Features

By Capt Walt Carroll

19 WING COMOX--Personnel from 407 Maritime Patrol Squadron left Comox in June  via CP-140 Aurora for Royal Air Force base Kinloss, Scotland, to join ships and aircraft from 14 other nations in the annual Maritime exercise “Neptune Warrior” (formerly known as Joint Military Course or JMC). 

Canada’s contribution to this multi-national exercise consisted of one crew from 407 Sqn, and a crew from the Maritime Proving and Evaluation Unit (MPE & U) and 415 Sqn, both from 14 Wing Greenwood. 

Neptune Warrior is an annual UK exercise, which has been conducted for years in the waters and airspace above Scotland.  This exercise was originally conceived after the Second World War to help the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force maintain an anti-submarine warfare capability against the former Soviet Union.  It allows UK forces to conduct training in a coastal environment with navies and air forces of their fellow NATO allies.  Conducted close to shore, Neptune Warrior allows participants to operate in a “littoral” or “brown water” environment as apposed to a deep or “blue water” environment in which most are accustomed to operating in.  The premise of the exercise is based on two fictitious maritime nations, Mustardia and Cyanica who are involved in a dispute over mineral rights.

No one crew was permanently assigned to either one of the fictitious nations.  This switching of “sides” allowed crews to gain experience in working with different nations throughout the exercise.  Whether relieving an Italian Atlantique coming off station, joining a task group with a German ship, or handing over to a Norwegian P3, crews gained valuable training in every aspect of their flight. 

Of the seven flights that the Sqn was tasked to fly, all seven were accomplished thanks to the tireless efforts of the Demon Techs in keeping the aircraft serviceable.  Proving once again that the technicians of 407 Sqn are second to none! 

Overall Neptune Warrior proved to be an invaluable training exercise for all members of the Sqn.  From the first tour pilot on his first deployment to the seasoned Crew Commander, all Sqn members gained valuable experience working in a very challenging environment.