Procurement delays for Search and Rescue aircraft make for RCAF shuffle to serve British Columbia

Delays in production for the new generation of Kingfisher SAR aircraft
for Canada has meant a scramble for the RCAF to redeploy
its aircraft as part of SAR Capability on the West Coast

The Royal Canadian Airforce has had to make for some re-deployment of its assets this month as they look to shore up the response abilities for Search and Rescue requirements off the coast of British Columbia.

In a statement from Tuesday the government outlined the challenges facing a replacement program for aging and in some cases now retired aircraft in British Columbia, noting of procurement delays, combined with the retirement of past Air Force assets required an 'interim solution' for Fixed Wing SAR coverage for the province.

The Government of Canada is acquiring a fleet of 16 new fixed-wing search and rescue sensor-equipped aircraft - the CC-295 Kingfisher - to replace existing fixed-wing search and rescue (SAR) aircraft. 

The initial operational capability of the CC-295 has recently been delayed from the summer of 2022 to the 2025-2026 timeframe. 

This is due to the extended timelines associated with the design and development of the capability, along with other factors such as unforeseen technical issues, as well as the impacts of COVID-19, that have compounded the complexity of the project and the volume of remaining work. 

While the delay is unfortunate, these types of issues are not unusual given the complexity of the capability being developed.

In somewhat of an understatement, the information release also notes of the importance of an SAR capability in British Columbia.

It is crucial the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) maintain a SAR capability across Canada, which is why an approach has been implemented to maintain SAR coverage using existing fleets until the new CC-295 capability is operational.

The update from the Department of National Defence this week also outlined a range of measures, including the use of American Coast Guard assets if required,  to ensure for coverage in the Pacific region for any calls for assistance.

Fixed-wing search and rescue coverage in Search and Rescue Region Victoria is being provided by the CC-130H Hercules from 435 Squadron in Winnipeg. Interim SAR coverage in Search and Rescue Region Victoria is currently being provided by 435 Squadron operating CC-130H Hercules aircraft out of Winnipeg. 

Beginning at the end of May 2022, two CC-130H Hercules will deploy to Comox, B.C., to be operated directly from there. The interim coverage plan will remain flexible and can be adjusted as required

Search and Rescue Region Victoria will have ongoing support from the CH-149 Cormorant helicopter - a highly-capable SAR aircraft based at 442 Squadron in Comox, B.C. 

For fixed-wing support for missions at sea, in addition to the CC-130, Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Victoria may also call upon the Royal Canadian Air Force’s 407 Squadron CP-140 Auroras and U.S. Coast Guard fixed-wing aircraft to support a Cormorant if needed.

You can review more of the background on the SAR Response plan for the province here.

We outlined the details of the plan to roll out the Kingfisher SAR aircraft back in September of 2020, back when the final delivery date was noted as the fall of 2022, something that is now deferred by four years.

That delay and the need for perhaps a few more assets for the Pacific should be a topic of note for British Columbia's MP's to raise in the House of Commons, making sure that the Search and Rescue capabilities for the region remain a high priority for the Federal government.

More notes on the work of Emergency Responders in the Northwest
can be explored here.