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By Captain David Dunwoody

A team of CP-140 Aurora crewmembers, both air and ground, have returned home to 14 Wing Greenwood after competing in a major NATO exercise and competition in June at Royal Air Force Station Kinloss in Scotland.   Maritime aviators from Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Italy, Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom, France and the United States participated in Exercise NEPTUNE WARRIOR and the Fincastle competition between June 18 and June 30.

Crew Seven from 405 "Pathfinder" Squadron, maintainers from 14 Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, and members from the Maritime Patrol Standards and Evaluation Team at 14 Wing Greenwood represented Canada. 

The idea behind the annual exercise is to maximize training time so this year, the Fincastle competition was actually combined with Neptune Warrior, a major multi-national exercise; all participating nations were evaluated on all air and ground portions of the exercise such as flying time and maintenance. 

From the moment the CP-140 Aurora landed on Scottish soil and the Canadian flag began waving from the cockpit as the teams taxied onto the ramp, it was known by all that Canada had brought her "A" game to the UK.

In the past the Fincastle competition focused on Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW).  Success was determined by the frequency and accuracy of the attacks.  This year, Fincastle focused on multi-mission platforms and surveillance, reconnaissance, and Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW) alongside ASW missions.  Crews scored points for tactics, procedures, and safe operation of the aircraft as well as fulfillment of the mission.

The maintenance crew from 14 Aircraft Maintenance Squadron provided outstanding support ensuring the CP-140 Aurora was in the best possible condition.  Despite the difficulty in maintaining an aircraft so far away from her base of operations, the ground crew worked tirelessly day and night to ensure the aircrew would be as effective as possible in completing the missions.

When not engaged in missions, the teams from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and The United Kingdom took part in many social activities to share our corporate knowledge and to strengthen our international bonds.  These activities determined which nation would win the VPI Fellowship Award.  Unlike the Fincastle Trophy and the Lockheed Martin Maintenance Trophy, the Fellowship Award is judged by the competing teams.

Prior to the beginning of the competition, Canadian hospitality shone when Crew Seven hosted the Australian crew during their overnight stay at 14 Wing prior to their last leg to RAF Kinloss.  During the competition our maintainers  impressed all participating nations by hosting and serving a pancake breakfast.  With members playing the fiddle or joining in an impromptu rugby match, it was no surprise to any of the other nations that Canada won the VPI Fellowship Award.

14 Wing Greenwood would like to thank those organizations and individuals who supported the Fincastle teams.  Without their support the victory of the Fellowship Award may not have been possible.

14 Wing would also like to congratulate the Royal Air Force and the Royal New Zealand Air Force on their victories and look forward to future competitions.

The United Kingdom won the Fincastle Trophy and New Zealand won the Lockheed Martin Maintenance Trophy.