Ceremony to mark the re-formation of 414 Electronic Warfare Support Squadron

[Nfld Sapper]

Media Advisory
Ceremony to mark the re-formation of 414 Electronic Warfare Support Squadron
MA 09.006 - January 19, 2009

OTTAWA – Major-General Marcel Duval, Commander of 1 Canadian Air Division, will preside over a military ceremony to mark the re-formation of 414 Electronic Warfare Support (EWS) Squadron.

The re-formation of 414 (EWS) Squadron is a clear illustration of the Air Force’s ongoing transformation initiatives to ensure an Air Force that is effective, efficient and relevant.

WHEN: Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. Media should arrive no later than 9:45 a.m. to set up.

WHERE: Vintage Wings of Canada, Gatineau Airport, 1699 Rue Arthur Fecteau, Gatineau, QC.

WHAT:  A Supermarine Spitfire and a North American Aviation P-51 Mustang, aircraft formerly flown by 414 Squadron, will be on display along with an Alpha Jet aircraft from Top Aces Inc., the prime service supplier to Contracted Airborne Training Services (CATS) Project, in which CF electronic warfare officers of 414 Squadron fly today.

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Note to Editors:
For further information, contact Captain Lonny Handwork, 414 (EWS) Squadron at 613-949-1968.

For more information about the history and heritage of 414 Squadron, see the backgrounder entitled “414 Electronic Warfare Support Squadron: History and Heritage” dated Jan. 20, 2009 in the Newsroom at www.forces.gc.ca.

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

What type of aircraft will the Squadron be flying?

 

[observor 69]

What type of aircraft will the Squadron be flying?

"be on display along with an Alpha Jet aircraft from Top Aces Inc., the prime service supplier to Contracted Airborne Training Services (CATS) Project, in which CF electronic warfare officers of 414 Squadron fly today."

 

[Nfld Sapper]

414 Combat Support Squadron
Motto:
TOTIS VIRIBUS

(With all our might)

Badge:
Argent over a cloud proper a knight garnished Sable and Gules on a charger caparisonned Azure
Battle Honours:
Defence of Britain 1942-43, Fortress Europe 1942-44, Dieppe, France and Germany 1944-45, Normandy 1944, Arnhem, Rhine, Biscay 1943

History

414 Army Co-operation Squadron formed at Croydon, England, on 13 August 1941. Changing names to 414 Fighter Reconnaissance Squadron on 28 June 1943, the squadron was based at a number of airfields in England and on the continent. They were disbanded at Luneberg, Germany, on 7 August 1945. Absorbing elements of 14 Photographic Squadron, 414 Photographic Squadron formed at RCAF Station Rockliffe on 1 April 1947 and disbanded on 1 November 1950.

414 Fighter Squadron formed at RCAF Station Bagotville on 1 November 1952 and went to 4 Wing Baden-Soellingen on 24 August 1953. They deactivated on 14 July 1957 and reformed at RCAF Station North Bay on 5 August as 414 All-Weather Fighter Squadron. The squadron disbanded on 30 June 1964, reforming at RCAF Station St Hubert on 15 September 1967 as 414 Electronic Warfare Squadron. In August 1972, 414 moved to CFB North Bay and stayed there until 1992, when they were split in two with one part going to Comox as 414 Composite Squadron and the other part going to Greenwood as 434 Composite Squadron. 414 changed its name to Combat Support Squadron in 1993 where it was equipped with the CT-133 Silver Star.

In 2002, 414 Squadron was disbanded and its remaining two aircraft retired. On 7 December 2007, the Minister of National Defence authorized the reactivation of 414 Electronic Warfare Squadron to provide electronic warfare support to the combat training of the Canadian Forces.

Aircraft that 414 Squadron has flown:

Westland Lysander
Curtis P-40 Tomahawk
North American P-51 Mustang
Supermarine Spitfire
Avro Lancaster
Douglas CC-129 (DC-30) Dakota
Canadair (North American) F-86 Sabre
Avro CF-100 Canuck
Canadair (Lockheed) CT-33 Silver Star
Dassault Breguet CC-117 (Mystere 20) Falcon
McDonnell Douglas CF-101 Voodoo
McDonnell Douglas EF-101 Voodoo; electronic warfare variant
Canadair CC-144 Challanger
Canadair CE-144 Challenger; electronic warfare variant

 

[Nfld Sapper]

Alpha Jet

Top Aces currently operates a fleet of modified Alpha Jet aircraft in the airborne training services role. Its excellent endurance and versatile stores loading capability allows for great efficiency when providing advanced target support for Army, Navy, and Air Force training missions.

All Alpha Jet aircraft have been upgraded with state-of-the-art Dassault Canopy Escape systems and Martin Baker ejection seats. The Alpha Jets have also been equipped with a modernized IFR and Tactical Navigation avionics suite to provide maximum safety for the aircrew and maximum operational flexibility to the customer. The rear cockpit has also been optimized as a crew station for Canadian Forces Electronic Warfare Officers (EWO), who fly as part of the crew alongside the Top Aces’ pilots, during Electronic Warfare Training missions.

