1 Canadian Air Division

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Canadian NORAD Region / 1 Canadian Air Division
CC-177 Globemaster

1 Canadian Air Division (1 Cdn Air Div) (French: 1re Division aérienne du Canada) is the operational-level command and control formation of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Prior to 2006 the official abbreviation for the division was 1 CAD. It is commanded by an air force major-general.[2][3]

History

Timeline

  • 1952: No. 1 Air Division (RCAF) activated, with 4 wings. Equipped with the
    CF-104
    .
  • 1967: No. 1 Canadian Air Group (1 CAG) takes the place No. 1 Air Division (RCAF) after RCAF leaves France.
  • 1968: The unified Canadian Armed Forces is created and No. 1 Canadian Air Group is reduced to 1 Wing and 4 Wing.
  • 1969: No. 1 Canadian Air Group is reduced to 4 Wing.
  • 1970: 4 Wing becomes 1 Canadian Air Group (CAG). Equipped with
    CF-18
    in 1982.
  • 1988: 1 Canadian Air Group is reorganized as No. 1 Canadian Air Division
  • 1993: As the Canadian Armed Forces prepares to close their European bases, No. 1 Canadian Air Division stands down.
  • 1997: 1 Canadian Air Division is reactivated in Winnipeg.

Formation (1952–1967)

The division traces its origins to the activation of Headquarters No. 1 Air Division, Royal Canadian Air Force in Paris, France, on 1 October 1952. Air Division headquarters relocated to Metz, France in April 1953.[4] No. 1 Air Division was established to meet Canada's NATO air defence commitments in Europe. It consisted of four wings of twelve

RCAF Station Baden-Soellingen (No. 4 Wing)). (No. 1 Wing was first located at RCAF North Luffenham, England and was moved to Marville some time after October, 1954). These wings were part of a group of bases which also included U.S. and French installations, all of which came under the jurisdiction of NATO's Fourth Allied Tactical Air Force (4 ATAF) which, in turn, was commanded by Allied Air Forces Central Europe (AAFCE). Components located in Metz included Air Division Headquarters, an air traffic control centre, a telecommunications centre, a combat operations centre, and a support unit. From 1952 to 1963 the RCAF operated the 30 Air Materiel Base, at RCAF Langar (RAF Langar
) in Nottinghamshire. RCAF Langar was Canada's last base in the U.K. and served as a primary supply station for No. 1 Air Division RCAF in Europe.

Canadian squadrons were originally equipped with

CF-104 Starfighters in 1962 while the four CF-100 squadrons were withdrawn.[6] "In the early 1960s, France assumed a greater role in its own defences and 2 Wing along with its sister wings were again disbanded on August 1, 1964."[7]

Reorganization (1967–1993)

After the RCAF left France in 1967 and after the RCAF was reorganized and consolidated with Canada's other two services, No. 1 Air Division was replaced by No. 1 Canadian Air Group (1 CAG) with headquarters at

CFB Lahr, West Germany.[8] The initial eight squadrons flying the CF-104 within 1 Canadian air division were incrementally reduced, first to six and then down to three squadrons, contributing to the reduction from air division to air wing/group strength. This was largely due to a high attrition rate for the CF-104. While a total of 238 single-seat and dual-seat aircraft were built for the RCAF, 113 Canadian aircraft were lost during the 24 year era of the Starfighter and 37 pilots died.[9]

As an austerity measure, in 1968, No. 3 Wing Zweibrücken was relocated to Canada (Bagotville) and its two squadrons were moved to No. 1 Wing and 4 Wing. 1969 brought the announcement that the amalgamation of the Canadian Forces in Europe to one command and two bases, and that the Canadian army in northern Germany (Soest area) would be moving south to Nos. 1 Wing and 4 Wing. This meant that No. 1 Wing Lahr would close its doors and the air force in Europe would be reduced in strength (from 6 to 3 squadrons) and concentrated at Baden-Soellingen; the new name would be 1 Canadian Air Group (CAG). The close out parade was held at Baden in the arena on June 29, 1970. This was the change date from 4 Wing to 1 CAG. It was also the disbanding date for two of the squadrons.

The Group remained until 1988 when Canada increased its commitment to NATO (three squadrons in theatre and two squadrons in Canada) and No. 1 Canadian Air Division stood-up again. However, shortly after this, relations with the east started to warm and Canada made another announcement: Canada would withdraw its forces stationed in Europe and close the doors on its two bases by 1994. The Air Division, reduced to three squadrons then to two and finally one, ceased flying operations 1 January 1993. This ended a major era of Canada's Air Force.

Recent history (1997–present)

In the summer of 1997, the functional groups (

Fighter Group, Maritime Air Group, Air Reserve Group,[10] and 10 Tactical Air Group) were dissolved, and 14 Training Group was absorbed within Air Command Headquarters. 1 Canadian Air Division was stood up in Winnipeg to exercise operational command of all CF air assets.[11]

Today based in

Operational Research
and Analysis Directorate (ORAD).

Structure

Order of battle, 1989

Commanders

References

  1. ^ "Royal Canadian Air Force". 20 January 2023.
  2. ^ "New Commander of 1 Canadian Air Division/Canadian NORAD Region". Canada's Air Force. July 18, 2007. Retrieved 12 December 2010.
  3. ^ "New Commander of 1 Canadian Air Division/Canadian NORAD Region, July 9, 2009". Canada's Air Force. Archived from the original on June 11, 2011. Retrieved 2010-01-12.
  4. ^ Greenhous1999, p. 132.
  5. ^ "F-86".
  6. ^ "Canadian Warplanes 6: Jets, Avro CF-100 Canuck".
  7. ^ 2 Wing History
  8. ^ "1 Air Division". Badenremembered. Retrieved 20 January 2010.
  9. ^ "CF-104".
  10. ^ Formed 1976. http://www.rcaf-arc.forces.gc.ca/en/air-reserve/index.page
  11. ^ Canadian Forces Aerospace Doctrine, B-GA-400-000/FP-000, Second Edition, December 2010, 12.
  12. ^ "MGen Marc Dumais Tours 8 Wing/CFB Trenton". The Contact. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  13. ^ "New Commander of 1 Canadian Air Division/Canadian NORAD Region". Canada's Air Force. July 18, 2007. Retrieved 12 December 2010.
  14. ^ "Archived - New Commander of 1 Canadian Air Division/Canadian NORAD Region". DND. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  15. ^ "New Commander for 1 Canadian Air Division/Canadian NORAD Region". Aviation.ca. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  16. ^ "New Commander of 1 Canadian Air Division". Aviation.ca. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  17. ^ "1 Canadian Air Division Commander" (PDF). blatherwick. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  18. ^ "1 Canadian Air Division Commander". Royal Canadian Air Force. 25 February 2013. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  19. ^ "1 Canadian Air Division Commander". Royal Canadian Air Force. 31 May 2019. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
  • Greenhous, Brereton; Halliday, Hugh A. Canada's Air Forces, 1914–1999. Montreal: Editions Art Global and the Department of National Defence, 1999.
    ISBN 2-920718-72-X
    .

External links
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