BY RICHARD NGHIEM
‘Our North, Strong and Free’ – An improvement, but not enough for the RCAF
With the federal government’s recent announcement of its Defence Policy Update (DPU), ‘Our North, Strong and Free’, it appears that Ottawa, for the first time in decades, has finally made the modernization of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) a top priority, particularly in the air domain. Consequently, while there is no question that the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) is in dire straits today, the service’s future holds some promise. The largest recapitalization of the RCAF since the Second World War is currently underway, including the procurement of 88 new, state-of-the-art F-35A fighter jets, 9 A330 Multi-role Tanker Transport aircraft, 16 P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol jets, and Canada’s first-ever-fleet of 11 armed MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones. Plans for a contemporary fleet of AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning & Control), under the recently released DPU, have also been made.
F-35Bs
From a combat power perspective, the purchase of Block 4 F-35As is by far the most consequential. The deployment of this newest version of the fifth-generation aircraft would provide Canadian fighter pilots with new, enhanced ISR capabilities, greater battle space situational awareness, and better survivability in today’s high-threat operational environment due to its formidable stealth and sensing capabilities. The jet’s new drag chute system would also allow for rapid deceleration and for RCAF pilots to land on short, icy runways in the Far North after air interception operations while its ‘Sidekick’ weapons bay adapters would increase the number of internally carried AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs) from 4 to 6 for air-to-air combat, boosting its overall firepower.
However, while these capabilities are indeed extremely impressive, it is imperative that they be further augmented. Another useful upgrade for Canada’s F-35As could be the acquisition of new low-drag, stealthy fuel tanks and pylons which can be jettisoned. Such equipment is critical as RCAF planes need to be able to operate over great distances across the vast Arctic region and potentially in faraway regions such as Europe or Asia while simultaneously maintaining their radar evading capabilities or radar cross section. This type of add-on system, fortunately, has already been developed by the US Air Force for its F-22 fighter jets and is currently being adapted for the F-35A to give it a much-needed range boost. As a result, once this process has been completed, this gear should be immediately procured by the RCAF. Furthermore, Ottawa should consider the purchase of an extra squadron of 12 short take-off and vertical-landing (STOVL) F-35Bs which could serve as a small air-wing detachment, deployed onboard allied naval vessels as part of Canada’s forward presence in certain regions, or based at NORAD Region Forward Operating Locations as a permanent Arctic air patrol force. With regards to the former, examples of light carriers that could potentially accommodate these jets include the U.S.’ America-class amphibious assault ships, UK’s Queen Elizabeth-class carriers, Japan’s Hyūga-class or Izumo-class helicopter destroyers, and South Korea’s Dokdo-class helicopter carriers.
JET TRAINERS
Besides the procurement of stealth fuel tanks and extra F-35Bs, the replacement of the RCAF’s BAE Systems Hawk 115 jet trainers should also be made a priority. Ottawa prematurely retired the military branch’s fleet of 17 Hawks after just 24 years of service and now consequently lacks a single-engine type jet that can effectively prepare future trainees to fly Canada’s planned fleet of 88 F-35A stealth fighters. This presents a significant problem as in the absence of a new jet trainer, prospective Air Force fighter pilots will likely have to attend training overseas with various NATO allies and will not be available to conduct everyday air patrols to protect Canadian airspace. Two potential aircraft that the DND could pursue are Korea Aerospace Industries’ T-50 and Boeing’s T-7A. Having said that, the acquisition of jet trainers is far from sufficient to effectively prepare fighter pilots for aerial warfare in the 21st century. Joint Simulation Environment (JSE) facilities with full high-fidelity F-35 cockpits, residing in 15 ft wide domes which give trainees a 300° field of view and immerse them in a virtual environment, must also be procured to provide advanced training and extremely realistic combat scenarios that simply cannot be replicated in the real world / open-air ranges or by low-end simulators for F-35s. This capability is crucial as it would enable RCAF aviators to practice large scale defensive counter-air missions and air interdiction operations against enemy forces in complex, highly contested environments containing a combination of aerial, electromagnetic, infrared and cyberspace threats. Furthermore, the JSE would allow fighter pilots to fully utilize the capabilities of their aircraft, weapons and sensors while out of sight of adversaries as it is a closed enclave where Air Force aviators can “execute formal tactics, experiment with new ones,” and operate with autonomous drones or collaborative combat aircraft. This facility’s ultimate value is that it is the only training environment “short of war” that realistically simulates how technologically advanced adversaries may fight in actual air combat.