The aircraft is capable of flying combat training sorties from the surface to high altitude at near supersonic speeds.

Typical Alpha Jet missions include:

Forward Air Controller (FAC) Training for Land Forces
Adversary Support and Anti-Shipping Attack Training for Naval Forces
“Red Air” Adversary Support for Fighter Forces, including large-scale coalition air exercises such as Maple Flag.
Electronic Warfare Training for Naval and Fighter Forces.
Air-to-Air Gunnery Target Tow; both circular and combat dart missions for Fighter Forces.


Alpha Jet Specifications and Performance


Country of Origin France, Germany 
Builder Dassault-Breguet-Dornier 
Role Light fighter/attack
Variants Trainer version used by France is Alpha Jet E;
Fighter/Attack version is used by Germany
Top Aces flies the ex German Air Force Fighter/Attack version

Similar Aircraft Hawk, AMX, Mirage F1, AV-8B Harrier II, Jaguar 
Wing Span 30 ft (9.14 m) 
Length 40 ft, 3 in (12.3 m) 
Height 13 ft 09 in ( 04.19 m )
Weight Empty: 7,374 lb ( 3,600 kg )
Max T/O: 15,180 lb ( 6900 kg ) 
Engine Two SNECMA/Turbomeca Larzac 04-C6 turbofans
Thrust 5,952 lb ( 26.48 kN ) total 
Maximum speed 550 kts / 0.95 Mach 
Cruising speed 420kts/ 0.78 Mach
In Flight refueling capability No
Internal Fuel in kg: 1640 kg
Payload: 2200kg
Stores: Jamming Pods
Chaff Pods
ACMI Pods
Threat Simulators
AAG Target Tow
Fuel Tanks
Luggage Pods 
Drop tank 310 L drop tank (248kg) 
Range 1000nm (external tanks) 
Service Ceiling 50,000 feet 
Takeoff distance 5,000 ft
Landing distance 3,000 ft 
Crew Pilot and Electronic Warfare Officer in tandem 

 

[KingKikapu]

Mmmm electronic warfare.  My kind of fighting.

Dirty.

 

[aesop081]

My kind of fighting.

If you like to spend your time just training others. This isnt a deployable capability.

EW isnt fighting dirty since your ennemy is far from defenceless.

 

[Nfld Sapper]

News Release
Re-formation of 414 Electronic Warfare Support Squadron
NR 09.004 - January 20, 2009

OTTAWA – Major-General Marcel Duval, Commander of 1 Canadian Air Division, presided over a ceremony today at Vintage Wings of Canada, located at the Gatineau Airport near Ottawa, to mark the re-formation of 414 Electronic Warfare Support (EWS) Squadron.

Known as 414 Combat Support Squadron when it was last disbanded in 2002, 414 (EWS) Squadron will provide electronic warfare support to Canadian Forces combat training.  The re-formation of 414 (EWS) Squadron is a clear illustration of the Air Force’s ongoing transformation initiatives to ensure an Air Force that is effective, efficient and relevant.

“I am very happy to see the rebirth of 414 Squadron,” said Maj.-Gen. Duval. “The role of electronic warfare training is extremely important in ensuring that our troops are prepared to fight in today’s modern battlespace.”

The re-activation of 414 (EWS) Squadron as an independent flying unit reporting to the commander of 3 Wing Bagotville, Quebec will result in a definite improvement in the way the Air Force delivers electronic warfare support.

Nicknamed “Black Knight” Squadron, 414 (EWS) Squadron traces its origins to the Second World War when it existed as a Fighter Reconnaissance Squadron and flew throughout Europe. The Squadron received eight Battle Honours for its wartime service before being disbanded in 1945.  It has existed in various forms since that time, and was last disbanded in 2002.

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Note to Editors:
For further information, contact the DND/CF Media Liaison Office at 613-996-2353 or 1-866-377-0811.
For more information about the history and heritage of 414 Squadron, see the backgrounder entitled “414 Electronic Warfare Support Squadron: History and Heritage” dated January 20, 2009 in the Newsroom at www.forces.gc.ca.

 

[KingKikapu]

If you like to spend your time just training others. This isnt a deployable capability.

EW isnt fighting dirty since your ennemy is far from defenceless.

Yeah I know they don't actually deploy, but at least I can pretend to be Goose from top gun (minus the dieing hopefully)  :blotto:

Just because I kick a guy in the nuts doesn't mean he still can't get a good one in on me either. 

But damn does it put a crimp on his day.

 

[danchapps]

Too bad they couldn't send the Sqn home (to North Bay). I always had a soft spot for 414 having seen them flying over head all day as a child. I miss those days, now I only have helo's to look at.

 

[Nfld Sapper]

414 Squadron standing tall again
January 21, 2009
By David Krayden

MGen Marcel Duval, commander of 1 Canadian Air Division, inspects the members of 414 Electronic Warfare Support Squadron at the unit’s re-formation parade and colours ceremony held at Vintage Wings in Gatineau, Que. Credit: Pte Ryan Winton.



