LGen ERIC KENNY: Commander of the RCAF

CDR’s asked Senior Staff Writer and Aviation Editor, Joetey Attariwala, to sit down with Lieutenant-General Eric Kenny, Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) for an exclusive one-on-one interview. As global threats evolve and the geopolitical landscape grows increasingly complex, LGen Kenny offers candid insights into the challenges facing the RCAF and the strategic initiatives underway to meet them. From technological upgrades to shifts in operational doctrine, he discusses how the Air Force is preparing to face a world that, by many measures, is more dangerous than when he first assumed command. Here is that conversation.

CDR: General Kenny, thank you for speaking with me again. Let’s start by talking about the RCAF Centennial last year. It’s a huge institutional milestone, so what was the most memorable moment for you during the centennial?

LGen Kenny: I would say the whole year was memorable, of course, including the lead up to it with an amazing RCAF 100 Team. One of the highlights for me was being in the UK at Canada House hosting 70 Air and Space power command teams to celebrate our 100th anniversary, while at same time being presented the Pooley Sword, the Centennial Sword, by Air Chief Marshal Rich Knighton, the UK Chief of Air Staff, which recognized our lineage back to the UK and Royal Air Force. To do that in an international forum where we had all these key leaders to celebrate with us, with the Royal Canadian Air Force band present, and the High Commissioner hosting us there was truly special.

CDR: With the recent ongoing conflicts like that between India and Pakistan, and the war in Ukraine, what is that telling you about modern air warfare, and what is Canada specifically learning from them?

LGen Kenny: Technology continues to be modernized – that’s nothing new – it’s how you respond, the agility to modernize, reprogram or counter the latest technologies. That is what’s becoming very clear in terms of the pace of change. It’s also showcasing that a lot of countries have developed 5th generation air and surface-to-air type threats that will put us in a critical space unless we also modernize to meet that 5th generation capability as an Air and Space Force, whether it be drone technology, hypersonics, hyper-glide vehicles, 5th generation fighters or just very advanced long range surface-to-air type technology that continues to push the envelope for anti-access/area denial making it very challenging to make sure that we can protect our own airspace, let alone our sovereignty.

CDR: Does that mean that the RCAF needs to become more responsive and more nimble?

LGen Kenny: There’s always going to be a need for some high-end capabilities that cost more and that give you the leading edge — they need to be programmable in terms of updates, whether it be software or hardware, in a relatively easy fashion, without the redesign of the entire system, as one example. At the same time, we need low cost, low-tech type solutions for low cost, low-tech type weapons or tactics used against us. So, it’s going to be a combination of low cost to high-cost capabilities that will really ensure success in the battlefield that’s playing out right now in theaters like Ukraine.

CDR: What are some of the threats that really keep you up at night, and what are some of the theaters or regions that are most important to the RCAF moving forward?

LGen Kenny: Our focus right now is on integrated air and missile defence — so the ability to detect threats that come through air and space. The ability to have a command control system that can advise the decision makers of this information, and then having effectors in place to do something about it. What currently worries me the most are cruise missiles that could be sent if an adversary so chose, into places such as Canada. Next would be uncrewed aerial systems that could be used against us, but my higher concern right now is the cruise missile threat. Over time though, that will continue to develop as adversaries develop longer range capabilities that will go much further than cruise missiles, and as I mentioned a little bit earlier, will include hypersonics, and of course ballistic missiles as we saw with the attack against Israel by Iran. All these things just lead to a need to have that integrated air missile defence in place in Canada.

GOLDEN DOME

CDR: You just spoke of air and missile defence, so what does the potential of Golden Dome mean for Canada and specifically the Air Force?

LGen Kenny: If you think of it in a NORAD context, as a binational command that does aerospace warning, aerospace control, and maritime warning, there are components that each nation contributes that allows us to do that in an effective manner. But ultimately, what NORAD does, at least in a warning aspect, is kind of an integrated air missile defence architecture and command and control system.

From my understanding, Golden Dome on the US side aims to establish a more robust and integrated air missile defense system specifically for the United States. In contrast, our focus is on determining the requirements necessary to protect Canada. I anticipate that collaboration between the two systems will enable NORAD to enhance its effectiveness as a binational command tasked with this mission. Initial discussions have revolved around the specifics of Golden Dome and Canada’s contributions. Our planning will emphasize improving domain awareness and command and control efficiency. This includes considerations of redundancy, resiliency, and the rapid dissemination of information utilizing AI and machine learning.

