Structure of the Royal Canadian Air Force

Last updated

This is the structure of the Royal Canadian Air Force, as of November 2020.

Contents

Headquarters, Royal Canadian Air Force

Royal Canadian Air Force Aerospace Warfare Centre (RAWC)

1 Canadian Air Division

2 Canadian Air Division

3 Canadian Space Division

Officially stood up on 22 July 2022, [83] 3 Canadian Space Division (3 CSD) (3e Division spatiale du Canada or 3e DSC) is the Air Force's main agency responsible for delivering space power effects in support of Canadian Armed Forces operations.

The division's primary operational formation is 7 Wing (7e Escadre), [84] which was originally meant to be the operational base formation at Canadian Forces Base Ottawa before cutbacks in the 1990s saw the base effectively closed. 7 Wing is composed of two operational units:

Air Force Expeditionary Capability

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The Bell CH-146 Griffon is a multi-role utility helicopter designed by Bell Helicopter Textron as a variant of the Bell 412EP for the Canadian Armed Forces. It is used in a wide variety of roles, including aerial firepower, reconnaissance, search and rescue and aero-mobility tasks. The CH-146 has a crew of three, can carry up to ten troops and has a cruising speed of 220–260 km/h.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian Forces base</span> Military installation of the Canadian Armed Forces

A Canadian Forces base or CFB is a military installation of the Canadian Armed Forces. For a facility to qualify as a Canadian Forces base, it must station one or more major units.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Canadian Air Force</span> Air warfare and space branch of the Canadian Armed Forces

The Royal Canadian Air Force is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environmental commands within the unified Canadian Armed Forces. As of 2020, the Royal Canadian Air Force consists of 12,074 Regular Force and 1,969 Primary Reserve personnel, supported by 1,518 civilians, and operates 258 manned aircraft and nine unmanned aerial vehicles. Lieutenant-General Eric Kenny is the current Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force and Chief of the Air Force Staff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McDonnell CF-101 Voodoo</span> Jet fighter aircraft

The McDonnell CF-101 Voodoo was an all-weather interceptor aircraft operated by the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Canadian Forces between 1961 and 1984. They were manufactured by the McDonnell Aircraft Corporation of St. Louis, Missouri for the United States Air Force, and later sold to Canada. CF-101s replaced the obsolete Avro CF-100 Canuck in the RCAF's all-weather fighter squadrons. The Voodoo's primary armament was nuclear AIR-2A Genie unguided air-to-air rockets, and there was significant political controversy in Canada about their adoption. Although they never fired a weapon in wartime, the CF-101 served as Canada's primary means of air defence from Quick Reaction Alert facilities at Canadian airbases. The CF-101s were retired in the 1980s and replaced with McDonnell Douglas CF-18 Hornet fighters. Many examples are preserved in museums and parks in Canada and the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">417 Combat Support Squadron</span> Canadian military flying unit

417 Combat Support Squadron is an Air Force unit with the Canadian Forces. Based at CFB Cold Lake it provides helicopter support to the base operations. Since 1994, it has also provided search and rescue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CFB Greenwood</span> Air force base in Canada

Canadian Forces Base Greenwood, or CFB Greenwood, is a Canadian Forces Base located 1.5 nautical miles east of Greenwood, Nova Scotia. It is primarily operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force and is one of two bases in the country using the CP-140 Aurora and CP-140A Arcturus anti-submarine/maritime patrol and surveillance aircraft. Its primary RCAF lodger unit is 14 Wing, commonly referred to as 14 Wing Greenwood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">438 Tactical Helicopter Squadron</span> Unit of the Royal Canadian Air Force

