaison Unit (Liaison with suppliers in North America) Canadian Defence Liaison Staff London, UK Canadian Defence Liaison Staff Washington, USA Canadian Forces Military Police Canadian Forces Protective Services Unit, in Ottawa Canadian Forces Service Prison and Detention Barracks, at CFB Edmonton Canadian Forces Northern Area, in Yellowknife Canadian Rangers, HQ in Ottawa 1st Canadian Ranger Patrol Group covering Northwest Territories, Yukon Territory and Nunavut 2 Canadian Ranger Patrol Group covering Northern Quebec 3 Canadian Ranger Patrol Group covering Northern Ontario 4 Canadian Ranger Patrol Group covering Northern Manitoba, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Alberta 5 Canadian Ranger Patrol Group covering Northern Newfoundland Defence Intelligence Office Canadian National Distributing Authority (Cryptography) Canadian Forces Photographic Unit Mapping and Charting Establishment Special Investigation Unit (Counter-Intelligence Unit)

Logistics Support Group

Logistics Support Group Aerospace Engineering Test Establishment Aerospace Maintenance Development Unit Canadian Forces Ammunition Depot Angus, at CFB Borden Canadian Forces Ammunition Depot Bedford, in Bedford Canadian Forces Ammunition Depot Dundurn, at CFAD Dundurn Canadian Forces Ammunition Depot Det Edmonton, at CFB Edmonton Canadian Forces Ammunition Depot Rocky Point, in Metchosin Canadian Forces Parachute Maintenance Depot, in CFB Edmonton(Greisbach) Canadian Forces Personnel Applied Research Unit Canadian Forces Postal Unit Canadian Forces Publications Depot 1 Canadian Forces Supply Depot at CFB Toronto 5 Canadian Forces Supply Depot at CFB Moncton 7 Canadian Forces Supply Depot at CFB Edmonton 4e Unité de contrôle des mouvements des Forces canadiennes (4 Canadian Forces Movement Control Unit), at CFB Montreal 3e Unité de soutien du Canada (3 Canadian support unit) 25e Dépôt d'approvisionnement des Forces canadiennes (25 Canadian Forces Supply Depot), at CFB Montreal 202e Dépôt d'ateliers (202 Workshop Depot), at CFB Montreal Land Engineering Test Establishment, Orleans, Ontario Quality Engineering Test Establishment Centre d'essai et d'expérimentation (Testing and Experimentation Center) Centre d'essais techniques (mer) (Engineering Test Establishment (Sea)) DND Fire Protection Service

Defence Research and Development Canada

Defence Research and Development Canada, in Ottawa Defence Research Establishment Atlantic, in Dartmouth Defence Research Establishment Valcartier, at CFB Valcartier Defence Research Establishment Ottawa – National Aeronautical Establishment, in Shirleys Bay Defence Research Establishment Toronto, at CFB Toronto Defence and Civil Institute of Environmental Medicine Defence Research Establishment Suffield, at CFB Suffield Defence Research Establishment Pacific, at CFB Esquimalt Operational Research Analysis Establishment

Recruiting National Defence Headquarters, in Ottawa Canadian Forces Recruiting Zone West, in Edmonton Canadian Forces Recruiting Centre Calgary Canadian Forces Recruiting Centre Edmonton Detachment Yellowknife Canadian Forces Recruiting Centre Saskatoon Detachment Regina Canadian Forces Recruiting Centre Vancouver Canadian Forces Recruiting Zone Central, in Ottawa Canadian Forces Recruiting Centre Hamilton Canadian Forces Recruiting Centre London Canadian Forces Recruiting Centre Ottawa Canadian Forces Recruiting Centre Sudbury Canadian Forces Recruiting Centre Toronto Detachment Peterborough Zone de recrutement des Forces canadiennes Québec, in Montreal Centre de recrutement des Forces canadiennes Montreal Detachment Saint-Jérôme Centre de recrutement des Forces canadiennes Québec Centre de recrutement des Forces canadiennes Rimouski Détachement Sept-Îles Centre de recrutement des Forces canadiennes Rouyn Centre de recrutement des Forces canadiennes Sherbrooke Centre de recrutement des Forces canadiennes Trois-Rivières Canadian Forces Recruiting Zone Atlantic, in Halifax Canadian Forces Recruiting Centre Halifax Canadian Forces Recruiting Centre St. John's Canadian Forces Recruiting Centre Saint John

Mobile Command Mobile Command controlled all land force units based in Canada and trained and prepared ground troops for the deployment to Canadian Forces Europe. Mobile Command's major formations were two brigade groups and an ad hoc special service force. Recognisably an army formation but not under Mobile Command, 4 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group was in West Germany under the control of 1 Canadian Division (Forward) and Canadian Forces Europe. Mobile Command also commanded 106 major and 25 minor reserve units of the Canadian Militia. Active forces amounted to 22,500 troops with 15,500 reserve forces.

