CFB Moose Jaw

{{Short description|Canadian Forces base in Saskatchewan, Canada}}

{{redirect|15 Wing||15th Wing (disambiguation)}}

{{Use Canadian English|date=July 2022}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}

{{Infobox airport

| name = 15 Wing Moose Jaw

| nativename = Moose Jaw/Air Vice Marshal C.M. McEwen Airport

| image = CFB Moose Jaw Airport.jpg

| IATA = YMJ

| ICAO = CYMJ

| WMO = 71864

| type = Military

| owner = Government of Canada

| operator = DND

| city-served =

| location = RM of Moose Jaw No. 161

| timezone = CST

| utc = UTC−06:00

| elevation-f = 1,892

| coordinates = {{coord|50|19|49|N|105|33|33|W|region:CA-SK|display=inline,title}}

| pushpin_map = Saskatchewan#Canada

| pushpin_label = CYMJ

| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Saskatchewan

| pushpin_relief = yes

| r1-number = 03/21

| r1-length-f = 3,400

| r1-surface = Asphalt

| r2-number = 11L/29R

| r2-length-f = 8,326

| r2-surface = Asphalt

| r3-number = 11R/29L

| r3-length-f = 7,280

| r3-surface = Asphalt

| footnotes = Source: Canada Flight Supplement{{CFS}}
Environment and Climate Change Canada[http://climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/prods_servs/metstat1_e.html Synoptic/Metstat Station Information] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111201114641/http://climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/prods_servs/metstat1_e.html |date=1 December 2011}}

}}

Canadian Forces Base Moose Jaw {{Airport codes|YMJ|CYMJ}}, also known as 15 Wing Moose Jaw, is a Canadian Forces base located {{convert|4|NM|lk=in}} south of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. It is operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and is home to RCAF Pilot training and 431 Squadron, the Snowbirds, which is the RCAF's air demonstration squadron.

The base's airfield is named after Air Vice-Marshal Clifford McEwen and is one of only three military aerodromes in Canada to be named after an individual, Valcartier (W/C J.H.L. (Joe) Lecomte) Heliport and Cold Lake/Group Captain R.W. McNair Airport being the others.

The airport is classified as an airport of entry by Nav Canada and is staffed by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). The customs service is restricted to 15 Wing – Moose Jaw aircraft only.

History

A civilian flying club aerodrome was established on the site south-southwest of Moose Jaw in 1928 by the Moose Jaw Flying Club. Its location surrounded by flat open prairie proved to be an ideal training site.

= RCAF Station Moose Jaw =

The declaration of World War II saw the Moose Jaw Flying Club initially contracted to provide pilot training for the Royal Canadian Air Force; however this was soon replaced by the far larger British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) which saw the Government of Canada acquire the aerodrome and completely reconstruct it into RCAF Station Moose Jaw in 1940 with the new aerodrome opening in 1941.

Initially the Royal Air Force trained exclusively at the base under the RAF's No. 32 Service Flying Training School (SFTS) (ca. 1942) using Harvards, and later, Oxfords. No. 32 SFTS eventually broadened its intake to train 1,200 pilots for the air forces of Canada, the United Kingdom, Norway, New Zealand, Poland, France, Czechoslovakia, Belgium, the United States, and the Netherlands.{{cite journal |author1=Greenhous, Brereton |author2=Norman Hillmer |title=The Impact of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan on Western Canada: Some Saskatchewan Case Studies |journal=Journal of Canadian Studies |date=Fall 1981 |volume=16 |issue=3 |pages=133–144 |doi=10.3138/jcs.16.3-4.133 |s2cid=151441160 |postscript=Project Muse.}}

=== Aerodrome information ===

In approximately 1942 the aerodrome was listed at {{coord|50|20|N|105|33|W|region:CA-SK}} with a variation of 18 degrees east and elevation of {{cvt|1900|ft}}. Six runways were listed as follows:{{cite book|author=Staff writer|title= Pilots Handbook of Aerodromes and Seaplane Bases Vol. 2|publisher=Royal Canadian Air Force|page= 51|date= c. 1942}}

class="wikitable"
Runway name

! Length

! Width

! Surface

13/31

| {{cvt|2760|ft}}

| {{cvt|100|ft}}

| Hard surfaced

13/31

| {{cvt|2820|ft}}

| {{cvt|100|ft}}

| Hard surfaced

8/26

| {{cvt|2760|ft}}

| {{cvt|100|ft}}

| Hard surfaced

8/26

| {{cvt|3120|ft}}

| {{cvt|100|ft}}

| Hard surfaced

2/20

| {{cvt|2760|ft}}

| {{cvt|100|ft}}

| Hard surfaced

2/20

| {{cvt|2820|ft}}

| {{cvt|100|ft}}

| Hard surfaced

RCAF Station Moose Jaw had two relief landing fields. One was located at Buttress, Saskatchewan and one at Burdick (Moose Jaw Municipal Airport) .

