OTTAWA—What does a world-class, lightning-fast commando force need after a decade of hunting the Taliban in the dust and dirt of Afghanistan?

Canoes, apparently.

Trained to dodge enemy fire, slither down ropes from hovering helicopters and scale treacherous mountain peaks, Canada’s special operations forces are already accustomed to the more daring aspects of the great outdoors.

But the latest addition to their equipment sheds at CFB Petawawa, two hours northwest of Ottawa, will be an odd fit with the Griffon choppers, machine-gun-bearing jeeps and high-powered weapons and explosives.

The unit is now making space for 10 lightweight Kevlar canoes capable of carrying up to 900 pounds of soldiers and equipment. They want them on the double — to be delivered on or before June 15. But strictly as fitness machines.

The canoe is an ancient war-fighting machine. It is sleek, silent, stealthy and can operate in the deepest or shallowest of waters. British commandos with the famed Special Boat Service still employ lightweight Klepper canoes — first designed in the 1930s to break down into two pieces — in order to sneak up on unsuspecting ships under the cover of night.

U.S. Navy SEALs — the American counterpart to Canada’s Joint Task Force 2 — use folding kayaks, with which they can jump out of helicopters or launch from submarines and paddle off to their target destinations.

A 1992 raid by the U.S. Marines on Somalia was reportedly preceded by a canoe-borne reconnaissance force, which sneaked into the country unannounced and set the stage for a full-force siege of the lawless African nation.

But while the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM) canoes will be painted in the military’s much-loved “olive drab” colour, they’re unlikely to be used in any top-secret reconnaissance or sabotage operations.

It seems they prefer the more traditional Zodiac inflatable boats for operations, the type the special forces purchased in March for $71,576, according to government contracting records.

Instead, the fleet of canoes is intended for Canadian Special Operations Regiment (CSOR) personnel stationed at the base to train for a September Ironman competition, a spokesperson said.

CANSOFCOM is divided into JTF2, the elite counterterrorism force based at the rural Dwyer Hill Training Centre west of Ottawa, and CSOR, a second-tier special forces team formed in 2006.

Also included in the team are the Griffon helicopter pilots of 427 Special Operations Aviation Squadron and a squad that deals with chemical, biological and nuclear threats.

“As members of the special operations unit, Canadian Special Operations Regiment (CSOR) personnel are required to maintain a very high level of physical fitness,” said Lianne LeBel.

“The canoes and related equipment are being acquired to support the physical training of CSOR personnel … These canoes will not be used for tactical purposes other than the maintenance of physical fitness.”

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LeBel noted that the Ironman competition at Petawawa includes an 8-km paddle on the Ottawa River and 4-km portage with canoe and 40-pound rucksack as well as a 32-km rucksack march and 6-km sprint to the finish line. The winning finish time is about five hours.

“In 2007, a member of CSOR finished first in the competition,” Lebel noted.

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