4 RCAF CF-18s head To Romania from Iraq

Written by JDM, CAFDispatch Author
Published February 26, 2015

While the Liberal government has decided to end the RCAF's CF-18 participation in the US-led coalition against ISIS in Iraq and Syria; their tour of duty is not complete; at least for four of the six CF-18s that were deployed to Kuwait in October 2014.

An RCAF CF-18 flies with a Portuguese F-16 over
Lithuania in November 2014. 

As part of Exercise RESILIENT RESOLVE; four of the RCAF CF-18's will depart Kuwait on March 1, 2016 and head to Constanta, Romania for bilateral training with the Romanian Air Force. 

In addition to the four CF-18s, approximately 100 members of the RCAF, mainly from CFB Bagotville, Quebec will deploy as ground crew.


The deployment will be Commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel David Turenne. The Air Task Force personnel for this exercise will be from 2 Wing and 3 Wing. The four CF-18s are from 425 Tactical Fighter Squadron, based at 3 Wing Bagotville. This same squadron previously deployed to Câmpia Turzii, Romania, in the spring of 2014 as part of NATO’s assurance measures of OP REASSURANCE.

The Task Force was also previously part of  NATO Baltic Air Policing (BAP) mission from September to December 2014 and was based in Siauliai, Lithuania.

More details released from the RCAF:  “2 Wing will provide a scaled and tailored Airfield Activation Surge Team as part of the Air Task Force that will include personnel from 2 Air Expeditionary Squadron and 8 Air Communications and Control Squadron. 2 Wing is the RCAF’s air expeditionary wing, which exists to rapidly deploy either in whole or in part as a self-contained unit, employing air power and providing associated support wherever needed, throughout Canada or around the world.”

CAF Most likely Headed to the Ukraine

While DND has yet to release any official plans, the government has not yet announced an expansion of Op REASSURANCE, CTVNews has learned that the CAF is preparing to send Canadian Troops to the Ukraine in a non-combat role, most likely to work alongside US forces in a training role.

CTVNews' source told CTV that "The government is still working out the details, but a training mission is one of the options on the table."

The Conservative government has been hinting at an expansion of Op REASSURANCE for weeks, even stating that its budget (with Op IMPACT's) will be kept quiet for security reasons. Canada is planning this mission to keep up its strong Anti-Putin stance and to help shore up the Ukrainian government.

Canada's Op REASSURANCE is currently comprised of:

Air Task Force:

• 4 CF-18 Hornet fighter jets, with Military personnel and support staff, deployed from January to April 2015 to Eastern Europe to maintain a Canadian presence among our NATO Allies.

NATO Baltic Air Policing 

• Stationed in Siauliai, Lithuania, 4 CF-18 Honet's along with 135 personnel and support staff were deployed from September to December 2014. 
• Part of NATO's peacetime role - to preserve integrity of European Airspace from Air attacks. This is provided for nations not having full range air defence assets of their own ( Albania, Luxembourg, Iceland, Slovenia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia)

Air Task Force Romania 

• Stationed in Campia Turzii, Romania from May to August 2014 - 6 CF-18 Hornet's and approximately 200 personnel and support staff. 

Maritime Task Force: 

• Task Force HMCS Fredericton - Currently Deployed 
• Task Force HMCS Toronto - Deployed from July 2014 to January 2015 
• Task Force HMCS Regina - Deployed from January 2014 to August 2014

Land Task Force: 

Officially Deployed from May to December 2014 - however CAF personnel are deployed in the region under other* operations.

• Exercise ORZEL ALERT - Western Poland - 45 CAF Members, May 5-9 2014 
• Exercise SABRE STRIKE - Baltic States - 120 CAF Members, 9-20 June 2014
• Exercise PEGASUS KORSARZ - Poland - CAF led exercise, 23-27 June 2014 
• Exercise GNIEZNO - Poland - CAF led exercise, 2-6 July 2014 
• Exercise STEADFAST JAVELIN II - Latvia - 100 CAF Members, 2-8 September 2014 
• Exercise ANAKONDA - Poland 24 September to 3 October 2014 
• Exercise COMBINED RESOLVE III - Germany - 100 CAF Members, 16 September to 12 November 2014 
• Exercise IRON SWORD - Lithuania - 10 CAF Members  13-15 October and 2-14 November 2014
• Exercise FALCON - Poland 21-26 November 2014 
• Winter Warfare Training - Lithuania - 3rd RCR 8-12 December 2014 
• *Exercise ALLIED SPIRIT I - Germany 45 CAF Members 16-28 January 2015