RCAF Squadrons fly to Yellowknife for SAR Exercise

RCAF Press Release

Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) squadrons from across Canada are participating in their annual National Search and Rescue Exercise, SAREX 2016, from September 18 to 24, 2016, in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories.

Involving nearly 200 participants, the training brings together the Canadian Armed Forces with civilian search and rescue communities, including the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association (CASARA), and other first responders to standardize and evaluate skills. This event follows on the heels of previous successful SAREX events in Gimli, Manitoba (2013), Goose Bay, Newfoundland (2014) and Comox, British Columbia (2015). “For the first time, the National SAREX will experience and overcome the challenges of Search and Rescue in the Northwest Territories, which will provide an exciting Search and Rescue environment. Together, we hope to exercise and showcase all of the important and unique skills of our professional and volunteer organizations,” said Colonel Patrick Thauberger, Commander, 14 Wing Greenwood.

Exercise aims include aerial and ground searches, medical responses, parachute accuracy, as well as land and marine rescues.

Search and rescue response in Canada involves several provincial and government departments, including Public Safety Canada, the Department of National Defence, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and Transport Canada. A number of volunteer organizations such as CASARA and non-governmental organizations such as STARS (the Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society) regularly assist in search and rescue operations.

14 Sep – Sergeant Chad Hildebrant surveys the land before Search and Rescue Technicians, Warrant Officer Norm Penny and Master Corporal Ashley Barker parachute out of a Twin Otter aircraft during the National Search and Rescue Exercise 2015 (SAREX15) held at Comox, British Columbia. (Photo: Sgt Halina Folfas, 19 Wing Imaging)

The primary SAR responsibility of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) is the provision of aeronautical SAR and the coordination of the aeronautical and maritime SAR system.

CAF resources may also assist in ground search and rescue (GSAR) efforts, medical evacuations, and other humanitarian incidents if requested by the responsible provincial/territorial or municipal authority. The Canadian Rangers, Reserve Force members of the CAF, regularly aid in GSAR upon request in sparsely settled regions of the country.

Approximately one third of the RCAF’s 150 Search and Rescue Technicians are participating in the exercise. Others are on duty and maintaining a 24-hour standby at their respective squadrons around the country.

RCAF squadrons and organizations participating include:
103 Search and Rescue Squadron, 9 Wing Gander, Newfoundland;
413 Transport and Rescue Squadron,14 Wing Greenwood, Nova Scotia;
417 Combat Support Squadron, 4 Wing Cold Lake, Alberta;
424 Transport and Rescue Squadron, 8 Wing Trenton, Ontario;
435 Transport and Rescue Squadron,17 Wing Winnipeg, Manitoba;
439 Combat Support Squadron, 3 Wing Bagotville, Quebec;
440 Transport Squadron, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories;
442 Transport and Rescue Squadron,19 Wing Comox, British Columbia;
The Canadian Forces School of Search and Rescue, Comox; and
Representatives from the Joint Rescue Coordination Centers from Victoria,Trenton and Halifax.

A variety of RCAF aircraft will be utilized during the exercise, including:
The CH-149 Cormorant helicopter;
The CC-115 Buffalo;
The CH-146 Griffon helicopter;
The CC-130 Hercules; and
The CC-138 Twin Otter.

Other organizations participating formally in the exercise include the following:
Public Safety Canada;
Fisheries and Oceans Canada;
Transport Canada;
Environment and Climate Change Canada;
The Canadian Rangers;
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police;
Nav Canada;
The Civil Air Search and Rescue Association (CASARA);
The Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society (STARS); and
The Yellowknife Airport.

Canada-US NORAD Arctic Exercise

The Canadian NORAD region will take the leading role in an exercise between Canadian and US Forces to test military personnel and aircraft in the North and High Arctic. The Exercise runs from May 25 to June 1, 2015.

Exercise AMALGAM DART will involve more than 300 military personnel, and 15 aircraft operating from Alaska, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

US F-15 Eagles will be stationed at FOL Yellowknife;

RCAF CF-18's  and a CC-130 Hercules air to air refueller will be stationed at FOL Inuvik;

At Resolute Bay, an RCAF mobile radar station will be deployed;

A KC-135 Stratotankers and an RCAF CC-150 air to air refueller will be deployed at Eielson AFB in Alaska;

Finally, at the Joint Base in Elmendorf-Richardon in Alaska, US F-22 fighters and the E-3 Airborne Warning Control System aircraft will be deployed as part of the exercise.

Operation CARIBBE 2015

January 30, 2015

It has been announced that HMCS Winnipeg is patrolling the Eastern Pacific as part of Operation CARIBBE 2015. For now HMCS Winnipeg is Canada's contribution to the multinational campaign against international criminal organizations located in the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean.

The deployment of the HMCS Winnipeg is just the beginning of Canada's planned deployments under CARIBBE that are scheduled for the 2015 calendar year. This year marks the 9th year Canada has contributed to CARIBBE,  the first deployment beginning in November 2006. This year the CAF will deploy Royal Canadian Navy vessels from both the East and West coasts to the campaign, while the RCAF will provide CP-140 Aurora aircraft from various squadrons.

During the 2014 Operation CARIBBE, Canada contribution was, four CP-140 Aurora aircraft; seven Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels (HMCS's Nanaimo, Whitehorse, Kingston, Glace Bay, Summerside, Brandon, and Yellowknife); one Halifax-class Frigate (HMCS Calgary); one Iroquiois-class destroyer (HMCS Athabaskan, with two CH-124 Sea King helicopters). The CAF directly contributed the seizure of more than 4 metric tons of cocaine and 500 kilograms of marijuana.

Operation CARIBBE 2015

HMCS Winnipeg (Forefront) in the Indian Ocean in 2009 as part of the Standing NATO Maritime Group 1. Image: DND WO. Carole Morissette CF Combat Camera