CASR

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A Modest
Proposal
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Canadian Security Issues  –  2010 Winter Olympics Security  –  July 2009 Filling the 'Low and Slow' Gap in Top Cover for the Winter Olympics: Using Canadian Forces CT-156 Harvard II  trainers as Interceptors? by  Peter Marshall The Canadian Forces are  to provide  fully one third of  security personnel assigned to the 2010 Olympic and  Paralympic Winter Games to be held at Vancouver/Whistler. [1]  All  three elements of the CF will contribute to the air defences of  these Games: the Army will deploy its mobile ADATS  missile on tracked carriers, the Navy will anchor its frigates armed with ESSM surface-to-air missiles in Burrard Inlet and in Howe Sound. The Air Force is to supply CH-146 Griffon helicopters which will fly patrols (as well as transporting RCMP Emergency Response Teams if  needed ). Naturally,  Canada's frontline fighter aircraft,  the CF-18 Hornet will also be on hand to fly 'top cover'. Cold Lake-based  CF-18s have already been exercising in BC.  In mid-June 2009,  two 410 Squadron Hornets were detailed to Victoria (YYJ ). The goal of the brief exercise was to practice  inflight  aircraft  identification and  interception skills  (using a Challenger jet of  Nav Canada as their 'target' ). The air defence planned for the 2010 Olympics could be viewed as a scaled down version of the aerial security arrangements put in place for  the 2006 Olympics in Athens. [2] Compared with Greek security preparations, one obvious element is missing from DND's air defence plans. The Greek Air Force also fielded a small force of  'low-and-slow' interceptors. While Greek F-16 and Mirage 2000 fighters screamed overhead, T-6A Texan II trainers had been fitted with machinegun pods to intercept any light, general aviation aircraft that might stray into restricted airspace over the games. DND has no such plan despite a considerable number of light aircraft operating in and around BC's Lower Mainland and the South Coast. The Greek plan was something of an ad hoc arrangement. Having just taken delivery of new T-6As with an armaments training capability, the Greek Air Force simply fitted these aircraft with their gun sights and twin, underwing HMP-400 machinegun pods. The Greek Texan IIs had no intercept radar and could only perform effectively in daylight. The key advantage of a turboprop trainer over a jet fighter like the CF-18 is the T-6A's slow speed flying ability.[3] Raytheon CT-156 Harvard II  –  a North of 49 version of  the Beechcraft T-6A Texan II  [4] The Canadian Forces also use the T-6A as a part of the NATO Flying Training in Canada program.  The CT-156 Harvard II  (as T-6As are known in Canada) are operated  by  2 Canadian Forces Flying Training School at  CFB Moose Jaw.  The CT-156 is regarded by  the CF as a basic flying trainer and, unlike Greek T-6As,  CT-156s aren't used  for armaments training. However, that would not prevent DND from assigning CT-156s to a temporary security role. There are hurdles. The CT-156s are not owned by DND  –  they are leased aircraft  provided by the NFTC contractor, Bombardier. The firm is contractually obliged to put 19 Harvard IIs on the Moose Jaw flightline each day. But  that hasn't prevented  the CF from sending a few CT-156s off to airshows each summer. With the same leeway granted, six  CT-156s could  be spared for duties on one of the largest security exercises that DND has faced in many years. It was radar vectoring that made  Greek Olympics operations a solid success and their T-6A NTAs actually intercepted some errant light aircraft. CF radar have been deployed  to BC on exercises for 2010. The TPS-70 or Tactical Control Radar was set up at Vancouver. [5] This radar will provide target data for any CF interceptors. The CF  has also deployed ground control approach radar [6]  to nearby CYPS, the Pemberton airport  just  35 km north of  Whistler village. That Pemberton airport may well be useful  to CF  'low and slow' interceptors. CYPS has a single 3917 ft (1194 m) asphalt runway. Such a runway isn't helpful for the CF-18 [7] but a CT-156 needs only 1435 ft (437 m) for takeoffs and 3380 ft (1030 m) landing. [8] Once airborne, the CT-156 has a three hour endurance and YVR, Vancouver's main airport, is only minutes away for emergencies. Facilities at CYPS are limited  but arrangements have been made already to house security personnel near the Pemberton airport. As daylight-only interceptors, the CT-156s could 'over-night' at CFB Comox for maintenance in its Canadian Forces' hangars. [9] The largest hurdle is that CT-156s aren't used as armaments trainers (that job falls to CT-155 Hawk Fighter Lead-In Trainers). This is not insurmountable. Skilled pilots would be needed for the 'low and slow' intercept job. These crews would be made up of 2 CFFTS instructors – most of whom would have time on CF-18s and, thus, have been through FLIT courses. Still, the aircraft themselves would need some modification, including the wiring in of  gun sights. Like any T-6A model, a CT-156 has mounting points for twin underwing pylons (at right, with fuel tanks). If T-6A factory wiring doesn't include weapons, that will also require modifying before any gun pods can be attached. Any modifications kits can probably be supplied by Hawker Beechcraft for installation at the NFTC facility in Moose Jaw by Bombardier. [10] The use of armed CT-156s during the Olympics might act as a test for a future COIN aircraft. A more advanced T-6 derivative, the AT-6B, has been suggested as a COIN aircraft for CF use in Afghanistan. If this Modest Proposal were accepted, DND would fill the gap in its air defence plan for the 2010 Olympics, the Air Force would find a new role for itself in this security exercise, and the Canadian Forces generally would gain an opportunity to test a counterinsurgency aircraft in the near future. And all of  this using an existing  CF aircraft at  comparatively  little expense. [1] Some 4,000 CF personnel will deploy for the 2 weeks of  the Winter Olympics along with over 8000 police and contracted security. JTF2 will be on hand and CF UAVs are rumoured. [2] Being a bigger event, security for the 2006 Athens Olympics was correspondingly larger. For air defence, a "missile umbrella" was established with three Patriot sites and other sites for smaller NG Crotale and Tor-M1 (SA-15 Gauntlet) missile systems. The Greek Army was able to provide backup with Velos (similar to the CF's retired Skyguard/35mm Oerlikon gun combo but with added Giraffe radar and Sparrow missiles) plus Stinger or Mistral manpats. [3] A CT-156 cruises at 425 km/h but can fly at 185 km/h (flaps-down stalling speed is a mere 138 km/h.)  By comparison, a CF-18 – no slouch in the slow flying stakes – lands at 250km/h. [4] When the CT-156 were delivered, Beech Aircraft was owned by Raytheon (which took it over in 1979). In 2007, Raytheon sold the division which became the Hawker Beechcraft Inc. [5] A TPS-70 can track 500 targets from sea level to 100,000 ft / 30480 m to a range of  445 km. Both CF radar squadrons (42 RS, 4 Wing Cold Lake and 12 RS, 3 Wing Bagotville) deployed. [6] The CF calls their MPN-25 precision approach radar a Ground Control Approach system. The AN/MPN-25's PAR range is 37 km, its airport surveillance range is 55.5 km up to 8000 ft. [7] The CF-18s take-off and landing runs – about 430 m and 770 m respectively – are actually shorter than those of the CT-156 but the fighter requires more and larger support equipment. [8] The 1030 m figure is for landing from 15 m/50 ft to clear any end-of-the-runway obstacles. The CT-156's actual landing runout distance (ie: the tarmac required ) is only 739 m (2425 ft ). [9] It is not yet clear whether CF-18s will also be operating from Comox during the Olympics. That would make sense as a regular "det", but 2010 exercises have placed CF-18s at Victoria.