In 1946 RCAF Station Moose Jaw was decommissioned and the aerodrome was returned to civilian service.

Because of rising Cold War tensions, the aerodrome was reactivated by the RCAF in 1953 as the site of military pilot training. RCAF Station Moose Jaw undertook additional construction to support its expanded personnel complement. The base was used by the RCAF and its NATO allies for pilot training, using both single-prop World War II-era Harvards and Canadair CT-133 Silver Star jet training aircraft. By the mid-1960s these were both replaced by the Canadian built CT-114 Tutor.

Image:CFBMooseJaw01.JPG jet trainer and the old Moose Jaw control tower in the spring of 1982]]

The Institute for Stained Glass in Canada has documented the stained glass at RCAF Base Chapel.[https://www.glassincanada.org/our-building/air-base-chapel/ Stained glass at RCAF Base Chapel]

= CFB Moose Jaw =

In 1968 the RCAF merged with the Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Navy to form the unified Canadian Forces. The base's name was changed to Canadian Forces Base Moose Jaw, usually shortened to CFB Moose Jaw. From 1968 until the formation of Air Command in 1975, CFB Moose Jaw fell under the direction of Training Command and served to house the Tutor Jet Training Program.

By the early 1990s, CFB Moose Jaw was operated by over 1,300 employees and made a significant economical impact on the region, but pending cutbacks in military spending spread rumours of possible closure of the base. In 1994, the Government of Canada awarded Bombardier with a 20-year contract to support the delivery of what is now the NATO Flying Training in Canada (NFTC) program. Many of the base's structures were renovated to accommodate new personnel and new training aircraft. Pilots from Denmark, Singapore, Great Britain, Italy, Hungary, Germany, Finland, and many other allied nations train at CFB Moose Jaw every year, ensuring the base's future with the Canadian Forces. In 2015, Bombardier sold its NFTC contract to CAE who are currently the prime contractor.

Image:CFBMooseJaw02.JPGs belonging to 2 Canadian Forces Flying Training School parked on the ramp at CFB Moose Jaw, 1982]]

From 1970 until its disbandment in 1993 Moose Jaw had a Base Rescue Flight flying three CH-118 Huey helicopters.{{cite web|url=http://www.rcaf.com/Aircraft/aircraftDetail.php?IROQUOIS-168|title=Bell CH-118 IROQUOIS|year=2010|author=AEROWARE / RCAF.com|access-date=4 October 2010}}

During a reorganization at AIRCOM in the late 1990s, CFB Moose Jaw's various AIRCOM units were placed under a new primary lodger unit called "15 Wing"; consequently the base is now referred to as 15 Wing Moose Jaw.

Current operations

Image:BellCH-118Huey118109and118101.JPG helicopters at CFB Moose Jaw, 1982]]

15 Wing Moose Jaw is home to the following units:

= CFB Moose Jaw =

== Integral Units ==

== Canadian Armed Forces Lodger Units ==

== Other Lodger Units ==

== NATO Flying Training in Canada (NFTC) ==

  • CAE Inc - Prime Contractor
  • Serco{{Cite web |date=22 May 2022 |title=Aviation Services |url=https://www.serco.com/na/canada/our-work/aviation-services |access-date=22 May 2022 |website=serco}}{{Cite web |title=Facilities & Operations |url=https://skyalyne.ca/our-expertise/facilities-operations/ |access-date=22 May 2022 |website=SkyAlyne }} - Air Traffic Control, Air Information Services, and Ground Electronic Services
  • ATCO Frontec{{Cite web |title=ATCO Frontec Profile: NATO Flying Training in Canada - 15 Wing Moose Jaw |url=https://frontec.atco.com/en-ca/projects/frontec-nato-flying-training-canada.html |access-date=22 May 2022 |website=frontec.atco.com }} - Facilities Management, Vehicle and Logistics Services, Fire/Crash Rescue Services, Airfield Infrastructure, Flight Training Facilities

= Southport Aerospace Centre =

== Integral Units ==

== Contracted Flying Training and Support (CFTS) ==

  • KF Aerospace{{Cite web |last=GSSI |title=Contracted Flying Training & Support (CFTS) |url=https://www.kfaero.ca/defence-programs/contracted-flying-training-support-cfts/ |access-date=22 May 2022 |website=KF Aero}} - Prime Contractor
  • Canadian Base Operators - Air Traffic Control, Fire and Crash Support, Airfield Maintenance, Food Services, Administrative Support, IMIT, Housekeeping and Aeronatuical Information Services
  • Bluedrop Training & Simulation - Coursewear development
  • Canadian Helicopters - Helicopter maintenance and ground-based and simulation instructors.

