Training Partners

 

The Royal Air Force is our longest serving training participant and have been associated with the Goose Bay airfield since its creation in the early 1940's. The RAF began low-level flying exercises at 5 Wing Goose Bay in the 1950's with Vulcan jets and have played a pivotal role in our training program every since. The RAF currently conduct training with Tornado GR 1 Fighter- Bombers, Tornado F3 Fighters, and Harrier GR 7's.

                   Harrier GR 7 in flight                                     Tornado F3 Fighter being serviced

 

The German Air Force began their flight training in Goose Bay in the early 1980's and conduct the largest number of missions of all of the participants. They conduct their training exercises using the F4F - Phantom II Fighter, the Tornado MRC Fighter Bomber, the MiG 29 Fulcrum Fighter, and the C-160 Transall Tactical Transport. From April to August each year the GAF conducts low level flying exercises with squadrons rotating on a two week schedule. This allows approximately 5500 personnel to come to 5 Wing Goose Bay a year.

                                               F4F - Phantom II Fighter

The Italian Air Force began training here in 2000 using the Tornado Fighter-Bomber and the AV-8B Harrier Fighter.

                AV-8B Harrier Fighter                           Tornado Fighter-Bombers

 

The Canadian Air Force has also played an important complimentary role to the tactical training program at 5 Wing Goose Bay. The 444 Combat Support Squadron is equipped with four CH-146 Griffon helicopters and its primary mission is to provide rapid response to local emergencies during flight operations. It also has a secondary mission of providing a twelve hour search and rescue standby for national Search and Rescue  taskings.

 

                CH-146 Griffon in flight                                   444 Squadron Crew

 

Click here for more flight training photographs.