Watching the Waves - Atlantic Canada’s SAR Unit
Situated on Canada’s East Coast, Nova Scotia is home to Canadian Forces Base Greenwood. Here, 14 Wing hosts one of the Royal Canadian Air Forces’ boldest squadrons. Operating through day and night, 365 days a year, 413 Transport and Rescue Squadron incorporates a fearless team, dedicated to saving lives through two formidable aerial assets’: the Lockheed CC-130H Hercules and the Agusta-Westland CH-149 Cormorant. Stewart Marshall spent time with the courageous ‘Tusker’ crews who are on constant alert to watch the waves and save Canadians in distress.
History
Watching the waves for over 80 years, 413 Squadron has served a multitude of duties throughout their almost continuous service. Operations began in July 1941, when the first Canadian overseas flying boat unit was established at Stranraer, Scotland. In the early days the newly formed unit flew the PBY Catalina Mk. I from Scotland’s south-west coast and latterly in the Shetland Isles, tsked on general reconnaissance, convoy escort and anti-submarine patrols over the north Atlantic. Operations from Scotland ended in February 1942, as the squadron began to prepare for a hurried move to the Far East. The squadron moved to Ceylon (modern day Sri Lanka), which was seen as a key link between East and West and under threat from the Japanese naval forces. The squadron remained in Ceylon until early 1945, when they returned to the United Kingdom for what turned out to be a short-lived stint as a bomber unit. This was until it was disbanded on 23rd February 1945. The Squadron had accumulated over 11,000 flying hours; however, they were now no longer required for war efforts.
Post war, the unit took over the duties of 13 (Photographic) Squadron at Rockcliffe, Ontario. The RCAF was eager to re-implement its aerial mapping program. Following the end of the war, particular attention was paid to the Canadian North and Artic regions, where accurate mapping was non-existent. They were initially assigned a mix of B-25 Mitchell and PBY-5A Canso aircraft, along with a single Noorduyn Norseman aircraft before finally receiving some re-purposed Lancasters. This enabled them to take full advantage of the Lancaster’s long range, to map most of the Canadian Arctic. Having gained experience working in extreme conditions of the far north, the unit participated in Operation Polco in 1950. Here, they were tasked to locate the magnetic north pole, which was critical information to enable accurate aerial navigation at the time. Following their success in completing the operation, the squadron was again disbanded.
The squadron reemerged as a frontline force on 1st August 1951 – A fighter squadron out of CFB Bagotville in the Quebec province. Equipped with the F-86 Sabre, they deployed in 1953 to Zweibrücken, Germany as part of 3 Wing. The squadron was later stood down on 7th April 1957 and reformed a month later back at Bagotville, operating the Avro CF-100 Canuck as an all-weather fighter unit as part of the NORAD shield. The squadron was again disbanded on December 30, 1961.
The squadron was then inactive for 7 years before their reactivation at CFB Summerside, Prince Edward Island on 8thJuly 1968. It was then, they were classed as a rescue squadron before being formally redesignated in August 1970 to their current day function as 413 Transport and Rescue Squadron. On the same year, Six CC-115 Buffalo aircraft were transferred from 429 Squadron to provide new Search and Rescue (SAR) capabilities. Three were sent to Summerside and the others to their west coast counterparts at CFB Comox. The Buffalo provided a replacement to the Grumman CSR-110 Albatross which wasn’t as capable when conditions on the Atlantic were poor. The increasing capability of helicopters had begun dominating the "rescue" portion of SAR operations from the mid-1960s, with the introduction of the CH-113 Labrador, mitigating the need for an amphibious fixed wing aircraft. The original RCAF order of 6 Labradors for SAR Squadron’s was later bolstered by 12 ex- Army variants, all were upgraded over 5 years to form a single standard for SAR work, known as the CH-113A. The upgrade consisted of a new front door hoist, Bendix weather radar, GPS and the highly visible, yellow paint scheme.
The 1989 federal budget cuts to the Department of National Defence identified CFB Summerside as a candidate for base closure. In 1991 the base was closed, and most military personnel transferred to CFB Greenwood. Summerside's last operational unit, 413 Squadron, made the 270-mile journey south in June 1991 to form what is now the current Greenwood squadron.
The CC-115 Buffalo was replaced by the CC-130E/H Hercules shortly after 413 transferred to their new base. The CH-113A soldiered on until 2002, partly due to the original replacement being cancelled after a change of government in 1993. The Agusta Westland AW101 was selected as the new rotary SAR platform and given the designation CH-149 Cormorant. The first Labrador replacement was handed over to 413 in August 2002, culminating what is now the modern-day Search and Rescue fleet.