Future Aircrew Training Program (FAcT)

The NATO Flying Training in Canada{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Public Services and Procurement Canada |date=7 March 2022 |title=NATO Flying Training in Canada (NFTC) – Extension (W8485-7-VA01/001/ZD) |url=https://buyandsell.gc.ca/procurement-data/award-notice/PW-22-00988378-003 |access-date=22 May 2022 |website=buyandsell.gc.ca}} and Contracted Flying Training and Support{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Public Services and Procurement Canada |date=12 March 2018 |title=Future Aircrew Training Program - Air - Defence and marine procurement - Buying and Selling - PSPC Services - PSPC |url=https://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/app-acq/amd-dp/air/snac-nfps/ffpn-fact-eng.html |access-date=22 May 2022 |website=www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca}} contracts expire in 2027. Future Aircrew Training Program (FAcT) will replace these two contracts as well as create a new contracted system for Air Combat Systems Officers and Airborne Electronic Sensors Operators. After the REquest for proposals going out on 11 February 2022, the new contract is expected to be awarded in 2023.

= Prospective bidders =

Image:RaytheonCT156HarvardII156121.JPG at CFB Moose Jaw, 3 November 2005]]

  • SkyAlyne Canada Limited Partnership{{Cite web |title=SkyAlyne {{!}} Truly Canadian Training |url=https://skyalyne.ca/ |access-date=22 May 2022 |website=SkyAlyne }}
  • Primary Partners
  • CAE Inc{{Cite web |title=The SkyAlyne Team |url=https://skyalyne.ca/who-we-are/the-skyalyne-team/ |access-date=22 May 2022|website=SkyAlyne }}
  • KF Aerospace
  • Potential Sub-Contractors and Strategic Partners
  • ATCO Frontec
  • Bluedrop Training & Simulation
  • Canadian Base Operators
  • Canadian Helicopters
  • Lockheed Martin
  • PAL Aerospace
  • Serco
  • Babcock Leonardo Canadian Aircrew Training{{Cite web |title=Babcock Leonardo Canadian Aircrew Training |url=https://canadianaircrewtraining.ca/ |access-date=22 May 2022 |website=Babcock & Leonardo }}
  • Primary Partners
  • Babcock Canada{{Cite web |date=11 August 2021 |title=Babcock Canada and Leonardo Canada join forces to support the country's Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) program |url=https://canadianaircrewtraining.ca/babcock-leonardo-fact-announcement/ |access-date=22 May 2022 |website=Babcock & Leonardo }}
  • Leonardo Canada
  • Potential Sub-Contractors and Strategic Partners
  • Top Aces{{Cite web |date=10 September 2021 |title=Three new strategic partners join the FAcT team led by Babcock Leonardo Canadian Aircrew Training |url=https://canadianaircrewtraining.ca/three-new-strategic-partners-join-the-fact-team-led-by-babcock-leonardo-canadian-aircrew-training/ |access-date=22 May 2022 |website=Babcock & Leonardo }}
  • Flight Safety International
  • L3Harris
  • Athabasca Catering{{Cite web |date=20 October 2021 |title=Canada's Largest Indigenous-Owned Hospitality and Site Management Company Joins the Babcock Leonardo Canadian Aircrew Training Team |url=https://canadianaircrewtraining.ca/athabasca-catering-joins-babcock-leonardo/ |access-date=22 May 2022 |website=Babcock & Leonardo }}
  • The Loomex Group{{Cite web |date=16 May 2022|title=Canada's Leading Aviation and Emergency Management Specialists join the Babcock Leonardo Canadian Aircrew Training team |url=https://canadianaircrewtraining.ca/canadas-leading-aviation-and-emergency-management-specialists-join-the-babcock-leonardo-canadian-aircrew-training-team/ |access-date=22 May 2022 |website=Babcock & Leonardo }}
  • Executive Flight Centre{{Cite web |date=5 May 2022 |title=Executive Flight Centre, a leading Canadian provider of aerodrome site support services, joins Babcock Leonardo Canadian Aircrew Training for the FAcT program |url=https://canadianaircrewtraining.ca/executive-flight-centre-joins-blcat/ |access-date=22 May 2022 |website=Babcock & Leonardo }}
  • Bird Construction{{Cite web |date=12 April 2022 |title=Leading Canadian infrastructure management organization joins the FAcT bid team led by Babcock Leonardo Canadian Aircrew Training |url=https://canadianaircrewtraining.ca/bird-joins-babcock-leonardo-canadian-aircrew-training/ |access-date=22 May 2022 |website=Babcock & Leonardo }}
  • Dexterra{{Cite web |date=24 March 2022 |title=A leading Canadian facilities management organization joins the FAcT bid team led by Babcock Leonardo Canadian Aircrew Training |url=https://canadianaircrewtraining.ca/dexterra-joins-babcock-leonardo-canadian-aircrew-training/ |access-date=22 May 2022 |website=Babcock & Leonardo }}

See also

References

{{reflist}}