CDR: With respect to the threat vectors that you mentioned, how is the Air Force adapting in terms of combat capability beyond new platforms alone?

LGen Kenny: First is understanding the threat, which for us is focused on a peer adversary, with Russia and China being at the top of that list. That of course also includes North Korea, Iran, and violent extremist organizations. So, our focus is on protecting Canada and the Arctic, followed by the Euro-Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific. When you understand that that’s the threat and that we’re building capabilities to deter adversaries from trying to change the rules based international order, or threatening our sovereignty, then it leads to a multitude of things that we need to look at.

Within the space domain, we need to think of it as an actual war fighting domain. What that means, more specifically, is our ability not only to have situational awareness in what goes on in space — we do that with the Sapphire satellite as one example. But, it’s also our ability to do rendezvous and proximity operations within Space, and the ability to potentially develop counter-space capabilities to defend and protect our assets in space to allow us to have effectively the high ground that’s required to be able to enable all other operations, whether it’s air, land, sea or cyber.

Then on the air side, it’s about making sure we have a robust command and control system. What we’re doing through the cloud-based command and control application using AI and machine learning, which allows us to be much more resilient in terms of not being a single point of failure at one specific location, but having all feeds come in to give you that high quality information at the speed of relevance, and then making sure that all your effectors that can conduct different missions – whether it’s anti-submarine warfare, air mobility, fighter operations, or search and rescue – are able to plug into it in a seamless way, or at least be able to provide their information into that system, and that information can then be disseminated, processed and pushed back to those platforms. That doesn’t mean they all have the exact same systems, but there needs to be a way to pass the information back and forth, whether that be through data link like Link 16. It’s trying to go beyond just interoperability and be fully integrated in our systems — working with the Navy, working with the Army, working with Special Forces.

HITTING NATO’S 2% TARGET

CDR: What does 2% of GDP on defence potentially mean for the RCAF?

LGen Kenny: I think it’s a necessary time to rearm and rebuild our military. For the Air Force, it is important to address foundational improvements. Specifically, measures can be taken to enhance the applicant experience for recruitment and increase recruitment numbers through incentives and positive experiences during entry. Additionally, efforts should focus on continuously modernizing training programs to expedite entry into operational units with appropriate experience, alongside retention initiatives.

The other important areas include seeking additional funding for national procurement to obtain parts and contracts for sustaining and increasing fleet availability, funding for ammunition to build up stockpiles due to high demand and production time, and funding for infrastructure.

We have received a lot of funding towards infrastructure for projects through the defence policy, Our North, Strong and Free, but there’s still a requirement for additional infrastructure funding to sustain the infrastructure we have. Ideally, to get to a point where we’re doing preventative maintenance and building housing for families, and there’s also a component of supporting childcare.

Beyond fixing the foundation, what I am interested in is the next bound which could involve long-range precision strike for the air. It could involve looking at some of our other fleets that we currently don’t have a very specific plan for yet in terms of their modernization or potential replacement. There’s autonomous collaborative platforms, sometimes referred to as collaborative combat aircraft. How do we integrate that into our 5th generation Air Force? And there’s other things, of course, that you can imagine as the list goes on.

An investment of 2% of GDP in defence will undoubtedly provide a significantly stronger foundation to enhance the readiness of our current force and remuneration. The primary focus is on strategies to increase our personnel numbers and improve the readiness and availability of our assets. Achieving these objectives will facilitate robust discussions regarding future growth prospects.

PILOT TRAINING

CDR: What is the current state of the RCAF personnel and the pilot cadre, and specifically, I’d like to know about the fighter force — where do we sit in terms of those pilot numbers?

LGen Kenny: This last fiscal year, which finished on March 31, 2025, across all the Air Force trades, we recruited 400 more people than we had released from the Canadian Armed Forces. So, there was a growth of 400 strength.

Our trained effective strength has shown notable growth. After a year of recruitment and training, individuals become fully capable of contributing to operations. This year, we saw an increase of 33 trained personnel, compared to the previous year’s increase of 15. This marks two consecutive years of growth in our trained effective strength.

We’re on track right now to fill our current 2,000 regular force deficit from our structure for Air Force managed occupations by April 1, 2029, across all of our trades, which includes the pilot trade. I have lots of pilots on the basic training list that are waiting to complete their operational training unit. There is not a shortage of applicants nor a lack of desire for those that want to be a pilot. My main focus and concern, when it comes to pilots, is specifically fighter pilots — the ability to retain those fighter plots that we have right now, and to produce enough fighter pilots for the transition between the CF-18 to the CF-35A. We have a good plan going forward but it’s going to be one that we have to watch very closely.