Last, but not least, the successful transition of Canada’s fighter force from the CF-18 to the F-35A will require significant upgrades to the RCAF’s aging hangars and maintenance facilities at its main fighter bases in Bagotville, Quebec and Cold Lake, Alberta, as well as its NORAD Region Forward Operating Locations and computer networks. These improvements are vital as the service must ensure that it has the right infrastructure and IT backbone in place so that when the first batch of F-35As arrive, the Air Force can actually operate those jets right away.
AEW&C
Moving on from fifth-generation combat aircraft, Ottawa should also make it a top priority to acquire world-class aircraft for AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning & Control) or C4ISR as stated in the DPU. This investment is crucial as Canada’s lack of capability in this area over the last several decades has directly led to the country’s inability to not only effectively detect aerial intrusions into North American airspace, but also intercept threats. The latter is clearly demonstrated by the CF-18 fleet’s recent struggles to interdict Russian strategic nuclear bombers in the Far North and the RCAF’s heavy reliance on American F-22s from Alaska to monitor Russian planes and shoot down Chinese spy balloons in Canadian airspace. However, while the federal government’s DPU, ‘Our North, Strong and Free’, mentions the importance of procuring AEW&C aircraft, no specific platform is mentioned. This absence of information is probably due to DND’s desire for a competitive bidding process.
In terms of choices, as a result of the recent retirement of the E-3 Sentry, the E-7 Wedgetail is arguably one of the most robust platforms available on the market and is currently in service with or on contract for Australia, South Korea, Turkey, the UK and the U.S. It has a fixed, active electronically scanned array radar antenna which provides 360 degree coverage and is capable of simultaneous air and maritime search and F-35A command and control (C2) with a maximum detection range of over 600 km. The radar antenna array also has a secondary role as a signals intelligence array, with a maximum range of 850 km at an altitude of 30,000 ft. Another option would be Saab’s GlobalEye, a multi-domain AEW&C solution. With its mix of modern active and passive sensors, it provides long-range detection and identification of objects in air, at sea and over land. Based on the Global 6000/6500 aircraft family from Canada’s Bombardier, GlobalEye combines Saab’s Erieye Extended Range radar with an advanced suit of sensors and a multi-domain Command and Control (C2) system. The Global 6000/6500 aircraft from Bombardier adds over 11 hours of operational endurance, state-of-the-art avionics, and ideal working conditions for all crew members, making it perfectly suited for AEW&C missions.
ELECTRONIC WARFARE
Having said that, while new stealthy F-35As will soon form the backbone of the RCAF’s combat power with AEW&C aircraft serving as a C2 aerial combat ‘quarterback’, a 21st century ‘strike package’ is not complete without specialized electronic warfare (EW) aircraft for SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defences) missions and armed autonomous drones. EW planes are essential for neutralizing enemy air defences to pave the way for 5th-generation strike aircraft along with swarms of armed autonomous drones to penetrate deep into enemy airspace and hit their designated targets. Consequently, given the importance of EW, one could make the argument that a separate dedicated aircraft fleet should be procured specifically for that mission. In such a scenario, Boeing’s EA-18G Growlers should unquestionably be the platform of choice for the RCAF. Despite the F-35A’s impressive electronic jamming capabilities, the EA-18G Growler is arguably the most capable EW aircraft in the world as it is equipped with both AN/ALQ-218 wideband receivers and five ALQ-99 high and low-band tactical jamming pods, which when combined, form a full spectrum electronic warfare suite that is able to provide detection and jamming against all known surface-to-air threats. It can also be armed with several AGM-88 HARM missiles for kinetic strikes against radar installations and SAM (Surface-to-Air Missile) sites and use the Interference Cancellation system that will allow voice communication while jamming enemy communications. Most importantly, the Growler, not the F-35A, will be the initial platform for the Next Generation Jammer which uses ASEA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) technology to precisely focus electronic jamming power exactly where needed. Finally, to round out the ‘strike package’, Canada’s choice of armed autonomous drones should be the MQ-28 Ghost Bat and MQ-58 Valkyrie. With the Air Force’s current personnel shortage, the service must rely more on autonomous UASs to augment the combat effectiveness of existing manned combat aircraft and provide “affordable mass.” These UCAVs will achieve this goal by acting as ‘missile trucks’ and conducting deep strike and electronic warfare missions without human intervention.
