RCAF Exercises Expeditionary Capability in Multinational Training

WINNIPEG, MANITOBA--(Marketwired - Nov. 25, 2013) - The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) will participate in Exercise SERPENTEX 2013 from November 25 to December 6, 2013 at Solenzara Air Force Base in Corsica, France, to exercise its air expeditionary capability as well as to develop and increase professional bonds with NATO Allies' Air Forces.

"The RCAF participation in SERPENTEX demonstrates our commitment to collaborating and cooperating with our international allies," said Major-General Pierre St.-Amand, Commander, 1 Canadian Air Division. "SERPENTEX provides the RCAF with a realistic, comprehensive, and multinational training environment that we could not replicate on our own."

The RCAF will participate with the following air assets:

• Six CF-188 Hornets from 4 Wing, Cold Lake, Alta; and
• One CP-140 Aurora from 14 Wing, Greenwood, N.S., which will be based at Sigonella, Italy

RCAF participation will be supported with the following aircraft:

• CC-130J Hercules, from 8 Wing, Trenton, Ont. - transportation support; and
• CC-150 Polaris from 8 Wing Trenton, Ont., - air-to-air refuelling and transportation support

"The RCAF is honoured to have been invited to participate in SERPENTEX 2013, a premiere, multinational training event, aimed to foster a spirit of cooperation and understanding between partner nations," said Lieutenant-Colonel Luc Girouard, Air Task Force SERPENTEX Commander. "We are looking forward to exercising our organizational capability overseas, which will test our ability to provide logistical and operational support to a deployed body."

During SERPENTEX, the 195-member RCAF team will have the opportunity to exercise all operational and logistical facets of deploying an air task force overseas to include the following:

• Close air support capability;
• Combined air operations training;
• Strategic air-to-air refuelling;
• Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance;
• Strategic (long-range) airlift;
• Planning and execution of deployed operations; and
• Establish a deployed combat operations centre.

Essential communication support will be provided by both 8 Air Communications and Control Squadron from 8 Wing, Trenton, Ont, and 2 Air Expeditionary Squadron from 2 Wing, Bagotville, Que.

While aircraft will come from across the country, the leadership cadre and the logistical support will be provided by 2 Wing. Formed in June 2012, 2 Wing, based in Bagotville, Que., is a deliberate, high readiness capability comprised of an operational, command and control, logistical, and support structure, making the RCAF self-sustainable and able to deploy any where in the world.

Note to Editors/News Directors: For more information, imagery, or interview requests, please contact Captain Jill Lawrence, Air Task Force SERPENTEX Public Affairs Officer, at Jill.Lawrence2@forces.gc.ca.

To view and download pictures SERPENTEX, please visit www.forcesimages.ca.