CDR: Let’s talk about future pilot training. NFTC and CFTS are nearing their end of life, so how is the RCAF bridging between the current training construct and that of FAcT? Are you looking at potentially extending NFTC and CFTS to bridge any gap?

LGen Kenny:  So, as you know, we signed the FAcT contract a year ago and we still have some work to do on the transition. What we do know is aircraft like the Grob are starting to arrive later this year, and we know that the PC-21 starts to arrive next year, so these aircraft are actually starting to arrive in Canada faster than we initially envisioned. On the flip side, there’s other aircraft, like our new King Airs that will be arriving closer to the 2028 timeframe for the transition that was projected to occur in 2029. So, as we get these aircraft, and as we work with SkyAlyne, we’re still developing the master implementation plan, which could see either CFTS in Portage or NFTC in Moose Jaw extended or not extended. Maybe we can actually have the future aircrew training platforms being used earlier than initially envisioned in the 2029 timeframe.

Given that there are five fleets, my evaluation at this point – which will be confirmed in the coming year – is that we may be able to integrate some of these new aircraft earlier than originally planned when the contract was signed. Other aircraft will be implemented according to the original schedule, which is set for 2029. Once this is determined, we can decide whether to extend either NFTC or CFTS or conclude it at its current timeframe.

THE F-35 CONTROVERSY

CDR: There’s been a lot of discussion about the F-35 as Canada’s future fighter. What is your view on the topic and what is the expected pace of F-35 delivery to Canada?

LGen Kenny: As we know, the F-35 was selected through a fair, open and transparent competition that started in 2017 and was announced by the government in January 2023. We announced the plan to purchase 88 F-35’s with the first deliveries starting in 2026. We have supported the F-35 review that’s ongoing right now, and that report will be moving up and briefed to the government in the coming weeks or months, and we’ll see what the outcome is of that.

Ultimately, it’ll be decided at the government level. At the same time, there has been no change to the current plan, so we’re moving everything forward with the assumption that we’re going to deliver a fifth-generation air force with 88 F-35s. So, what does that mean? It means next summer, in 2026, the first Canadian pilots will be sent to Luke Air Force Base. These individuals will be the initial instructor pilots participating in F-35 training. They will go to Luke Air Force Base in Phoenix, Arizona, where the first four F-35s will be delivered next fall in 2026. They will undergo training as instructor pilots on the F-35. Subsequently, an additional four F-35s will be delivered in the spring of 2027, totaling eight aircraft that will remain at the base for pilot training. These pilots are expected to return to Canada in late 2027 or 2028.

The first F-35s are planned to arrive in Canada by the end of 2028, with initial operational capability anticipated by the end of 2029. All F-35s are scheduled to be delivered by 2032, aligning with the retirement of the F-18s. The F-18s will gradually retire over the coming years at the same rate as the delivery of the F-35s. There is a comprehensive plan to ensure that NORAD requirements are met throughout this transition.

CYCLONE ISSUES

CDR: Let’s talk about the Cyclone fleet because I’m aware that the aircraft are either in a stand-down or grounding. You can correct me with the right terminology, General, but what is the status of the Cyclone fleet?

LGen Kenny:  So, on May 1, the Commander of One Canadian Air Division, ordered a temporary pause in the flying operation of the Cyclone related to questions that emerged as our technical and operational airworthiness authorities were looking at how we were tracking the service life of various parts.

It was discovered that some parts on the Cyclone helicopter might have exceeded their expected service life. The paperwork was completed by May 27 to ensure that all parts on the Cyclone aircraft were within their service life. Operations with the Cyclone helicopter resumed on HMCS Ville de Quebec starting on May 27.

We’re working through all the helicopters, and you can imagine there’s a lot of paperwork that needs to be reviewed with Sikorsky, Lockheed Martin, and with our technical and operational airworthiness authorities to ensure that we are flying this aircraft in an acceptable level of safety. So far, we’ve released a total of three airframes. The fourth one should be coming up shortly. So, that’s what happened.

WHAT DOES THE RCAF NEED MORE OF?

CDR: What platforms does the RCAF need more of to adequately support CAF operations in the north and in the Arctic? I’m asking because I’m aware that the H-model Hercules are being retired, so if there’s going to be more presence in the Arctic, do we have enough airlift capacity for that? And if not, what will we need more of?

