Canada's Armed Forces have launched their annual exercises in the Arctic, Operation NUNAKPUT 2016 (Op NK 16), in conjunction with several federal government departments and other supporting agencies, the TASS News Agency reported, citing the Canadian Ministry of Defense.

Op NK 16 will run until July 20 in the South MacKenzie River and Great Slave Lake regions in conjunction with the Air Force, Navy and Army, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, rangers, the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association, and various federal nature protection agencies.

Brigadier-General Mike Nixon, Commanding Officer, Joint Task Force (North), said the Canadian Armed Forces would be acting "in coordination with [our] federal and territorial partners."

There is no information about the number of personnel participating in Op NK 16. According to TASS, last year, Operation NUNAKPUT was conducted in the Beaufort Sea area on the coast of Canada's Northwest Territories. Approximately 100 personnel from the four participating departments were involved with Operation NUNAKPUT 2015. The Canadian Defense Ministry said a major goal of last year's operation was "to maintain interoperability with mission partners for maximum effectiveness in response to safety and security issues in the North."