On 26th June 2024, members of the squadron travelled back to their SAR proving grounds at Summerside to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the RCAF. Their CC-130H Hercules was joined by the Canso 702 PBY-5A for a static display demonstration for the local community.
Current Day Operations
413 Squadron is one of three RCAF ‘heavy’ Search and Rescue (SAR) units, with their counterparts stationed at CFB Comox and CFB Trenton. The squadron manages both fixed wing and rotary assets under ‘one roof’. This everyday interoperability makes it a unique squadron for several reasons. Air Force’s don’t typically operate composite squadrons, mixing two different aircraft types – The only comparable units to this would be the U.S. Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR). The aspect which makes 413 stand out is the fact that they’re a completely integrated unit. The effect delivered by U.S. CSAR units is to provide aviation support for external units, whereas 413 Squadron’s effect is to deliver their own Search and Rescue Technicians to facilitate rescue. This meaning, the unit is integrated at the most basic level. It makes for a very different methodology of operating, compared to traditional Air Force units. Another factor which makes 413’s mission unique, is the scale and vastness of Canada’s geography. This contributes to the Squadron having to be prepared for any scenario within their 1,800,000 square mile area of responsibility (AOR).
The unit’s search and rescue roots are within the parachute rescue role. They still embrace this by maximizing the Hercules’ strengths in speed, range and persistence to deliver two SAR Technicians in the form of parachute rescue. An array of heavy-duty equipment can also be paradropped from the ramp to those in need, whether that be kits to survive in the wilderness until rescue, or chainsaws to clear a Landing Zone for their rotary colleagues. The ‘Cormorant’ contributes its own unique strings to the SAR bow through the hoist and the ability to land in confined spaces which can enable access to the remotest of locations on land and at sea. The two-aircraft approach allows a unique take on Search and Rescue with both aircraft responding to incidents and working together in a layered approach. The CC-130H is primarily utilised in the “search” stage and will provide further support to the Cormorant during the “rescue” stage. The CC-130H provides an immediate response, being able to reach a scene expeditiously. On task, they conduct the search phase and establish communication with the party in distress, dropping any critical supplies. If there’s an immediate concern for life, the SAR Technicians can paradrop from the ramp to provide assistance, otherwise the Hercules will be an operations and communications platform to direct the rescue via Cormorant or other assets.
The Squadron’s SAR function is managed by the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) in Halifax, which is a coordination centre operated by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG). The squadron is obligated to have a Hercules and Cormorant on standby for JRCC tasking at any given time. The 413 Squadron Commanding Officer and Hercules pilot LCol Mark Norris provided some detail of the process which can lead to being called upon to save lives:
“The first step in enabling rescue is alerting, this can come in the form of a locator beacon being activated, which use government satellites to collect information and distribute to SAR coordination centres. Other options would be to call 911, shooting a flare in distress or simply calling someone else for help, whether that be physically or using a mobile. All these pathways would follow an escalation process until the situation reaches the JRCC. In Halifax, the tactical controller known as a SAR mission coordinator reviews the situation and if deemed necessary, they would task an aircraft to respond. From the squadron’s perspective, we receive basic information at this point and begin preparation to launch. Our aim at this stage is controlled urgency, getting a plan together and underway as quickly as possible.”
In decades gone by the Squadron would participate in a variety of transport taskings however these have scaled back considerably with the Greenwood unit only receiving a few of these per year. Typically, these missions come in the form of logistics support or mobile repair support within their Area of Responsibility (AOR). Their non-standby aircraft can be tasked by the Canadian Joint Operations Command (CJOC) to conduct national defence taskings, which has led to some interesting taskings in recent months.
In September 2024, the Squadron was involved in the delivery and retrograde of RCAF CF-18 Hornets, conducting ocean crossings to participate in Exercise Cobra Warrior in the United Kingdom. This mission is known as a ‘duck Butt’, where the CC-130H provides a specific SAR service over the ocean, meaning they are on hand to assist if an CF-18 runs into issues. The route planning of the Hornet Ocean crossing takes into consideration the location of vessels as a “diversion” point if an aircraft must ditch - the cold temperatures of the north Atlantic make it imperative that the crew exit the water as quickly as possible. The CC-130H provides an escort role and is tooled up with equipment tailored to this mission. If air crew end up in the ocean, the Hercules will locate them, establish communication and paradrop life rafts and medical equipment to aid in their rescue. Additionally, after the air crew manage to board a vessel, the SAR Technicians can parachute down onto the deck and provide medical assistance.
