General News

1 WING KINGSTON -- Months of long hours and training recently cumulated into one exercise. 427 Tactical Helicopter Squadron and augmentees from units across the country, including 400 and 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadrons, deployed to “Haiti” this past spring – or what is supposed to be “Haiti”.

Of course, a unit is not very likely to deploy to such a distant place for just an exercise. In fact, the squadron deployed to CFB Borden on Exercise CROUCHING LION, an evaluation exercise before the unit adopted a posture of High Readiness for an 11-month period on July 1. After that time, 427 THS and its associated augmentees could be called upon to deploy at short notice anywhere they are required.

As part of the exercise scenario, 427 THS simulated a deployment to Port au Prince, Haiti. Tactical helicopter aviation has had a history of deployments to the country, most recently with 430 ETAH in Valcartier, Quebec, in the spring and summer of 2004.

The squadron deployed a full “Eight pack,” consisting of eight aircraft, associated crew, and maintenance and logistics personnel as well as equipment and supplies capable of sustaining the unit throughout the exercise. For almost three weeks, the unit conducted tasks similar to what they would expect in Haiti, or any other deployed operation, in a present-day situation. Personnel from 1 Wing HQ and 1 Canadian Air Division evaluated the exercise, with the main focus occurring during the last week.

Every member of 427 THS worked extremely hard during the past few months with exercise planning intensifying over the past few weeks. It was very satisfying for all when EX Crouching Lion was successfully completed.

Currently, 1 Wing has no tactical helicopter assets deployed on operations. Rest assured that, should the call come, 427 Tactical Helicopter Squadron will be ready to face any and all challenges they may encounter in the coming year.