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Volume XIV-Issue 772
www.vermilionvoice.com
May 21, 2019
vermilionvoice@gmail.com
42 Radar Squadron In Vermilion
From left, Cpl Phinney, Capt Heyne, Lt Kim, Lt Liebrecht, MCpl Goosen, Cpl Hodgson, and MWO Mason. See more photos on page 3 and 13. Photo Angela Mouly
Angela Mouly Reporter
The Royal Canadian Air Force’s 42 Radar Squadron based out of Cold Lake deployed approximately 30 personnel to Vermilion from May 2 - 28. Two locations were set up including an operations site and a radar site, both manned 24/7 with personnel working 8 12 hour shifts in collaboration with Exercise Maple Resolve which was scheduled from May 11 - 25. 42 Radar Squadron is one of two deployable radar squadrons in Canada, and Maple Resolve involved American, British, French, and Canadian troops working together including over 5,000 people. Sgt Filiatreault explained that they are an operational training unit who were providing radio capability, satellite mission control, and overseeing quite a
lot of electronics. Lt Liebrecht said that with a small group, everyone is specialized to do a lot of different things. “Since we are a NATO country we have to be familiar with a lot of different types of kits and equipment,” said Lt Liebrecht. 42 Radar Squadron used radar that can steer the beam electronically and can see 240 nautical miles or approximately 400 km. A third party from Ottawa tested the safety ranges of radiation from the radar prior to exercises and onlookers stood within a safe zone of radiation. “Civilian safety is number one for us,” said Lt Tae Wan Kim. “ We provide sur veillance of the airspace in support of Exercise Maple Resolve which is a large primarily army, but joint exercise out of the Wainwright Training Area. The Air Force integrates
by providing both rotary aviation (helicopters) and close air support (Alpha jets and CF-18s), but no aircraft landed in Vermilion due to the runway. Maple Resolve Exercise is a simulated war determining how ground forces would react. We provide a common operating picture and control the airplanes going into that exercise area. The aircraft are then handed off to controllers (people on the ground). Our squadron mandate is validated by making sure our equipment and personnel are ready to be deployed in response to any Government of Canada initiatives which could include anything from protecting a coastline to overseas operations,” said MWO Carlisle Mason. 42 Radar Squadron’s call sign is ‘Trapline’; and also participating was United States Air Force exchange officer,
Capt Heyne, who was the Detachment Commanding Officer. Lt Liebrecht was trained in Cornwall, Ontario in 2017 and said joining the Air Force was the best decision he’s made. After monitoring Wainwright airspace, and facilitating the air battle he said, “We’re here just to make sure that everyone gets home safe.” MWO Mason continued to describe that the operations site housed both an Operations MECC (mobile environmentally controlled container) and a Welcome MECC. The Welcome MECC was used as a nice place to get out of the elements and discuss lessons learned etc. This year, they tried using new microwaves to feed their information and in addition had radio antennas from their operations MECC. Continued on page 3