Estimated reading time 4 minutes, 46 seconds.
Exercise Maple Flag, the Royal Canadian Air Force’s largest and most complex international training event of the year, concluded on June 23, in Cold Lake, Alta.
The exercise began on May 29 and brought together nearly 1,600 Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel from across the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Canadian Army, and over 500 personnel from four allied and partner nations along with multiple aircraft including:
- From Canada: CF-188 Hornet fighters, CH-147F Chinook helicopters, CH-146 Griffon helicopters, CC-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft, CC-130T Hercules air-to-air refuelling and transport aircraft, and contracted Dornier Alpha Jets;
- From the United States: F-16 Falcon fighters and E-3 Sentry airborne command and control aircraft;
- From France: A400M heavy tactical airlift aircraft and E-3 Sentry airborne command and control aircraft; and
- From the Republic of Singapore: F-16 Falcon fighters.
Participation in Exercise Maple Flag enhances the readiness of the Canadian Armed Forces to undertake missions at the direction of the Government of Canada, alongside our partners and allies.
“The training received by Canadian and international aircrew during Exercise Maple Flag is invaluable,” said BGen Sean Boyle, Acting Commander, 1 Canadian Air Division. “This kind of cooperation between the air forces of partner nations better prepares our respective fighter communities to operate at home and abroad. For the RCAF, it only adds to our agility, reach and ability to integrate with partners while delivering air power wherever it is needed.”
Col Paul Doyle, Commander, 4 Wing Cold Lake added, “Exercise Maple Flag 50 has been a showcase event for the RCAF, and has been a remarkable opportunity for the Lakeland region of Alberta to support a World Class training event for our crews and those of our Allies. The success of this year’s Maple Flag is a great indication of the growth potential for this exercise into the future.
“My thanks to the entire Cold Lake Defence Team for their hard work and support to this exercise and to our neighbours of the Lakeland for being such tremendous hosts,” continued Doyle.
Quick facts:
- The goal of the exercise was to hone a multitude of skills within a realistic, evolving and challenging operating environment, enabling all participants to become an Agile and Integrated force, with the Reach and Power (AIRPower) to achieve the mission.
Some notable statistics from Exercise Maple Flag 50 include:
- Sorties flown: 1108;
- Air-to-air fuel transferred: 458,600 pounds;
- Total hours flown: 1897.1;
- Live munitions dropped: 76;
- Inert/simulated munitions dropped: 300; and
- Number of simulated air-to-air kills:
- For the coalition: 760; and
- For the opposition: 109.
- Participants from allied and partner forces include:
- The United States Air Force;
- The United States Air Force Reserve;
- The United States Marine Corps;
- The French Air Force;
- The Republic of Singapore Air Force; and
- The British Army