UAVs/UCAVs
The role of UASs, however, does not stop at the aforementioned missions above. With the RCAF’s future fleet of 16 P-8A Poseidon aircraft being highly capable, yet completely inadequate, capacity-wise, for patrolling the vast coastlines of the country, which border three separate oceans, additional drones will also be needed for maritime patrol and ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare). To address the former mission, new unmanned ISR platforms should include high-altitude long endurance MQ-4C Triton UAVs to expand the surveillance of Canada’s maritime approaches. The MQ-4C can remain airborne for more than 30 hours at 55,000 ft and has a AN/ZPY-3 Multi-Function Active Sensor as well as a X-band AESA radar, capable of surveying 2,700,000 square miles of sea, shoreline or land in a 24-hour period. It is also highly suitable for the vast Arctic as it is equipped with anti-icing systems on its wings. Other important aspects of the MQ-4C are its ability to operate as a network relay and data fusion center, create a common “picture” of the battlespace, provide real-time ISR, and complement P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.
With regards to addressing the capacity shortfall in ASW, significantly more SkyGuardian drones are desperately needed to bring about a new revolution in undersea warfare. At a time when Russia is increasing its probing of Canada’s maritime defences with both strategic ballistic missile submarines and nuclear attack submarines, additional MQ-9Bs are critical for greatly augmenting the capabilities of the Air Force’s soon-to-be-acquired P-8As. This emphasis is due to the fact that these UCAVs are specifically configured to target enemy submarines in support of ASW operations and can carry 80 sonobuoys on one sortie and deploy them while simultaneously processing incoming data from 32 sonobuoys. The MQ-9B SkyGuardian also has a longer endurance than crewed aircraft. Depending upon the mission requirements, it can stay airborne for more than 30 hours under any weather conditions. It has a mission combat radius of 1,200 nautical miles and can constantly monitor the ocean for hostile undersea threats. Its onboard tactical data-link16 also enables it to share vital information with other platforms such as P-8A Poseidons in real time, ensuring that all ASW assets in a region have a common tactical picture. Taken altogether, these capabilities allow the MQ-9B SkyGuardian to loiter and search for submarines over long periods of time and then relay targeting information, once acquired, to crewed platforms within the network to come and engage the target. MQ-9Bs may also be armed, themselves, with light weight torpedoes and depth charges and can attack enemy subs to close the ‘kill chain’ unilaterally.
LONG-RANGE MUNITIONS
While the procurement of new manned and unmanned combat air systems is without question important for the recapitalization of the RCAF today, the service must also aggressively prioritize the acquisition of more long-range offensive cruise missiles. Without these weapons, all of the platforms highlighted throughout this article so far, would have little combat value in a high intensity 21st century conventional conflict. Examples of such munitions include new Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile Extended Range (AARGM-ER) missiles for targeting enemy ground based radar systems, AI-enabled Long-Range Anti-Surface Cruise Missiles (LRASMs) for launching coordinated strikes against “well-defended maritime targets in complex and littoral environments,” from stand-off distances, and internally stored Joint Strike Missiles, Joint Standoff Weapons (JSOWs), and GBU-53/B StormBreaker glide bombs. Stealthy AGM-158B JASSM-ER missiles, designed for long range land and maritime attack missions, and AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missiles, meant for air-to-air combat, should also be purchased.
Taken together, the procurement of new F-35Bs, F-35A related equipment, drones, and AEW&C and SEAD aircraft in conjunction with investments in infrastructure and long-range munitions will dramatically improve the RCAF’s ability to not only better conduct defensive patrols around Canada’s periphery, but also effectively contribute to the defence of NATO and Europe in the event of further Russian aggression.