The Squadron also has historic ties to the NASA Space Program and provides standby cover during the Boeing and Space X launches from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Every launch of the crew vessel programs transit through the Squadron’s AOR during their critical phase. There is an agreement in place where aircraft are on standby to respond to an incident during this small timeframe. RCAF SAR Technicians also head down to Florida to conduct physical training on the capsules as there are extremely toxic chemicals within them which require specialist recovery training. This operation is all part of supporting the U.S. Air Force’s rescue package up the Eastern seaboard.
As of October 2024, the Squadron has rescued 71 people from a total of 150 Search & Rescue taskings in 2024. Commenting on the importance of their mission for the local economy, LCol Norris affirmed; “One of the fundamentals in our work is that we’re an economic enabler. Being based on the Atlantic Coast, we have a huge maritime workforce to oversee with Oil & Gas platforms offshore and a strong fishing industry within our AOR. Working alongside our sister squadron in Gander, we work to make sure these people can go out and perform their business safely every day.”
LCol Norris continued: “Our biggest asset is our people; If you spend any time within the squadron, you can sense the excitement and passion of every aviator. I have a very different problem compared to other leaders in the RCAF, where I have people who buy into this mission and want to execute it at all costs, so they sometimes overlook some other aspects of their lives due to the drive that they must achieve this. In Search and Rescue we rely heavily on everybody working together, it’s what brings us success. We are in tune with all our SAR partners in the North Atlantic, whether that be Greenland, Iceland, The Faroes, the UK, followed by our next biggest partner, the Portuguese in the Azores and then the U.S. SAR footprint in Boston and New York. This is vital as no Government in the world is resourced adequately to conduct mass-casualty SAR operations, which is why we rely on our partners to work together in these circumstances and contribute to what is known in SAR circles as the ‘system of systems’. We are here to protect so that others may live, this is not just a unique thing here, it’s something which applies to every SAR unit, whether its military, civilian or something in between.”
Continuous Development and Preparation
Every weekday the squadron conducts a day and nighttime training sortie enabling them to gain hands-on experience, creating SAR like situations and maintaining procedure currencies for air crew and SAR Technicians alike. All aspects of SAR are covered with a mix of land and maritime sorties along with “remain overnight” exercises where the crews can venture further into the AOR to train in unfamiliar surroundings and different terrains.
“We try to find unique situations that we have never come across before so we’re constantly building our abilities, whether that is a difficult hoisting operation or a new confined landing area. We frequently work with the local Coast Guard vessels, where we setup opportunities to conduct hoist training onto the ship deck. This tends to be most dynamic and challenging hoist operation to practice working with the moving target, however it’s a vital skill given the likelihood of facing a real rescue of this nature.” – Captain Aaron Noble, CH-149 Cormorant Pilot.
“Alongside the Cormorant we work closely with the Coast Guard and will practice dropping water pumps or life rafts to vessels in daylight or with the aid of flares after dark. We also practice the same actions over land, typically utilising the Goose Bay Weapons Range for flare work, where we can also drop messages or radios at targets. Our Aircraft Commander will normally coordinate with the SAR Technicians to understand their training or currency needs and devise a plan for that day or evening.” – Captain Ethan Williams, CC-130H Hercules Pilot.
Every year the unit sends members to attend recurrent survival training in the arctic. The unit’s AOR extends all the way North to Baffin Island, which is the most populated portion of the Canadian Arctic. It’s an extreme environment so it’s therefore vital that they have members who have high level of exposure working in these areas. The requirement to be prepared is evident, a recent tasking saw one CH-149 and CC-130H deploy to search for two missing persons in this area, with relief crews being required due to the long transit times to reach the northern tip of the AOR. Climate change is also making the environment more challenging and dangerous for many, with sea ice not forming as quickly or lasting as long. This is putting people at risk for longer periods of time. It’s an overall huge challenge, with its size and diversity and with poor weather, the Squadron must be fully self-sufficient due to a lack of decent aviation alternates.