In case of war men Air Command's Air Transport Group would have flown about 1,400 men from 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group to Germany to bring 4 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group up to wartime strength, while 5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group would have been shipped over the Atlantic as reinforcements for 1 Canadian Division (Forward). Special Service Force would have contributed a battalion group centered around 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment to NATO's Allied Mobile Force (Land) (AMF(L)). The Airborne Regiment was destined for defence operations in Canada.

Canadian Forces Mobile Command, at CFB St. Hubert CFB Shilo Royal Canadian Artillery Battle School CFB Gagetown Combat Training Centre Armour School, 37x Leopard C1 Field Artillery School Infantry School Army Meteorological Centre 22 Field Squadron (Canadian Military Engineers) CFB Suffield training base CFB Wainwright training base CFB Edmonton (Griesbach) Canadian Airborne Centre CFB Chatham (Air Command Base) Air Defence Artillery School Canadian Land Force Command and Staff College, at CFB Kingston

1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group

1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, at CFB Calgary 1 CMBG Headquarters & Signal Squadron Lord Strathcona's Horse 1st Btn, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry 2nd Btn, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry 3rd Btn, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry 3rd Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery 1st Combat Engineer Regiment supported by 408th Tactical Helicopter Squadron part of 10 Tactical Air Group of Air Command 1 Service Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Battle School 1 Field Ambulance 1 Military Police Platoon

5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group

5 Groupe-brigade mécanisé du Canada, at CFB Valcartier 5e GBMC Quartier général et escadron de transmissions 12e Régiment blindé du Canada 2nd Btn, Royal Canadian Regiment 2e Btn, Royal 22e Régiment 3e Btn, Royal 22e Regiment 5e Régiment d'artillerie légère du Canada 5e Régiment du génie de combat supported by 430e Escadron tactique d'hélicoptères part of 10 Tactical Air Group of Air Command 5 Bataillon des services Royal 22e Régiment École de combat 5e Ambulance de campagne 5 Military Police Platoon

Special Service Force

Special Service Force, at CFB Petawawa Special Service Force Headquarters and Signal Squadron Royal Canadian Dragoons Airborne Regiment Airborne Headquarters and Signal Squadron 1er Commando Aéroporte, associated with Royal 22e Régiment 2nd Airborne Commando, associated with Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry 3rd Airborne Commando, associated with Royal Canadian Regiment 4th Airborne Commando (Reserve, formed from a company headquarters and 2x platoons from Queen's Own Rifles of Canada and 1x platoon from Loyal Edmonton Regiment) 5th Airborne Commando (Reserve, formed from a company headquarters and 2x platoons from Le Régiment du Saguenay and 1x platoon from Royal Westminster Regiment) Airborne Service Commando (providing combat service support) 1st Btn, Royal Canadian Regiment, at CFB London 2nd Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, E Battery airborne qualified, 24x 105mm M 56 pack howitzers 2 Combat Engineer Regiment, provides one airborne troop supported by 427th Tactical Helicopter Squadron part of 10 Tactical Air Group of Air Command 2 Service Battalion Royal Canadian Regiment Battle School Militia Training and Support Centre 119 Air Defense Battery, Air Defense Anti-Tank Systems 2 Military Police Platoon

Militia The Militia was the primary reserve of Mobile Command and headquartered in Ottawa. Maritime and air reserve formations were part of Maritime Command, respectively Air Command, while communication reserve units were part of the Canadian Forces Communication Command. In wartime the Militia would provide ground units for defence operations in Canada and elsewhere in North America, as well as replacements for the Canadian land force units fighting in the European war theatre. The Militia would also provide lightly armed guards to protect military vital points, and make major contributions to the logistic and medical organizations required to support Canadian Forces overseas. In total the militia fielded 106 major and 25 minor units with 15,500 men. Major units were regiments or battalions, although they seldom exceeded the strength of a company, while minor units were independent artillery batteries, and engineer squadrons. The militia was organized in five militias areas, which were subdivided into militia districts.

In case of war the Militia Areas would have become division commands with the responsibility to conduct all military ground operations in their area. In 1989 the Militia consisted of the following units:

Pacific Militia Area Pacific Militia Area, in Vancouver covering British Columbia