No.1 RCAF Radar and Communications School Clinton

it would not have been possible to meet the vital and increasing demands of radar in the latter part of 1940 and the follow- ing years without the knowledge that Canada was undertaking the recruiting of men to help us handle this immense weapon. The exact nature of duties could never be made known publically in Canada at the time, of course. But so en- thusiastically have RCAF personnel been since the earliest days that their role in the unseen struggle through the years of the war is one that Britain will never forget.

On 20 September 1945, Clinton was declared to be a peacetime establishment for the train-

ing of radar personnel and re-designated No.

1 Radar and Communications School (1 R&CS). A one-year course to train RCN radio technicians and radio operators was initiated in 1946 with 127 students graduating in 1947. Soon, a number of different courses at the Group One Level were offered: Radar Techni- cian Ground Navigational Aids, Radar Techni- cian Ground Control and Warning, Telegraph Technician, Communications Operator, and Communications Technician Ground. Later, more advanced courses were given: Field Maintenance on specialized equipment and Advanced Technical Training for all the Level One courses. The Basic Electronics Course (BEC), which was a pre-requisite for the Level One courses, was given to Armament Systems Technicians, Electrical Technicians, Instru- ment Technicians, and Communications and Radar Technicians. A Fighter Control Opera- tor course was also given until it was moved to a Radar Station at Lac St Denis, Quebec.

From 1947 until 1963, when all officers’ training was moved to the Central Officers’

RCAF Station Clinton, circa 1960.

When No. 1 R&CS became a peacetime RCAF Station in 1945, there were changes. New amenities were added: 220 Permanent Married Quarters, a school for dependant children, an Olympic-size swimming pool, and an ice skating arena. A new modern radar building was erected in 1960 with search equipment, similar to Air Defence Command radars, for the training of Radar Ground Tech- nicians. During the 1950s and 1960s, thou- sands of RCAF technicians were trained to work on Pinetree Line Radar. Clinton also ini- tiated training in the new field of Automatic Data Processing (ADP), both for data process- ing and for use in the new Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) Air Defence Sys- tem. Clinton made not only a significant con- tribution to the winning of the Second World War but also to Canada’s post war defence re- quirements for NATO and NORAD. The train- ing of thousands of electronic technicians assisted the development of Canada’s elec- tronic industry when RCAF personnel left the Service or retired.

and drill. During this period, trainees were tested by the Airman Selection Unit for apti- tude in any one of the 70 trades in the RCAF. Those selected for basic electronics were sent to 1 R&CS to take a 14 week Basic Elec- tronics Course (BEC) prior to any applied trades training. Depending on their suitability, some graduates of the BEC were sent either to the Basic Radar Course (BRC) or the Basic Communications Course (BCC). Those se- lected for either instrument or electrical trades were sent directly to Camp Borden for

applied training in those fields.

BRC and BCC graduates were monitored while undergoing training and were assigned to one of the six telecommunications electron- ics technician trades. Those selected for arma- ment electronic systems went directly to Camp Borden for specialist training. So did the Com- munications Technician Air and Radar Tech- nician Air trades who took their 10 week and 15 week courses respectively at the Airborne Electronics Trades School at Camp Borden. The remaining BRC and BEC graduates re- mained at Clinton to take ground-equipment maintenance applied training. These included Teletype Technician, 34 weeks; Radar Techni- cian Ground (navigational aid), 14 weeks; and Communications Technicians Ground, 10 weeks. Clinton also conducted refresher train- ing for these advanced trades courses as new equipment came into service. The total time to train a Teletype Technician from his day of entry into the RCAF was 58 weeks not counting annual leave and public holidays. Only then could he take his place in the world of air op- erations in Canada, NATO, NORAD or on UN Missions. Additionally, there were two courses given at Clinton that did not require a prereq- uisite course: the 25-week Communications Operator Course, and the 4-week Crypto- graphic Operator Course.

Radar equipment training in the 1950s was carried out on the Canadian-built AN/FPS-502 search radar, the AN/TPS-501 height-finder radar, and the AN/UPX-6 IFF radar.* After the
* See Appendix 31 C for an explanation of the code to identify radar equipment

An early Air Traffic Control MPN Series Ground Approach Radar. [LAC/NAC]

After the unification of the Canadian Forces in 1968, all ground radar and communications training was concentrated at CFB Kingston, the home of the RCCS. All training at Clinton was

eventually transferred to Kingston, and No. 1

R&CS closed on 31 August 1971.

