CDR asked UK Correspondent, Joe Campion, to visit Canada’s Tactical Aviation Detachment (TAD) in Latvia where four CH-146 Griffon helicopters are currently deployed. We gained an insight on the deployment from a pilot and support perspective. Here is our report.

Announced in late 2023 by Canada’s then Minister of National Defence, Bill Blair, Canadian tactical aviation capabilities were to be deployed persistently to Europe for the first time since the Bosnia and Kosovo conflicts in the late 1990s and early 2000s. This deployment was to strengthen Canada’s ongoing commitment to the NATO Multinational Brigade-Latvia (MNB-LVA) under Operation Reassurance. The minister announced that four Bell CH-146 Griffons would be sent in the summer of 2024, and CH-147 Chinooks would follow in the autumn of 2025.

Fast forward to July 2024, two RCAF CC-177s from 8 Wing, Canadian Forces Base Trenton, with four Griffons aboard touched down at Riga International Airport, Latvia. Those four helicopters and personnel come from 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron (THS), 438 (THS), 430 THS, and 403 Helicopter Operational Training Squadron, all under the RCAF’s 1 Wing.

READ: CDR EMBEDDED – Multinational Brigade – Latvia

Awaiting them at Riga was the personnel part of the first TAD rotation, ‘Roto 0’ were ready to offload and reassemble the helicopters for the mission ahead. Roto 0 flew a total of 500.4 hours over 203 sorties. They were relieved by the next rotation of personnel, Roto 1 on November 23, 2024 when the rotation arrived via CC-330 Husky. Roto 2 is the current rotation at the time of writing and is led and force generated by 408 THS but has augmentees from across 1 Wing including from 450 THS, 438 ETAH, and 400 THS.

The Griffon is a highly versatile utility helicopter operated by Canada across multiple theatres since entering service in the 90s. The Griffon was used extensively in Afghanistan on Operation Athena and Mali on Operation Presence, providing aerial security and reconnaissance. In early 2024, 408 THS deployed with the Griffon to the Dominican Republic on Operation Globe, providing mobility of personnel and supplies in and out of the Canadian Embassy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Now in Latvia, it serves as a platform to provide mobility, aerial firepower, and reconnaissance to the Brigade.

GETTING THE CALL

To discuss how the TAD works as a supporting force to the MNB-LVA, CDR sat down with Capt. Bui, a CH-146 pilot from 408 THS. When it comes to receiving a call to get a griffon helicopter airborne and in the required location, Bui said “Brigade Units will request Helicopter support through the Brigade G3 Aviation, an Operations-Aviation liaison, who prioritizes aviation tasks on behalf of the Brigade Commander. The task is approved by the Brigade Commander and accepted by the TAD Commander.”

Bui continued, “After TAD Ops receives a task, it is delegated to the Aircrew Flight, who assigns an Air Mission Commander (AMC). The AMC then takes stock of the current situation, issues a Warning Order to the TAD, and coordinates with the user to determine the effects desired. The team then goes into mission planning, determining the best route, and any support that may be required. The AMC then takes the plan to the Commander for approval. After approval, the AMC issues Orders, prior to execution.”

During our visit, the TAD supported Joint Terminal Air Controllers (JTACs) in the Adazi ranges for a live-firing training exercise at night. The JTACs on the range and working with the two helicopters were Spanish, Italian, Latvian, and Canadian. When asked what it was like to integrate with multiple nations on such a task, Bui responded “As we all use procedures from the same NATO doctrine, the whole process was very seamless, giving us all confidence in our abilities to train and fight together.”

THE MISSION

The mission saw two Griffons, each with four Night Vision Goggle (NVG) equipped aircrew onboard, two upfront and two aerial gunners in the rear cabin departed in formation from the civilian airfield, Riga international. The two helicopters transited at 1500ft ASL in the dark to the forward arming and refuelling point (FARP), callsign GROUNDHOG. The FARP personnel helped arm the griffons. They equipped the C6 general purpose machine gun capable of firing 650-1000 7.62mm rounds per minute to both sides of each aircraft. After being armed, the helicopters lifted together and headed to the range. When asked why the helicopters are armed at the FARP, Bui responded, “It is to enable efficient flow into and out of the training area, maximizing time on station for shooting qualifications.”

Now in the range area, and not in civilian airspace, the Griffons could fly close to the contours of the terrain, flying fast and tactically in the dark until called into position by the JTACs for a gun run and take out a simulated target such as armored vehicles and opposing fire. Roughly an hour and a half later, all JTACs were qualified/re-qualified, and all four guns were empty. The two Griffons egressed the range and headed back to GROUNDHOG. The aircraft were then de-armed and flew back to Riga. It was then time for de-brief for the air crew to discuss potential lessons earnt on how to execute the mission in the future.