ROTARY-WING
Shifting away from the Air Force’s fixed wing fleet to its helicopter squadrons, rotary aviation, while not as vital as the service’s new F-35As, must also continue to be a major area of investment. Rotary wing aircraft are essential as they provide the CAF with the necessary speed and airlift capacity to defend Canada’s sovereignty and respond to natural disasters and emergencies across the Nation. They can also execute a wide range of missions from close air support (CAS) to ASW to Search & Rescue (SAR). Recognizing the importance of these RCAF assets, Ottawa, to its credit, under the DPU, has committed some $13.5 billion to acquire a new “mobile and effective tactical helicopter capability.” These modernization efforts, however, are not without faults. They will take nearly two decades to complete, exclude the procurement of attack helicopters, and do not state any specific replacement platform for the Air Force’s current CH-146 Griffons which are projected to remain in service until at least the mid-2030s. This lack of emphasis on not only CAS and the protection of CH-147F Chinook helicopters, but also the urgent need for new tactical troop transport is a massive mistake on the part of DND as these capabilities are critical for the CAF to effectively operate in a future combat environment which will likely be highly contested and require forced entry operations. One only needs to look at the ongoing war in Ukraine to see how important CAS and air mobility is for ground troops.
As a result, one of the RCAF’s highest priorities should be to replace its aging Griffons as quickly as possible with a new fleet of Bell V-280 Valor tilt rotor aircraft and repurpose the CH-146s as reserve utility transport choppers. The new V-280s, capable of taking off and landing like a helicopter, but also flying fast like a traditional plane, would allow the Air Force to more effectively deploy soldiers across the battlefield as they can fly much further and faster than the Griffon. These aircraft can also insert troops and heavy weaponry such as M777A2 howitzers behind enemy lines while evading enemy air defences in complex, highly contested environments due to their stealthy characteristics. Such low observable technologies include infrared heat suppressing systems and various fuselage contour constructions as a specific way to make the V-280 Valor less detectable and targetable by integrated air defence systems. In addition to its range, speed, and stealth, this tilt-rotor aircraft also has an advanced 360-degree sensor suite, quite similar to the one used on the F-35A. It will allow troops onboard to wear goggles or a helmet and view their surroundings as they transit to their mission target location, giving them an idea of the ground threats they may encounter.
While the V-280 is truly a next-generation platform, another aircraft similar to it that the RCAF should acquire is the V-22 Osprey. Like the Valor, the Osprey combines the VTOL capability of a helicopter with the speed, takeoff weight, and range of a conventional fixed-wing aircraft. As a result, it can effectively transport troops and combat equipment over long distances to austere environments like the Arctic where few airfields or logistic facilities exist. However, the V-22 also has a unique aerial refuelling capability that allows it to refuel other helicopters and even F-35As. With 10,000 pounds of fuel per aircraft, specially designated Osprey aircraft would not only augment Canada’s overall tanker fleet and enable air interceptions across a wider geographical area, but also enhance the capacity of the CAF to conduct power projection operations.
Having already addressed the critical needs of tactical airlift and aerial refuelling, in terms of modernizing Canada’s rotary-wing fleet, new aircraft must also be procured to better protect tactical utility helicopters and provide much needed CAS for ground troops. With respect to the former mission, unmanned, runway-independent V-247 Vigilants from Bell should be the RCAF’s first platform of choice. These UCAVs can effectively complement and escort manned helicopters or tilt-rotor aircraft and be incorporated into manned-unmanned teaming arrangements where helicopter pilots have the ability to control nearby drones from the cockpit using a tactical common data-link such as Link 16. Once under the command of RCAF pilots, V-247s are fully capable of performing a variety of missions including EW, CAS, ASW, airborne early warning (AEW), and resupply (can sling-load 4,100 kg). With a time-on-station of 11-15 hours, a two-aircraft V-247 team can provide 24/7 ISR over a given area which is quite attractive for an air force like Canada’s which is small, personnel-wise, and tasked with monitoring vast amounts of territory. Furthermore, due to its foldability and small footprint, this UCAV could also be forward deployed on the RCN’s Halifax-class frigates, Harry DeWolf-class offshore patrol vessels, or future Canadian Surface Combatants to complement the RCAF’s current CH-148 Cyclone helicopters for ASW operations. All of these proposed scenarios are viable as some U.S. Marine Corps’ Marine Air Ground Task Force units have already used the V-247 to perform the tasks of the MQ-9 Reaper while operating amphibious assault ships and escort the MV-22.