^ See Appendix 49 for his biography

Nos. 410, 439, and 441 Squadrons. The Wing stayed and trained in the UK until a base was built for it in Marville, France. The next flight took place on 28 September 1952 when the entire No. 2 Wing, which consisted of Nos. 416, 421, and 430 Squadrons, crossed the At- lantic. In this instance, it flew directly from Prestwick to Grostenquin, France, landing on 11 October. It was followed in March 1953 by No. 3 Wing with Nos. 413, 427, and 434 Squadrons, which flew directly from Prestwick to Zweibrucken, West Germany, landing on 7 April. The final flight took place in August 1953 when No. 4 Wing, which consisted of Nos. 414, 422, and 444 Squadrons, landed in Baden-Sollingen, West Germany on 4 Sep- tember 1953. At that point, No. 1 Air Divi- sion, part of the 4^th Allied Tactical Air Force (4 ATAF), was complete. The headquarters for the Division had been formed in Metz, France on 10 April 1953. It controlled, in ad- dition to the fighter squadrons, 601 Mi- crowave Relay Squadron, 61 Aircraft Control & Warning (AC&W) Squadron, 30 Air Mate- rial Base in Langar, UK, and an Operational Training Unit in Sardinia, Italy.

From the time of the arrival of the RCAF 1

Air Division’s fighter wings in France and Ger- many in 1952 - 1953, communications were a significant aspect of their operational readi- ness. Each of the four Wings had a Station Telecommunications Officer who was respon- sible for the maintenance of aircraft avionics (airborne communication and electronic equipment), navigational aids, ground commu- nications, and the operation of the telephone and station alert systems. He commanded the technicians and operators for radar, ground and air, NavAids, communications ground and air, and the teletype and telephone systems.

As the type of aircraft changed over the forty years of NATO service, so did the commu- nications. At first, the Wings were equipped with three squadrons of F-86 Sabre jets. In order to increase all-weather capability, one squadron in each Wing was equipped with CF- 100 Canuck all-weather interceptors in 1957. In 1963, the CF-100 squadrons were dis- banded and the eight remaining squadrons with F-86s were re-equipped with CF-104 Starfighters, which carried nuclear warheads under joint US/Canadian control. On 31 March 1967, the number of squadrons was re- duced to six, and No. 1 Air Division HQ at Metz and the Stations at Marville and Grosten- quin were moved to Lahr, West Germany. On 31 August 1969, No. 3 Wing at Zweibrucken was closed down. On 1 October 1970, the size of the Canadian air commitment to NATO was reduced from six squadrons to three with no

61 AC&W Squadron at Metz, France with a DECCA 80 Radar (May 1955 - December 1962). [LAC/NAC]

From August 1955 to September 1961, air defence services were supplied by 61 AC & W Squadron located near 1 Air Division HQ at Metz. It was commanded by W/C W.C. Strange. The equipment used was the British Type 80 DECCA, Marconi Fixed Coil Display, the US AN/FPS-8 back up search radar, and three Height Finders of the AN/MPS-14 mo- bile type. With the introduction of the CF-104, which was designed for low level operations, radar control was not required.

RCAF Telecommunications personnel were responsible for all air and ground communi- cations and electronics equipment until the unification of the Canadian Forces. After 1968, avionics became the responsibility of the Aeronautical Engineering (AERE) Branch. The newly created Communications and Elec- tronics (C&E) Branch assumed responsibility for NavAids equipment, air defence systems, and ground communication equipment.

When 1 Air Division began to move into France and Germany, the civilian communica- tions systems were not capable of handling the increased usage. 601 Radio Relay Squadron, later renamed 601 Microwave Relay Squadron, was established in 1953, under the command of S/L J.G.F. Sansoucy, to provide all the com- munications within the Division. The adminis- trative HQ of 601 was located with No. 2 Wing at Grostenquin, France and the operational HQ was located with Air Division HQ in Metz. Four communications vehicles were backed up to each other to form a hollow square over which a wooden shelter was built. This arrangement provided 22 voice channels and 18 teletype circuits to each of the four wings. There was a backup system available to deploy to alternate airfields in case of hostilities.

Initially, Communication Technicians (Ground) who had received a six week Systems course at the RCA facility in Camden, New Jer- sey, USA, a two week Climbing and High Rigger course at Clinton, and two week Heavy Vehicle

601 Microwave Relay Squadron, deployed circa 1958.

Microwave repeater stations had to have a line of sight path between stations. Conse- quently, they were located on the highest points of land and often nearly inaccessible. The station at Wintersburg in the Vosges Mountains, 100 kms from Zweibrucken, for ex- ample, was only accessible by four wheel drive vehicles. Personnel were housed in Arctic tents, each heated by an oil-fired furnace, with four