The TAD is performing a lot of low level tactical flying, with Canada being known for its vast and variable landscape and Latvia not having those boasting points. When asking Bui how low level flying in Latvia compared to back home in Canada, he said “The terrain is very similar to many training areas in Canada, and international aviation standardization has made the transition to flying in Europe fairly quick. Our most used area is the Kadaga ranges, as our users use this area the most for training. As air assets, there are multiple airspaces around Latvia that allow low level flight. The use of these areas does require some more coordination than back home.”

ALWAYS READY

Being on demand, and ready for a mission received from the Brigade at any given time, the four Griffons need to have a high efficiency rate and be operational whenever that time comes. Those responsible are maintenance staff deployed on part of the rotation. 

Maintenance officer Sgt. Oliver Olea Gonzalez said “I am proud to say that, to date, we have not missed a single mission sortie due to an unserviceability, even when it comes to providing backup aircraft. Based on this performance, I can confidently say that our efficiency rate is 100%.”

Before arriving in the country, the aircraft undergo a full audit to ensure that all components are in full working order and that no critical parts or items are close to expiration. This helps to avoid any issues once the aircraft arrive in theatre.

“We also conduct mission-specific training on equipment we will be using in theatre, such as weapon systems and countermeasures,” Gonzalez told CDR. “As for integration, we primarily work closely with the army, as they are our primary customer for operational support.”

The maintenance staff has dynamic daily duties that are aligned with the planned flight schedule for the day. Senior maintenance staff structure the two maintenance crews to ensure that aircraft are prepared for their scheduled launches, with a focus on preventive maintenance, inspections, and post-flight servicing.

“The day begins with the pre-flight inspections of the aircraft slated for flight,” said Gonzalez.  “This includes towing the aircraft out of the hangar, refuelling, and servicing the aircraft. During this process, the crew chief cross-references maintenance records to verify that all previous work has been completed by the book. This includes ensuring that weight and balance adjustments are accurate, confirming proper maintenance certifications, and making sure that no upcoming inspections or component replacements will interfere with the aircraft’s readiness for flight. Once these checks are complete, the crew chief certifies the aircraft’s airworthiness and signs off on the weapon system release.”

When it comes to the aircraft that are not scheduled to fly, crew chiefs develop a plan for preventative maintenance on those non-flying aircraft, including the replacement of components that are nearing the end of their life cycle, as well as scheduled or unscheduled inspections. This proactive approach helps maintain the fleet’s overall operational readiness.

When asked what it’s like to maintain aircraft while on deployment, Gonzalez said “Performing maintenance in a deployed theatre presents unique opportunities to collaborate with local partners and adapt to new environments. One of the key tasks is ensuring our tools remain calibrated in accordance with our Canadian Airworthiness Act. We’ve established valuable partnerships with local companies to perform necessary calibrations, which allows us to leverage their expertise and resources. While their capabilities may not cover the full range of tools we use, this situation encourages us to be resourceful and plan carefully to address any gaps in calibration or tool availability.

He added, “deployments naturally bring an increased sense of purpose, which further motivates our technicians. Being in theatre enhances their dedication to ensuring aircraft readiness, making sure they are always prepared for their tasks.”

If parts are required for any of the aircraft, the usual process is to receive those parts via service flights from Canada, typically via CC-177. However, “in situations where parts are needed as soon as possible, to meet operational requirements—we initiate High Priority Requests (HPR). This is a process that ensures the fastest possible delivery of parts, often utilizing commercial shipping when time is of the essence.”

“At the end of the day, we ensure that all aircraft are ready for the next day’s operations. This includes addressing any unserviceability’s that may have arisen during the day and determining which aircraft are fit for flight the following day. Finally, the team carries out routine hangar cleanup to keep our workplace safe and efficient,” concluded Gonzalez.

LOOKING AHEAD

The near future will be full of supportive taskings for the TAD within multiple Brigade-level and Brigade Sub-unit level exercises providing mobility, supporting logistics and troop movement, firepower, and aerial reconnaissance. Most recently the TAD provided replenishment to troops on the ground in the large exercise OAK RESOLVE. Also, the TAD are currently planning a move from Riga International Airport to Lielvarde Air Base to sustain long-term operations in the area. This is also where the TAD is expected to be augmented by a number of CH-147 Chinook helicopters.

As an aerial task force, the TAD is committed and dedicated to providing not just the standard missions it can with the CH-146, but also missions outside its core if called upon by NATO. As well as operating in Latvia, the TAD’s Joint Operations Area also encompasses Estonia and Lithuania and is ready to integrate with any allied nation. The Commander of the TAD at the time of our visit, Maj Shannon Brown, made her thoughts clear about her personnel’s commitment. “I am immensely proud to lead this team of aviation professionals. Our tactical aviation logisticians, drivers, maintainers, signalers, clerks and aviators are the very best at what they do and being able to provide aviation effects as an integrated unit of the Multinational Brigade Latvia is an incredible privilege.”

Joes Campion is CDR’s UK Correspondent