As an element of national power, the primary purpose of Canada’s Air Force, since its inception, rests on service to Canadian citizens. A core element of this is the ability to defend the nation and wage war when required, but equally important has been the requirement for the RCAF to be there in times of peace. The spirit of service displayed by Canadian military aviators, well documented during the First World War, grew during the Second as the RCAF found itself fighting throughout the world. Exploits in Europe and the Far East take pride of place in the historiography of the RCAF, but engagements fought closer to home such as the Aleutian Island Campaign, the Battle of the St. Lawrence, and the Battle of the Atlantic are reminders not to take Canadian security for granted. Regardless of locale, the RCAF’s record of courage, duty, and sacrifice is second to none.
With the global turbulence that marked the end of the Second World War, eerily reminiscent of today’s world, committing Canadian air power was a cornerstone of Canadian foreign policy. Collective defence, under the auspices of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and North American Air Defence Command (NORAD), embraced by Canada in the early Cold War remains vital to maintain peace and security today. Since the Korean War, successive Canadian governments have committed Canada’s Air Force to combat six times: the First Gulf War, the Kosovo Air Campaign, in Afghanistan, over Libya, against the Anti-Islamic State in Syria and the Levant mission in Iraq and Syria. Sending RCAF personnel and Air Task Forces/Units is a recurrent practice of Canadian governments. Indeed, since April 1, 1924, the RCAF, or elements thereof, have engaged in combat for 28 of its 100-year history.
Humanitarian and peacekeeping operations, most often at the request of the United Nations (UN), became important post-war RCAF missions. Most Canadians view peacekeeping as an Army role, but it was a rare Canadian contribution to a UN mission in which the RCAF did not make a transport, sustainment, or operational contribution. Sadly, more Canadian military aircraft were destroyed, and air personnel lost, in the service of peace than in all of the RCAF’s post-Second World War combat deployments.
On any given day, the RCAF is more active within Canada’s national borders than abroad, focusing on domestic tasks such as aerospace control, sovereignty patrols, and search and rescue. Some of these undertakings, such as fisheries patrols, counter-narcotics, and support in dealing with forest fires, have been RCAF tasks for more than 100 years. Helping Canadians cope with natural disasters such as floods, ice storms, and wildfires, growing in importance as the climate continues to change, are missions that loomed large throughout the RCAF’s history. These domestic obligations come at a price far exceeding mere dollars and cents and, as with peacekeeping, the RCAF has lost more aircraft and personnel in direct service to Canadian than from hostile fire.
The RCAF’s responsibilities are ever-present and there is no such thing as “down-time.” Deployment on expeditionary operations does not negate the requirement to serve Canadians at home. So-called peacetime or routine tasks often call for the same level of duty and sacrifice normally associated with combat. The legacy established by the men and women of the RCAF who, past and present, decided to place service over self is something in which all Canadians can take pride. As an institution, the RCAF is not perfect, but not many things human-formed are, and there is continuous improvement and growth. No matter what the future holds, there is no doubt that the members of your RCAF will do their best to meet the challenge.