In November 1989, the Berlin Wall fell, and East and West Germany were re-united on 3 October 1990. With the end of the Cold War, the Canadian government began to plan the withdrawal of its armed forces from Germany. While discussions were proceeding, an inter- national crisis developed in the Middle East. On 2 August 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait and refused to withdraw in the face of UN Resolu- tions. On 24 September, Canada along with 35 nations declared war on Iraq. The Canadian military response was muted: a squadron of CF- 18s was despatched from Baden to Doha, Qatar in late 1990. From there, air strikes were mounted against Iraqi forces in Kuwait. Telecommunications support to the CF-18 de- ployment was provided by an element from the Communication Squadron in Baden, West Germany. Maj A.G. Hines, the CO, went to Doha and commanded a scaled-down version of his squadron. For his exceptional work, he was awarded a Mentioned-in-Despatches.* The sudden collapse of the Iraqi Army in early 1991 resulted in an early return of the squadron to Baden. The withdrawal of the Canadian Forces from Germany by 1994 was announced in February 1992 and proceeded forthwith. By 30 April 1992, Military Air Com- munications System was closed at Baden as the CF-18s returned to Canada. One Canadian air element, however, remained in Europe for an- other 20 years; this was NATO AWACS.

J. MacDonald, AERE, and LCol M Sywyk, CELE, led an international team of 12 nations con- ducting interoperability tests between the AWACS and the latest NATO ground defence system, the Airborne Early Warning Ground Environmental Integrated System (AEGIS). As a result, the AWACS fleet began flights in 1982 and became fully operational in 1988 as the world’s only multi-national, fully integrated, highly effective, complex weapons system. It not only enhanced NATO’s ability to counter more complex air threats but also provided a potent and readily available symbol of the Al- liance’s political solidarity. Since then, five more nations have joined the European com- ponent, making the fleet of 17 AWACS aircraft even more of an international force. In addi- tion to the main base at Geilenkirchen, Ger- many, there are three Forward Operating Bases: Trapani, Italy; Aktion, Greece; and Konya, Turkey; and a Forward Operating Lo- cation in Oerland, Norway. Six other countries have their own AWACS aircraft: USA, Britain, Japan, France, Israel, and South Korea.

Canada played a key role in the develop- ment of the system and was third largest con- tributor to the program. As well, Canada contributed $320 million, about 10 per cent of the initial costs. For our efforts, the position of Wing Operations Officer was filled by a CAF Colonel, and the Squadron commander of one of the three operational AWACS squadrons was held by a CAF Lieutenant- Colonel. A number of radar and radio techni- cians were members of the sixteen-man aircrew, and there were ground-based CELE officers located at Geilenkirchen, West Ger-

A NATO AWACS. [NATO E - 3 A Component]

support for the command, control, and com- munications of NATO air strikes. Since January 2011, NATO AWACS has been flying on-going missions over Afghanistan in support of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) from the German air base at Masar-e Sharif. In spite of these successes, the Canadian gov- ernment decided in late 2011 to withdraw from the AWACS Program. Between 2012 and 2014, the Canadian Forces will conduct a phased withdrawal from the Program.

8 Air Communications Control Squadron (ACCS) along with CF-18 aircraft had arrived in Trapani, Sicily, where they were ready for operations within 48 hours. 8 ACCS also was deployed to Poggio Renatico, north of Flo- rence, Italy, to set up the Canadian Air Oper- ations Centre (CAOC) for the Canadian Air Component Commander. The CAOC was op- erational by 12 April.

On 31 March 2011, NATO organized OP UNIFIED PROTECTOR with a Task Force HQ in Naples, Italy under the command of Cana- dian LGen J.J.C. Bouchard, who controlled air strikes by NATO aircraft on selected targets in Libya. A National Command and Coordina- tion Support Centre was set up there by a de- tachment from the Canadian Forces Joint Signal Regiment (CFJSR) from Kingston, which provided both long range communica- tions back to Canada and local line communi- cations at all Canadian sites. At the same time a CP140 Aurora detachment was deployed to Sigonella, Sicily supported by personnel from Trapani. Six Aurora aircraft were equipped in 2009 with Model-N Tactical Common Data Link systems, which gave them the capability to transmit high capacity data or full motion video to users on the ground.

By 2 June 2011, there were 655 Canadian military personnel deployed in four different lo- cations across Italy in support to OP MOBILE. In addition, integral support by Communications and Information Systems (CIS) was provided by the Directorate Information Management End User Service based out of Canadian Forces Sup- port Unit (Europe) Detachment in Selfkant, Germany. This included providing COMSEC support, the contracting of leased services, a Na- tional Rear Link connectivity, Blackberry cellu- lar services, and the provision of CIS equipment.

This most recent Canadian air operation in Libya was highly successful and provided a good example of the capabilities of the C&E Branch. In spite of the fact that personnel were gathered from all over Canada and from dif- ferent organizations (CFJSR, 8 ACCS, NDHQ) and all of the Air Wings and Bases, they demonstrated great team cohesion and coop- eration.