414 Electronic Warfare Support Squadron is back in business.

The storied Air Force unit is no stranger to stand-up ceremonies or diverse operational roles.  Since 1941, it has been disbanded four times and has served in such capacities as fighter reconnaissance, photography, all-weather fighter combat and electronic warfare.  Until this Jan. 20, 414 had last been a combat support squadron (conducting electronic warfare) at 19 Wing Comox, B.C. from 1992-2002.

But this week's re-formation parade and colours ceremony, held at the Vintage Wings hangar in Gatineau, Que.,was just a little bit different for the men and women of 414.  Surrounded by a P-51 Mustang, Supermarine Spitfire and Hawker Hurricane, three generations of Canada's Air Force attended the event:  Flight Lieutenant (Ret'd) George Lawson, who flew with the squadron during the Second World War, Brigadier-General Tom Lawson, commandant of Royal Military College and Lieutenant Ben Lawson, an air combat systems officer (formerly navigator) with 414 today.

Lt Lawson had the honour of leading a colour guard and carrying the squadron colours - the flag depicting the squadron's crest and battle honours.  Lt Lawson passed the colours to Major-General Marcel Duval, commander of 1 Canadian Air Division, who was the presiding officer for the parade.  Before the hand-over occurred, Lt Lawson removed a vinyl sheathe from the flag, freeing the colours from their restraint and unfurling the symbol of their squadron's history, heritage and pride.

MGen Marcel Duval, commander of 1 Canadian Air Division, and LCol Larry Weir, commanding officer of 414 Electronic Warfare Support, sign the re-formation scroll. Credit: Pte Ryan Winton.

Lieutenant-Colonel Larry Weir, the squadron's commanding officer, spoke of 414's historic ties to its local communities and the sense of family that the unit has always encouraged.  He noted what an historic occasion the ceremony offered.  "More than 60 years ago, George Lawson said goodbye to 414 and today his grandson is becoming a part of it," he said.

As EWS squadron, 414 will support Air Force, Army and Navy operations of the Canadian Forces and our allies using Alpha Jet aircraft from Top Aces Inc., the prime service supplier to the Contracted Airborne Training Services (CATS) Project. MGen Duval explained that electronic warfare is still concerned with the jamming of enemy radio signals though "the squadron has more capabilities today (than it did in the 1990s) as technology continues to evolve and threats change."  MGen Duval called the reformation of 414 a means of rationalizing command and control of the electronic warfare function as 414 will be situated in Ottawa, Ont. but operationally responsible to 3 Wing Bagotville, Que.

 

[Loachman]

So...ummm...

A flying squadron that doesn't have any aircraft of its own and cadges rides in the back of rentals.

Or am I missing something?

 

[aesop081]

Or am I missing something?

Nope.

 

[Nfld Sapper]

Ah nothing like out sourcing.....


;D

 

[Loachman]

I never thought that I would ever be saddened by a flying squadron standing up again, but now I am.

Giving the Base Rescue Flights in Cold Lake, Bagotville, and Goose squadron designations came close. As a member of 444 Squadron when it was a real Squadron in Germany, I cannot refer to the current version as such. It irks me that my MPRR shows me as once being posted to "444 (CS) SQN LAHR".

But this...

No aircraft. No pilots. No techs.

CO, secretary, orderly room, and some backseaters.

 

[Nfld Sapper]

I never thought that I would ever be saddened by a flying squadron standing up again, but now I am.

Giving the Base Rescue Flights in Cold Lake, Bagotville, and Goose squadron designations came close. As a member of 444 Squadron when it was a real Squadron in Germany, I cannot refer to the current version as such. It irks me that my MPRR shows me as once being posted to "444 (CS) SQN LAHR".

But this...

No aircraft. No pilots. No techs.

CO, secretary, orderly room, and some backseaters.

Think someone wants to make this a retirement posting or padding their pension. IMHO

 

[dapaterson]

It's all about increasing CO positions, to have more post-command folks who can then compete for senior spots  within the CF (and particularly outside their environment).

Padding things... and doing it in a way that's shameful.


Just my 2c.

 

[Bograt]

I disagree. The CF has identified a requirement for more robust EW training capability. However since the unfortunate demise of 434 we do not have the assets. We do not have the pilots, aircraft, or maintainers.

We do have skilled ASCO's. (Can't believe I said that). I think this is a proud day for Lt Col. Weir and the rest of 414.

 

[Loachman]

Yes, I agree that we have a real need and that we lack the people and machines to do this properly. This is, in my view, much better than nothing - but it is still sad to be reduced to this level.

I cannot imagine that too many former members of 414 Squadron are terribly happy.

 

[KingKikapu]

Heh, with the way the governments of the world are spending money like hotcakes to stave off recessions, somebody should convince old man Harper to throw a little extra at the CF for some Growlers for this Squadron.  Then they wouldn't have to bum a ride anymore.

Wishful thinking.