So That Other May Live: The Role of the SAR Technical
Search and Rescue Technicians are the highly trained specialists who provide advanced pre-hospital medical care and rescue for those in distress, who are in remote or hard-to-reach areas. These men and women are trained to a primary-care paramedic national standard with additional advanced skills. SAR Techs are land and sea survival experts who specialise in rescue techniques, including Arctic rescue, parachuting, diving, mountain climbing and helicopter rescue. The SAR Tech role is not a direct entry trade, meaning aspiring individuals must have served a minimum of four years in the Regular Forces or in the Reserve Force prior to applying for a Voluntary Occupational Transfer. The annual in-take will see applications ranked by suitability where only the top 30 individuals are invited to attend the selection process. This involves aptitude and physical ability tests, followed by a land survival course at Jarvis Lake, Alberta. Approximately half of the initial group will be selected to attend the yearlong SAR Tech RTM (restricted team member) course. Their training continues once posted to the Squadron, with the goal of achieving a top-level qualification. Progression will come in phases, with RTM SAR Techs progressing onto an unrestricted team member, to conduct operational missions and ultimately, the team leader course.
The SAR Technicians are backed up by the ground-based personnel in the “SAR Shop”, situated within the 413 Hangar. The shop is effectively a warehouse sized space, comprised of all equipment that could possibly be needed to conduct SAR. Everything from parachutes to medicine and arctic survival kits, to chain saws and scuba diving equipment. The personnel based in the shop work hard to keep and maintain equipment currency and ensure there’s always safe and fully operational gear ready for when it’s needed. The shop is split up in sections, based on the equipment type. For instance, a section for everything relating to mountain rescue, and then another for training or operational apparatus. Typically training kits will be set-up, packaged with weights to mimic the ‘real life’ equipment for hoist or paradrop operations, mitigating the possibility of unnecessary damage during training.
In recent years there is one SAR mission which resonates with all members of the Squadron, that being the rescue of 31 crew members from the ‘Atlantic Destiny’. ‘Atlantic Destiny’ was a stricken fishing trawler, running adrift at night, in dire sea conditions. The call came in late on the evening of 2nd March 2021 from the Halifax Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC). They tasked the squadron to respond to a ship that was taking on water following a fire in the engine room. Noting the large number of people who would have to be recovered from the ship, the squadron detached all unnecessary equipment from the Cormorant and launched, alongside the Hercules within 15 minutes of the call. Whilst enroute to their last known location; 130 miles south of Nova Scotia, the U.S. Coast Guard was also preparing their MH-60T and HC-144A Ocean Sentry aerial assets to launch from Air Station Cape Cod. The Hercules was first on scene to find the ship adrift sidewards, with 30-foot-high seas and 55 knot winds hammering the vessel. The SAR Techs aboard the Hercules dropped a dewatering pump and radio onto the ship which was the first critical step in enabling the mission. Shortly after the aerial delivery they gained altitude and began providing illumination with flares to assist the Cormorant pilots during their hoist sequence as they approached.
SAR Technician Warrant Officer Fernando Bianco was on board the Cormorant “Rescue 902” when they arrived on scene around 23:30L. He provided his account of that evening’s mission; “When we got above the ship, SAR Technician Sergeant Brad Nisbet was the first to go out on the hoist, the boat was rocking violently in the conditions and he hit the side of the ship hard in the descent. We immediately brought him back up and thankfully he wasn’t injured. He managed onto the deck on the second attempt, and I followed to assist with the extraction of the crew. The seasoned skipper had already created an order of evacuation, so we could quickly start hoisting crew members up to the Cormorant using the rescue basket. We managed to get 6 people onboard when the aircraft commander reported an oil pressure warning, a serious issue requiring a speedy return to land, which meant leaving us on the ship with the remaining 25 crew.” The CC-130H which had been providing top cover and lighting up the sky above the rotary assets followed the Cormorant to Yarmouth in Southern Nova Scotia, where they landed and ferried the Cormorant crew back to Greenwood where another helicopter was being readied.
