Canadian Forces Base Bagotville
3 Wing Bagotville

Canadian Forces Base Bagotville was created in 1942 under the aegis of the Royal Canadian Air Force for the primary purpose of training fighter pilots and defending the strategic Alcan and hydroelectric facilities in the region. Today, the goal of 3 Wing, under the operational command of 1 Canadian Air Division, is to protect Canada and Canadians, defend North America and promote peace and international security. Equipped with CF-18 Hornets, it is one of two fighter aircraft units in Canada. These aircraft have just been updated with new avionics systems for improved interoperability with our allies. This year also marks the merger of Bagotville’s two fighter aircraft squadrons into an expeditionary squadron in order to respond more effectively to new challenges confronting the Air Force.

In order to fulfil its strategic role, 3 Wing can count on a professional organization consisting of several divisions. These include primarily the Administration, Logistics, Finance and Health Care divisions, which offer a wide range of support services to the Wing and its personnel. There is also the Operations Division, which oversees activities relating to the support and distribution of operational tasks, 12 Radar Squadron (12 RS), 3 Air Maintenance Squadron (3 AMS) and 439 Squadron equipped with Griffon helicopters for combat support, as well as search and rescue.

3 Wing plays an important role in the community. Over 1,500 members and their families are active participants in the economic and social development of the region. The members also demonstrate outstanding leadership through their involvement in a variety of community, social and cultural activities.

Bagotville is also a major economic player in the Saguenay/Lac-St-Jean region, as it is the third-largest employer and has a significant overall economic impact. Furthermore, 3 Wing will see an expansion this year as work begins on the construction of a new complex to house the CF-18 simulators, which will be maintained by Bombardier, as well as an inspection and maintenance line for our aircraft, to be installed before the end of 2005.

With the CF-18 modernization, the merger of the fighter squadrons, the introduction of advanced simulators and the increased aircraft maintenance capacity, 3 Wing Bagotville is once again in the forefront of Canada’s fighting force.