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Background
— Aerial Electronic Warfare Training — CF Heritage |
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Canadian Forces Aerial Electronic Warfare Training – EW, Composite & Combat Support
Canadian Forces aerial electronic warfare training dates back to 414 (EW) Sqn RCAF of 1967 flying converted
fighters and bizjets. [1] After receiving dedicated EW CE-144 Challenger bizjets, 414 (EW) Squadron was divided into two – becoming 414
(Composite) Sqn at CFB Comox and 434 (Composite) Sqn on the East Coast.[2] In 1993, 414 and 434 were
redesignated as Combat Support Squadrons and joined by 439 (CS) Sqn at CFB Bagotville. All three of the CS
squadrons then received updated Silver Star trainers, semi-officially dubbed CE-133s.
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CE-133s – EW Mods & Upgrades for the CT-133
Canadair-built CT-133s entered service in 1952. [3] In the mid-1990s, 45 Silver Stars underwent a
$12M upgrade. [4] Ten of the CT-133s re-delivered to the CF in 1998 were equipped for the EW role – the
EW trainers performing threat-simulation by mimicking the 'emissions' and flight paths of hostile
aircraft or missiles – emitting microwave radiation equivalent to the radar signals of an
attacker. On wing pylons, the CE-133s carried jamming pods and chaff to disrupt communications and
confuse radar signals.
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The CE-144 Challenger equipment fit was simpler – a few external antennae and chaff dispensers were
mounted but otherwise the EW emitters could be accommodated under the original weather radar radome. Flying
low in a salt-air environment, caused corrosion problems for the CE-144s but the fleet was also comparatively
expensive to operate. While all CE-144s were CL-600-1A11 model Challengers, each was slightly different.
Nor could a bizjet twin compete with the operating economy of the CE-133.
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| Specifications: |
CE-144 Challenger |
Dimensions:
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Span 19.6m, area 41.8
mē,
L 20.85m, H 6.3m |
| Powerplant: |
2 x 33.6 kN ALF-502L |
| Range (max.): |
6236 km (3365 nm) |
| Weight: |
21591 kg (MTOW) |
| Speed: |
882 km/h (max cruise) |
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In theory, CE-133s were more economical platforms for EW training. As a single-engined aircraft, the
CE-133 should be easier to maintain and to fly.
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| Specifications: |
CE-133 Silver
Star |
Dimensions:
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Span 12.93m, area 22.1
mē,
L. 11.48m, H. 3.55m |
| Range (max.): |
2,250 km (1216 nm) |
| Speed (cruise): |
760 km/h (917 km/h max) |
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As an economy measure, DND decided to prune the Challenger fleet, [5] eliminating the CE-144s altogether by
January 2001. Despite rebuilds, 50 year-old Silver Stars were not economical either so, in May 2002, the last
CE-133 was retired from 434 (CS) Sqn. CF airborne EW training capability vanished with those final aircraft.
Management fads had shifted by then and DND thought Alternative Service Delivery was the answer.
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[1] 414 (EW) Sqn began operations with converted Avro CE-100 Canuck fighters. In 1977, the squadron took
on Dassault 'EC-117' Falcon bizjets (replacing 'Clunks' in 1981). A year later, the 'EF-101'
Electric Voodoo fighter arrived. Challengers replaced the CE-117 in mid-1989.
[2] 434 (Composite) Sqn was reactivated at Shearwater in mid-1992 by combining half of 414 Sqn with
deactivated utility squadron VU 32.
[3] Between 1952 and 1959, Canadair delivered 656 Silver Stars built under licence from Lockheed. The CT-133
differed from a USAF T-33 in being powered by British-designed Nene 10 turbojets. By the '60s,
Silver Stars were displaced as trainers but continued in other roles.
[4] The upgrade focused on avionics updates, EW equipment being modernized. Nose-mounted AN/DPT-1 threat
emitters were retained. New EW pods were AN/ALQ-503 (Ericsson A-100) jammers and AN/ALE-503 (Lundy ALE-43) chaff
dispensers. Also used were ALQ-502 'noise' generators (ex-USAF Sperry AN/ALQ-167s). Electronic Warfare
Officer 'back-seaters' were kept busy changing operating modes.
[5] Two CE-144s were re-converted into CC-144 transports. The other eight were declared surplus. Both the
Challengers and Silver Stars were delivered to Lancaster Aviation for disposal. The bizjets sold
quickly but the Silver Stars took time. All aircraft have now been sold.
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