438 "City of Montreal" Tactical Helicopter Squadron is a unit of the Royal Canadian Air Force. The squadron operates the Bell CH-146 Griffon tactical helicopter from the Hartland de Montarville Molson Hangar of CFB St. Hubert in Quebec, Canada. Its tasks include armed and unarmed tactical utility transport, training aircrew personnel in basic and advanced aviation tactics, technical training of groundcrew personnel and flight engineers and the periodic maintenance of CH-146 fleet aircraft. They also include as residual capabilities search and rescue, reconnaissance and support to federal, provincial and local law enforcement agencies. A "total force" unit composed of members of the Regular Force, and both full time and part time reservists, the squadron is part of 1 Wing at CFB Kingston Ontario.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CFB Comox</span> Royal Canadian Air Force Base and Airport for Comox Valley

Canadian Forces Base Comox, commonly referred to as CFB Comox or 19 Wing, is a Canadian Forces Base located 2.5 nautical miles north northeast of Comox, Vancouver Island, British Columbia. It is primarily operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and is one of two bases in the country using the CP-140 Aurora anti-submarine/maritime patrol and surveillance aircraft. Its primary RCAF lodger unit is 19 Wing, commonly referred to as 19 Wing Comox.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CFB Trenton</span> Canadian Forces base

Canadian Forces Base Trenton, formerly RCAF Station Trenton, is a Canadian Forces base located within the city of Quinte West, Ontario. It is operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and is the hub for air transport operations in Canada and abroad. Its primary RCAF lodger unit is 8 Wing, commonly referred to as 8 Wing Trenton. CFB Trenton is Canada's largest Air Force base and most southerly air base.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CFB Bagotville</span> Royal Canadian Air Force base in central Quebec

Canadian Forces Base Bagotville, commonly referred to as CFB Bagotville, and also known as Bagotville Airport or Saguenay-Bagotville Airport, is a Canadian Forces base 4.5 nautical miles west of Bagotville in the city of Saguenay. Located in the centre of Quebec, less than 200 km (120 mi) north of Quebec City, CFB Bagotville is operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and is one of two bases in the country using the CF-18 Hornet fighter/interceptor, the other being CFB Cold Lake. Its primary RCAF lodger units are 2 Wing and 3 Wing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CFB Cold Lake</span> Royal Canadian Air Force base in Alberta, Canada

Canadian Forces Base Cold Lake, abbreviated as CFB Cold Lake, is a Canadian Forces Base in the City of Cold Lake, Alberta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron</span> Canadian military flying unit

408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron is a unit of 1 Wing, Kingston. It is co-located with 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Edmonton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">3 Canadian Forces Flying Training School</span> Canadian military flying unit

3 Canadian Forces Flying Training School is located at the Southport Aerospace Centre just south of Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1 Canadian Air Division</span> Military unit

1 Canadian Air Division is the operational-level command and control formation of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Prior to 2006 the official abbreviation for the division was 1 CAD. It is commanded by an air force major-general.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">400 Tactical Helicopter Squadron</span> Military unit

400 "City of Toronto" Tactical Helicopter and Training Squadron is part of 1 Wing, and as such a lodger unit of Canadian Forces Base Borden. The squadron operates the CH-146 Griffon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">403 Helicopter Operational Training Squadron</span> Canadian military flying unit

403 "City of Calgary" (Helicopter) Operational Training Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) located at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown. It is equipped with CH-146 Griffons and provides operational aircrew training to the crews who will fly the helicopter. The squadron also conducts operational test and evaluation, develops aviation tactics and carries out operations in support of the 1 Wing mission. It also supports the local Army requirements of the Combat Training Centre. It was founded as No. 403 Squadron RCAF.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian Armed Forces Search and Rescue</span>

Canadian Armed Forces Search and Rescue is the collective name used to refer to search and rescue (SAR) resources and operations within the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) are jointly responsible for Canada’s SAR operations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">430 Tactical Helicopter Squadron</span> Canadian military flying unit

430 Tactical Helicopter Squadron is a unit of the Canadian Forces under the Royal Canadian Air Force. It operates Bell CH-146 Griffons from CFB Valcartier, near Quebec City in Quebec, Canada.

The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Trenton is a rescue coordination centre operated by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG).

The following is a hierarchical outline for the Canadian Armed Forces at the end of the Cold War. It is intended to convey the connections and relationships between units and formations.

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