Canadian Army overhauls structure for major combat, eyes billions in new equipment

The Canadian Army launched a major restructuring this week designed to shift its fighting posture from coalition-based missions to independent major combat capability. The plan, titled Inflection Point 2025 and released by Lt. Gen. Michael Wright, represents what officials call a generational change in how the force will be structured, equipped, trained, and deployed.

For decades, the Canadian Army built around "contribution warfare" — sending forces as part of allied coalitions such as in Afghanistan. The new strategy prepares the Army to field and equip a force capable of participating in major combat operations as an equal partner. "It is a big shift," Wright said in a December 2025 interview. "It also requires a shift in mindset across the Army."

The restructuring directly drives 50 major equipment programs already underway as of April 2026, according to a briefing the Ottawa Citizen obtained. Programs include upgrades and purchase of new tanks, acquisition of drones, self-propelled howitzers, ground-based air defence systems, and new vehicles for Arctic operations. The total price tag runs to tens of billions of dollars.

But the timeline reveals how far off that capability remains. New tanks won't be operational until 2035, with the fleet fully operational by 2038, according to Department of National Defence spokesperson Andrée-Anne Poulin. Self-propelled howitzers and new mortars won't arrive until 2032, reaching full operational status in 2037. The government announced $2.6 billion for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems from the U.S., but those won't be delivered until 2029.

Success of the entire restructuring depends on two things the source does not confirm: the Liberal government delivering on its promise to significantly boost defence spending, and the Army receiving a meaningful share of that increase. The Army rejected a South Korean rocket system, concluding it didn't meet requirements, but the full text of Inflection Point 2025 and the total dollar value of the 50 equipment programs remain unpublished.