ATTACK HELICOPTERS
Moving on from rotary-wing aircraft protection, with regards to CAS, the service should purchase 24-48 AH-64E Apache Guardians which are regarded by most defence experts to be the best attack helicopters in the world. They are armed with a 30mm M230 Chain Gun and a maximum load out of 16 Hellfire air-to-surface missiles or a mix of Hellfire missiles, Hydra 70mm rockets, and air-to-air Stinger missiles. These helicopters also possess a AN/APG-78 Longbow millimetre-wave fire-control radar which enables target detection from behind obstacles (e.g. terrain, trees or buildings), the simultaneous tracking of up to 128 ground targets from 8 km away, and engagement of 16 at once. Given their formidable capabilities, AH-64E Apache Guardians, if purchased, would unquestionably revolutionize the way that Canadian ground troops fight on the battlefield.
Overall, with all of these proposed procurement projects, the RCAF’s rotary-wing aircraft fleet would be completely transformed. It would be able to not only provide effective CAS for the first time in a long time and conduct more robust ASW operations, but also transport and sustain several light infantry battalions in the Arctic to assert Canada’s sovereignty over the region and provide substantial humanitarian aid and SAR capabilities to natural disaster hit areas at home and abroad.
LOOKIG AHEAD
However, despite all of these aforementioned procurement projects, from plans to buy armed autonomous drones to new AEW&C and SEAD aircraft, there is a strong possibility that these efforts to firmly entrench the Air Force in the 21st century over the next decade may fail. While the RCAF has developed a carefully choreographed plan to make the transition from its legacy platforms to newly acquired equipment as seamless as possible without compromising the short-term security of the country over the next decade, it isn’t without its risks. Like the rest of the branches of the CAF, the Air Force is struggling to recruit and retain enough people to fill its ranks. Top defence officials have revealed that the service is short nearly 2,000 active personnel along with 500 reservists, at a time when it is supposed to be expanding. Such a manpower deficit has put immense pressure on the RCAF as it tries to coordinate the training of personnel for soon-to-be acquired F-35As, P-8As, and MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones while having enough pilots, mechanics and other members to continue flying existing combat aircraft in the meantime. This capacity shortfall is clearly showcased by the service’s current readiness crisis. Out of all the CAF’s branches, the Air Force is in the worst condition with 55% of “fighters, maritime aviation, search and rescue, tactical aviation, trainers and transport aircraft” considered “unserviceable or unavailable.” This deficit, however, is not the only challenge the RCAF is confronting due to a shortage in human resources. Capability-wise, out of its current mix of 76 aging F/A-18A-B fighter jets and more recently acquired second-hand Australian F/A-18A-Bs, just 36 of them have been upgraded with contemporary-standard AESA radars. As a result, without this equipment, the majority of Canada’s fighter force lacks the battle space situational awareness to ensure a reasonable level of survivability within a highly contested environment and is not “combat credible” in a NATO or NORAD context against high-end conventional threats.
To counter this predicament, the Air Force must take a series of bold measures to boost current morale among its members as well as recruitment and personnel retention. Potential courses of actions include increased aircraft flight hour budgets for more real-life training on combat aircraft, elevated flight time on jet trainer aircraft, significant salary boosts, and the incorporation of reservists to operate the new fleet of armed MQ-9B drones it will soon receive. Such plans could improve the attractiveness of joining the RCAF, making the jump from the reserves to the active force, and remaining in the service instead of leaving for the private sector, thereby growing the service. Lastly, to ensure that the current fighter force remains at least somewhat combat relevant for next decade until the F-35A fleet has been completely delivered, all of Canada’s existing F/A-18A-Bs must undergo a modernization program to be equipped with AN/APG-79 AESA radars as a stopgap measure. Overall, taken altogether, the new procurement projects and recruitment and retention approaches, outlined in this article, along with new training practices, if properly implemented, will not only revitalize the RCAF and boost its ability to fulfill its NATO and NORAD obligations, but also transform it into one of the most capable air forces in the world.
Richard Nghiem is CDR’s Washington D.C. Correspondent