In the meantime, the two U.S. Coast Guard MH-60T Jayhawks arrived to conduct extractions with the assistance of the Canadian SAR Techs still aboard the vessel. “We managed to get 8 people onto the first Jayhawk at which point they reached their maximum weight” Bianco recalled, “The second Jayhawk crew were then simultaneously jettisoning equipment into the sea whilst we conducted the evacuation, with their quick actions resulting in 16 people being lifted onto the third helicopter”. By the early hours of the morning the second Cormorant arrived on scene, however in the worsening conditions both winch cables were snapped by the moving equipment on ship deck and the rocking of the boat in the swell. The cormorant was now unable to airlift the crew, so they dropped medical equipment for the SAR Techs to attend to crew members who had been injured during the night. As the circumstances became bleak, Warrant Officer Bianco prepared for the worst-case scenario; “We were stuck on the boat which at this point was listing badly and not far from sinking, so we dropped a life raft on either side of the boat to plan for which side was best for evacuation. Luckily, we got a call from the JRCC to advise a Canadian Coast Guard vessel was now only 30 minutes away. They deployed their rapid rescue craft, for which we made a rope system to safely transfer the remaining crew onto the rescue craft”. The Atlantic Destiny sank within 2 hours of the evacuation being completed, thankfully with all crew members evacuated without serious injuries.
Commenting on the success of the mission, Maj. Kristin MacDonald, officer in charge at the JRCC in Halifax said “We were very fortunate to have had the support of the U.S. Coast Guard during this rescue. Their ability to provide such valuable support in the saving of the lives of these fishermen is very much appreciated and demonstrates how important our relationship is in providing search and rescue services to both Canada and the United States.”
In October 2024, the 413 Squadron personnel involved in the rescue were recognised for their courageous and outstanding professionalism. Both SAR Technicians were presented with the Star of Courage along with the aircrew of Rescue 902 receiving the Meritorious Service Cross: Captain J.D. Appolloni, Captain S.W.A. Finn and Corporal D.J. Domonkos.
Future of SAR at Greenwood and the wider RCAF
The RCAF is undergoing a large-scale recapitalisation, where the only current aircraft to remain will be the CC-144 Challenger, CC-177 Globemaster and the CC-130J Hercules. This transition will see the SAR Squadrons evolve to operate new aircraft with increased capabilities and a centralised training platform.
The RCAF has recently implemented new technology onboard the legacy CC-130H, testament to their confidence in the iconic machine. Cellular Airborne Sensors for Search and Rescue (CASSAR) have been integrated to aid in the search for missing individuals. CASSAR equipped aircraft can identify and communicate with a search subject's mobile phone, providing a precise location and enabling text or voice message to confirm condition and validate the level of distress, even in the absence of a cellular network. In practice 413 Squadron were able to locate a missing vessel using the CASSAR system and communicate with their occupants within minutes of being in range, despite prevailing weather conditions that included thick fog.
Despite the renewed interest in the type, the CC-295 Kingfisher will ultimately replace the Hercules as the next generation fixed wing platform. 413 Squadron are currently sending their SAR technicians to CFB Comox ahead of time to train on the new aircraft to keep their impact of being away to zero. Next year the Squadron will begin to transition their maintenance and air crew to the new aircraft with the goal of being ready to hold primary SAR duty in 2026. Reminiscing on the Hercules incredible service and his personal experiences operating the type, LCol Norris provided his thoughts on the transition to the Kingfisher; “Any transition is going to have its challenges; however, we remain positive and optimistic about receiving the Airbus CC-295 Kingfisher and we know it will be a great platform once fully integrated. It will complement the Cormorant well during all matters of tasking. It’s been a huge privilege to be a C-130 squadron, especially as we are transitioning away from such a historical aircraft. It’s a legacy that we feel responsible for, and it will be a sad day when it eventually leaves our squadron. For now, though, they serve their purpose well and will soldier on serving our nation until the torch is passed to the CC-295.”
The CH-149 Cormorant has reached 20 years in service and is now in need of modernisation with next generation equipment. The Canadian Department of National Defence has awarded Leonardo a $1 billion CAN (€690 million) contract for the AW101/CH-149 “Cormorant” Mid-Life Upgrade (CMLU) Project for 16 aircraft in total, comprising 13 existing Cormorant Search and Rescue Helicopter (CSH) currently in-service and the augmentation of a further three aircraft. This contract will enhance the aircraft’s systems and technologies to a standard similar to the Norwegian Air Force AW-101 - arguably the best search and rescue helicopter in the world. The CMLU is expected to extend the life expectancy of the fleet to 2042+ with the airframes being returned with zero flight hours. Moreover, this project addresses the need for an improved training solution. By contracting CAE to provide a domestic flight simulator configured to modernized aircraft, Canadian aircrews will have dedicated training capacity at CFB Comox and will no longer need to travel to RAF Benson in the United Kingdom to train.
The transition may be daunting having operated the same aircraft for decades, however the renewed capabilities will equip the Squadron with new methods of conducting SAR and keep them watching the waves for many years to come.