|
|
Air Force Wings Across Canada
There are 13 Wings across Canada. The concept of "wings" was
re-introduced in 1993 to reflect the air force organizational structure.
Originally a Wing was a group of two or more squadrons, not necessarily
from the same base, but with a common purpose lead by a Wing Commander.
Today's Wings represent the grouping of various units, both operational
and support, under a single tactical commander reporting to the operational
commander. Ten Wings also include a Canadian Forces Base along with other
operational and support units.
Wings vary in size from several hundred personnel, such as at 9 Wing
Gander and 5 Wing Goose Bay, to larger wings, such as, 8 Wing Trenton,
4 Wing Cold Lake and 14 Wing Greenwood with several thousand personnel.
The following Wings report operationally to 1 Cdn Air Div:
- 1 Wing
Kingston is the home of the Griffon helicopter. It provides airlift
support of troops and equipment anywhere in the world. Its six tactical
helicopter and training squadrons are spread out across the country.
- 3 Wing
Bagotville is located in Quebec's Saguenay region. It provides general
purpose, multi-role, combat capable forces in support of domestic and
international roles of Canada's Air Force. It also provides search and
rescue missions.
- 4 Wing
Cold Lake is the busiest fighter base in Canada. It provides general
purpose, multi-role, combat capable forces in support of domestic and
international roles of Canada's Air Force. Home of fighter pilot training
for the Canadian Forces, 4 Wing attracts Top Gun crews from all over
the world to our annual air combat exercise, Maple Flag.
- 5 Wing
Goose Bay is the site of Allied tactical flying training in Canada.
It is home to permanent detachments from Britain's Royal Air Force,
the German Luftwaffe, the Royal Netherlands Air Force and the Italian
Aeronautic Militaire. 5 Wing also serves as a NORAD CF-18 deployed operating
base and airfield supporting a mix of aviation activities, military
and civilian, in North-Eastern Canada.
- 8 Wing
Trenton is the heart of Canada's air mobility forces - from delivering
supplies to the high Arctic (CFS Alert) to airlifting troops and equipment
worldwide. It is also responsible for search and rescue in central Canada
and home to the famous Skyhawks with the Canadian Parachute Centre.
- 9 Wing
Gander is home of the 103 Search and Rescue (SAR) Squadron, providing
full-time SAR services to Newfoundland and Labrador. When a call for
help comes in, SAR crews at 9 Wing Gander are ready to head out in any
direction from their base in Canada's most easterly province, Newfoundland.
- 12 Wing
Shearwater is the centre of naval aviation in Canada. Home of the
CH-124 Sea King helicopter, 12 Wing supports the Navy with up to nine
helicopter air detachments for international and domestic operations.
- 14 Wing
Greenwood is nestled in the heart of Nova Scotia's beautiful Annapolis
Valley. Aurora crews conduct sovereignty and surveillance missions over
the Atlantic Ocean routinely, while search and rescue capabilities are
maintained 365 days of the year.
- 15 Wing
Moose Jaw is the site of the new NATO Flying Training Program in
Canada (NFTC). This southern Saskatchewan town is also home to the Snowbirds,
Canada's world famous aerobatic team.
- 16 Wing
Borden is the "Birthplace of the RCAF." The largest training
Wing in the Canadian Forces, 16 Wing's schools offer air force technical
training and professional development.
- 17 Wing
Winnipeg is comprised of three squadrons and six schools. It also
provides support to the Central Flying School. All combined, 17 Wing
turns out what are considered some of the best air navigators and multi-skilled
personnel in the world. For Canadian air force personnel, all roads
will lead to 17 Wing Winnipeg.
- 19 Wing
Comox is based on Vancouver Island. Its Aurora crews keep watch
over the Pacific Ocean while its search and rescue teams regularly locate
downed Aircraft in some of Canada's roughest terrain while another squadron
helps train fighter pilots in tactical procedures.
- 22 Wing
North Bay represents one of Canada's major contributions to the
North American Aerospace Defence (NORAD) agreement. From its underground
complex at the Sector Air Operations Centre, technicians watch over
Canada's airspace 24 hours a day, using state-of-the-art sensors, computer
and communications equipment.
|