We missed this one earlier, but Lt. Col. John MacCaull, the Royal Canadian Air Force CP-140 Weapon System Manager and co-host for the conference gave an update on his Air Force's activities with their CP-140 aircraft.
He opened with the biggest news -- that Canada had returned to its roots with the name change back to the Royal Canadian Air Force.
A recent success was overland targeting for Canadian CF-18 fighters in Libya. CP-140 crews have flown more than 200 missions totalling more than 2000 hours.
Another initiative has been Arctic Semi-Prepared Runway Operations to further extend the reach of the CP-140 fleet. John noted that Canada is as high in area as it is wide and crews began an experiment last March to operate from remote strips at Alert and Resolute Bay in the far north of Canada.
Canada has recently shifted its support concept to more of a contractor-based system. IMP and L-3 are the main equipment and airframe contractors, with Standard Aero handing the engine support.
The RCAF has 18 aircraft and is now starting the Block III upgrade program, which includes data management, communications, and systems upgrades. Over the next two-to-three years, the fleet will neck down to 10 fully upgraded aircraft with one ground trainer.
We're on break now, but will be back in just a few minutes.
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