LGen Kenny: We have a lot of infrastructure projects that will build up runways, taxiways, hangars, accommodations, fuel, ammunitions, etc, in the north and that’s a mix of what’s happening with Northern Operational Support Hubs run by CJOC, and our work that we’re doing with NORAD northern basing infrastructure, as well as what we’re doing for defence of Canada fighter infrastructure. There’s a lot of different projects that have infrastructure components — 10s of billions of dollars of infrastructure investments that will occur in the north because of all these different projects, so that’s one part.

We are also ensuring that our new tanker aircraft, the A330 MRTTs, can operate more efficiently in northern regions. This effort includes infrastructure expansion as previously mentioned. Additionally, we are onboarding the CQ-9B Guardian, which will regularly operate in the north. These aircraft can be launched from bases such as Comox or Greenwood, have sufficient range and fuel for extended missions, but are also capable of landing in the north for refueling and continued operations.

The upcoming next Tactical Aviation Capability Set (nTACS) will replace our Bell 412 helicopters. We are evaluating the most suitable platforms for operations in northern regions, particularly the Arctic, from a rotary wing perspective. We are in very early discussions about our Air Mobility fleet and whether or not there’d be a need to expand it further.

To your point, Joetey, the CC-295 Kingfisher will replace the 12 H-model Hercules that are retiring, plus the Buffalo’s that we’ve already retired for a total of 16 Kingfishers. So that will replace those two fleets. What I want to look at is, if there is an appetite to grow the force to be bigger than what we currently have projected of 71,500 regular force and 30,000 reservists, then to your point, we do need to consider whether we want an expanded Air Mobility capability to go beyond the 9 A330s that we’re getting, and beyond the 17 C-130J’s, 5 C-17’s , and the four Twin Otters — is that enough to sustain a capacity and demand signal, in particular in the Arctic?

CDR: You mentioned infrastructure in the north and the operational support hubs. My understanding is the footprint in the north is pretty modest, so if Canada wants more presence there, the CAF will need to have operational support hubs and infrastructure that is meaningful. What are your thoughts on that?

LGen Kenny: The areas of focus include Yellowknife, Iqaluit, Inuvik, and Goose Bay. This is part of the scope of what the NOSH [Northern Operational Support Hubs] is considering, but they are still exploring additional locations, and no decisions have been finalized yet.

For us, it means hangars, runways, taxiways, fuel, ammo, as I described earlier, so that is our plan. The challenge of course, will be making sure that we consider local population requirements, working collaboratively of course and consulting with all the leaders and those that live in the north so that we maximize the benefits, not just for us, but for the local communities, and doing it in a time frame that’s reasonable.

The construction season in the north poses challenges, including the need to transport materials to various locations. Ensuring an adequate workforce and timely availability of materials, while taking into account permafrost conditions, may extend the construction timeframe compared to typical projects at our wings and bases. Initiating early preparations to secure the workforce and materials will be crucial.

A BRIGHT FUTURE

CDR: How do you reflect on your tenure as Commander of the RCAF? What are you most proud of personally and institutionally?

LGen Kenny: It has been a real honour to work with two command team partners — CWO John Hall, and now CWO Renee Hansen to lead an agile, integrated and inclusive air and space power team. What became very obvious to us during the lead up, but in particular the execution of the centennial celebrations, was the immense pride of our veterans and our currently serving aviators and families. The RCAF has a remarkable legacy and as we embark on our second century of service to Canada and Canadians, the future looks incredibly bright. We are seeing record number of applicants who want to join the RCAF, we are growing as a trained force, and our aviators and families see that we are taking tangible actions to fix the foundation of our organization such as our culture, housing, child care, pay and benefits, while undergoing a massive modernization of the RCAF — through not just words, but tangible actions.

Of course, we still have much to do, and I don’t believe we will ever declare success in meeting all the needs of our aviators and families, but I think there is a renewed sense of optimism. This is also linked to the ever-growing global threat whereby we have a very clear purpose and mission — to protect Canada and its citizens. I am extremely proud of our people and their families — technology is important, but this is fundamentally a people organization. We have the finest in the world, and once we give them the support and modern capabilities they need, they will shine as they always have.

CDR: Thank you, General. We wish you well in retirement.

Joetey Attariwala is CDR’s Senior Staff Writer & Aviation Editor