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A Modest Proposal  —  A Civilian Solution for Canadian Arctic Patrol

Update 21 July 2001: yet another FWSAR Industry Day has been announced to cover the revised Statement of  Operational Requirements (SOR)  and  to investigate Alternative Service Delivery options. Also see: Time to calve off  SAR. Civilians may prove more Cost-Effective.

We previously recommended the Challenger CL-604 MMAs for  northern patrols by the Canadian Forces. Two developments reveal the need for a change - the Air Force cancelled its 2007 Arctic patrols (due to the age of its CP-140 Aurora fleet) and an announcement by scientists that an ice-free Northwest Passage may be a reality by as early as 2010. [1] Obviously,  if  the CF cannot perform Arctic patrols, a civilian alternative must be found.

Transport Canada is the obvious candidate  –  TC already operates NASP, the National Aerial Surveillance Program. Transport Canada also owns the CF CC-144 Challenger fleet.  Expanding the mission of NASP to include Arctic sovereignty patrols couldn't occur overnight. However, patrols by contractor-manned Challenger CL-604s could  make their presence felt in the Arctic almost immediately. With gravel deflectors installed on their nose gear,  these aircraft would be ready for Arctic airstrips.

This 'quick fix' would simply be a  patch on cancelled Air Force northern patrols. But these Challengers would not be Multi-Mission Aircraft. Converting  CL-604s to MMA standards would  take some time.  Meanwhile, the interim Challengers could fly visual patrols and do Arctic route- proving.[2] Operating from rough Arctic airstrips may not be strictly necessary but it helps establishes sovereignty in a way that overflights by surveillance aircraft can't. [3]

Non – Military  Sovereignty  Assertion True sovereignty patrols wouldn't  start until  Transport Canada received  its full CL-604  MMA conversions.  TC  would benefit from Field Aviation's experience with Danish MMAs. Certification could hardly be simpler (TC is responsible for approving aircraft modifications). With the Air Force unable  to perform  Arctic patrols,  Transport Canada is a natural. TC is already well-versed with the Challenger CL-604 and the Arctic patrols are logical extensions of  TC's existing surveillance duties.

[1]  On 15 September 2007,  the Northwest Passage was completely opened to non-icebreaking vessels for the first time in human memory. Université Laval oceanographer and ArcticNet scientific director, Louis Fortier,  forecasts an Arctic free of summer ice as early as 2010-15. The year 2013 is the earliest that the aging fleet of 18 Canadian Forces Lockheed CP-140 Aurora maritime patrol aircraft would be replaced. [2] As well as familiarizing flight crews, this could be combined with navigation aids inspection, another Transport Canada mandated task currently performed under contract by NavCanada (using two ex-TC Challengers which, interestingly, are fitted with nose gravel guards). [3] Landing at (or at least making arrangements to land at) remote Arctic airstrips addresses another concern. The Challengers have long range for their size but not sufficient to fly low-level, non-stop patrols across the entire Canadian Arctic. It would be wise to divide patrols into east and west sectors with alternative airstrips established for emergencies, weather considerations, etc. The Danes have shown that the CL-604 MMA can easily operate from gravel strips, and  Transport Canada has operated from Iqaluit, Resolute, and Inuvik in the past.