ARCHIVED - Evolution: Royal Canadian Air Force returns to a four fighter squadron structure

News Article / November 26, 2015

By Captain David Lavallee

History repeated itself – in the best of ways – for the Royal Canadian Air Force’s fighter community this summer as two historic squadrons were re-established at 3 Wing Bagotville, Quebec, and 4 Wing Cold Lake, Alberta.

The rebirth of these squadrons – 433 Tactical Fighter Squadron at 3 Wing and 401 Tactical Fighter Squadron at 4 Wing – brought Canada’s fighter force from two operational squadrons to four, as part of a larger effort by the RCAF to make its fighter force more effective and efficient. In ceremonies attended by the RCAF’s top leadership, the long and storied histories of these two previously deactivated squadrons recalled the solemnity of their past service. But the ceremonies also signalled a new era for Canada’s fighter community.

“Transitioning to four tactical fighter squadrons will provide the RCAF with a better structure to maintain operational effectiveness and flexibility,” said Major-General David Wheeler during his speech at the stand-up ceremony for 401 Squadron on June 30. Major-General Wheeler commands 1 Canadian Air Division and the Canadian NORAD Region and, as such, is responsible for RCAF operations at home and abroad.

The timing was right for the evolution of the fighter force. In 2005, as part of a larger reorganization of the RCAF, Canada’s four fighter squadrons were amalgamated into two “super squadrons”. (416 and 441 Squadrons were amalgamated to form 409 Tactical Fighter Squadron in Cold Lake and 433 Squadron was integrated with 425 Squadron in Bagotville.) This meant that the operational squadrons, both personnel and aircraft, were consolidated under one command team at each base. This, in turn, freed up resources for other initiatives that the RCAF was launching. At the same time, it was projected that the consolidation would mean greater efficiencies in aircraft maintenance at each wing.

This came with certain tradeoffs, however, including the fact that the leaders of 425 Squadron and 409 Squadron were now responsible for managing a much larger group of people, more aircraft and equipment, and multiple mission sets. This enlarged span of control meant that a single squadron had to balance both training and operations out of a single pool of people and resources.

At the same time, Canada was increasing northern sovereignty exercises and operations and was in the midst of preparing for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, which included a significant aerospace security element through NORAD. Later, Canada’s CF-188 Hornets were part of significant NATO deployments in North Africa, Europe and the Middle East and during the campaign to combat the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) that began in autumn 2014. All of this was layered onto all the day-to-day activities needed to make a squadron run smoothly, not the least of which was regular training for pilots. As well, increased emphasis on joint operations with the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army and Special Operations Forces added additional training requirements.

The squadrons made it work. However, the realities of having people and aircraft completing training, deploying at home and abroad, and maintaining their readiness to take on additional operations was starting to show that a new approach was needed.

Lieutenant-Colonel William Radiff is the commanding officer of 409 Squadron in Cold Lake. However, for the two previous years he served as the senior staff officer for fighters at 1 Canadian Air Division/Canadian NORAD Region Headquarters, and worked on implementing the return to four squadrons. “While the two squadron structure was able to meet the operational requirements placed on the fighter force,” he said, “it was also evident that placing the majority of the [fighter force] personnel on high readiness for an indefinite period of time was placing unnecessary stress on the members and their families.”

He explained that thorough research was carried out regarding approaches to improving the situation, including analysis of how similar countries, such as Australia, function, and review of documents produced by the RAND Corporation (an international research and analysis organization). “Returning to a Canadian proven structure consisting of four tactical fighter squadrons was determined to be the way ahead for the RCAF,” he said.

With four operational fighter squadrons, the RCAF will be able to more effectively balance training with operations and readiness, and manage people and aircraft more efficiently. In short, the fighter force will be more agile in its ability to respond to the needs of the Government of Canada. Plus, the smaller span of control will mean more focus for each squadron and less of a balancing act.

Implementation is progressing at both wings. At 4 Wing, 401 Squadron has been flying since July 20, 2015. The stand-up of 433 Squadron at 3 Wing was on hold while its pilots, technicians, support staff and aircraft were deployed on Operation Impact, Canada’s mission in support of the Government of Iraq, but will be ready to move ahead once they return home. Nevertheless, a ceremony restoring the squadron colour to the unit was held on June 9, 2015, at 3 Wing.

With this evolution, the RCAF’s fighter force is well poised to protect Canada, defence North America through NORAD, and contribute to international peace and security. “The reorganization to four tactical fighter squadrons has taken a considerable amount of effort but, in the end, the fighter force will be better poised to meet the needs placed on it by the Government of Canada,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Radiff.